Believe it or not, the answer is a little more complex than you might think. There are professional anglers firmly rooted in both camps, but their reasoning is interesting.

One well-known and well-respected professional angler from Florida had a surprising answer when asked which he would use in a tournament. He said he would fish artificial lures all day long because he believes they out fish live bait given enough time and a large enough territory covered.

But when asked why he uses live bait for charter customers he explained that is more of a safety issue. That it wouldn’t be smart to have five or six people using artificial bait right next to each other on his boat at the same time. Someone was bound to leave with an injury in his opinion.

Unsurprisingly, there are people that feel the exact opposite way. Another well-known and well-respected angler that was interviewed felt differently. He said he would use artificial lures with clients or with himself. He believed live bait was the only way to go.

So, who is right and who is wrong?

Following are some important aspects to consider before choosing one or the other.

Note: For this comparison live baited is considered to include dead, cut, or frozen bait that was once alive. Fly fishing and all plastic lures fall in the artificial lures section.