Just looking for some thoughts on gulp vs live bait… I have to admit I haven’t ever really tried gulp, but I’m wondering what peoples experiences are with it. Is it really better than live bait as good or worse? I’m willing to try different things but before I spend the money (the stuff isn’t cheap!) I’m wondering if it’s worth it. 
I’ve never used it myself because i don’t think its worth the money i just use b fish n plastic the gulp alive is to high in my opion i do use the old gulp from time to time but bought at a close out 
live bait for me since I just can’t get past the smell of that stuff. yuuuuuuucccccckkkkkkkkkkk
Its got its place. But like any other non-live bait product, if you don’t use it you won’t ever know.
ALL of my spring crappie fishing is done with the 2″ gulp minnow grub. And if your snap jigging or pitching for eyes do yourself a favor and pickup some of the 4″ minnow the 3.25 paddle tails from bfishn work great too. I can’t rember the last time I bought live bait.
My experience with Gulp is when the bite is absolutely GEEKED I catch fish with it. They DO NOT hold GULP like livebait, so often times while jig fishing it is a bit tougher than utilizing Jigs tipped with livebait for many customers. I find little action with it, and in my opinion the scent simply crosses out the lack of action you receive in many plastic trailers. When fishing Canada I usually have some along, but wouldn’t say it competes with dead shiners or K-Grubs/Paddletails which are much more cost effective. With that being said it would be my guess that the more isolated your fishing destination the better results you’ll receive. Just my 2,3 and 4 cents worth!! 
I’ve seen a few situations where gulp works better than live bait (like on Lake Michigan for salmon or brown trout or Lake Mendota for smallies) but overall, I’ve had far more success with live bait.
I have been using Gulp since Spring 2009 and I have had a lot of success with it. My dad started using the 2″ minnows in place of crappie minnows for crappies on a lake he regularly fishes. He said he was tired of trying to keep live bait, so he decided to spend the $20. After his first time using it, he told me how well it worked. I didn’t believe him. I decided to go out with him one day in which he would use Gulp and I would use a live crappie minnow. He was catching more fish and the Gulp minnow stayed on his hook and would last for at least 20 fish. I was doing well with minnows, but I had to keep replacing them and if I missed a bite, there was a decent chance my minnow was gone. I switched to Gulp after 2 hours of this and and stayed with the Gulp. I am a true believer. I also use Gulp leeches and Gulp sinking worms. I will admit that when the fish are very picky, live bait works better than minnows, but if the bite is even half decent, Gulp has always worked for me.
I caught a 20″ largemouth this spring with Gulp. It is my largest bass that was caught on a Gulp sinking worm. I caught many other nice bass this day – a rainy and cold day.
in closing, I was very skeptical with Gulp, but I am a true believer after this last summer of fishing. I am going to be ice fishing this weekend and I am going to give Gulp a try through the ice. I will let you know how I do through the ice with it.
I’ve done well on gulp in open water (gulp minnows and gulp crawlers) and just picked up some gulp minnow heads and mini minnows for ice fishing. I’m hoping they’ll work well to tip a jigging spoon. We’ll see.
I started carrying with a small container of gulp magets. Some days they work other days the fish just swim up, sniff it and swim away. The jar is 3 to 4 bucks and easy to pack with. Should last me all winter so I will keep trying it.
I certainly wouldn’t say it’s better than live bait but way easier to keep around. I keep a container of the Gulp Alive minnows in my truck and have had alot of luck catching walleyes on jigs in the spring over my lunch break. Just remember that those containers will leak and it will stink. Whoops, just noticed this was in the ice fishing forum – no experience there.
Started using Gilp Alive minnows and leeches about two years ago. A friend of mine had them on board and I asked him how he liked them. He said he didn’t use anything else and if I didn’t believe him to try one. I put a Gulp minnow on a jig head. On the second cast I caught a 17′ walleye. They are just another great tool in your arsenal. The good thing is that they work and they give you the option of not using live bait. If 10 years ago someone you’ld have told me that i could catch a ton of walleyes without live bait, I would have told them that they were nuts. Then came the ringworm and all of a sudden it turned my river fishing upside down. I don’t even use live bait anymore. In between the gulp products and plastics (like ringworms) I don’t need them. If I were you, I wouldn’t give up on live bait, but give these products a try to help expand your fishing arsenal. Some tools are for specific jobs. Others cover a broad range of jobs. But if you don’t have them, you can’t use them.
