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About This Quiz
Bass will go after just about anything, but what lures or bait are best to catch all the fish in this quiz. Get your rod and reel and start casting! Go!
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Cereal balls
Downriggers, j-plugs, and spoons
Trolling is the best way to land a Chinook salmon when fishing in freshwater. If you are on a boat, downriggers work best along with some J-plugs. They tend to like the color green. If you are fishing off the bank, use spoons.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with an elaborate configuration of lures and mackerel
Trolling is often the best way to fish for Black marlin with the boat running an elaborate configuration of both lures and bait fish (usually mackerel). Fisherman are then equipped with mackerel on ice to cast when the marlins become interested in biting.
Crickets
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Maggots
Small, hard-bodied trolling lure
Smaller, hard-bodied trolling lures are perfect to catch bluefin trevally from a boat. Keeping them close to the surface will increase your chances of landing a fish.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Fillets of fish as well as squid
To catch the impressive red steenbras, it is better to use fish as bait and not lures. In many instances, using fillets of fish along with squid will work perfectly.
Cheese balls
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Spoon lure together with live mackerel
As with many saltwater fish, white seabass love to take bait, however, you can use a combination with a lure as well. These are lazy fish, so consider trying a spoon lure with a live mackerel.
Insect larvae
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Spinning lures with a single hook
Although using trolling lures can be successful in catching kahawai, too much boat activity and they will be spooked and dive deeper. A far better idea is to use spinning lures with a single hook. Colors to consider include pink-white, chrome, and chrome-white.
Grubs
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Worms
Live mullet, herring, and sardine
Jack crevalle are best caught using live bait. They will be attracted to anything that looks silver, so try mullet, herring or sardine. Keep them moving by reeling fast as Jacks love to approach their target at speed.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Live lobster and crab
Cubera snapper can weigh up to 60 pounds! To land them, consider using live crab or lobster, especially if you are trying to catch large snappers.
Nightcrawlers
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Grubs
Trolling with feather jibs, metal lures, and skirted lures
Trolling is an excellent way to catch narrowbarred mackerel. Lures used when trolling can include feather jibs, metal lures, skirted lures, and minnow.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with live sardines and mackerel
Anything from 5 to 15 pounds on average, if you are lucky, you may land a 30-pound great barracuda using the right tackle. Although lures will work, live bait is best. Either cast or troll of the back of a boat, making sure you do not use hooks that can be easily seen as barracuda have great eyesight. These fish will attack from the back of any bait and may take a tail in passing. They will come back, so be patient. Sardines and mackerel are perfect to hook these sleek, fast fish.
Trolling with dough balls
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
A chisel and sparkplug
Chisel nosed plugs or spoon lures
Leerfish are aggressive and quick to strike. They can be caught using lures. The best options in this regard are chisel nosed plugs or spoons when surf fishing. Always remember to keep the lures moving.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Bait including mackerel, squid, eels, herring, bloodworm or clams
Although Striped Bass will take lures on occasion, bait is a far better option. These fish have been known to take anything from mackerel to squid, eels, herring, bloodworm and even clams. The right choice of bait often depends on where you are fishing, so local knowledge is key.
Maggots
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Shrimp, anchovies, crabs, scaled sardine
To catch tripletail, shrimp is often your best bet. Although excellent shrimp lures can be found, nothing beats the real thing, especially a fresh, live one. If shrimp are not available, anchovies, small crabs or scaled sardine are a great alternative.
Corn
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Small pieces of corn on the cob
Surface lures, such as ploppers
Surface lures or ploppers are excellent for catching bluefish. These fish tend to bite quickly and continually and will chase a surface lure until you hook them.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Popsicle
Poppers (of varying sizes)
As with all saltwater fish, live bait is a great way to land a blackfin tuna on your boat. But there is a better alternative: Poppers. Using three different poppers (large, medium plug and stickbait plug, cast in that order) generally will land a Blackfin, who will target the stickbait plug. Just remember, keep everything moving as fast as possible.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Pogies, sardines, blue runners, small mackerel
Although success can be achieved targeting king mackerel with lures, baitfish are a far better option. Here, a range of options is available, including pogies, sardines, blue runners and even smaller mackerel. And remember, with these beauties, larger bait lands larger fish.
