i think cicadas judging from what ive heard

Probably shiner or golden shiner minnows. Some of them get very large and have been responsible for catching thousands if not millions of bass small and large. Night crawlers and small standard minnows have done their share of catching as well.

Big O

wwww.ragetail.com

tell me what you like if you choose other pleaze, i am trying to decide what to try out on the water tommorow.  (yes i am a new BASS fisherman)

i voted minnows allthough i dont use live bait but im sure any baitfish will get the job done since that is the bass' main forage

Crawfish.  That's the only bait I will bother catching/buying if I'm looking to do some big bass hunting with live bait.  That doens't happen too often though.

Crawfish or Goldfish.

MINNERS!

Your not a bass fisherman if you use live bait. Period.   ;D  I still dont use it.

small sunfish or blue gill at dusk can get big bass.

I do a lot of livebait fishing for walleye.  I have inadvertently caught more bass on leeches than anything else.  The same goes for panfishing with leeches.  Slip-bobbers, Lindy rigs, etc.

8 inch golden shiner caught from the same waters you're fishing.

I voted minnows.  Not even the large 6-8in shiners, but just the large standard shiners about 2-3in long.  Those will catch crappie, bass of all sizes, catfish, etc.  Crawfish are the number 1 live bait for large Bass, but I've got to go with minnows for the number 1 all-time great.  I went to a pond last weekend that I fish every now and again and took along my wife, her friend, and her friends son (whom is 5).  I brought a bucket of minnows and never got to catch a fish myself...I was busy taking fish off the hook for them.  The action was non-stop.   :-/

Nightcrawlers have always done well for me.

I voted for minnows since I've caught the most bass on them. However, the largest bass I ever caught was on a live frog, hooked through the lips and tossed out into the middle of this small farm pond. I sat there watching my line slowly move around for about 5 minutes and then it just stopped. I figured the frog had died and jerked my rod. A huge bass jumped about a foot out of the water with the frog in its mouth. I can't say how big the fish was because that was over 40 years ago and I didn't have a scale with me, but that instance was one of the most exciting fishing experiences I have ever had. Frogs just don't get much respect, IMO:o)