What types of live bait work the best when Bass Fishing?

Typically, experienced Bass Fishermen will turn their noses up at live bait.  Whether they’ve fallen victim to the endless brainwashing of the multi-million dollar artificial lure industry or they’ve had their own experiences, these fishermen will tell you story after story of watching that Big Bass creep up on a hook sporting live bait and turn tail and run.  I happen to believe that live bait can work on Bass but you’ve got to know when it’s an option and when it isn’t.  Taking the time to experiment and learn how and when  to use live bait when fishing for Bass can prove worthwhile and simply add another tool to your arsenal.  Depending totally on live bait, however, will probably leave you disappointed and frustrated.  Bass will traditionally take live bait such shiners or crawfish, large insects, grubs, night crawlers and even occasionally a frog or lizard.  The trick to using live bait is to suspend it under a bobber without adding any weight to the line.  If you’re using night crawlers or grubs, you’ll want to load up your hook.  Using just one or two will more likely attract perch or pan fish instead of Bass.