What a load of cobblers
Ask any big bass man who fishes bait and ask him what is the best bait foir big bass - he will invariably suggest livebaiting (sandeel, mackeral, pouting and pollack usually)
And what best represents livebait - a moving shuddering diving leaping artificial, live bait has limitations that lures overcome ( a live bait fishes downtide 90% of the time as an e.g., lures fish any which way you like), furthermore a livebait always fishes at a certain depth,, artificials are infinitely variable.
Bass will also become pre-occupied with brit, this is when the fly, plastics and small lures come into their own.
And finally, if you fish a static bait (on the bottom), you are only fishing one strata of the water column.
Sea Angler exists to sell copy, it is biased, dated and as fickle as a bitch on heat, always chasing the latest fad, tackle innovation or the product of the best advertising revenue client
Take any dvice from there with a pinch of salt
You've only got to look at what Graham, Mark and others have achieved to see that it is utter nonsense, a good plugger or fly guy can stand toe to toe with any bait bass fisherman, in many cases beating them!
BB