Best Live Bait and Lures for Bass, Trout and Panfish

Walk into any tackle shop and the wall of lures can be overwhelming. The truth is, a handful of proven baits and lures will catch fish almost anywhere in the U.S. Here's what to use for the most popular freshwater species.

Live bait basics

• Nightcrawlers and worms: the universal bait. Almost every freshwater fish eats them.
• Minnows: excellent for crappie, bass, walleye and trout. Hook them lightly through the lips or back so they stay lively.
• Crickets and grasshoppers: great for bluegill and trout in warm months.
• Wax worms: a top choice for panfish, especially in cold water and ice fishing.

Check your state's regulations. Some waters restrict live bait, and many states prohibit moving live baitfish between waters to prevent spreading invasive species and disease.

Bass: lures that work

• Soft plastic worms: rigged Texas-style (weedless) and fished slowly along the bottom. It's possibly the most reliable bass lure ever made.
• Spinnerbaits: flashy and vibrating, and good in stained water and around cover.
• Crankbaits: diving lures that imitate baitfish. Choose by the depth you want to fish.
• Topwater lures: poppers and walking baits create exciting surface strikes at dawn and dusk.
• Jigs: effective around rocks and heavy cover, often paired with a soft-plastic trailer.

In fall, bass often follow schools of baitfish, so lures that imitate shad and minnows can be especially productive.

Trout: lures that work

• Inline spinners: a classic trout lure in streams and lakes.
• Small spoons: wobble and flash like injured baitfish.
• Prepared dough baits: popular for stocked trout in lakes and ponds where bait is allowed.
• Flies: fly fishing is a world of its own, but nymphs, dry flies and streamers all catch trout.

Panfish: keep it small

Bluegill, sunfish and crappie have small mouths. Small hooks, tiny jigs (1/32 to 1/16 oz) tipped with plastic or live bait, and light line are the keys. A small jig under a bobber is a deadly crappie setup.

Match the hatch and the conditions

A good general rule: use natural colors in clear water and brighter or darker colors in muddy water. Slow down in cold water, when fish are sluggish. When in doubt, ask at a local bait shop. They know what's biting right now. New to fishing? Start with our beginner's guide.