I will use both bait and hardware. the hardeware can be very effective most of the time and is easy to change your set up if things get slow. But it is hard to beat a fresh cut plug without a flasher 25ft down off a down rigger for those ocean run silvers. Nothing between you and the fish but alittle line. I will also run one rigger with bait and one with hardware just to see which is the hot bite that day. I try to find what will catch fish on that particular day and go with it.