We always have used nightcrawlers. Huge nightcrawlers pinched to desired length, threaded on hook with hook point covered and no worm dangling to prevent pulling bait off hook. This has always worked but as I am renewing my interest in 'gills/sunfish I read about all these other baits and wonder what your faves are.

I have only used a few live baits other than 'crawlers. Crickets, mealworms, catalpas and small grasshoppers are all I remember trying. Crickets are too mushy/easy to lose IMO. I have only used mealies a few times this year and they caught fish for fish what our 'crawlers caught. Too many years since we used catalpas but too late to find them now to see how they are. (KILLER channel cat bait!) Grasshoppers in the small size are fairly hard to locate around here but seemed to work well.

I'm dying to try maggots and redworms. Just picked up some redworms and some green nightcrawlers that I thought couldn't be any worse than my old proven traditional nightcrawlers and will be trying both these @ our favorite lake tomorrow. (Will follow up tomorrow night and let y'all know what we find.)

My question is what do y'all prefer for live bait and has it out-fished other live baits that you have tried? And how do you prefer to hook your favorite bait?

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Andy