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Squid: This is a very universal bait. Any fish, from sharks to schoolies to fluke to scup will gulp (or nibble) down a chunk of squid without hesitation. You can damn near cast a chunk of squid to Portugal and it will stay on the hook. The only thing with squid is that it becomes washed out and lacks much of the fish attracting scent as other baits. Also, skates love squid, and I hate skates. On the other hand, strips of squid on a hook create a very attractive fluttering motion. One of the few baits that freeze well. After all, another name for Bass is a squidhound.
Mackeral: A very good bait. Oily flesh that attracts large predatory fish. If you are fishing north of cape cod, it is the most commonly used striper and bluefish bait, as fish in water less than 65 degrees tend to show a particular affinity for it. Just make sure it is fresh. Spoiled mackeral won't do much for you unless your catfishing. The first time I used mackeral, I hooked something so large it spooled all of the line from my reel and this was only after 10 minutes fishing in Boston Harbor from the shore.
Pogies (Bunker, south of R.I.): Best damn fish bait you can buy during the midsummer doldrums when the big girls come out to play at night. Very oily fish, even more so than mackeral. Great fish attracting ability as the bait emits a slick once it touches the water. Also if you have extra, chum some of it. Its a very good way of bring predators into the swim.
Seaworms: Great bait for schoolies and fluke, and can last a few days if kept cool. If your targeting bigger fish however, go with a fish bait or eels.
Eels: Hands down best bait for big bass. Fished live over rock outcroppings, these things are striper candy or is it more like crack. If you are fishing eels and don't get a strike, its because there are no fish around. They hold very well on a hook and are extremely durable. You can catch several fish without changing out the bait.
Clams: Good bait, bass can't seem to resist that gooey belly, and bluefish don't seem to want to be bothered to much with them. Just make sure they are fresh. I have had great success with clams on a beach after a storm.
Shrimp: I have caught stripers on shrimp, but that is mostly in warmer waters in Virginia and North Carolina where I fished for drum. Eels love shrimp however, and you can use those eels for bait (if they are too big, eels can also be chunked).
Lobster: Check for legality. I saw bass, several feet long, gulping down dead lobsters underneath the piers of James Hook Lobster Co. in downtown Boston. So lobster is definitely a great bait, only rivaled by live eels.
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