what are the maximum number of species caught on one bait?
For a few years I've usually caught more than 4 species on one lure per outing and sometimes up to seven. A few days ago crappie, y and w perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, pickerel and sunfish hit this lure:
https://i.imgur.com/Y2kqPfl.jpg?3
Add catfish and roach on other days and you have 9 species on one design.
(Guess I was too lazy to change, too annoyed because of the constant 20+ mph wind and my partner constantly getting snagged thereby having to help him free his lure (not to mention his complaining I was catching all the fish).
Some anglers believe that there are lures just for crappie or panfish in general never realizing fish are fish and attack that which 1. focuses their attention only on that lure and 2. provokes them to strike regardless of nearby prey animals (minnows, insects). The other factor considered for a specific species is lure color. Granted, if the lure is large enough for a bass but too large for a crappie, color selection will be unique for that lure choice such as skirted jigs with trailers. But for the small lures we use for crappie, lure action-by-design, shape and size are priorities and pretty much appeal to all species - including a water snake I once caught on a grub. (Heard they were good eating but they give me the creeps!)
Off the top of my head I can think of at least a dozen soft plastic designs that catch most fish species. Color choices are usually only a handful and chosen according to my personal bias, though it is fun to cast many colors of the same lure to confirm once again, that lure action speaks louder as does presentation (a slow slightly erratic retrieve).
Lures help anglers find fish along with sonar, which helps find fish in a general area but usually not the fish I'll catch seeing as how I don't own a side scan unit. Lure and color choices are far simpler than many would agree possible regardless the season or water quality but proven by the number of species willing to attack my lures. Here a two pound catfish shocked me by hitting a Strike King three-legged Joker grub in blue and pearl:
https://i.imgur.com/NyIp6QE.jpg
A seven pound catfish hit a cone tail on the same day:
https://i.imgur.com/RIYEuxq.jpg?1https://i.imgur.com/PGs9y1H.png?1
Fishing never ceases to amaze and surprise me!