The fish-catchingest bait I’ve ever used

[Mike N]

I picked up a pack of these rubber centipede baits. It was literally a bass or large panfish every cast today. To make sure it was the bait, I also threw two different color rubber worms, a few top waters etc., and zilch.

[Ray Hencken]

That is a hellgrammite. Perhaps the best live bait for smallmouth bass if you can obtain them. They are the larval form of the Dobson fly.

[Mike N]

That is a hellgrammite. Perhaps the best live bait for smallmouth bass if you can obtain them. They are the larval form of the Dobson fly.

Thanks, Ray.

https://www.nps.gov/neri/learn/nature/hellgrammites.htm

[RAM]

I used a back wooly booger-looks like a hellgramite generally. No doubt the best fly ever made-for bass, trout, panfish, even catfish. A size 6 is ideal overall. Hard to guess how many fish I caught using that fly.
And they are universally available and cheap!
Bad Bob