The following chart provides recommended baits and lures for over 250 fresh and saltwater game fish species. Recommendations are based on input from recreational anglers and professional charter companies. (Disclaimer: Before using any of the baits or lures listed on this page check state fishing ordinances for bait and lure regulations in the area you’ll be fishing.)
| Fish species | Bait | Lures |
|---|---|---|
| African Pompano | Sardines, Herring, Pilchard, Sand Fleas, Fiddler crabs, Shrimp, Slugs, Clams, Cut squid, Goggle eyes | Banana jigs, Pompano feather jigs, Bucktail Jigs, DOA shrimp, Soft-plastic shat tails, Pompano flies |
| Albacore | Preferred baits include anchovies and sardines. Mackerel, jacksmelt, topsmelt, herring, squid, threadfin herring, menhaden/pogies, blue runners/hardtails, and mullet. | Small jigs (albacore trolling feathers), Venerable cedar plugs. Swimming plugs with contrast colors work the best. Preferred colors: black/purple, Mexican flag and zucchini work the best. |
| Alewife | Cured fish roe, minnows (often caught with cast or dip net) | Flies, spoons, jigs, sabiki rig, small lures |
| Alligator Gar | Live bait (Shiners, Suckers, Perch), Cut bait (carp, gizzard shad, mullet) | Crankbaits, Topwater plugs (with treble hooks), Spoons, Jibs |
| Almaco Jack | Shrimp, squid, live bait, cut bait | Squid tail jigs, spoons, plugs |
| American Eel | Nightcrawler, dead minnow, maggots, insect larvae, herring, shiners, chicken liver | (artifical lures not recommended) |
| American Shad | Small worms, minnows and grubs | Best to use small, artificial lures including jigs, spinners, flutter spoons. Chucking lures and shad darts. Attracted to shiny or brightly colored lures. |
| Apache Trout | Cured fish roe (salmon eggs), minnows, worms, insects, | Larger wet flies (wooly buggers, wooly worms, streamers, and muddler minnows). Spinner baits, spoons, lures in colors purple, black, brown, and green work best. |
| Arctic Char | Cut bait, freshwater live bait, saltwater live bait, cavier (many anglers recommend boiled salmon cavier) | Spoons, spinners, flies, plugs |
| Arctic Grayling | Insects (primarily use flies) | Dry flies (Royal Wulff's, Yellow Humpies, Chartreuse Trudes) and imitators (Mosquito's, Black Gnats, Elk-wing caddis), wet flies (Wooly Buggers, Prince nymphs, Gold-ribbed Hare's Ears), Lures (Mepps Spinners, Roostertails) |
| Atlantic Angel Shark | Crabs, shrimp, live saltwater bait, squid, herring, croakers, sardines, and perch (that are fastened to the hook by the tails or fins.) | Saltwater jigs, bottom bouncers. |
| Atlantic Angelfish | Clams, mussels, cut bait, squid, jellyfish, chum | Flies |
| Atlantic Bluefin Tuna | Herring, squid, mackerel, herring, or skipjack. Cut bait. Saltwater live bait. | Artificial squid, jigs, trolling with artificial lures using spoons, plugs, or feathers |
| Atlantic Bonito | Mackerel, menhaden, silversides, pilchards, alewives, threadfins, squid. Cut bait. Saltwater live bait. | Plugs, spoons, trolling lures, feather lures (typically preferred) |
| Atlantic Chub Mackerel | Sand eels, sea worms, cut bait (strips of squid or fish). Live anchovies (very effective) | Jerk bait, soft lures, artificial sandworms |
| Atlantic Cod | Clams, saltwater live bait. Cut bait (squid, fish, crabs, sand eels). Lugworms and peeler crabs. | Jigs (chrome diamond jigs), spinners, spoons, bucktails, and shiny metal squids |
| Atlantic Croaker | Shrimp, nightcrawlers, clams, cut bait, squid, shedder crabs, bloodworms, peeler crabs, soft crabs.(Shrimp and squid typically being first choice). | Jigs, spoons, synthetic blood worms |
| Atlantic Cutlassfish | Shrimp, Strips of squid, Cut bait, Small live fish | Artificial lures that imitate small fish |
| Atlantic Halibut | Squid, worms, clam necks, eel, mussels, minnows. Cut bait. | Small, flashy metal lures/jigs. Spoons. Spinners. |
| Atlantic Mackerel | Clams, cut bait, saltwater live bait, crabs, shrimp, squid, mollusks. Jellyfish is most commonly first pick, Cannonball jellyfish is typically the best. | Jigs, spoons, plugs, flies |
| Atlantic Salmon | Cured fish roe, Live bait (minnows, worms, shrimp), Hoochies, Spinner baits | Flies, Plugs, Spoons, Jigs, Spinner baits, Streamers |
| Atlantic Sharpnose Shark | Live or cut bait fish (squid, mullet, tuna, shrimp, mackerel, etc.), clams, mollusks | Prefer bait |
| Atlantic Spadefish | Small slices of clams; dead shrimp; jellyfish | Prefer bait |
| Atlantic Sturgeon | Crab, saltwater live bait, cut bait, stink bait, craw fish, mollusks, night crawlers. Sturgeon hate the smell of Pike meat. | Plugs, spinner baits, flies, spoons, |
| Atlantic Torpedo Ray | Live medium size fish (herring, mackerel, squid) | Prefer live bait |
| Banded Rudderfish | Live bait preferred. Shrimp, Squid, Cut fish | Jigs tipped with strips of squid, shiny spoons |
| Bar Jack | Live shrimp, Small live baitfish | Small jigs, shinny spoons |
