bigger bait bigger fish?

[WeponsOfBassDestruction]

is it better to have bigger sized shiners or smaller sized? i know that "big bait = big fish" but didn't know if i would catch only small junk fish all day if i used small bait.

[littlesturgeonguy]

in my opinion yes if there biting on minnows seems that bigger fish like the bigger bait and if i fish with smaller minnows i catch the smaller fish.

[BassHouse]

I always use bigger bait.  With all the money, effort, and time we spend on fishing, I just feel your coming up short if you don't use larger bait.  I know a lot of folks have caught fish with small bait, but unless you are going for perch or panfish it just doesn't make sense to me.  Plus you don't waste as much bait because the small fry's stay away.  I also think the larger minnows are more robust and can take more of a beating.  I can't tell you how many times I have been right next to other guys fishing and while they seem to be getting a lot more flags, they rarely pull up anything decent. And let me tell you, when one of my flags go up I am running to it because there's a good chance it's something big.  Big Bait=Big Fish 

[blaster22077]

I was using big bait today and got a bass around 4lb.

[Scientist]

I do a mix of both small and large. The majority is larger bait to avoid the smaller fish. 

[Danderson]

in my opinion yes if there biting on minnows seems that bigger fish like the bigger bait and if i fish with smaller minnows i catch the smaller fish.

your avatar is insane. how much that ski weigh?

[1MOFISH]

is it better to have bigger sized shiners or smaller sized? i know that "big bait = big fish" but didn't know if i would catch only small junk fish all day if i used small bait.

small bait mofish big bait big fish yes until that glutton 12" bass tears up your 2 buck shiner   mo

[trying to catch a biggie]

I catch decent size fish on small shiners,,,i think if a big fish is swimming by and hes hungry he will hit small bait..i snip the tails off my small shiners so if the big fish homes in on the small shiner the small shiner will not be able to get away...

[scavengerj]

The next world record bass isn't coming off of a 2" minnow. Stands to reason the same would hold true for hardwater fishing for any species. Sure, small fish will hit a large bait just as a large fish would hit a small bait but, all in all the bait has to fit the fish, chances are that you are going to catch larger fish with larger bait.

[IrishIce99]

Usually that rule applies to almost all species of fish. For panfish, if the bite is slower i always go small because the chances of getting a fish (big of small) are greater than if i used a big shiner.

[duck doctor]

When I fish live bait, I fish small shiners for bows and if I want bigger togue, I fish 4-8" suckers.  Generally speaking, every big fish I have taken, the bait was over 4" long.

[littlesturgeonguy]

danderson to be honest i didn't way the ski just had a pic taken and released the fish

[fish_finder]

 I have generally found bigger bait = bigger fish BUT i have caught my biggest pickerel  through the ice a (28incher) on a 1.5" minnow i originally had down for perch but i think that was just plain lucky. I have also seen some big burbot and heard of some massive ones being caught on tiny little glow jigs at night but for the most part fish will eat what ever will give them the most energy for the energy it takes them to eat it

[scavengerj]

Main problem I have found if using small baits for bigger fish...the dang hook to hold the bait has to be small also. I usually end up missing the bigger fish because the hook is too small to set right. The point doesn't even get past the barb. Then again, it all comes down to what you are fishing for....... small fish or big fish? 

[Van_Cleaver]

I use medium shiners on tip ups when I fish for perch, just so I won't be bothered by so many dinks. Of course, I usually hook some nice bass, but they tend to be medium as well, 12-18''. I stick with the program, cause I don't keep bass at any size; but have no doubt if I moved up to larger bait I would catch clunkers. This applies to a lake with large bass and perch capabilities.

[mainefishaddict]

i always used med shinners. i really dont think its all about the size of the bait, its finding them at the right place at the right time.

[powdiddy]

never fished for pike on hardwater until last year and i was using the smaller shiners that we had 3'' to 4''  and i caught way more fish.and i did end up with the biggest pike .i also caught 8 largemouth to the rest of the groups 3 but i'm not sure if it was the smaller bait or the fact that i was using 20 lb floro leader instead of wire like the rest of the guys.and i also was using a single gold aberdeen hook and not trebles.i will use big and smaller shiners  this year and see what happens.still cant get myself to use wire or a treble.

[Smeltecca]

If you're looking for numbers I'd lean towards smaller bait but if you want a trophy the bigger the better - my best bass through the ice came on a 6" live shiner.  Bait in the 5-6" range will be taken by bass around 2lbs regularly used to catch them when fishing big shiners for pike.

[Danderson]

If you're looking for numbers I'd lean towards smaller bait but if you want a trophy the bigger the better - my best bass through the ice came on a 6" live shiner.  Bait in the 5-6" range will be taken by bass around 2lbs regularly used to catch them when fishing big shiners for pike.

i agree, my 5 and 6 largemouths came on huge pike shiners. i was targeting large pickerel and bass, and finding an excuse to use up my pike bait 

[freaknsweet17]

i was fishing for pickerel and perch and my biggest shiner (4-5 inches) caught the lone bass