Use the Right Live Bait to Catch the Right Fish

February 28, 2026

Live bait can result in a great fishing outing, but you need to make sure you have the right bait for the right type of fish you are looking to catch. Let’s look at some popular types of live bait and the species of fish they are most suited for.

Nightcrawlers & Earthworms

  • Great all-around bait — nearly every freshwater species will bite them, including Largemouth Bass, Trout, Yellow Perch, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and more.
  • Easy to fish on a bottom rig, slip bobber, or crawler harness (especially for walleye).

Minnows & Shiners

  • Minnows (Shiners, Chubs, Dace) are among the top go-to live baits in Michigan for predatory fish such as:
    • Walleye — especially suspended under a bobber or drifted near structure.
    • Bass (Largemouth & Smallmouth) — attractive when suspended, swimming naturally.
    • Perch & Crappie — small minnows on light tackle produce steady action.
  • Michigan DNR defines legal minnows for bait including shiners, chubs, suckers, dace, and related small baitfish (so long as you follow bait regulations).

Leeches

  • Especially effective for Walleye and Northern Pike, leeches attract strikes by their wriggling motion and are a time-tested favorite under a slip bobber or on a jig.

Crayfish

  • Excellent bait for Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, and even Catfish — fish them dragging them along rocky bottoms or weed edges where these fish naturally forage.

Insects (Crickets, Grasshoppers, Wigglers, Waxworms)

  • Crickets & Grasshoppers: great for Bluegill and other Panfish, and trout in shallow waters during spring/summer insect activity.
  • Wigglers (Aquatic Insect Larvae) and Waxworms: small but effective baits for Perch, Crappie, and Trout.

Get the right live bait and fishing equipment you need for a successful day on the lake. Stop in to Slowen Outdoors today.