| Barndoor Skate | Cut bait (mackerel, herring), Crabs, Shellfish, Ragworms, Squid | Prefer bait |
| Bigeye Trevally | Cut bait, saltwater live baits, squid, shrimp, small cubes of pilchard, skipjack, | Jigs, soft plastics, flies, plug, spoons, trolling lures. Large surface lures like poppers and stickbaits |
| Bigeye Tuna | Cut bait, saltwater live bait, squid, rigged mullet, herring, or skipjack. Live bait it most preferred. | Trolling lures, jigs. Skirted lures, like Bullets, Christmas Trees and Jet Heads. Deep diving plugs. |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | Grasshoppers, Crickets, Red worms, Night crawlers, Whole-kernel corn, Dough balls | Jigs tipped with bait |
| Black Bullhead | Night crawlers, Shad, Shiners, Minnows, Hotdogs, Dough balls, Cut bait, Chicken liver, Angel Worms, Bacon (prefer dead bait) | Jig tipped with a worm, Scented wooly bugger, Boilies, Tiger nuts |
| Black Crappie | Small live minnows, Worms, Insects, Small crawfish | Plastic jigs, Lead jig heads, Curly tail grub bait, Small spinners, Beetle spinners, Plugs, Swimbaits |
| Black Drum | Clams, cut bait, saltwater live bait, crab, shrimp, squid, mussels, blood worms. (Crab and shrimp typically preferred) | Trolling spoons, casting jigs. Typically caught using live bait. |
| Black Grouper | squid, chub mackerel, sardine, white crab, octopus pieces, shrimp, cut bait, saltwater live bait | Jigs (typically vertical jigs), jerk bait, large deep diving plugs |
| Black Marlin | Tuna—yellowfin, blackfin or bonito typcially are best. Whole baits (mackerel, bonito, flying fish, squid and others). | Trolling lures, skipping baits, large skirted marlin lures, rubber skirted lures |
| Black Sea Bass | Crabs, shrimp, cut bait, saltwater live bait. Squid is the most popular bait because it is easy to find, inexpensive, and can be trimmed to strips. Clams, crabs, mussels, bloodworms, and sandworms. | Leadhead jigs or bucktail jigs, which can be tipped with natural bait, soft-plastic trailers, or scented artificial bait. Stick bait. Spinnerbait. Crankbait. Tube bait. Curl tail grub. Lipless crank bait. Finesse worms. Swimbait. Jerk bait, |
| Black Skipjack | Cut bait, saltwater live bait, squid. | Jigs, flies, plugs, spoons, trolling lures, feathers. |
| Blackfin Tuna | Cut bait, saltwater live bait, squid. Live bait is best (sardine, herring, goggle eye or pilchard). | Plugs, spoons, trolling lures (small feathers, cedar plugs and ballyhoo rigs), jigs. Tuna worms (also known as a sand eel). |
| Blacknose Shark | Live or cut bait fish (mackerel, bluefish, etc) | Prefer bait |
| Blacktip Shark | Cut bait (squid, mackerel, barracuda) | Use lures with chum, Topwater plugs, Jigs, Underwater plugs, Large streamers |
| Blue Catfish | Shad, Herring, Suckers, Cut bait, Chicken liver, Hotdogs (alternatives: blue gill, drum, perch) | Scented lures, Crankbaits, Worm lures, Chatterbaits, Soft plastic crawfish |
| Blue Marlin | Squid, blackfin tuna, bonito and skipjack. Ballyhoo and Halfbeaks. Dolphin, mullet, mackerel, bonefish, ballyhoo, flying fish and squid. | Rubber skirted lures for trolling |
| Blue Runner | Shrimp, crab, squid. Blue Runner is mainly caught to be used as bait. | Small jigs, spoons. trolling lures. |
| Blue Shark | Create chum slick using cut mackerel, herring, sardines, squid. Fish cut bait in chum slick. Whole or cut pogy, herring, mackerel, garfish, whiting, or other bottom fish. | Use live or cut bait |
| Blueback Herring | Prawn, pilchard, whitebait, shad, shrimp, fish eggs, herring | Hard-plastic jerkbaits or soft-plastic baits |
| Bluefin Trevally | Small cubes of pilchard, skipjack, sardines, anchovies, small mackerel, crabs, shrimp and squid. Cut bait, saltwater live bait. | Soft plastics, metals, vibes, divers, surface lures and flies |
| Bluefin Tuna | Cut bait, saltwater live bait, mackerel, herring, mullet, or squid. Menhaden/pogies, and blue runners/hardtails. | Trolling lures including spoons, plugs, or feathers. Jigs. |
| Bluefish | Squid, saltwater live bait,eel, cut bait, finger mullet, small fish, Menhaden, Mackerel | Plugs, lures, feathers, spins, spoons, jigs |
| Bluegill | Night crawlers, Worms, Grubs, Insects, Small minnows | Flies, Jigs, Inline spinners, Spinnerbaits, Spoons |
| Blueline Tilefish | Squid, sea clam, crab, herring, clams, mussels, and cut bait | Octopus style jigs |
| Bluntnose Stingray | Clams, Marine Worms, Crabs, Small fish, Shrimp | Prefer bait |
| Bonefish | Live shrimp, cut shrimp, crab | Skimmer jig |
| Bonnethead Shark | Live salwater bait is best, Blue crab meat, Shrimp. Anchovies, Minnows, Scad | Artificial shrimp rigged on a jig head |
| Bowfin | Night crawlers, Minnows, Shiners, Suckerfish, Crawfish, Cut bait, Frogs, Salamanders, Stinkbait | Spinnerbaits, Crankbait, Spinners, Soft plastics, Creature baits, Plastic worms, Large streamers |
| Brook Trout | Cured fish roe, Earthworms, Mayflies, Fly larvae, Waxworms, Grasshoppers, Crickets, Insects | Spinners, Spoons, Jigs, Flies, Streamers |