I tried Gulp jumbo leeches last spring on the English River system in Ontario vs. live leeches with mixed results. Live leeches worked best for me but also had some luck with the Gulp… It seemed that trolling with the Gulp seemed effective during the slow fish feeding periods of the day and pitching with live leeches during dusk/dawn periods provided excellent results. I’d say try it with any and every fishing strategy; you never know what may happen and could create a quality strategy of your own…
Quote:
They DO NOT hold GULP like livebait, so often times while jig fishing it is a bit tougher than utilizing Jigs tipped with livebait for many customers.
–
That is my experience exactly. I have fished it head to head with minnows vertical jigging several times. When the bite is aggresive it works just as well, but when it is subtle I miss more fish. I think I got just as many bites, just a much lower hook up percentage. I have switched to braid in vertical situation so I will try it again and maybe my increased feel, and speed in hooksets will lead to more fish with gulp? They definitely don’t hold it as long.
I’ve tried some of the older grubs ice fishing and not found them to work well for me. I recently bought a jar of minnow heads and the new grubs with the little tails on them and have only caught a few fish. It does not seem like the fish hold these well and they have not worked for me when the bite has been slow or the fish picky.
Dave
The key to using Gulp! or an plastic, is to have confidence in it. To gain confidence in plastics, put one on your jig and pretend thats all you have for bait, make yourself bound and determined to catch fish with it. I rarely use live bait for panfish through the ice. The gulp! alive 1″ glow powerminnows are awesome for crappies by the way. The waxies and the 1″ fish fry are great for gills.
I Hate live bait and rarely use it all it usualy is good for is getting your hands wet and cold. I have used the gulp and don’t see that it is any better than normal plastics like ringworms paddle tails and power bait minnows. One thing that I don’t like about it is that you can not leave it on your jig from 1 day to the next. It shrivles up and you will be lucky to get it of the hook when this happens. Also on the package it says not to put them back in the bag after use. I don’t know what it would hurt but thats what it says.
Quote:
I Hate live bait and rarely use it all it usualy is good for is getting your hands wet and cold. I have used the gulp and don’t see that it is any better than normal plastics like ringworms paddle tails and power bait minnows. One thing that I don’t like about it is that you can not leave it on your jig from 1 day to the next. It shrivles up and you will be lucky to get it of the hook when this happens. Also on the package it says not to put them back in the bag after use. I don’t know what it would hurt but thats what it says.
I always put it back in the jar at the end of the day. Probably says that so you have to buy new ones more often.
I didn’t think it would hurt anything to put it back. I have not tried the ones in the liquid just the gulp in the bag. can you tell me if that liquid freezes or not. Thought about trying it but they cost more than the 3 or 4 inch power minnows that work awesome and I like to fish during the cold months of the year too and was afraid i would have a block of ice.
I’ve never had it freeze, I don’t think it would just because of the stories i’ve heard about the liquid putting holes in peoples boat carpet etc. Not 100% positive though.
It will freeze i tested it earlier this season. I put it in the freezer and it froze but it was not as solid as ice but froze non the less.
Ajs
Quote:
It will freeze i tested it earlier this season. I put it in the freezer and it froze but it was not as solid as ice but froze non the less.
How long did it take to freeze???Ajs
Sounds like it really depends on your personal fishing situation. I have had much better success with it on the Rainy River than on the lake. For that matter plastics in general on the river are far more effective all seasons than on the lake. I remember a couple years ago absolutely slamming the walleyes with Dean, and actually running out of shiners. We both like to believe we are rather accomplished jig fisherman, and though caught fish as we both switched to GULP it was way way way slower. Very few bites at all let alone hook ups. This summer we literally were having to drag shinners or bigger fatheads through the mud to get bit. Gulp would be a tough go. I love artificials, and at times I will definately utilize them for many reasons. With this being said I have never in my years of fishing think I can honestly say that GULP has outfished livebait in my guide boat, and it has had some chances to. My guess would be those boys fishing the Mississippi river where water clarity is a bit murky, and current is present may very well have some different results. In lake settings I believe fish have much longer to size up your presentation, and thus may snub the bait at times of nuetral bites. Often times fish may follow you all the way to the boat. Where in a river situation fish are often programmed to hit or let bait go, and are triggered to attack when bait comes overhead. Just my thought. With that being said I’ve usually got a tub or 2 in my boat, and yes that stuff stinks. 
