I know everyone has a specific style or bait that they are most comfortable with.

When you feel like the fishing is getting a little tough, what is your go to bait?

Bass fishing: when things get tough I go to smaller baits and work them a bit slower. I like using a 3" tube jig, jig with a small trailer, or spinnerbait if weeds are present.

Not experienced with saltwater, so if things get tough, I fake having fun or I go home. Somebody help me!

I enjoy the top water frog in the pads for freshwater and in the salt it would have to be a white and chartreuse 5" jerkbait with no weight.

Definitely a trick worm wacky rigged or a 1/4 oz rattle trap.

Black trick worm from ZOOM worms.

go to bait ? kinda depends ...

I can almost always depend on watermelon green in soft plastics (Larry Nixon fished green for thirty-five years ONLY !!! )

Carolina rig for my go-to ! or in Fla. a Rat'l-Trap with chrome/blue back !

Chartruese spinner bait , gold willow leaf blades ....

all the above with bait-caster only !!!

When using spinning my setup changes completely and I use both bait-caster and spinning every trip ....

For my spinning go-to I fish 2 1/2 tube-baits with ball-shaped lead-head jig hooks in various weights depending on the conditions (mostly wind) very important ! Once in a while I'll have to go with a Shaw Grigsby style owner hook with my tube-jigs , but I prefer slowly bounce swimming my jigs to the boat...

If things are really really slow I will chuck a Worden's style in-line spinner in grey and silver blade , weight again depending (weight is VERY critical when fishing light line !!

Most guy's try something and are afraid to re-tie right away when the weight is wrong or they may not even know the weight is wrong !! Remember action and feel are everything in a good LIFELIKE presentation !!!

A fluke or a Red-Eye shad in retention ponds.
On a lake, flukes,spinnerbaits,or flipping any creature or craw bait into grass beds.

Jig 90% of the time.

Yeah I would say a jig, and a crank.