| Broomtail Grouper | Crabs, shrimp, squid, cut bait, saltwater live bait, any local large bait fish. * live fish is best. | Large jigs, soft plastics, trolling plugs, spinners |
| Brown Bullhead | Night crawlers, Angles worms, Cut bait, Bread, Dough balls, Leeches, Minnows (dead or alive), Chicken livers, Hotdogs | Baited jigs |
| Brown Trout | Night crawlers, Earth worms, Grubs, Larvae, Waxworms, Crickets, Grasshoppers, Mayflies | Flies, Streamers, Spinners (e.g. Roostertail), Spoons, Jigs |
| Bull Shark | Cut bait (fresh water eel, mullet, stingray, amberjack, jack crevalle) | Prefer bait for targeting Bull Sharks |
| Bull Trout | Small bait fish, Cured fish roe, Salmon eggs, Night crawlers, Worms, Larvae, Insects, | Jigs, Spooners, Spinners, Crankbaits (minnow), Streamer type flies |
| Burbot | Cut bait (herring, whitefish, suckers, shinners, squit, smelt is best), Worms, Cure fish roe (Salmon eggs), Chicken liver | Glow lures, Grub jigs, Tube jigs, Jigging spoons (tipped with a live minnow) |
| Butterfly Peacock Bass | Minnows, Shinners (live bait best) | Jigs, Crankbaits, Minnow plugs, Topwater plugs, Jerkbaits, Propeller lures, Bucktail jigs, Poppers, Large Streamers, Walkers |
| California Corbina | Clams, cut bait, shrimp, crabs, saltwater live bait, squid, mussels, pileworms and ghost shrimp | Small patterned flies or tiny plastic grubs, but fresh bait is typically preferred. |
| California Halibut | Live anchovies, shrimp, or queenfish. Clams, cutbait, saltwater live bait, crabs, squid, smelt, sardines, | Jigs, metal jigs and plastic grub bodies, swimbait |
| California Yellowtail | Crab, saltwater live bait, cut bait, shrimp, squid, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, whitefish fillets | Flies, spoons, jigs, |
| Cero Mackerel | Cut bait, saltwater live bait, shrimp, squid, pilchard, ballyhoo, | Jigs, spoons, trolling lures, flies, plugs, typically small lures work the best. Hard-body lures like metal spoons and plastic plugs do the best job. |
| Chain Pickerel | Chubs, Shiners, Suckers, Minnows | Thin-minnow lures, Spoons, Spinners, Swimbait, Spinner baits, Soft plastics, Jigs, Plastic worms |
| Channel Catfish | Worms, Minnows, Shrimp, Hotdogs, Chicken liver, Stink bait (bait most effective), Dough balls, Cut bait | Jigs, Crankbaits, Spoons, Scented lures |
| Chum Salmon | Shrimp | Jigs (with shrim attached), Plain jig, Hoochies, Spoons, Spinners, Flies, Streamers |
| Clearnose Skate | Cut baits (anything that puts off a scent) | Prefer bait |
| Cobia | Squid, crabs, small live baits, cut baits, and strip baits, shrimp, saltwater live bait, Pinfish, Marsh minnows, Cigar minnows and Spanish sardines, Ribbonfish, Menhaden, Eel, Catfish | Spoons, plugs, and weighted feathers. Trolling lures, Bucktail jigs, Eel lures |
| Coho Salmon | Minnows, Cured fish roe, Night crawlers, Waxworms | Spinners, Plugs, Spoons, Jigs, Tube jigs, Streamers, Flies (minnow patterns or wooly buggers) |
| Common Carp | Sweet corn, Boilies, Bread, Dough balls | Flies |
| Conger | Whole live fish (mackerel, whiting, pounting), cut bait (squid, herring, pilchards), crab, lobster | Prefer bait |
| Crevalle Jack | Mullet, herring, or pilchards (sardines), crabs, pinfish, shrimp, grunts, pogies | Heavy silver spoon or soft plastic that looks like herring or sardine. Plastic minnows.Poppers, plugs, bucktail jigs. |
| Cubera Snapper | Whole live baits, cut baits, crustaceans, lobster, blue crab, skipjack tuna, squid, shrimp, saltwater live bait, (lobster and blue crab typically being the best). | Spoons, iron/larger metal jigs, typically attracted with lures with light/natural colours, darker silhouette colours and fluoro colours. |
| Cunner | Sea worms, grass shrimp, squid strips, clam bits, canned corn kernels, grubs, mussels, and meal worms, insects. | Small jigs and teasers. (bait works best) |
| Cutthrout Trout | Night crawlers, Insects, Cured fish roe, Salmon eggs | Flies, Spoons, Spinners, Streamers, Rooster tail lures |
| Dog Snapper | Crustaceans, lobster, shrimp, skipjack tuna, crab, squid, mollusks. Small schooling fish such as croakers, grunts, and wrasses. | Jigs, flies, spoons, feathers, plugs. |
| Dogtooth Tuna | Bonito, Skipjack, and Rainbow Runner are the preferred bait. Squid, herring, mackerel, whiting, cuttlefish, mullet, and sandeel. | Jigs, trolling lures (rapala type), stick-baits, poppers, feathers, plugs, spoons, and plastic lures. |
| Dolly Varden | Cured fish roe (Salmon eggs), Worms, Cut bait (fish), Insect larvae | Small silver spinners, Spoons, Streamers |
| Dolphinfish | Flying fish, mullet, ballyhoo, squid - Ballyhoo and squid being the best to chunk. Pilchards, cigar minnows | Bucktail jigs, spoons, plugs, bubblers, bullet head trolling lures, diving plugs, soft plastic jigs, lipped plugs |
| Escolar | Shrimp, squid, cut bait, small live bait. Usually caught bycatch when fishing for tuna. | Bobbers, floats. Usually not intentionally caught. |