About an hour it was frozen. But these were the small jars of 1 inch minnows so i would imagine a larger tub will take longer. I have messed with gulp a little this winter with mixed results i,ve had some perch hit and not let go when they wouldnt touch a small minnow or minnow head. I,ve also had fish sniff and run so i,d say it has a time and place i just havent found it yet.Also i keep the jars in my heated portable with me when its cold so if i want to use it its ready to go.
Ajs
I have used the Berkly Power Bait stuff for years and loved it for open water fishing. For ice I used the small power bait grubs with some success. In 09 I tried the gulp alive for bass, mostly with worms and I like it. Tried some of the minnows this fall in MN and not much luck. I have a small jar of the small red tails that I have used this winter. Like everyone has said, when things are going good, it fishes well. If it slows, not so sure of it. I will always have some around now though. Careful of the jars and other liquid, it can leak easy and PEWWWWW it smells.
Quote:
Sounds like it really depends on your personal fishing situation. I have had much better success with it on the Rainy River than on the lake. For that matter plastics in general on the river are far more effective all seasons than on the lake. I remember a couple years ago absolutely slamming the walleyes with Dean, and actually running out of shiners. We both like to believe we are rather accomplished jig fisherman, and though caught fish as we both switched to GULP it was way way way slower. Very few bites at all let alone hook ups. This summer we literally were having to drag shinners or bigger fatheads through the mud to get bit. Gulp would be a tough go. I love artificials, and at times I will definately utilize them for many reasons. With this being said I have never in my years of fishing think I can honestly say that GULP has outfished livebait in my guide boat, and it has had some chances to. My guess would be those boys fishing the Mississippi river where water clarity is a bit murky, and current is present may very well have some different results. In lake settings I believe fish have much longer to size up your presentation, and thus may snub the bait at times of nuetral bites. Often times fish may follow you all the way to the boat. Where in a river situation fish are often programmed to hit or let bait go, and are triggered to attack when bait comes overhead. Just my thought. With that being said I’ve usually got a tub or 2 in my boat, and yes that stuff stinks.
I can’t disagree with one word here. Very well put Chris!
Quote:
I have used the Berkly Power Bait stuff for years and loved it for open water fishing. For ice I used the small power bait grubs with some success. In 09 I tried the gulp alive for bass, mostly with worms and I like it. Tried some of the minnows this fall in MN and not much luck. I have a small jar of the small red tails that I have used this winter. Like everyone has said, when things are going good, it fishes well. If it slows, not so sure of it. I will always have some around now though. Careful of the jars and other liquid, it can leak easy and PEWWWWW it smells.
If you are worried about leaking, check this out. Its a Gulp! alive management system.
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/prod.php?k=307007&sk=307007&p=PURTGABMC%20(1187816)
I just started using gulp magots this year in the green color. First hour of fishing caught a 13″ crappie on one. I had it on a glow spoon. Have caught small walleyes, but that seem to work better on perch and crappies. Probably bait size/ profile ? I always use gulp on fly in trips to canada. Gulp leeches on work harnesses are deadly. Would use them over crawlers or live leeches any time.
Quote:
I just started using gulp magots this year in the green color. First hour of fishing caught a 13″ crappie on one. I had it on a glow spoon. Have caught small walleyes, but that seem to work better on perch and crappies. Probably bait size/ profile ? I always use gulp on fly in trips to canada. Gulp leeches on work harnesses are deadly. Would use them over crawlers or live leeches any time.
For walleyes I can’t say that I prefer gulp! over the real thing. Panfish on the other hand, I’m sold, and plastics will only continue to get better.
Quote:
For walleyes I can’t say that I prefer gulp! over the real thing. Panfish on the other hand, I’m sold, and plastics will only continue to get better.
I’m pretty much on the same page with you when it comes to the waldos and what you think regarding the crappies and Gulp alive, Travis.
I seldom use any live bait for the waldos either, maybe a minnow’s head in a jig in the winter. I stick pretty much with other plastics when jigging the walleyes and sauger. Everts has a crazy-good selection of paddletails in two sizes that I tend to favor over Gulp and then there are the ringworms…..
Crappies on the other hand. Gulp has done me real good since last summer.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
