Has anyone ever used real live lizards for bass fishing, and if you did how in the world did you hook them without killing em.

Good to hear from you '151...was wondering about you...grounded eh? Hook those salamanders through the tough skin right ahead of the back leg.
                   

Here in Arizona we hook waterdogs through the lips. The hook can work the opening larger as the waterdogs swim and crawl on the bottom making it possible for them to get off the hook. I prevent that from happening by taking a hole punch you would use to punch holes in paper to put in a binder, and punching out a bunch of pieces from a coffee can lid, then after hooking the waterdog, put one of those plastic punch holes on the hook. It'll keep that waterdog on the hook. Happy Fishing!

What the bait companies call lizards are meant to mimic water dogs or mud puppies. Not sure how well a lizard would work.

Ahh come on leave them poor lizards alone. After all, they are descended from dinosaurs and have been around since the dawn of time. Stick to night crawlers or other live bait. I guess im a big softy, but I just couldn't do a harmless lizard that way.

Sometimes you're the hammer, and sometimes you're the nail.

Hey 151...your back! Been awhile..hope all is good...I would suggest hook them in the hind quarter of their leg or maybe thru the top of there back..Ive seen some YouTube vids with guys fishing lizards, mice and even chipmunks...yes chipmunks..and the bass devour them. I personally wouldn't do it, I'm kinda soft when it comes to that kinda stuff I'd feel sorry for the little guys, but to each his own. I even throw back my live bait at the end of the day, most guys take it home and put it in the freezer, to use as cut bait or chum. If their still alive, they get a pardon..lol

Im with Barresi. Grant the little guys a pardon! And fishing with chipmunks? That's kind of sick! Poor little guys!

Chipmunks and mice? Really? That doesn't sound cool to me. I'd never be able to do that, but I'm not judging. As for "pardoning" the baitfish, I used to do that until I found out that that can seriously set an ecosystem out of whack. Now I'm deathly afraid of doing that, so I just use em all or toss em pondside for a lucky bird to pick up. Not that I go far from the bait shop to fish, I'd just rather not make it a habit.

Im not saying im going to use them, I was curious about it because you see so many Soft plastic lizards.

And thanks.


I got grounded for being out past curfew fishing lol.

Hee hee...that-a-boy Ray...if you're gonna get into trouble...at least make it worth it. Maybe get a cheap watch, to keep an eye on that time. Oh, and to the rest of you sissies that can't put bait on a hook, hope you never have to deliver a baby in an emergency! Hey...all jokes aside...if you want to fish a chipmunk without killin' one...they make chipmunk color Jitterbugs and Hula Poppers.
                                                                                                                                                                                     

Nope, never used a Lizard but have used Frogs when they can be found! The Bass and Pike just kill em!

Before we discovered Creme worms for sale I searched up feeder creeks to small mossy/fern covered springs to collect salamanders, probably the most effective live bass bait, and why plastic worms have worked so well. Along the way I took some lizards for topwater fishing too, but they were hard to manage in the boat, tending to crawl out of my cricket cage and hide in any crack aboard. When fished the salamanders take cover on bottom if you let them get there, looking for the nearest crack in solid rock, but can't hide their scent. Lizards swim like crazy until they find something to hang onto, like a hydrilla mat, floating stick or leaf, or anything else above water. No matter what they do, a predator fish is watching it, attracted to the frenzied swimming commotion. Lizards are way up there with salamanders in catching efficiency, but salamanders last a lot longer in captivity or on a hook.

A word of caution. Many salamanders and lizards are on endangered/threatened wildlife lists, protected by law. If you are caught possessing one on a list you could face federal and state charges these days. There were no lists or laws for them in the days I used them.

If using a lizard, hook it right in front of a rear leg where it can't use those powerful leg muscles to work a hook loose. I like the tab idea above, but prefer the simplest method for any bait. Just hook it through the scaly skin where the toes can't get hold of the hook.

If using a more tender salamander, tie a Mojo sinker or something like that to allow some sliding on bottom, tie a hook on the end of the leader, pass the hook though the lower lip then back out under the chin, then T-rig the hook in the back skin just like you would a plastic worm, poking the hook point back under the skin. The creature will crawl into places where an exposed hook will likely hang up. When (not an "if" situation) a bass or other salamander-eater eats the salamander it will not give it up, so you will most likely feel the bass chewing on it before setting the hook. In general figure on the bass suffering deadly internal damage over this ordeal, destined to be a keeper and eaten by you.

I hope the bait Barresi is releasing is the stuff he nets himself. There are all kinds of regs now on moving bait from one body of water to another due to the spread of VHS. Anything you capture from the body of water you are fishing can be safely returned at the end of the trip.

All the live bait I get is local caught, by myself or the bait shop...from the bay..(saltwater). No harm here..

I wish I could put the neighbors yappy little dog on and toss it out

Woo hoo..............think we have the same neighbor!

Posted By Bassman47312013 on 20 Feb 2012 05:00 PM
I wish I could put the neighbors yappy little dog on and toss it out

Best gator bait on the planet!

never fished a lizard but i have fished a garden snake . Talk about a top water explosion .