| False Albacore | Top bait is typically live Bluefish and Pinfish. Shrimp, squid, bay anchovies, peanut bunker, and butterfish. | Jigs, flies, plugs, spoons. |
| Flathead Catfish | Shiners, Shad, Perch, Goldfish, Crawfish, Night crawlers, Cut bait (prefer live bait) | Scented soft plastics, Swimbaits |
| Florida Gar | Minnows, Shiners, Gizzard shad, Cut bait | Spinners, Spoons |
| Florida Pompano | Live bait, typically worms or mollusks, work best. Shrimp, cut squid, sand crab, fiddler crab | Brightly colored jigs, spinners. Bonefish-type flies that sink well—those with epoxy heads or lead eyes typically work best. |
| Flounder | Best live baits are typically croaker, mullet, pinfish or menhaden. Strip bait (bluefish, squid or the belly of a gray trout or croaker). Sardines. Shrimp. | Swimming mullets, spinnerbaits, soft plastics, poppers. |
| Four-Spot Flounder | Baits including strips of squid and bucktails typically work best. Crabs, shrimps, mollusks, worms, smaller flounder, sardines, shad, mullet, and mud minnows. | Spoons, jigs, bucktail jigs, spinnerbait, soft plastic curly-tail jigs. |
| Freshwater Drum | Minnows, Shiners, Freshwater shrimp, Crayfish, Shad, Red worms, Crickets, Cut bait | Jerkbaits, Crankbaits, Spinners |
| Gafftopsail Catfish | Small sand crabs, fiddler crabs, live shrimps, crayfish, squid, prawns, worms, mullet, sand eel. | Jigs, spoons, plugs, soft plastic baits, spinnerbaits, artificial worms. |
| Gag Grouper | Live bait (pinfish and mullet). Cut bait (squid, crabs, and octopus), shrimp, threadfins, pilchards, sardines. | Jigs, plugs, big swimbaits, soft-plastic jerkbaits, imitator shrimp. Best colors include gold, bone, silver, and pearl white draw more bites. |
| Giant Trevally | Live fish, mullet, herring, garfish, anchovies, cut/strip bait, sauri, fresh octopus, squid. | Jet head, feathers, jigs, spoons, flies, plugs, soft plastics, poppers. |
| Golden Shiner | Oatmeal, bread balls, minnows, insects, small pieces of worms. | Flies, jigs. |
| Golden Tilefish | Whole squid. Fresh cut strip baits (bonita, barracuda, ballyhoo or mahi belly). Shrimp, crabs, sea clams, herring. | Jigs, glow in the dark artificial squid. |
| Golden Trout | Cured fish roe, Salmon eggs, Night crawlers, Mealworms, Crickets | Flies, Spoons, Spinners, Jigs |
| Grass Carp | Cherry tomatoes, Sweet corn, Lima beans, Earth worms, Dog food | Flies (especially wet flies) |
| Gray Snapper | Live small fish (pilchards, sardines, cigar minnows, pin fish and grunts), live shrimp, cut bait (squid, crab, fish). Frozen sardines. Minnow. | Surface plugs, popping flies, small shrimp flies, jigs, streamers. Small gold or silver spoons. Soft plastic jerk bait and plastic shrimp. |
| Gray Triggerfish | Stris of squid, frozen sardines, clams, oysters, octopus | Prefer bait |
| Great Barracuda | Mackerel, small bonito, sardines. Clams, mussels, shrimp, squid. Ballyhoo. | Flies, plugs, spinnerbait, jigs, spoons. Lures that are shiny. Trolling lures. |
| Great Hammerhead Shark | Whole bluefish or mackerel. Chum (sardines and anchovies). Jack, squid and other live, oily fish. pilchard, flatfish. wing strips of stingray. | Trolling lures. |
| Greater Amberjack | Cigar Minnows, Sardines, Mullets, Blue Runners, and Menhaden. Squid, crabs, shrimp, octopi. | Plugs, spoons, jigs. |
| Green Sunfish | Minnows, Worms, Meal worms, Night crawlers, Crickets, Insects, Waxworms, Blood worms, Semolina balls, Corn, Bread balls | Jigs, Flies, Small spinners, Spoons, Spinnerbaits |
| Hammerhead Shark | Whole bluefish or mackerel, cut bait, chumming | Prefer bait |
| Hickory Shad | Curl tail grub, shad darts, squid, minnows, worms. | Small lures including jigs, spinners, spoons typically work the best. Shiny or brightly colored lures. Flies. Spinnerbait. Small darts. Bright colored lures typically are preferred. Lures that mimics sand eels, bay anchovies, peanut bunker. |
| Hogfish | Small shrimp and/or sand fleas | Small baited jigs |
| Horse-Eye Jack | Mullet, pinfish, crabs, shrimp, squid, shellfish. | Jigs, spoons, flies, plugs, crankbaits. Moving jigs, noisy surface plugs, surface swimming plugs, or shiny spoons (casted or trolled). |
| Inconnu | Typically not fished with natural bait. | Typically gold or silver spoons. Jigs. Rubber tailed jigs. Inconnu are usually fished with silver spoons and other lures that imitate small fish. |
| Inshore Lizardfish | Small crabs, shrimp, small cut bait, and invertebrates (live or dead) | Prefer bait |
| Kelp Bass | Live bait (anchoivies, smelt), cut bait (anchovy, mackerel, squid), bloodworms, mussels, ghost shrimp | Swimbaits |
| King Mackerel | Sardines, blue runners, mullet, smaller mackerels, pilchards, menhaden | Trolling shiny spoons, big lipped diving lures |
| King (Chinook) Salmon | Cured fish roe, Sand shrimp, Minnows, Scrub worms, Cute bait (sardines, herring anchoy, albacore belly) | Jigs, Hoochies, Spoons, Streamers, Trolling plugs |
