When it comes to catching large numbers of panfish, it’s impossible to beat a chunk of nightcrawler (or maybe a cricket) hanging under a bobber. But when you’re throwing live bait for panfish, you’re ...

I'm a sucker for a big bait. Wakebaits, glide baits and swimbaits - it doesn't matter. There's just something resolute about the commitment it takes to throw one of these big baits all day for one or ...

Live bait isn’t just a technique for beginners. A fluttering minnow or chunk of nightcrawler at the end of the line can be one of the most effective means of fishing at this time of year. “While an ...

Some of the best fish foods you can cast out might require you to collect them yourself or find a regional shop that carries harder-to-find baits. There might even be a few species on this list that ...

This story, “Living End for Bluegills,” appeared in the July 1965 issue of Outdoor Life. WE KNEW THAT in the lake there were bluegills the size of pie plates. They had spawned six weeks ago, and at ...

Fall is on the horizon, but summer tactics are still the norm. Jon Conklin, fishing guide, said striped bass are biting but large fish are hard to come by. Shad, brood minnows or small sunfish are the ...

Clockwise, from top left: minnow, crayfish, sunfish, shad, frog, and grasshopper. Fathead minnows, leeches and worms are mainstays in bait-shop refrigerators across the country. These old standards ...

1. In Lakeland, at Saddle Creek, grass shrimp, crickets and red worms were the bait of choice for shellcracker and bluegill. Small domestic shiners were the go-to bait for bass. The catfish bite has ...