Night Crawlers
Guess what lure has won more bass tournaments than any other lure? The plastic worm! What does a plastic worm imitate? A night crawler! I personally don't use live bait to fish for bass but if I did a night crawler would be one of my top choices. You put them on your hook, they squirm around and the bass see the movement and it's appealing to them for sure.
You can also just use them like a plastic worm and move them along slowly on the end of a float or bobber to catch suspended bass. If I was just starting out and wanted to use live bait this is what I would start with in most cases.
Soft Craws
I haven't used a soft craw for decades, mainly because I don't fish with live bait but the craw is an excellent bait to use to fish for bass. Think of all the artificial lures that resemble a craw (crayfish). The craw has a scent of their own and bass love them. They like the way they move, the action they have and the aroma they emit. To a bass this is like prime rib. Not only that but when the bass inhales the craw, it is soft and they like that too. If you have never fished for bass with soft craws then you're missing out on some good fishing. Hook these right behind the head and bring the hook back up through the craw.
Minnows
What do most lures like the Rapala imitate? Minnows, of course! Minnows are a great bait that bass love. Why wouldn't they, that is the main diet of many bass in their own lake. Minnow can be hooked in many ways but the way I hooked them was always through the front lip. Since a bass will strike the minnow head first this seems reasonable to me to hook them that way and they live longer and have more action then hooking them in the back. These are easy to fish, just put them on an end of a bobber or float and watch.
Shiners
People go to Florida all the time to catch that trophy bass and then wonder what to use for bait. Here is the answer... Shiners! Listen, this is what bass in Florida feed on, they love shiners and they love big shiners. Owning a tackle store in Florida, when someone came to me and ask what to use for big bass, shiners was always my answer. Going to Okeechobee? Fish Shiners! Shiners are their natural food there and you'll see people cast netting for shiners to use for bait or sell to bait stores like I had in Florida.
Here's another tip... Get big or even Jumbo shiners! You won't believe the size of the shiners I sold to bass anglers and couldn't keep them in stock, they sold that fast. I have sold shiners up to a foot long for bass fishing and the people and bass loved them. I would suggest a shiner at least 4 inches but a 6 inch shiner is my favorite as I have seen monster bass caught on this size shiner.
If you want a chance to catch that monster bass in Florida that you have always dreamed about then try shiners.
Insects
When a fly fisherman fishes for bass a lot of times they will use a fly that resembles an insect like a grasshopper or cricket. I have sold millions of crickets that were used for bass and bluegill fishing. While most people use them as underwater bait I have seen some anglers use them as a topwater bait with a very small hook and catch bass. One thing about it, they are active little things if you hook them right and keep them alive.
Another Florida Tip-Don't' use those giant grasshoppers you see in Florida, there's nothing that eats them, not birds, not fish not anything. Apparently, they taste awful to birds and fish.
Spiders
Bass like spiders but I haven't figured out how to put them on your hook without getting bit. I have seen some nice bass eat a spider that is moving on top of the water, not water spiders but regular spiders. So, if you ever get your nerve up and want to try fishing with a spider then go for it but I wouldn't suggest it really.
Charles E. White has fished 56 years for bass from California to Florida. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he has caught over 7,000 bass. His biggest bass is 12 pound 14 ounce. His largest bass in Ohio is 8 pounds 2 ounces. He has helped many people who have never fished for bass before become successful anglers with his bass fishing tips, and he has fished with the Pros in Florida.
For more free bass fishing tips visit his website is at: http://www.bassfishingohio.com/bassblog/
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