| Kokanee Salmon | Cured fish roe (Salmon eggs), Worms, White Shoepeg Corn, Maggots, Small shrimp | Jigs, Hoochies, Dodgers, Hoochie below a dodger, Spoons, Spinners, Squid baits, Artificial maggots |
| Ladyfish | Live bait including shrimp and small bait fish/minnows | Jigs, silver spoons, plugs |
| Lake Trout | Minnows, Night crawlers, Salmon eggs, Large suckers, Gold shiners, Small baitfish | Bucktail jigs, Spoons, Soft paddle swimbait, Streamers, Swimbait, Flies, Jigs |
| Lake Whitefish | Cure fish roe, Waxworms, Maggots (use small bait) | Jigging spoons, Jigging minnow, Spoons, Inline spinners |
| Largemouth Bass | Shad, Minnows, Shiners, Worms, Crayfish, Frogs, Insects | Crankbaits, Jigs, Plastic worms, Swimbaits, Spinner baits, Creature baits, Buzzbaits, Topwater lures, Tube baits, Jerkbaits |
| Leather Jacket | Small oily bait fish. Shrimp, clams, stripy tuna, mussels, prawns, squid, pilchards, mullet. Soft bait balls using peeled mussels, prawns, worms, or strips of fish flesh. | (not typically taken with lures) |
| Lemon Shark | Mackerel, bonito, jack crevalle, amberjack, cut bait | Flies |
| Lesser Amberjack | Live bait (preferre). Shrimp, squid, mullets, spinach fish, cigar minnows, herring, goggle-eyed mackerel. | Trolling lures, spoons, plugs, jigs. |
| Lingcod | Cute bait (squid, hake, herring, octopus, other fish) | Jigs (leadhead preferred), swimbaits (typically large), |
| Little Tunny | Mullets, ballyhoos, pinfish, or bluefish. Shrimp, squid, scaled sardine, and pilchard. Mackerel, herring, blue runners, bonito. | Flies, spoons, plugs, jigs, trolling lures, feathers, spreader bar. |
| Longbill Spearfish | Cut bait (dolphin fish), bonito, squid, needlefish, pilotfish, and flying fish (illegal to target these fish) | Trolling lures. (Note: this is protected species and should be released upon capture.) |
| Longnose Gar | Live bait (Minnows, Shiners, Goldfish, Perch), Cut bait | Crankbait (shallow running), Baitfish-imitation plugs, Jigs, Rope lure |
| Lookdown | Anchovies, minnows, small shrimp, crabs (prefer live bait - often ignore dead bait) | Small streamer flies, small crappie jigs, tiny plugs |
| Mako Shark | Live or fresh dead bait including bonito, mackerel, small whole tuna, squid, or salmon | Prefer bait |
| Mangrove Snapper | Pilchards (typically first choice). Live/frozen shrimp. Small pinfish. Frozen ballyhoo. Crabs, squid, cigar minnows, and grunts. | Small, gold/silver spoons. Flies. Jigs. Jigs that immitate shrimp. |
| Mirror Carp | Sweetcorn, bread, worms, maggots, potatoes, fish eggs, mussels | Prefer bait |
| Mountain Whitefish | Cure fish roe (Salmon eggs), Mealworms, Maggots, Earth worms, Stonefly nymphs, Caddisfly larvae, Grasshoppers | Flies (and flies tipped with small waxworms), Jigs, Spoons |
| Muskellunge | Minnows, Suckers, Perch, Cisco (artificial lures work better) | Bucktails, Glide baits, Topwater plugs, Swimbaits, Crankbaits, Jigs, Soft plastics |
| Mutton Snapper | Pilchards, goggle eye, speedo mackerel, thread herring, squid, ballyhoo, crabs and shrimp. | Jigs, ballyhoo plugs, flies, jigs, trolling lures. |
| Northern Kingfish | Clams, mollusks, bloodworms, small pieces of cut squid | Prefer bait |
| Northern Pike | Minnows, Suckers, Ciscos, Shad, Perch (artificial lures work better) | Spoons, Inline spinners, Large streamers, Swimbaits, Crankbaits |
| Northern Pikeminnow | Worms, crickets, chicken liver, cheese | Lipless crank baits, diving crank baits, |
| Northern Searobin | Shrimp, peeler crabs, squid, small fish, bivalves, cut bait (peeler crab, bunker, mackerel, clam, squid) | Jigs |
| Northern Snakehead | Minnows, golden shiners | Spinnerbaits, plastic worms, jigs, topwater lures |
| Northern Stargazer | Cut fish bait, strips of squid, pieces of peeler crab | Prefer bait |
| Nurse Shark | Live or dead baitfish, cut fish, shrimp, squid | Prefer bait |
| Ocean Triggerfish | Small pieces of cut bait, clams, shrimp, or squid | Prefer bait |
| Oceanic Whitetip Shark | Whole mackerel or blue fish, cut fish bait; chumming required | Prefer bait |
| Oyster Toadfish | Pieces of squid, bloodworms, clams, and cut up peeler crab on bottom rigs | Prefer bait |
| Pacific Bonito | Live anchovies, small sardines, pilchards, silversides, squide or threadfins | Bonito feather, Shiny spoons, Jigs, Small bucktail jigs, Minnow lures |
| Pacific Cod | Whole or cut up: crabs, squid, capelin, eels, and smaller fish bait. Fresh clams, mussels, herring, clam worms, sand worms, shrimp, octupus. | Jigs, flies, spoons, tube jigs, diamond jigs. |
| Pacific Crevalle Jack | Crab, shrimp, squid. Large live baits such as mullet, herring, or pilchards (sardines). | Flies, jigs, plugs, soft plastic baits, spoons, spinners. jigging spoons. Most bites occur at first light. Heavy silver spoons or soft plastics that looks like herring or sardine typically work the best. |
| Pacific Halibut | Salmon bellies, salmon heads, squid, octupus, herring, pollock, pink salmon. | Artificial squid, jigs, mooching slider, swim tail jigs, fluke ball jig |
