LIVE BAIT: The surest way to catch fish is to use live bait that is presented so that it looks natural in the water. The overall best choice for live bait is a plump worm, with an active minnow coming in a close second. Crawfish, leeches, frogs, grasshoppers, and crickets are also great baits. The new plastic look-alike-live-baits that are soaked in attractant sometimes out-fish the real thing, but not often. Many states now have regulations regarding the disposable of unused live bait, so check the regulations before you dump your minnow pail into the lake. LURES: Lures are designed to mimic aquatic prey, often injured, when they pass through the water. They don't have to look like a baitfish to work. Your average lure may not look like a minnow to you, but when it is pulled through the water, the disturbance it creates does resemble that of a fleeing baitfish.

When you're using a lure, it's all about movement and presentation, not just flinging them at the water. It takes some practice to choose the right lure for the conditions at hand and then making it dance in the most effective way. Lures are most effective when targeting specific fish under specific conditions. TARGET SPECIES: BASS: Description: Elongated oval body with a large forward-facing mouth; stiff spines and soft rays in a single dorsal fin; pectoral fins over pelvic fins; slightly forked tail. Varieties: Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Where: Largemouth and spotted: Weedy cover in lakes, ponds, and sluggish streams; Smallmouth: near rocks and logs in cool, clear lakes and fast streams Equipment: Spinning rod with 8- to 12-pound monofilament line; baitcasting rod with braided line for heavy cover Rig: Suspended rigs with live bait, lures Bait: Live, active baits like frogs and minnows; large and flashy plugs, spinners, plastic worms and frogs Tip: Suspend crawfish in weed bed openings or let them drift into stream eddies SUNFISH (BREAM): Description: A deep flat body; small mouth; stiff spines and soft rays in a single dorsal fin; pectoral fins over pelvic fins; slightly forked tail Varieties: Bluegill, Green, Longear, Pumpkinseed, Redear (Shellcracker) Where: Weedy cover Equipment: Spinning rod with 4- to 6-pound monofilament line Rig: Suspended rigs with live baits, lures Bait: worms, crickets; small jigs Tip: Combine a single kernel of sweet corn with a cricket for bigger fish.