# Waterdogs



## ScooterC (Jan 21, 2010)

So is it cheatin' to use waterdogs for largemouth bass? Never done it. Would like to try. I thought the good folks on 2Cool could provide some good perspective as to whether it is considered sporting or just cheating.

Also, I prefer to catch and release LMB. If I use waterdogs are the fish going to swallow the hook and I'll kill 'em getting the hook out? Would circle hooks help in this reguard?


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## JMGuerrero (Aug 18, 2009)

I use dead shad and nightcrawlers when I fish for Catfish and I get a LMB every once in a while and I've always hooked them on the mouth so I dont think it would be different if you use waterdogs. Whether they are small 10" or huge 23" LMB, the hook has always ended up on their mouth and I have released them without a problem. Regarding the cheating or sport...I'll leave that to the Bass guys to decide.


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## FISHNNUTT (Oct 27, 2007)

If you use waterdogs please use a circle hook and set the hook fairly quick
after a strike is detected. A big LMB can swallow a 9 or10 " waterdog very quick.
Large catfish like em to.


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## Rockfish (May 21, 2004)

Be ready to shell out some $, they are not cheep.


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## yakamac (Jan 24, 2010)

No more than using live shiners, I have used them @ fayette years ago freelined when fishing was slow, just have a good grip on your pole. They will swallow the hook if you let them have it too long, circle hooks might help.


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## iCdeez (Jan 24, 2010)

Rockfish said:


> Be ready to shell out some $, they are not cheep.


 I second that, at a buck a pop it gets rather expensive. Ive actually kept one as a pet since they turn into tiger striped salamanders.


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

I like your releasing the LMB.....specially the larger breeding sows. I also want to say that using any live bait to catch a fish is perfectly fine my me. I love chasing and catching this species more than any other freshwater fish. They are sometimes very frustrating.

Like "FISHNNUTT said though, hold on tight and set the hook fast. LMB literally hit these waterdogs to kill them. They will eat the eggs that are dropped during the spawn. 

Should one get the hook in too deep to safely remove it, simply be careful.....snip the line as close to the hook as possible and then release it.

I have had them spit a hook out in my livewell during tournaments that I would have killed it if I took it out....

Light Lines.


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## 9121SS (Jun 28, 2009)

We used them @ Fayette before riged on a weedless hook ( the kind with the wire latch ) through both lips. Like fishnnut said, set the hook as soon as you feel the hit. I tried them in Conroe one time with no luck.


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## baytownboy (Jul 24, 2009)

We used them on Houston County Lake near Crockett in the late 80's and early 90's rigged on a weedless hook, the kind with the wire weed guard hooked thru both lips. My stepson caught the biggest bass of his life on one but had to release it because it was in the lakes slot limit, almost 9 1/2 lbs. The old grumpy lady at the marina would not weigh it or take pics, so _*we*_ had to weigh it on their scales and use their camera to take pics!! She said it was in the slot and would not have anything to do with that fish at all, so when we were through, he released it. We were after a trophy and thats all, not in a tournament. I believe they outlawed the water daogs later because they eat basses eggs. I did bring a few back home and when it one died, I made a mold and some plastic replicas of them, but it did not work too well, never caught a fish. I had put some of them in a shop on consignment called Anglers Pro Shop at Broaddus on Lake Sam Rayburn but they did not do any good there either.


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## atcfisherman (Oct 5, 2006)

FISHNNUTT said:


> If you use waterdogs please use a circle hook and set the hook fairly quick
> after a strike is detected. A big LMB can swallow a 9 or10 " waterdog very quick.
> Large catfish like em to.


Absolutely!!! A friend used waterdogs on Fayette county lake back in 1993 and have a few swallow the entire hook. It was terrible especially since they were not in the slot for keepers. I convinced him to start using lures.


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## LDL (Jun 10, 2006)

The "Bait Bucket" used to sell them , up here in Spring , but does'nt have a supplier for them any longer. They used to come from somewhere in Arkansas. Don't know where you would find them around here anywhere now.


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## kim e cooper (Feb 18, 2006)

If they do swallow the hook just cut the line and let them have the hook i have seen alot of hooks coming out the *** of a bass so they will pass it, its better than killing the fish.


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## FISHSTICK (Sep 3, 2005)

In my opinion , to each his own . I have used waterdogs for bass . They are fun & expensive . Will you kill more fish with live bait ? I think you can kill just as many with lures too , if you are slow on the hookset . We practice catch and release for LMB . I also use croaker for trout quite often & practice catch and release with trout too . By the way , live bait does NOT mean success , as I have offered waterdogs to bass on nest only to have them completely ignore them , while them catching them on soft plastics . When fish are on live bait , the bite is allot of fun .


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## LaPorteDon (Jun 23, 2009)

You sure stirred up some memories. Back in 1973 I spent a summer on Lake Powell working at the Rainbow Bridge Marina. It isn't there any longer, but back then it was 50 miles by boat no matter if you put in at Page Arizona or one of the Utah launches. We had a floating dock with apartments and fuel, grocery store etc.

I got 2 days off a month, the rest of the time was pumping gas, meeting folks like Robert Redford and fishing. Lots and lots of fishing.

I remember one day I went out in the skiff we got to use in our off hours looking for a new fishing spot. I started into a canyon and saw this huge slab of rock that had separated from the main cliff; it was about 10-12 feet down if I remember correctly and about 30' long.

We used water dogs like crappie fishermen use minnows. Anyway, I remember the first cast over that ledge didn't take 15 seconds to get a hit and it seems every cast after that just got hit quicker than the one before. It got to the point the water was exploding as soon as that "dog" hit the water. LOL

I went back to New Mexico and due to the expense of buying a bait I never even heard of before my summer at Powell, I invested in a seign net and caught my own.

Don't know if the little ponds down here hold water dogs like the ones up in New Mexico do,...but you might look into it.

That was one of the most fun, complete summers I ever had. Thanks for refreshing my memory.


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## Lunkerman (Dec 27, 2004)

I've used them before. A lot of the time the bass don't want to eat it, but kill it. After the fish mauls the waterdog it will spit it back out. Hang on to your rod, some of the hardest hits you'll ever get out of a bass.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Yes they hit it to kill it mainly because they will eat the bass eggs. They hit VERY hard. It is awesome!They will hit it chew it up them spit it back out so quick hookset is best. Good luck!


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## fishytx (Jan 22, 2010)

Click on this web site below and print the pages out to keep in your tackle box or boat.
Try this method next time you try to remove a hook from the gullet. This method will save so many fish that isn't even funny. 
Old timers always said to cut the line and let the ensigns of the fish decay the hook and it will be fine. With the new technology of hooks today, they do not rust out as fast as the older hooks, resulting in a much greater percentage rate of fish dieing when leaving the hook in to decay on its own. 
Every since I've learned this new technique and put it to use, I have yet to kill a gullet hooked fish. 
Please take the time to print this information out and use it. It will save the life of so many fish for the future of fishing. And this method will also work on any gullet hooked fish, crappie, perch, catfish, trout, etc. etc.

http://www.walleyesunlimitedusa.org/documents/hook_removal_technique.pdf


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## megafish (Mar 5, 2007)

LOOKS LIKE A GOOD TIP TO ME, WILL TRY WHEN EVERYTHING GETS BACK TO NORMAL! THANXS


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