| Pacific Sierra Mackerel | Shiny silver baitfish like a sardine, shrimp, squid, and anchovies | Shiny lures, flies with flashy streamers, jigs, plugs, skirted hoochies, small poppers, trolling lures. |
| Paddlefish | *live bait not used | Snag hooks (large treble hooks) |
| Palometa | Small pieces of cut bait, clams, shrimp, or squid | Small artificial lures |
| Permit | Live crabs, shrimp | Prefer bait |
| Pigfish | Small cut bait or shrimp | Prefer bait |
| Pink Salmon | Cured fish roe (Salmon eggs), Sand shrimp | Flies, Spoons, Plugs, Spinnerbaits, Spawn bag, Trout beads, Jigs (Marabou jigs, Squid jigs), Plastic worms, Spin-n-glo, Minnow lures, Snelled octopus hook with a tuft of pink yarn |
| Pollock | Sea worms, bloodworms, clams, pieces of cut fish or squid | Norwegian type jigs (tipped with pieces of squid) |
| Pumpkinseed Sunfish | Minnows, Worms, Insects, Crickets | Flies, jigs, small spinners |
| Rainbow Runner | Live bait including small fish or shrimp | Feathered jigs, shiny spoons |
| Rainbow Trout | Powerbait, Insects, Cured fish roe, Worms, Night crawlers, Salmon eggs, Nypmphs, Kernel corn | Flies, Spinners, Roostertail spinners, Spoons, Jibs, Streamer, Plugs |
| Red Drum | Croakers, menhaden, spot, pinfish, cut mullet and small scaled sardines, shrimp, crabs, and blood worms. | Silver spoon, jigs, spoons, flies, plugs, grub & jig. |
| Red Grouper | Sardines, squid, squirrelfish, octopus, crab, lobsters, mantis shrimp. Live pinfish. | Baits and jigs (typically along the bottom using a bouncing technique). Jerkbait. Crankbait. |
| Red Hake | Clams, strips of squid, cut pieces of fish | Prefer bait |
| Red Porgy | Pieces of cut fish, strips of squid | Prefer bait |
| Red Snapper | Ballyhoo, squid, cigar minnows. Bonita strips/cut bait. Fresh mackerel, fresh kahawai, pilchards, squid, skipjack tuna, mullet, shellfish and crabs. | Soft baits, jigs and flasher rigs |
| Redbreast Sunfish | Worms, Crickets, Waxworms, Meal worms, Insects, | Small spinners, jigs, flies, mini spoons, mini crankbait |
| Redear Sunfish | Worms, Red worms, Meal worms, Waxworms, Small worms, Leeches | Jigs, Small crankbait, Flies |
| Redeye Bass | Worms, Minnows, Gizzard shad, Crayfish, Hellgrammites | Spinners (small), Topwater lures, Nymphs, Jigs, Soft plastics, Spinner baits, Spoons, Flies, Creature baits, Bucktail jigheads, Minnow baits, Roostertail |
| Redfin Pickerel | Small minnows | Small artificial lures that mimic bait fish or aquatic insects, small in-line spinners |
| Remora | Small live fish or pieces of cut fish | Prefer bait |
| Rock Bass | Night crawlers, Waxworms, Hellgrammites, Small minnows, Leeches, Insects | Jigs, Plugs, Spoons, Flies, Spinner bait, Streamers |
| Rock Hind | Cut pieces of fish | Jigs |
| Round Whitefish | Small snails, clams, fish eggs, scuds, small worms | Baitfish-imitation plug |
| Roundscale Spearfish | Sardines, squid, flying fish, other medium-size fish | Skirted trolling lures |
| Sailfish | Blue runners, cigar minnows, goggle eyes, large pilchards, speedos, large sardines, squid, mackerel, herring | Spoons, feathers |
| Sauger | Minnows, Nightcrawlers, Leeches | Blade baits that mimic shad and shiners, Jigs, Spoons, Plastic worms, Crankbaits, Spoons, Jigs, Spinner baits, Plugs |
| Saugeye | Minnows, Nightcrawlers, Leeches | Spinners, Spoons, Jigs, Crankbaits |
| Scalloped Hammerhead Shark | Whole bluefish, mackerel or other fish; chumming required | Prefer bait |
| Scamp Grouper | Cigar minnows, threadfins, croakers, grunts, scads, and sardines | Prefer bait |
| Scup | Blood worms, strips of squid, pieces of clam | Jigs |
| Sea Bream | Small pieces of shrimp, squid or clams | Prefer bait |
| Sea Raven | Strips of squid, pieces of cut fish, clams, pieces of crabs | Prefer bait |
| Sea Trout | Mackerel strips, pin fish, live threadfin herrings, live shrimp | Spinners, topwater plugs, jerk baits, spoons, plastic tail grub jigs, plastic shrimp. |
| Sheepshead | Clams, mussels, shrimp, fiddler crabs, blue crabs, sand fleas, ghost shrimp, oysters. | Artificial lures are not recommended. Stick with bait. |
| Shoal Bass | Minnows, Worms, Leeches, Insects, Crayfish | Topwaters, Small crankbaits, Plastic grubs, Creature baits, Plastic crawfish, Soft plastics, Soft plastic worms, Jerkbaits, Spinnerbaits, Swimbaits |
| Shortbill Spearfish | Mullet, squid, tuna, mackerel | Prefer bait |
| Shortfin Mako Shark | Whole bluefish or mackerel (trolling with whole squid or mackerel) | Prefer bait |
| Shorthead Redhorse | Nightcrawlers, worms, clams, shrimp | Multi-colored sponges |
| Shortnose Gar | Small bream, minnows, shiners | Spoons, spinnerbaits, flies, baitfish-imitation plug |
| Shortnose Sturgeon | Crustaceans, insects, and mollusks. Salmon eggs, stink bait, crawfish, crabs, night crawlers, lamprey. | Plugs, flies, spoons, spinner baits |
| Silver Perch | Squid, shrimp, cured fish roe, shrimps, small live yabbies, worms, aquatic insects. | Plastic worms, slip bobbers, jigs, flies, plugs, spoons, soft plastics, tube jigs, |
