Gulp alive pros and cons

[Rex Robinson]

Wondering if any of you use the gulp alive products and if you would share your unbiased opinions.  I have watched some you tube clips but most of the guys were in high dollar bass boats with Berkley written all over it and their shirts.  Is it worth the price?  Is it easily torn off the hook?  How do prefer to rig it?  And most importantly does it work well?  Your opinions are the ones that matter to me.  Please let me know.  Thanks.

[Jim Gronaw]

Rex...I have done very well with Gulp Alive 1 inch minnows in smelt and emerald shiner for crappie during the cold water period the past 2 years. It is a tough bait that I thread on a 1/32 oz ball head jig and fish it slowly below a bobber or on the free-fall with a tight line. I can catch 20 to 30 fish on a single minnow, as compared to one small crappie on a live fathead minnow, plus you don't get you hands cold rebaiting every fish. I prefer 2 pound test Trout Magnet SOS mono for this fishing.  Here are a few of the bigger fish that I released last December on them...

I probably got 200 crappie last December on the Gulp Alive minnows. Only one good trip so far this Dec for 30 fish, with 19 eaters in the mix. It is a tough bait, and I recently had crappie hit them fished dead still below a bobber, threaded on an Aberdeen hook, like a live minnow, hooked where the dorsal fin would be. I highly reccommend this product. I am also sponsored by my wallet!

Good Luck!

[Rex Robinson]

Thanks for the reply Jim.  I was concerned how durable it was, as I had used a similar product a few years ago that would fall apart after a couple of cast.  From the looks of your results I'll have to give these a try.

[Tony Livingston]

I'll second the Gulp alive minnows.... I use the Emerald Shiner with great results, same way as Jim......suspended below a float, or tightlined down. 1/32 jighead, or sometimes a 1/64th, both have produced well for me.

I have used the Gulp alive "waxworms", and while I have taken fish on them, they haven't been as good a producer for me as the minnows. They are quite durable, however.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

I have experienced good results as well on the 1" Gulp Minnows....my personal favorite is Chartreuse because I use them in combination with live bait.....You might say then why not just fish the live bait? I believe the color is important in the dark waters I fish so this helps the fish locate the bait and the protein nugget of live bait puts it over the top......I have lost a couple during a fish strike but this is normally after several fish have been caught and start to break down the plastic.....

[Jason Preslar]

gulp! minnows are great. i caught several gills on them yesterday, sometimes i tip them with crappie nibbles too, i hardly ever use a jig head with them though, i put them on an aberdeen hook size 6 i think and put it under a float and let her rip, these little baits will catch any fish that swims i think

[jim cosgrove]

i think they are great to have at times.especially when you just got a couple hours to fish.outfish live bait?no way.minnows are a pain if you are shore fishing.wax worms are cheap ,last a while and will catch any thing.by that i mean tip a jig beetle spin road runner etc.i have caught 1000s of crappies and gills on a roadrunner with a wax worm on it.i know people that slow troll beetle spin type baits with a large split shot above to get it deep .tip with a small plastic tube and waxworm .they fill buckets with panfish.could not believe till i saw it.tried gulp waxies and minnows they worked well,but sometimes so does any thing.don't think they are the answer in cold water.

[Jason Preslar]

Not saying this is every time, but a couple times they out fished live minnows by a mile, put the 2.5" minnow on a jig head and killed the crappie and bass, couldn't get anything to hit a live minnow then, could've possibly been the presentation getting their attention also

[jim cosgrove]

hey jeffrey-is that a cricket i see on that yellow gulp?kind of like a bluegill turducken?lol

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Yeah Jim.....I'll throw a grass shrimp or a piece of worm on there too......I like the combination approach.....

[HughScott]

I USE GULP ALIVE 1 INCH IN SMELT AND CHARTREUSE. VERY EFFECTIVE FOR CRAPPIE AND GILLS WHEN NOTHING ELSE WORKS. I PUT THEM ON 1/80 JIG HEADS. JUST DONT FORGET AND LEAVE THEM ON OVER NIGHT. THEY GET LIKE CONCRETE AND YOU HAVE TO USE PLIERS TO GET THEM OFF. GOOD LUCK,  HUGH

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ive only used a few of the Gulp products, to no avail, I might add.

From my experience, the fish merely laugh at them. I tested them once against worms and the fish wouldn't even give them a second glance.

There are surely times and places where they DO work, as other anglers prove. I just haven't found the "magic." This coming season, I'm going to try the 1" minnows as trailers on small Idaho spinners. We'll see if that works out.

[Jason Preslar]

Smelt 1"