Passive Bottom Feeders

• Fish like carp, and its cousin the ubiquitous catfish, are passive bottom feeders. They feed at or near the bottom and prefer food that has a pronounced scent like worms and chicken livers or baits that use artificial attractants that can be quite odorous. You can make your own catfish bait, as they've even been known to strike on unorthodox choices like hot dogs and cheese.
  
  

Mid-Level Feeders

• Fish, like bass that feed at the mid-level, look for prey that moves up and down in the water. The best bait for these fish is living bait like minnows or frogs that move in the water like an injured prey animal. In addition, spinner bait or spoon bait can be used to entice fish to strike because of their interesting movements in the water. For mid-level feeders, your skill in casting and the way you manipulate the bait is as important as the bait itself.
  
  

Trolling

• There are game fish that feed at the mid-level but prefer bait that takes a horizontal course through the water. This includes many deep sea fish like marlin and sailfish. To catch these fish, you will pull bait fish like mackerel or mullet along behind you in the wake of your boat. The best bait for trolling is smaller fish native to the area where you are fishing.
  
  

Surface Feeders

• Surface feeders, like trout, strike at bait on the surface of the water, like flies or other insects. Your choice of bait here should reflect the native insects, but as with mid-level feeders, your skill in casting and the way you manipulate the bait is as important as the bait itself. Use the fly fishing technique to entice surface feeders to strike your bait.