| Silver Redhorse | Nightcrawlers, worms | Flies (Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear) |
| Skipjack Tuna | Chum, squid, anchovies, sardines | Feathers, ballyhoo, jigs, flies, shiny metal spoons, small plastic skirts, spinners. |
| Smallmouth Bass | Minnows, Worms, Leeches, Insects, Crayfish | Soft plastics, soft plastic worms, Jigs, Soft-plastic Jerkbaits, Spinnerbaits, Topwater poppers, Finesse worms, Plastic grubs, Large streamers, Crankbaits |
| Smallmouth Buffalo | Boilies, Tiger nuts, Dough balls, Nightcrawlers, Crickets, Corn kernels | Artificial lures are not effective |
| Smooth Hammerhead Shark | Whole bluefish or mackerel, cut bait, chumming | Prefer bait |
| Smoothhound | Squid, peeler crab, soft-backed crab, lugworms, shellfish, ragworms, mackerel, herring | Prefer bait |
| Snook | Shrimp, finger mullet, pinfish, ballyhoo, minnows | Jighead with soft bait (e.g. jig with white paddle tail) |
| Snowy Grouper | Whole squid, bonito stripes, crab, mackerel, octopus, | Jigs, chicken rigs. |
| Sockeye (Kokanee) Salmon | Cured fish roe (Salmon eggs), Sand shrimp, Minnows, Insects, Waxworms, Night crawlers | Flies, Spoons, Hoochie (hoochie rig), Plugs, Spinnerbaits, Spawn bag, Small squid imitations |
| Southern Kingfish | Small fresh shrimp (or pieces of shrimp), sand fleas, cut squid, small crabs, fishbites, gulp bait | Prefer bait |
| Spanish Mackerel | Chum, shrimp, herring, mullet, minnows, sardines, squid. | Nylon jigs, feather lures, gold spoons, trolling lures, dappers, plugs. |
| Speckled Peacock Bass | Shrimps, minnows, worms, small golden shiners (typically first choice), panfish. | Spoons, poppers, streamer flies, spinners, plugs, propeller lures. |
| Spinner Shark | Whole bluefish or mackerel, chum | Prefer bait |
| Spiny Dogfish | Strips of squid, cut pieces of fish | Prefer bait |
| Splake | Salmon eggs, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, worms, shrimp, salmon eggs. | Silver spoons with colors (red, orange or chartreuse), crankbaits, plugs, flies, spinners, spoons, swimbait. Tubes and Worm Imitators. |
| Spot | Bloodworms, squid, shrimp, peeler crab, sea clams. Fishbites (squid, crab, and clam). | A double drop, bottom spot rig |
| Spottail Pinfish | Small pieces of shrimp, bloodworm or squid | Prefer bait |
| Spotted Bass | Minnows, Crawfish, Insects, Worms | Jigs, Tube baits, Poppers, Soft plastics, Plastic worms, Swimbaits, Creature baits, Crankbaits, Tube baits, Spoons, Jerkbaits, Stick baits, Poppers, Large streamers |
| Spotted Gar | Live bait (minnows, small bream, shiners, shad), Cut bait (live bait is best) | Inline spinners, Rope lures, Topwaters, Baitfish imitation plugs |
| Spotted Hake | Clams, cuts of fish, and squid strips, mussels, shrimp | Spoons, flies, plugs, jigs, popping floats, slip floats, topwater lures. Jig heads with plastic trailers, grubs, or imitation shrimp. Pink/chartreuse recommended |
| Spotted Seatrout | Live shrimp, mullet, pin fish, dead shrimp, menhaden, porkfish, and greenies | Topwater plugs, Jerkbaits, Spinner baits, Bucktail jig, Paddle tail jigs |
| Steelhead | Cured fish roe, Worms, Insects | Spinners, Spoons, Trout beeds, Plugs, Crankbait, Spin-n-glo, Artificial trout eggs |
| Striped Bass | Bunkers, Alewife, Eels, Blook worms, Squid, Mackerel, Sand worms, Clams, Squid, Cut bait | Topwater lures, Poppers, Chuggers, Jigs, Bucktail jigs, Plugs, Spoons, Larger streamers, Flies, Umbrella rig |
| Striped Bass Hybrid | Gizzard Shad, Shiners, Alewife, Herring, Chicken liver, Small baitfish | Topwater lures and plugs, Poppers, Chuggers, Spoons, Jigs, Baited jibs, Large streamers, Stickbait, Jerkbait, Long shot bomber, Umbrella rig, Minnow shad jig, Bucktail jig, Diving crankbait |
| Striped Marlin | Live or dead bait (mackerel, goggle-eye, herring, anchovies, sardines, etc.) | Smaller skirted trolling lures |
| Striped Searobin | Bloodworms, squid, clams, peeler crabs | Prefer bait |
| Sturgeon | Nightcrawlers, Crawfish, Shrimp, Anchovies, Cut bait (suckers, shad, etc.), Stink bait (rotting fish), Small carcasses Mollusks (clams, snails), Cured fish roe (Salmon eggs) | Artificial lures and bait not effective |
| Summer Flounder | Shrimp, crabs, smaller flounder, sardines, shad, mullet, sea worms and mud minnows | Jigs and spoons. Soft Plastic Grub or Paddletail Jigs. Bucktail Jigs. Stick Baits. Shad Tails |
| Swordfish | Squid. Tinker Mackerel. Live Blue Runner. Bullet Bonita. Spanish mackerel, eel, mullet, herring, and tuna. | Artificial Stuffed Squid. Typically not fished with artificial lures. |
| Tarpon | Mullet, crabs, shrimp, and pinfish. Marine catfishes, Atlantic needlefish, sardines. Chunks of ladyfish. White baits. | Trolling lures, jigs, spoons, plugs, paddle tails. Pro tip: add smell to your lures (shrimp and mullet smells). |
| Tautog | Green crabs, asian crabs, whiter leggers crabs, hermit crabs, clams, oysters | Prefer bait |
