yeah crickets the way to go especially when they hit the bed in early spring! I believe you can smell them 100 of yards away. I have tried earthworms but it seems like the bigger ones are on crickets, and always have a ultralight with a beetlespin on. I hook mine through the belly part (I guess) and back up through the back ( the harder part) where it looks like he's sittinig on the hook., they don't live that long but where I fish it don't take but a few seconds after they hit the water. I sorta hook them and make em look weedless LOL they also make topwater baits that work well too.