A hermit crab
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Flies
Bloodworm, sardines, pinfish, mullet, shrimp, and crabs
Red drum love live bait, so this is the best way to catch them, although lures can work from time to time. The great thing is that they will take almost anything, including bloodworm, sardines, pinfish, mullet, shrimp, and crabs. Chumming beforehand can increase your chances even more.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with bread and hotdog balls
Elaborate trolling configuration of lures and mackerel
Trolling is often the best way to fish for Striped marlin with the boat running an elaborate configuration of both lures and bait fish (usually mackerel). Fisherman are then equipped with mackerel on ice to cast when the fish become interested in biting.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Earthworms
Iron and surface jigs or mackerel and sardines
Not particularly fussy when it comes to what they take, California yellowtail will bite at lures such as iron jigs as well as surface jigs. The deeper the fish, the heavier the jig needed. They also take mackerel and sardines.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Grasshoppers
Herring, salmon, trout, squid, and shad
A fish that’s not particularly fussy when it comes to what it eats, white sturgeon will go for a wide range of bait options. These include herring, salmon, trout, squid for smaller fish. If you are trying to hook a large sturgeon, consider using a 2-pound shad. Remember to keep your bait very deep in the water.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Frozen mackerel or heavy jig lures
Commercial fisherman using long lines catch opah simply using frozen mackerel. They are not particularly fussy fish and will also bite at lures, particularly heavy jigs that are fished deep.
Insect larvae
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with lures including poppers
Dogtooth tuna, with their incredible set of teeth, seriously put up a massive fight. They can be hooked by trolling lures. Sometimes they can take poppers near the surface, although this can be a bit hit and miss.
Hot dog balls
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Live hammerhead shark
Soft plastic lures or bucktail jigs
Lures are a great way to land Cobia, especially when fishing from the shore. Often soft plastics are best, as they have a similar look and feel to the natural food of the fish, such as crab or eels. Another excellent option from the shore is a bucktail jig.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Herring, mullet, and mackerel
It’s a shark, so artificial lures just won’t cut it! Herring, mullet, and mackerel are a great bait option and chumming beforehand can increase your success rate in hooking these majestic creatures.
Crickets
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Corn
Flies (modeled to look like shrimp and crabs), small jigs and plastic lures with tails
Bonefish put up a great fight and for this reason, they are a prized sports fish. They can also be caught easily with lures, particularly flies that look similar to what they eat, for example, shrimp and crabs. Smaller jigs and plastic lures (tails in particular) also work when used on spinning gear. Remember, they stay close to the bottom, so to catch them, your lure needs to get all the way down.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Mackerel, bluefish, garfish, and needlefish
Although trolling can work to hook a Thresher, bait is your preferred option. Mackerel, bluefish, garfish, and needlefish are preferred. Note that a Thresher may slap your bait with its tail at first but will take it in eventually once it thinks it is stunned.
Hotdog balls
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Bright trolling lures
Trolling lures are very effective in catching albacore, especially if you use those that sparkle or are bright and shiny. This helps get the fish closer to the surface where they are more likely to take other types of lures as well.
Bread dough
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Bread
Surface, shallow and medium plugs
The Black Papuan snapper is a freshwater fish that will give you the fight of your life. In fact, many anglers consider it to be one of the toughest fishes to land. To give yourself a chance, use surface plugs, shallow plugs or medium plugs. Some have even been landed by anglers using fly-fishing techniques.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Salmon eggs
Mullet, whiting, hardy heads or hard-bodied lures
Talang Queenfish are fussy fish need the right bait and hook size if you hope to land one. Any bait that you use should be live with queenfish favoring mullet, whiting and hardy heads. Hard-bodied lures of between 10 and 20cm can work as well and useful when fishing from the shore.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with a mixture of different lures and many colors
Trolling is perhaps the preferred technique to catch Wahoo. Often, this can be done at a fair speed with a mix of lures, small and large and perhaps most importantly, many different colors.
Small bugs
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Fly fishing or jigs, poppers, and spooners
Barramundi is a freshwater fish from Australia and can be caught in a number of ways, including fly-fishing. If you are using lures, however, any jigs, poppers or spooners can land a barra.
Maggots
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Bread dough
Stickbaits and poppers
Giant Trevally is the largest member of the Jack family and are particularly prized in Hawaii. One of the best ways to try to hook these fish is the use of large poppers. They also take stickbaits including those on the surface and just below.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Shrimp, octopus, squid, and mussel
Live bait is often the best way to catch spearfish. They will take to a number of different bait options, including shrimp, octopus, squid and mussel.
Worms
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Night crawlers
Sardines, mullets, shrimp and pilchards
Pacific Snook often live close to the shore, nears structures such as docks, bridges or more natural cover, including mangroves. They are very sensitive to tides. Fishing them on a change of tide is not recommended. Live bait works extremely well, especially if you have caught it in the area where you intend to catch your snook. Options here include sardines, mullet, shrimp or pilchards. Remember, the bait must still be alive.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Bread balls
Shrimp and mullet
King Threadfin are an excellent sports fish to catch and they don’t taste bad either! While they take to lures, it's often a bit of a trial and error to see what lures will work. This is dependent on where you are catching these fish. Live bait is probably a better option, specifically shrimp or mullet.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Colorful spinning lures
In the ocean, a Coho salmon will take just about anything. In freshwater, however, they are a little pickier. Spinning lures seem to be your best bet here. Make sure you have a wide selection of colors as these fish can change their minds from one day to the next.
