15 minutes ago, VolFan said:

I use spotted bass for catfish bait on the Catawba chain in NC. It works better than anything and futility works to control their population.

Ive heard that white bass is really good too

I don't pay attention to live bait regulations because I don't use it; only exception would be if I'm taking kids or beginners Trout fishing, then I have used nightcrawlers. Live bait is mostly used by "catch and eat" fishermen; I'm not one of them.

@Harold H People use white perch, not white bass that I am aware of. The white bass runs are way down but white perch are very prolific and easy to catch for everyone…except me for some reason. I have an almost comical inability to catch them. Spots make better baits to my palate…

For anyone interested, you can order Black Salties from Anderson farms to certain states. They have small, large, and xl if youre after a real monster. Theyre very hardy unlike shiners and can last for weeks or longer of properly taken care of. Not sure if Outhouse Tackle reopened or not, I think a man named Don might be running it now, but I used to get them there a dozen for $9, I tried to get the biggest ones

BLACK SALTY - Anderson Minnow Farm https://share.google/G2LmfYVmgvHHMvlj7

One of the Best Live Baits: The New Black Salty - Game & Fish https://share.google/2Zun1WWZZ9Iy8eiet

Florida Fish and Game on this thread….

I suggest watching videos by @Glenn to improve your angling skills so that you won't feel the need to use bass for bait or even spend hundreds of dollars buying bait.

8 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I suggest watching videos by @Glenn to improve your angling skills so that you won't feel the need to use bass for bait or even spend hundreds of dollars buying bait.

But what if... using live bait is the only way to get the biggest bass in the water to bite? I fished Little River reservoir in Durham as a kid, and they did a shock test there many years ago. 22 lb largemouth came to the surface. Now, getting that fish to bite ANYTHING may be very difficult, but what would be most likely to elicit a strike, a factory made lure, or fresh food? I have a tackle box full of hundreds of dollars of hard baits, and no doubt they will all catch fish, with time and effort, but not like live, in most instances I would think. Artificial can certainly outfish live, and can catch monsters as we all know, Butch Brown is an example with the Huddleston.

Where some might have many days out of the year to fish, some of us are more limited, and may not have the time it takes to master a lure or technique. And how much do some pay to have a fish mounted, Im sure they wouldnt mind forkin out a little extra for the bait to catch the fish in the first place. And I wont even go into how many Senkos litter the floors or numerous bodies of water

11 minutes ago, Harold H said:

But what if... using live bait is the only way to get the biggest bass in the water to bite?

I see you're in NC - relevant parts of the NC Regs

"Nongame fishes, crustaceans (crayfish and blue crabs), and mollusks may be taken in inland fishing waters or personal use (bait or personal consumption) only with the equipment listed below, and with a valid license that provides basic inland fishing privileges."

eRegulations

North Carolina Nongame Fish Size & Creel Limits

Check North Carolina nongame fish size & creel limits for legal catches statewide. Stay compliant and fish smart—learn more at eRegulations.com.

Other/more information is at - https://www.eregulations.com/northcarolina/fishing/nongame-fish-regulations

http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2015a%20-%20environmental%20quality/chapter%2010%20-%20wildlife%20resources%20and%20water%20safety/subchapter%20c/15a%20ncac%2010c%20.0701.pdf

Bluegill is considered game fish, but is totally legal to use as bait as long as caught by hook and line, no cast nets

22 minutes ago, Harold H said:

I wont even go into how many Senkos litter the floors or numerous bodies of water

That's a good point.

I'm not anti-live bait. I have caught thousands of smallies with leeches in northwestern Ontario. I've also caught thousands of smallies in the same lakes with lures. I consider lures to be superior in the mornings and evenings, when bass are shallow and a little less wary due to low light. I can cast a lure so much farther and cover much more water than I can a leech. Long casting is key in low light because even though they're less wary, they'll still bolt if they detect me because they're shallow. I believe live bait to be superior when the Sun is higher. So, if you're fishing mid-day, I too might use live bait, but I'd first determine if I was absolutely following the law.

27 minutes ago, Harold H said:

I fished Little River reservoir in Durham as a kid, and they did a shock test there many years ago. 22 lb largemouth came to the surface.

Hmmm. If that reservoir really grows 22-pound bass, wouldn't there be anglers from around the world pounding it 365 days a year?

I read it out of a newspaper article from over 20 years ago, dont think it hit mainstream media. Also, only rented jon boats and batteries are allowed, no gas motors

I will add, that live bait may not work as well as artificials in some places, at times. I caught this fish at a highly pressured pond, with a homemade underspin and a 4" black powerbait curly tail grub, just swimming it back. Caught a 2 lber then caught this one right after, I think it agitated them into biting. Ive tried live gills at this pond numerous times to no avail. But on that evening, my homemade lure got em. Probably couldve caught another but I held the fish up, thought it was a catfish at first while fighting it, and some jack bag kids walked over and cast their catfish lines right in my casting path. But theres nothing like catching a nice bass

6 hours ago, johnnybassjr said:

  9 hours ago, king fisher said:

