looking for the top live bait for large mouth

When I lived in Florida it was live shrimp.
Here in Arizona it's live crayfish.

Here in New York its small to medium sized minnows and night crawlers.

Waterdogs and Mice for me.

Posted By YellowBear on 10 Sep 2012 09:51 AM
Waterdogs and Mice for me.

wow, I've never used mice for bait. I imagine they catch a lot of biggies. 

I have to chime in, just because I looked at the thread ...
I don't use live bait for bass. The Wife doesn't like to eat them, so I never keep them. Bass usually swallow live bait, so my philosophy is: Live bait fishing for something your not going to keep is like baiting a field beside a highway ... you know some are going to die, even if you do catch a large one.

I've used a lot of different baits for bass. Crayfish and minnows have been the most consistent, whether they're used fishing off the bottom or under a float.

If I do use live bait it's gotta be leaches and nightcrawlers, big juicy ones. Northern Ill. and Wisc.

More info is needed :  

well that's kinda a tricky question . It depends on the the forage base of the water you are fishing, the time of year,And the size of fish you are after.
IN other words do you want numbers or a wall mount . All this plays in to the factors.

It is fall big fish time . Frog fishing can be great in the fall .

Absolutely hands down its whatever comes up in my throw net in the area I plan to fish. When shad are plentiful a live free swimming thread fin on a balloon rig is as good as it gets, but if fatheads, or red shiners are what come up in the net they are what will catch fish there.

night crawlers on a slip bobber.my buddy tears them up like that.I don't seem to do as good though.lol

In this part of NY I use 6" to 8" perch to catch fish like this.

Mike,

Respect your opinion but just because someone is using live bait doesn't mean they're going to kill the fish. I've seen many more fish harmed by gut hooking using a plastic worm than I ever have by someone using a minnow or spring lizard. Lately we've gone to a smallish circle hook for the medium Bass minnows. In Lake Lanier, GA you are just as likely to catch a Largemouth or Spotted Bass as you are a Striper doing this - even though it is the Striper we are targeting. An angler aware of the choices they make can control the outcome.

I use 6" to 8" perch on a quick strike rig and have never had one swallow a hook. I also use 3 and 4 ott Gamakatsu hooks

a nice fat gill or a spro frog in the fall. They are worth the money.

2-3in.Goldfish under slip bobber,no weight.