The police waited for the bank robbers to 'take the bait'. [=to be tricked into doing the thing that would cause them to be trapped or caught]
('chiefly Brit') The interviewer kept asking the politician whether he was lying, and he 'rose to the bait' by getting angry.
She 'baited' the mousetraps with pieces of cheese. = She used cheese to 'bait' the traps.
(..) former police officer. I'm not saying anything. This is not surprising that you're a little nervous. Bastard! You draw me into this. I was like a bait while hunting. He's at it again. Stop! Stop! Well do something! Look what you've done. - Maybe we can talk it over? (..)1981 To Kill a Cop