Clockwise, from top left: minnow, crayfish, sunfish, shad, frog, and grasshopper. Fathead minnows, leeches and worms are mainstays in bait-shop refrigerators across the country. These old standards ...

A single drop of this giant net trap pulls up a wild mix of bait fish in seconds. From shimmering minnows to perfect-sized shad, it’s a full-on feeding prep for the big predators waiting nearby. The ...