Freshwater Baits

Choosing between live and artificial bait for freshwater pond fishing depends on your personal preference and what you're trying to catch. Live bait like crickets, worms, or minnows offers natural movement and scent, which can be irresistible to a wide variety of fish. It's often the most reliable option for catching larger, more wary fish. Artificial bait, such as soft plastic worms, crankbaits, or jigs, is more convenient to use and lasts longer than live bait. These lures are great for when fish are actively feeding, as they allow you to cover more water and mimic different prey.

There are many effective traditional baits for freshwater fishing, with some of the most popular falling into the categories of live bait and cut bait. These baits are appealing to a wide variety of fish because of their natural scent, color, and texture.

Live Baits

Worms: The quintessential fishing bait, worms are highly effective for nearly all freshwater fish, including bass, catfish, trout, crappie, and perch. You can find them in your garden, a shaded damp area, or buy them at a tackle shop. Nightcrawlers and red worms are common types.

Minnows: Since many predatory fish eat smaller fish, minnows are a go-to bait for species like bass, pike, walleye, and trout. They can be purchased at bait shops, or you can catch your own if it's legal in your area.

Insects: Crickets, grasshoppers, and mealworms are excellent live baits, especially for panfish (like bluegill and sunfish) and trout. These baits are often sold at tackle or pet stores and can also be gathered in the wild.

Crayfish: Also known as crawfish or crawdads, these are a main food source for many fish, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, and large trout. They are especially effective in the spring and summer.

Leeches: Fish like walleye and panfish are attracted to the swimming motion of leeches. They are a hardy bait that can be bought at a local tackle store.

Cut Baits

Cut bait is ideal for fish that rely more on their sense of smell than sight, such as catfish. You can use pieces of a variety of fish, including shad, bluegill, sunfish, or carp. Some anglers also use cut-up chicken or shrimp.

Other Traditional Baits

Dough Balls: A favorite for carp, dough balls (often made from flour, cornmeal, and water) can also be effective for catching catfish and trout. You can make your own or buy commercially prepared versions.

Fish Eggs/Roe: Cured salmon or trout eggs are a potent bait, especially for targeting spawning fish like salmon, steelhead, and trout, as they are a natural food source for them.

Clams and Mussels: In areas where they are native, freshwater clams and mussels can be a great bait for catfish, perch, and sunfish..

Soft plastics, like scented worms and grubs, mimic natural prey and often have added scents to attract fish. Hard lures, like crankbaits and jigs, use vibrant colors and movements to lure fish.

Soft Plastic Lures

Based on general popularity and effectiveness, here are five of the most highly-regarded soft plastic lures for freshwater fishing:

Stickbaits (e.g., Yamamoto Senko): Known for their simplicity and effectiveness, stickbaits have a unique, subtle shimmy as they sink. They can be rigged in various ways, with the "wacky rig" being a classic presentation that entices bass.

Ribbontail Worms (e.g., Zoom Ol' Monster): These lures feature a long, curly tail that creates a lot of action in the water, making them great for attracting fish over a wide area. They are often fished on a Texas rig and are a staple for bass anglers.

Soft Plastic Jerkbaits (e.g., Zoom Super Fluke): Mimicking a dying or panicked baitfish, these lures have an erratic, darting action when twitched. They are often fished weightless or on a light rig and are incredibly effective for targeting fish feeding on bait.

Craws (e.g., Strike King Rage Craw): Designed to imitate crayfish, these lures have flapping claws that create vibration and movement. They are a popular choice for use as a jig trailer or for flipping and pitching into heavy cover.

Creature Baits (e.g., Missile Baits D-Bomb): A diverse category of lures with unique shapes that imitate various prey items like frogs, insects, or even small amphibians. Their appendages and profiles create a lot of movement and are great for fishing around structure.

Crankbaits

Choosing the "top 5" crankbaits can be subjective, as the best lure often depends on the specific conditions you're fishing. However, some hard plastic crankbaits have consistently proven their effectiveness and have become staples in tackle boxes across the country.

Here are five of the most highly-regarded hard plastic crankbaits:

Strike King KVD 1.5 Squarebill: This is a shallow-running crankbait designed to be fished around heavy cover like wood and rocks. Its square bill helps it deflect off of obstacles without getting snagged, triggering reaction strikes from bass. It's a go-to for many anglers in shallow water.

Rapala DT (Dives-To) Series: This line of crankbaits is famous for its ability to quickly reach a specific depth and stay there throughout the retrieve. They have a tight, wobbling action that is effective in a wide range of water conditions and for various species. The different models (DT4, DT6, DT10, etc.) correspond to the maximum depth they can reach.

Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap: While technically a lipless crankbait, the Rat-L-Trap is so iconic and effective that it's a must-have for any angler. It's known for its loud rattle and vibrating action, which can attract fish from a distance. Because it's lipless, it can be fished at any depth, from a fast, shallow retrieve to a slow roll along the bottom.

Strike King 6XD: When you need to get down deep to find fish, the 6XD is a top choice. This deep-diving crankbait is a classic for offshore fishing, like targeting ledges and humps. Its design allows it to quickly reach and maintain a significant depth, and its wide wobble is great for attracting fish holding on deep structure.

Storm Wiggle Wart: This crankbait has been a favorite for decades, particularly in cold water. Its erratic, hunting action is a key trigger for fish, and it's especially effective for targeting smallmouth bass in rivers and rocky areas. The Wiggle Wart's distinctive side-to-side movement is hard for fish to resist.

Jigs

Similar to other lure categories, freshwater jigs can vary based on an angler's preferences and the specific fishing situation. However, certain types of jigs are so foundational and effective that they are considered essential for most freshwater anglers.

Here are five of the most popular and versatile types of freshwater jigs:

Flipping and Pitching Jigs: These jigs are designed for getting into tight, heavy cover like thick grass, lily pads, or brush piles. They typically have a pointed head to slide through vegetation and a stout hook to pull fish out of the cover. Their weed guard is also crucial for preventing snags.

Football Jigs: Named for their football-shaped head, these jigs are excellent for fishing on the bottom, especially on hard-bottom areas like rock piles and ledges. The wide head helps the jig stand up, mimicking a crayfish, and the shape helps it "crawl" over structure without getting hung up.

Swim Jigs: Unlike other jigs that are designed to be fished slowly, swim jigs are meant to be reeled in steadily, much like a crankbait. They often have a streamlined head and a long, flowing skirt that creates a swimming action. They are great for covering water and fishing through sparse grass or around docks.

Bladed Jigs (Chatterbaits): These are a hybrid lure, combining a jig with a vibrating blade. The blade creates a tremendous amount of flash and vibration, which can be a powerful fish attractor, especially in stained or murky water. They are known for their ability to entice aggressive strikes and are highly versatile.

Finesse Jigs (Ned Rigs): Finesse jigs are smaller and lighter than their counterparts, and they are perfect for targeting finicky or pressured fish. The "Ned Rig" is a popular style of finesse jig that uses a small mushroom-shaped jig head and a short, buoyant soft plastic bait. It stands straight up on the bottom, offering a subtle presentation that is often irresistible to bass.