Which lure to use for bass

The blades also give the bait resistance in the water, and there are different styles of blades to choose from that will affect the level of resistance. The most common blades are the Willow blade, the Colorado blade and the Indiana blade. Each one gives off a slightly different profile and presentation, but most importantly it controls the speed at which the bait travels.

He designed this bait with Strike King to create this great all-around spinnerbait that works in a variety of situations. This is another lure that can also cover a large area of water in a short amount of time. Crankbaits come in various sizes, shapes, weights, and running depths. More so than with other bass lures, making the right crankbait choice plays an important role in determining fishing success.

This is because much of crankbait fishing is simply casting and reeling in a straight retrieve. Although a straight retrieve catches bass most of the time, giving the rod tip a jerk randomly during the retrieve to give the lure some erratic action can help trigger a bite too. This bait will cover most waters, more so on the shallow side. This is your classic mid-to-shallow diving crankbait 3 to 6 feet. In bass fishing, little can compare to the enjoyment an angler gets when seeing a bass leap out of the water in an attempt to engulf their bait.

Topwater lures are not only effective but extremely fun to use, which are two reasons they make the top five. The purpose is to create the appearance of prey in distress, a sound that is hard for a bass to resist. The only downside is that they are sometimes missed by bass charging up from below.

The wind can be an important factor as well. Take this into consideration when selecting color and size. If you have to choose one topwater it should be a popper, and this model is one of the longest running poppers out there. You can also cast them a mile because of the way they are shaped. Work this slow in late summer afternoons for some great topwater action. The thoughts and opinions on what bass fishing lures are the best will vary from angler to angler. Bass fishing is a mental sport and a ton of what makes a lure great for a particular angler is the amount of confidence he or she has in it.

Black bass are the most sought-after gamefish in the United States, and are number one in terms of how much money is spent on equipment for them. In fact, more tackle is made for bass fishing than for any other species of fish. Many artificial lures have a unique feature that helps attract bass despite not looking very similar to a real prey animal. For example, they may flash in the light.

Jigs, Crankbaits, Plastic Worms, Spinnerbaits and swimbaits, are all effective bass lures. Most of these are very versatile lures making them practical for largemouth bass fishing in most conditions throughout the year when used effectively. Jigs are weighted bass lures that often have a skirt that pulses in the water to attract bass.

Jigs are probably the most versatile bass lure, making them a great place to start when unsure of which lure to use based on conditions. They can be used throughout the year in almost any temperature, whether 50 degrees or 90 degrees.

Jigs can work in both shallow and deep waters and work in various environments, including shoreline grasses and steep underwater banks. Crankbaits usually look like a crayfish or small fish with a lip on the front, causing them to dive underwater and wobble as retrieved. However, there are also lipless crankbaits that are just as effective. They get their action from a nose-down altitude made by placing the line on the back of the bait and its slender body, which will vibrate rapidly as the water passes over both sides.

Similar to jigs, crankbaits are pretty versatile and can be used in most types of weather and in both deep water and shallow water. During times of cold water, the largemouth bass like lipless crankbaits over deep points and dying grass flats. However, during warmer water times like the summer , fishing crankbaits are good to cover areas of water targeting schooling fish. The plastic worm is popular among bass fishermen because it can be used in various conditions and rigged in many different ways to be fished in both shallow water and deep water.

Conventional methods of rigging plastic worms are the Texas rig , Carolina rig, weightless, and drop shot. Plastic worms are one of the simplest and most effective year-round lures that consistently catch fish. In addition, these versatile lures can be used in almost any conditions.

In cold water, anglers can drag a worm on a Carolina rig or shakey head. In warmer water, anglers should twitch one weightless near the boat dock and vegetation. Spinnerbaits contain metal blades on them which rotate when pulled through the water. These rotating blades reflect the light, making them look like baitfish to bass. Spinnerbaits also have rubber skirts that flutter in the water to make them extra attractive to bass.

These can be used in shallow and deep water in various environments. Spinnerbaits are usually most effective during the early morning and when night fishing. However, they can also be good throughout the day during the spawning season for attracting bass over spawning beds. Many bass anglers know Swimbaits to have a relatively lifelike action. They have a natural rolling motion, and their tail shakes when retrieved.

Swimbaits can mimic various baitfish common in bass waters, making them effective pretty much all year. In the winter, bass anglers often have success hopping them on an umbrella rig or underspin then letting them fall to look like a dying shad for the nearby bass. Swimbaits are most effective on either a jighead in the open water areas or on a weedless hook going through shallow grass during the summer.

When bass fishing with a swimbait, be sure to reel in slowly in order to imitate the swim pattern of prey fish. Reeling in slowly makes the lure look like a dying baitfish near the surface of the water.

A topwater swimbait is sometimes more effective in the early morning or late evening, during the times the water is usually calmer. Big largemouth bass often think swimbaits are dying baitfish and will strike hard. Crawfish are often found in the shallow weeds and deep rocks of bass fisheries. They are usually most active during most of the year except for any cold fronts.

Bass anglers can fish plastic craws on the back of a jig, dragged on a Carolina rig, flipped into cover, and fished on a shakey head.

These lures sit on top of the water, and by jerking the rod, bass anglers can give them a lifelike action making it extremely hard to resist to the largemouth bass. Jerkbaits tend to work best in cold water, clear water , or for active bass feeding on baitfish. They have proven effective during warm months too when appropriately fished, meaning not too fast.

One of the most exhilarating moments in bass fishing is getting a hard strike off topwater lures. The adrenaline rush of a largemouth bass coming up from underneath to attack your lure on top of the water is like no other, and more times than not, this strike is from a giant bass rather than a peewee. Topwaters can be fun to use in many different conditions, but some of the best times to use them are when the largemouth bass seem to be dug deep into the vegetation or roaming the flats in the shallow water of about two feet deep.

Another good time to use them is to entice a bite from a spawning bass. Frogs seem to be the most effective fish lures when casting around lily pads and mats. Make sure you let the largemouth bass eat the lure for a second or two before you set the hook! Bass fishing can be done in various ways, and in order to have the most success, bass anglers must assess the current conditions in order to choose the best bass lures and techniques throughout the day.

Understanding their lifecycle, habits, and the ideal bass habitat will also be beneficial for anyone largemouth bass fishing. For example, understanding that largemouth bass are usually found roaming closer to the shore during the spawning season, summer mornings, and winter afternoons. During these times, anglers can usually catch bass near different types of vegetation or deep structure like fallen trees and boat docks. During other times, largemouth bass tend to be in deeper water, especially the big largemouth bass.

Most lures are designed to resemble live baits in looks and action. Studying forage animals will help you properly imitate their actions with artificial lures. These categories can be further divided into more specific types. For example, soft plastics include worms, lizards, eels, grubs, crayfish, minnows and more.

Crankbaits include shallow-, medium- and deep-diving versions. Topwater plugs include prop baits, stickbaits, chuggers and crawlers. If you want to start fishing with lures right away, use those that will catch a variety of species and are easy to cast and retrieve. Small, shallow-running crankbaits work great, as do small spinners and pre-rigged weedless plastic worms.

A small jig fished a foot or two beneath a bobber is great for panfish. Use big lures for big fish and small lures for small fish.

Just cast the lure out and bring it in with a slow, steady retrieve. When you feel something hit, set the hook with an upward snap of your rod tip and hang on!

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Steve Kennedy provides the right lures and steps for anglers to begin throwing a swimbait. Skip to main content.

Bass Basics: Which is best — live bait or lures? Several reasons come to mind. The pros and cons First, lures are more convenient.