Live bait preferences...

[mrbasser]

We always have used nightcrawlers. Huge nightcrawlers pinched to desired length, threaded on hook with hook point covered and no worm dangling to prevent pulling bait off hook. This has always worked but as I am renewing my interest in 'gills/sunfish I read about all these other baits and wonder what your faves are.

I have only used a few live baits other than 'crawlers. Crickets, mealworms, catalpas and small grasshoppers are all I remember trying. Crickets are too mushy/easy to lose IMO. I have only used mealies a few times this year and they caught fish for fish what our 'crawlers caught. Too many years since we used catalpas but too late to find them now to see how they are. (KILLER channel cat bait!) Grasshoppers in the small size are fairly hard to locate around here but seemed to work well.

I'm dying to try maggots and redworms. Just picked up some redworms and some green nightcrawlers that I thought couldn't be any worse than my old proven traditional nightcrawlers and will be trying both these @ our favorite lake tomorrow. (Will follow up tomorrow night and let y'all know what we find.)

My question is what do y'all prefer for live bait and has it out-fished other live baits that you have tried? And how do you prefer to hook your favorite bait?

["G"]

I like meal worms and redworms. I thread the redworms on my hook and I hook the meal worms in the middle.

[jvg]

Redworm are my favorite and then crickets and nightcrawlers.....i fish the redworms the same as you have been using the crawlers.....i have never used a mealworm or maggots.......but considering the mealworms

[alumacraftjoe]

#1 for me is wax worms especially when tipping jigs. If I am chasing shellcracker then its a good ole redworm. Last trip I tied on a 1/100 jig about 3 feet up then slit shot and at the end of the line hook w/ redworm. Caught both gills and redear on the set up and caught fish on jig and hook same cast two times.

[mrbasser]

G-3, do you lose many mealies hooking that way? I mean do you seem to catch most of your bights? I keep reading that a lot of folks like to dangle the worms to enable writhing/wiggling to entice strikes but I wonder if that hooking technique allows the fish to steal bait easier.

jvg, mealworms are the cleanest live bait I have ever used and plan to order a bulk amount from Grubco come spring. I recommend them highly.

[Jubs]

I haven't tried worms for panfish in quite some time as I usually use too large of a hook for their mouths (gills and sunfish) but I have been using maggots a lot lately. I like how firm their skin is and they tend to stay put fairly well. I have only been tipping them on jigs though I haven't been fishing them straight.

[talegunner]

its meal worms for me. easy to keep, store and use and the fish eat um up. always have a supply in the fridg.

[rocket rich]

Well I've Got To Put In My 2 Cents. I Don't Bluegill Fish Much But My Grandkids Are Killing Them On Hot Pink Gulp A Live Maggots. I've Never Seen Anything Like It And I Use To Catch Hundreds Of Redear Down In Southern Il. Years Ago But Now Only Crappie Fish. You Gotta Try Gulp A Live No Bull

[Bluegill Bill]

Well I've Got To Put In My 2 Cents. I Don't Bluegill Fish Much But My Grandkids Are Killing Them On Hot Pink Gulp A Live Maggots. I've Never Seen Anything Like It And I Use To Catch Hundreds Of Redear Down In Southern Il. Years Ago But Now Only Crappie Fish. You Gotta Try Gulp A Live No Bull

I've wondered about those "Gulp" baits, I'll have to try them.

"Shep"

[deathb4disco]

I like maggots for several reasons:

1) Fish love them.

2) Very clean and easy to use.

3) Very tough on the hook.

4) They are heavier than water, so you can chum with them.

5) They have an incredible action.

I will occasionally use mealworms and waxworms, but they cannot match maggots on #3, #4, and #5 above.