Grasshoppers
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Skipjack tuna
Easily recognized thanks to its rooster-like dorsal fin, Rooster fish are best landed using bait. Although they have been landed using poppers, it is just too much of a hit and miss affair. Rather, use live bait. For best results, use skipjack tuna. Around 4 pounds should do it. When used together with circle hooks you should achieve the best results.
Small pieces of corn on the cob
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Dough balls
A range of options, including spinning lures, skimmers and crab
The best bait for a Permit often depends on where you are fishing them. In the shallows, use spinning lures cast directly at them. Skimmers also work well and you could even consider fly tackle. Live bait is better in deeper water, especially crab.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Cedar plugs, tuna feathers, plastic skirted lures, skipjack, sardines, and anchovies
Caught effectively with either bait or lures, Yellowfin tuna are a prized sport fish. A large variety of lures can prove to be effective when trolling, including cedar plugs, tuna feathers, and plastic skirted lures. White, blue and green colors seem to be fairly effective. If going the bait route, sardines and anchovies for smaller fish are best. If you are trying to land a larger fish, try skipjack. Chumming is an excellent way to keep fish around your boat no matter which bait type you use.
Earthworms
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Corn
Topwater lures/floaters or suspension lures
Atlantic Snook are easy enough to catch using lures, particularly topwater lures or floaters as they are known. Do not use them in windy conditions or when waters are rough as the fish won’t see them in these situations. In poor conditions, suspension lures are a viable option.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with sprat, pilchards, and squids as well as similar lures
A mix of bait types, used while trolling is the best way to catch the majestic Bluefin tuna. Use the Bluefin’s natural food, including sprat, pilchards, and squids as well as similar lures and you stand a good chance of landing a Bluefin.
Grasshoppers
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Cereal balls
Trolling with bait and lures
Trolling is the best way to land Atlantic sailfish. In this regard, slow trolling with live bait, such as mackerel or google eyes, can do the trick. Otherwise, lures are a great option as well rubber skirted lures and trolled plugs.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Insect larvae
Bally-hoo, squid, blue runners or google eyes
White marlin love bait such as bally-hoo, squid, blue runners or google eyes. They can be trolled with similar lures as well, especially bally-hoo styled lures.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Cero, mackerel, and tunny
A swordfish is one of the greatest sports fish to catch thanks to the battle you will face and the spectacular jumping of the fish during the fight. To catch one not only requires strength but patience and the right bait. In this regard, cero, mackerel, and tunny all work well, especially if butterflied slightly to make them look as if they are still moving.
Salmon eggs
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with rubber skirted lures, tuna feathers or poppers if the waters have been chummed
To catch Mahi-Mahi you could use rubber skirted lures and troll with them. But these fish don't seem to be particularly picky and will bite at tuna feathers and poppers (specifically if you have chummed the waters).
Locusts
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Worms
Trolling with elaborate setups, including lures and mackerel
Trolling is often the best way to fish for Blue marlin with the boat running an elaborate configuration of both lures and bait fish (usually mackerel). Fisherman are then equipped with mackerel on ice to cast when the marlins become interested in biting.
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Bonito and Barracuda (chum with these beforehand to attract the sharks)
Mako Sharks are majestic beasts and fishing them is one of the ultimate thrills. Chumming is used to attract the sharks. The secret is then to use the same bait as you were chumming with to catch the shark. Great examples of bait used to catch Mako’s include barracuda or bonito. Never use the whole fish, since the sharks have eaten small pieces in the chum and are more likely to carry on targeting that.
Night crawlers
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Mullets (heads or half a fish)
The correct bait or lure chosen when fishing for Tarpon often depends on the location where you are fishing. One thing is for certain though, these fish will snap at any dead bait you use, particularly mullets (either heads or half a fish). Other than that, lures have proved successful in landing these fish, including jigs, spoons or lipped plugs when trolling.
Dough ball
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Iron and surface jigs
Not particularly fussy when it comes to what they take, Southern yellowtail will bite at lures such as iron jigs as well as surface jigs. The deeper the fish, the heavier the jig needed. They also take mackerel and sardines.
Corn on the cob
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Which is the best bait option to catch this fish?
Trolling with bait and lures
Trolling is the best way to land a Pacific sailfish. In this regard, slow trolling with live bait such as mackerel or google eyes can do the trick. Otherwise, lures are a great option as well rubber skirted lures and trolled plugs.
Cereal or dough balls
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