Ace, I've always used live bait rigs all my life when fishing for mainly walleye. Occasionally I'll throw out a daredevil for northern. For years now everyone has been talking about throwing raps, shad raps, and the such. I've gotten a few wet-but no success. I rarely used artificials. Can you explain/teach me the best you can on how to properly fish them? Typically I troll on less windy days, and drift on nice breezy ones.
I really don't know what I'm doing with artificials and feel I'm missing out BIG TIME. I feel there has to be more too it that throwing it out and reeling back in. Because it hasn't worked for me. 
Thanks in advance! 
Hey Jeff,
Artifical baits can be tough to master for a number of reasons, however it's primarily just a question of giving them enough time in the water. I to was once just like you grasshopper, just a simple live bait fisherman.
You don't need hundreds of baits to get started and most of them are very simple to use successfully. There are 4 species of fish that I NEVER, EVER use anything but artificals to catch. Muskies, Smallies,
Largemouth and Northern Pike. They will all readily hit artificals at anytime of the year and in all kinds of conditions. Most Walleye fisherman spend all of their time with livebait presenations and there are certain times during the season when an
artifical presenation will totaly out fish a livebait rig, of any kind. :fishing2:
The main obstacle in your quest is simply a lack of confidence. Afterall, we all like to stay within our own comfort zone in our persuit of fish. Once you let yourself
go and just do it, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
Pike,
I like to compare Northerns to blondes.
Yea that's right, Blondes. All you have to do is show them something shinny and you'll have them in your power.
Pike will hit a variety of presentations, so
it isn't necessary to go to extremes to trick them into biting. My favorite baits for Pike are all very simple to opporate and they are all very effective when used at the right time. Spinnerbaits are far and away, the best Pike bait that human man ever invented. They work in shallow water, deep water, cold water, warm water, clear water and dark water. They will catch fish all season long, day time, night time, any time. They also can be fished in ugly places, where other baits fear to tread. You can reel them fast or slow, but the key is to let the fish tell you how they want it. Speed kills!! Pike will more times than not, want something at high speed.
Spoons have there place, however most spoons become less effective when the water temperature rises in the summer.
Jerkbaits like the Husy jerk, or original rapalas are great pike catchers, However try throwing one into a weedbed or over a tree limb, they will most likely get hung up. They do have there places, however a thick weedbed or shallow pads is not one of those places.
Buzzbaits are also great pike fishing tools. They will go into some nasty places just like the spinnerbait and you can get them back. Besides, there isn't anything cooler than watching a big Pike hammer a topwater lure!!
Smallmouth bass will also hit a number of different artifical presenations, from a jig to a topwater. By the way, they will also hit a spinnerbait. They will hit all kinds of topwaters, from poppers to buzzbaits and walk the dog style baits to floating rapalas. Throw them along the shoreline or over the top of a rockpile in deep water and hold on. It's not really an uncommon site to see a Smallie come up from 10 or 15ft to hit a surface bait, or smack a shallow running crankbait. You won't believe how much more fun that is
than watching your bobber go down!!
If you can find fish with live bait, you can catch those same fish on an artifical most of the time. Walleye fishermen all know what a mayfly hatch can do to the bite. Using artifical presenations during a hatch can be some of the absolute best fishing of the entire season. I relish the mayfly hatch, it puts them into a feeding frenzy. Next time you start seeing those mayflys on your locator, put away that lindy rig and try pulling some cranks into those bugs. You won't believe how those same fish you couldn't get to bite your crawler a minute ago, will rip into that crankbait presenation. Fast moving baits, are the answer to your bug hatching blues and you will typically catch a much better average fish on that crankbait, than you'll get on live bait.
So, get yourself a coupe of rigs that you can cast a spinnerbait with. A medium to medium heavy action 7ft rod, spinning or casting, depends on your preference. I use 14lb fireline crystal for most of my Pike rods, however a 12 to 17lb mono will also do the job. I don't use a leader, it's just not necessary most of the time with a spinnerbait. You may get biten off on a rare occasion, however the action that you get without one, will get you alot more good bites besides, spinnerbaits are cheap.
For crankbaits I would recommend a medium light to medium action 7ft rod with a fast tip.
Again, spinning or casting, it's up to you. Put some 10lb mono, or an 8lb florocarbon or even some 10 to 14lb braid on it. Floro sinks so you can get a little better depth on your cast with a floro, same thing with the braid. I use all three on different rods, it just depends on the application and which bait I'm throwing. There you have it in a nutshell. All you need to do is commit yourself to doing it. The more you do it, the more you will learn grasshopper.
"Ace"
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