Fishing for Florida Largemouth bass is one of my favorite hobbies. I have used both artificial and live bait and still rotate between the two, depending on a variety of factors. There is no doubt that I have fared better in terms of size, if I use live bait and have done better in terms of numbers, with artificial. My PB is just under 11 pounds with live bait and in the 5-6 pound range with artificial.
The downside of fishing with live bait is that you have to procure your bait, either by purchasing or catching it, and then you have to keep them not only alive but active for the duration of your outing. I have lately been trying to focus more on getting better at using artificial and have begun to add a swim bait more regularly in my casts.
I bought the 8 inch swim bait shown below on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Jointed-Swimbait-Fishing-Life-like-Minnow/dp/B00KYPSEVS/ref=lp_8479617011_1_1?srs=8479617011&ie=UTF8&qid=1535641165&sr=8-1) and have caught two bass in the five pound range on it. I love the way it presents in the water. I use both a steady retrieval to simulate a slowly swimming shiner and a jerking retrieval to simulate a dying or darting shiner. It is uncanny how real life it looks with both retrievals. Also, because of its weight, it allows for a lengthy cast which helps if you want to cover a lot of area.
I know there is more to learn about the best way to present it because recently, I cast multiple times with no hits. I changed to a purple worm and got three hits and two fish, casting in the same area in just a matter of minutes.
I am going to continue to practice with different types of retrieves and at different depths but all indications are that this swim bait is effective and has the potential to lure in ten pound class bass. If I were a bass, I know for sure that it looks too real to pass up.
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