>>974408I mean any predator fish will go for any lure or bait that replicates prey. A common rule when fishing artificial bait is to match what the fish are actually feeding on in that body of water. But even then, sometimes it is better to present a more opportunistic meal. Sometimes when bass are chasing baitfish, I will throw a similar size and color Rapala right near by and they don't go for it. But then I toss a little crawdad bait near where the baitfish are being chased and the bass pick it up instantly.
As for size, you will generally have better luck hooking and landing fish with the largest bait and hook that they can get in their mouth since the larger hook will get a better grip (especially on largemouth bass). But other times if the bite is slow and the fish aren't actively hunting and feeding, you want to go with a smaller finesse presentation. For bass in warm summer water, smaller finesse worms will work better than a big spinnerbait. And then with the Mayan cichlids, they have small mouths but some days they will be attacking big crankbaits that they can't even get close to taking down. Other days they won't touch anything besides real tiny grub type baits.
But it is different for every lake, every species, every weather condition, and every season. So trial and error as well as asking locals will get you learned the best.
