I use lures but I love livebait especially fishing small ponds.I catch a small bluegill on a little hook with a grasshopper or worm for bait. Then I put a big hook on and hook the little bluegill through the tail and throw him out where I think a bucketmouth might be hiding. I just let the little guy swim around until some bass bass can’t resist him no more then “Bam.” Fish on. I have had pretty good luck with jigs and spinnerbaits too. I also like to catch a little bluegill, hack him up with a knife, then use the cutbait for catching catfish. It works great. Catfish love it and the cutbait dont fall off the hook like chicken livers do.