I had a similar experience. I had been fishing a favorite tree on and off all day with zero bass. At the end of the day, hooked a 14 inch bass on a plastic worm, and a true giant inhaled the whole bass while I was reeling it in. The giant bass didn't just grab it, and simm off with half the bass hanging out of it's mouth, the smaller bass in an instant completely disappeared into the gullet of the bigger bass. I gave the line slack and waited, but failed to hook the bass. When I reeled in the small bass the giant took one more swipe at it right next to my kaya. I won't say how big I thought the bass was, because I don't want readers to doubt my ability to estimate the size of bass, or wonder about my fish story skills, but I will say for sure it would have shattered my current PB. After the incident I asked this same question on this site. I live in Mexico and it would be legal, but I was wondering what members thought if it was ethical or not. The answers varied, but most thought as long is it was legal, and the bass population needed culling, why not

  9 hours ago, king fisher said:

Probably rig it like a sucker for musky with a quick set type rig. And like a musky, wait for the fish to start swimming away from you before you hit it. That being said, I personally would not regardless of legality. It would like using puppy on a rope to attract an gator.

Im going to have to go ahead and disagree on this one, comparing fish to puppies, and such

Im looking at getting these in the 2" and 2 3/4", might be the ticket. These things are pricey but highly reviewed and I already caught a nice one at that pond on the #7 shad pattern

Well I was going to suggest a bass pattern swimbait until the previous post calling a shallow shad rap "pricey" 😬 I'm guessing even a lower end swimbait in the 20-40 dollar range is out of the question then, even if it meant potentially catching the biggest bass of your life.

Small bass are fair game for bait in many waters in Kansas, and all bass are everywhere here. They just have to be taken on a hook and line, be legal keeper size, and count towards you daily limit. Many of our lakes have slot limits, so if you wanted to use a 6" bass as a live bait, it would be completely legal. I've used them for catfish bait, but never have found them to be a very good bait. I've got a laundry list of other options I'd rather use before I come to bass, and not because I just don't want to use them, but because they're rarely productive for me.

I've had big bass eat small bass while I was fighting them in, but it's much more common for them to just follow them in and try to steal the smaller fishes meal than it is to have them actually attempt to eat the hooked fish.

Please, recommend whatever you think will help us catch a monster. Even if its out of my price range, others might take interest. And if it could catch me the biggest bass of my life, I would save up to purchase one

Im thinking a huge ol bass' vision is not great, so its relying more on its lateral line. So if you can pick a bait that most closely resembles its natural forage, and swim it properly to mimic what the fish eats as closely as possible, it will trigger a bite. And maybe slap on a little Pro Cure for added scent

11 minutes ago, Harold H said:

Please, recommend whatever you think will help us catch a monster.

5/0 Worm hook

3/8 oz bullet weight

Zoom Ol Monster in Green Pumpkin

Drag on the bottom, hop across the bottom, swim it above the bottom.

15 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

5/0 Worm hook

3/8 oz bullet weight

Zoom Ol Monster in Green Pumpkin

Drag on the bottom, hop across the bottom, swim it above the bottom.

Man I got all that right now, thanks for the hint. I got some 10" power worms green pumpkin chartreuse tail

Just dug these out from the stash, will try em out like you said. My best day bass fishing came from using a junebug u tail zoom worm

Paul Elias and the Manns 12" jelly worm

Well, this footage doesnt show where he caught the monster bag on a jelly worm. I cant find it

25 minutes ago, Harold H said:

Man I got all that right now

Use that junebug/red Ol Monster when it's dark - heavy clouds, night/early morning or if your body of water is particularly dark from algae and such.

R2S SWaver 168 is only 18.99 and comes in a baby bass pattern. Proven big fish bait but small enough you don’t need specialized equipment for it.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/River2Sea_S-Waver_Glide_Bait/descpage-R2SW.html

This would be my choice in a baby bass pattern. The 185 size Savage Gear Shine Glide Pro. Excellent imitation of a baby bass and still a very reasonable price when it comes to the swimbait world at right around $40. You will need specific gear to fish it though as the 185 is 2.7oz.

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_Shine_Glide_Pro_Glide_Bait/descpage-SGSGP.html

Most lakes have a 15” minimum keeper size here now. It would Be legal anywhere in TN but I’m not sure where you could keep a small bass. I think there are places you can but I don’t know of any close by

For me, a large part of the joy of fishing is the challenge of figuring out how to get fish to strike different types of artificial lures, fished in different ways. It's solving the puzzle with a set of limitations that keeps me going back to the bank. A focus on catching the most or the biggest fish just isn't a driver for me.

On 2/23/2026 at 7:57 AM, TnRiver46 said:

Most lakes have a 15” minimum keeper size

15" would be just the right size for bait on my lake.

I saw a comment from a guy who knew an expert crappie jig fisherman that used live minnows, and he asked him one day why do you use minnows, if you're so good with a jig? He replied, would you rather have a hot dog or a steak? I say give them what they want to eat, chuck a 15 incher out on a 8/0 circle hook and see what happens. The Owner Mutu Light I believe comes in an 8/0, and would be less thick than say a Mustad Demon hook. Just open its mouth and hook it through a nostril and if it doesnt get bit you can release it. And if you do get a big bass to hit it, the circle hook will ensure a much higher chance of successful c&r

Edit: the Owner Mutu Light circle hook goes up to 7/0