Having high-quality fishing gear makes bass fishing an enjoyable sport. From soft plastic lures to crankbaits and spinnerbaits, there are many types of bass lures to choose from.
But what fishing lures are best for bass? The best bass fishing lures are jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastic worms, swimbaits, jerk baits, and top waters. Each bass lure has a specific purpose and is designed to attract bass in specific circumstances. Knowing which fishing lure to use increases your chances of catching big bass.
Bass fishing lures come in many colors, shapes, styles, and purposes and it’s hard to buy just one. Unless you’re a professional angler or have unlimited storage space, the truth is, you don’t need to own every imaginable lure to catch bass. Keep reading to discover the must-have lures for bass fishing.
How Many Types of Bass Lures Are There?
There are many different types of fishing lures, but there are eight essential types of fishing lures for bass. The different types of lures for bass include:
- Soft baits (stick baits, finesse worms, Senkos, curly tail grubs, craws, and creature baits)
- Jiggs (skirted jigs, tube baits, and chatter baits)
- Hard baits (crankbaits including square bill crankbaits and round bill crankbaits, and lipless crankbaits)
- Jerkbaits
- Topwater lures (frogs and poppers)
- Swimbaits (hard body swimbaits, soft body swimbaits, and paddle tail swimbaits)
- Spinnerbaits
- Fishing flies
Types of Fishing Lures for Bass
Fishing lures for bass come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes, so it’s hard to pick the best one. With so many options, both beginner and experienced anglers may have difficulty choosing the best lures for bass.
When picking out the right bass fishing bait, versatility is the key. The best fishing lures for bass are those that attract big bass in different water bodies all year long.
Here are the best bass lures that catch fish throughout the fishing season:
1. Crankbaits
Crankbaits are an effective option for targeting bass in open water at various depths. These lures look like the food bass would like to eat and create a rattling sound as they pass through the water.
Available in various colors, sizes, shapes, weights, and running depths, crankbaits have an attractive jigging action. The rattling sound and bright color make the crankbait an effective bass lure for turbid water.
2. Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits are one of the most versatile fishing lures and can be used in almost all conditions throughout the year. A spinnerbait consists of a lead head of varying weights, a sharp hook, flashing blades, and a plastic, soft rubber, or silicone skirt.
Use a spinner-bait in areas with heavy covers, where other lures would likely become snagged. Spinnerbaits are great bass fishing lures for covering the water quickly and finding active fish.
3. Jigs
Jigs are one of the most popular lures used in bass fishing. Jig fishing lures for bass come in many different designs.
These lures are effective for fishing in heavy covers such as grass, tree stumps, and vegetation. Silicone skirted jigs are great for covering large areas of water and are commonly used by anglers to catch big bass.
4. Jerkbaits
A jerk bait can be made from hard or soft plastic and creates a jigging side-to-side motion when retrieved. These baits are designed to look like injured baitfish, making them irresistible to bass and other predatory fish.
Jerkbaits are versatile fishing lures used throughout the fishing season, from spring to winter, to catch bass. To entice the bass into taking the bait, mimic the minnow’s movements by using quick jerking action with the rod.
5. Plastic Worms
Besides fishing with jigs, using soft plastic lures is the most popular way to catch bass. Plastic worms come in many different colors, styles, and sizes, so anglers can easily find a suitable plastic worm lure for the specific conditions they are fishing in.
Although a plastic worm doesn’t have the action of curly tail plastics, it is one of the most effective bass fishing lures all year round. Plastic worms are most commonly rigged using the Texas rig, Ned rig, Carolina rig, or Wacky rig.
6. Topwaters
Topwater fishing baits are designed to sit on the water’s surface, just as their name suggests. These lures are made to mimic the appearance and behavior of injured or scared fish when dragged through the water.
Anglers can twitch and jerk the rod and the reel to increase the activity of the topwater lure and make it appear more life-like. Top water fishing is ideal for low light conditions of dawn and dusk or overcast days.
7. Swimbaits
Swimbaits are becoming an increasingly popular lure for catching big largemouth bass. Highly effective for attracting bass throughout the year, swimbaits come in three main types – had body swimbaits, soft-body swimbaits, and paddle tail swimbaits.
Swimbaits come in many different sizes, but the most popular sizes are between 6 and 12 inches long. These lures are designed to catch fish over 10 pounds and are primarily used for attracting bass and bigger fish.
Swimbaits are one of the best bass lures because they can mimic baitfish, such as shad, in a very realistic way. Swimbaits can be used at almost any depth, making them a highly versatile and effective lure for bass fishing.
8. Craw
Craws are one of the most effective smallmouth and largemouth bass lures. Made from soft plastic, these baits mimic the look and action of crawfish.
Crawfish are an important food source for smallmouth and largemouth bass, and they can be found in various habitats. Craws are active all year round, and rubber craw lures can be used throughout the fishing season from spring to winter.
Set up a crawfish bait on a Ned rig, Carolina rig, or shakey-head and wait for a bass to strike.
9. Poppers
Poppers are a type of topwater fishing lure. Besides being very effective for catching bass, poppers are also fun to use, increasing the angler’s fishing experience.
These lures create a ripple in the water’s surface and make popping and rattling sounds as they are moved through the water. Poppers are designed to mimic the appearance of prey in distress, and the sound they create is hard for a bass to ignore.
The downside of poppers and other topwater lures is that bass can miss them when it jumps through the water’s surface. Poppers make effective bass fishing lures in low light conditions in early mornings, late evenings, or overcast days.
What Type of Lure Should I Use for Bass?
Bass fishing for beginners can be overwhelming as there are countless lures to choose from. When selecting the best bass lure for fishing, consider the season, the water body you’ll be fishing on, and the fishing style you’ll going to use.
Certain types of lures, including jigs, crankbaits, plastic worms, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerk baits, are extremely versatile and can attract bass all year long. Most of these lures are effective for targeting largemouth bass in most conditions throughout the year.
What Is the Best Bass Lure Ever?
The answer to what is the best bass lure ever will depend on whom you ask. While most anglers would pick a crankbait as the best bass lure of all time, many wouldn’t agree.
For some anglers, no bass bait is better than weedless frogs, which are excellent for fishing near lily pads, duckweed, and algae, where bass resides once the vegetation thickens.
Weedless frogs are specially designed for the thickest conditions. These lures provide excellent casting distance and the length necessary to pull out a big bass from the densest hiding hole.
As far as many bass anglers are concerned, no bait can beat a finesse worm. Finesse worms get bitten all day long in any water condition and can be used all year round. In cold waters, use Carolina or shakey rig, and in deep waters, drop nose hook a finesse worm on a drop shot rig.
Conclusion
Bass fishing lures come in many shapes, sizes, and colors and are designed to entice a bass into biting in different water conditions. The best fishing lures for bass are versatile and can be used in various conditions throughout the year.
Unless you’re a professional angler that catches trophy bass in tournaments, you don’t need to have countless bass lures at your disposal. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned angler, ensure that your tackle box is stocked with jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, plastic worms, topwater baits, crankbaits, and jerk baits before the next fishing trip.