Da best bait for tucs is...

[leoric]

If you had to choose one type of bait to catch tucs, what will it be?

[OO7:BASSINASSASSIN]

I voted for tilapia as the best bait, but I haven't live baited for tuc's in over 20 years. If I had to choose one bait, it would be artifical bait because it is more fun to use.

[tucmaster]

Interesting poll, and a tough question. How about a one choice for large tucs and one choice for smaller tucs?

For larger tucs (4 lbs. and up), I'd choose a 3 to 4-inch tilapia - "tuc candy".

For smaller tucs, I'd choose a 1-1/2 to 2-inch medaka (mosquitofish or liberty molly).

If possible, I try to bring both tilapia and medaka on my trips up to the lake, because there are days that the big tucs won't even sniff a tilapia or larger bait but will absolutely explode when a 1-inch medaka is tossed their way. You didn't include medaka on your list, but it should be included as it is a live bait commonly used up at the lake.

[OO7:BASSINASSASSIN]

I do not think the DNLR would be happy about the pet store fish choice. Back in the day, a good alternative bait for medaka were swordtails. I think medaka is a choice bait if you can get it. I do not think crayfish would be a good bait unless you use it on spawners, which would be kind of a waste.

[leoric]

I chose tilapia to be my prime bait but I've had success in using baby aholehole as well. They come up to the stream close to where I live and they get hooked along with the tilapia I catch. Aholehole put a lot of action and I like how their color attract fish even in the muddiest water.

[tucmaster]

Yeah, out of curiosity, I've tried those small aholehole that migrate up from brackish water into the lower reaches of freshwater streams. They're bright and shiny like threadfin shad, and the tucs eat them. But they're kinda fragile and require good oxygenation. They don't stay lively too long when confined in a bucket with medaka/tilapia. Personally, aholehole are not worth the effort when medaka and tilapia are way easier to catch and hold until you're ready to use them.

I've also caught shiny 2-3 inch fingerling mullet that also migrate up into freshwater when the streams run high after heavy rains and during flash floods. Out of curiosity, I tried them as bait and the tucs will take them, but like the aholehole, they're fragile and require good oxygenation. Again, not worth the effort.

On the subject of pet shop bait, it's a double-edged sword. For some anglers, it's their only source for live bait. On the other hand, it's pet shop fish that radically changed the lake's ecosystem in the '80s and '90s. No easy answer there. Feeder guppies, mollies, swordtails, and other molly/topminnow species already established in Hawaii probably aren't going to do any more harm to the lake. Remember when the lake shorelines were teeming with mosquitofish, before the cichlid invasion? But I'd recommend staying away from using pet shop CICHLIDS of any species. Cichlids are aggressive (e.g., the established banded jewel cichlid), and a new cichlid species establishing itself in the lake could unleash a whole new set of problems.