| Thresher Shark | Live bait (fish), pieces of cut fish | Prefer bait |
| Tiger Muskellunge | Minnows, Suckers, Shiners | Bucktails, Topwaters (ploppers, crawlers), Spinner baits, Crank baits, Soft plastic baits (bull dawg), Jointed swimbaits |
| Tiger Shark | Whole bluefish or mackerel (chumming required) | Prefer bait |
| Tiger Trout | Night crawlers, Live or dead minnows, Sculpins, Leeches, Cured fish roe, Insects | Flies, Spoons, Spinner baits, Crankbaits, Wooly buggers, Nymph patterns |
| Tope Shark | Whole bluefish, mackerel, herring or whiting (chumming required), squid | Prefer bait |
| Tripletail | Shrimp, pogie fish, finger mullet and bull minnows, clams, mussels, crabs, squid. | Flies, jigs, plugs, artificial shrimp, bucktail jigs, soft minnows, hard switch baits, crab flies, shrimp flies. |
| Wahoo | Goggle eyes, threadfin, pilchards, herring tuna, mackerel, and squid. | Jigs, plugs, spoons. Typically black and purple, black and red, blue and white, and orange and black are the best color combinations for artifical lures. |
| Walleye | Minnows, Shiners, Leeches, Nightcrawlers | Crankbaits, Jerkbaits, Spoons, Jigs, Spinners, Soft plastics (grubs), Jigs combined with soft plastics |
| Warmouth | Minnows, Worms, Insects, Crickets, Small Crawfish | Flies, Jigs, Spoons, Plugs, Streamers, Spinner baits |
| Warsaw Grouper | Halved bonito, whole fish, squid, chub mackerel, sardine, white crab, perch, or octopus pieces. | Artificial lures are typically not used. |
| Weakfish | Grass shrimp, anchovies, bunker, blue claw crabs, bluefish | Jigheads with soft baits, bucktails (pink or purplish color patterns) |
| White Bass | Minnows, Worms | Floating jigs tipped with a minnow, Lead-head jig tipped with colored twisted plastic tails, grubs or minnows, Crankbaits (Lipless), Lures resembling damsel fly nymphs, Small spoons |
| White Catfish | Shineres, Minnows, Shrimp, Chicken Liver, Menhaden, Crayfish, Clams, Night crawlers, Chunks of Herring, Cut bait | Deep-diving crankbaits |
| White Crappie | Small live minnows, Worms, Insects, Small crawfish | Plastic jigs, Lead jig heads, Curly tail grub bait, Small spinners, Beetle spinners, Plugs, Swimbaits |
| White Grunt | Small pieces of shrimp, squid and cut fish | Small spoons, jigs |
| White Marlin | Squid, ballyhoo, mullet, bonefish, mackerel, anchovies, and herring. | Feathers, small spoons, daisy-chain teasers, plastic squids, egg sinkers. |
| White Perch | Worms, minnows and shrimp baits, squids, clams, mussels. | Jigs, flies, plugs, spoons, soft plastics, tube jigs, curly-tail jigs and split-tail jigs. Small hair jigs and marabou jigs. |
| White Seabass | Live squid, medium-size sardines or large anchovies. Small squid, fish and other crustaceans. Mackerel. | Fast-trolled spoons, artificial squid or bone jigs. Small, flashy metal lures. Heavier spinning and baitcasting outfits. Soft plastics. |
| White Shark | Whole bluefish, herring, mackerel and other fish; chumming required | Prefer bait |
| White Sucker | Meal worms, small nightcrawlers, worms, fresh water clams | Prefer bait |
| Whiterock Bass | Live shiners and gizzard shad | Jighead, swimbaits |
| Windowpane Flounder | Blood worms, strips of squid, grass shrimp, clams | Prefer bait |
| Winter Flounder | Small pieces of clam, mussel, or bloodworm. Finger mullet, minnow, shrimp, mummichogs, dough ball, clam, mussels, crab, crayfish, cured fish roe, eel, grub and meal worms, insects, leeches, minnows. | Jigs, flies, plugs, soft plastics, spinner baits, spoons, trolling lures. |
| Wiper | Shiners and gizzard shad, minnows, crawdad tails | Spoons, spinners, lipless crankbaits, tube jigs |
| Witch Flounder | Small squid strips, blood worms | Prefer bait |
| Wreckfish | Cut pieces of squid or fish, worms | Jigs |
| Yellow Bass | Night crawlers, Angle worms, Cut bait, Dough balls, Minnows, Bread | Baited jigs, Larger wet flies, bottom slip-sinkers |
| Yellow Bullhead | Night crawlers, Shad, Shiners, Minnows, Hotdogs, Dough balls, Cut bait, Chicken liver, Angel Worms, Bacon (prefer dead bait) | Jig tipped with a worm or piece of bait |
| Yellow Jack | Natural baits preferred, strips of squid, small whoe bait fish, pieces of cut fish | Feathered jigs, shinny spoons, bucktails, diamond jigs |
| Yellow Perch | Waxworms, Worms, Leeches, Insects, Crickets, Larvae, Mayfly larvae | Flies, Jigs, Plugs, Spoons, Spinnerbaits, Streamers |
| Yellowfin Tuna | Threadfin herring, menhaden/pogies, blue runners/hardtails, and mullet, squid, crustaceans, and small fish. Sardines and mackerel. | Plugs, spoons. |
| Yellowtail Flounder | Sardines, anchovies, squiddead squid, slabbed mackerel or whitefish fillets and stripped bait. Croakers, menhaden, pinfish, and finger mullets. | Jigs, heavy metal lures, trolling swimming plugs. |
| Yellowtail Snapper | Small pilchards, Sardines, Mackerel, Cut bait (bonito, ballyhoo, sardines, squid, shrimp), Silversides, Chummed up bait | Baited jig heads |
