What Is The Best Lure For Bass?

Jigs rank number one on our, “What is the best lure for bass” list. Because of their versatility. You can effectively cover an entire body of water, during any season, with a single jig. They can get in to areas other lures can’t and be fished in so many different ways. Ask any seasoned bass fisherman if they could only use one lure, chances are it would be a jig.

There are different types of jigs designed for certain techniques, but the most popular type is the arkie jig. The jig in the photo above is an arkie jig with a trailer, and they can pretty much cover most jig fishing techniques. You can flip and pitch them, skip them, work deep structure with them, and/or swim them.

Bass jigs are always paired with some kind of a trailer. Most of the time a jig will be rigged with an imitation craw trailer like a Battle Craw. The one pictured above has a Pit Boss from Berkley. Or if you’re swimming a jig, a paddle tail swimbait trailer like a Grass Pig is a great option.

Another reason jigs are number one on the list is because jigs get big bass to bite, more so than most other lures. However, mastering jigs and all the different ways to fish them takes practice. So if you’re going to invest time on any lure, jigs are your best bet.

At a very close second are rubber worms. Rubber worms are so lifelike that when engulfed by a bass feel like natural food. This causes bass to bite and hold on longer than they would other lures.

Also there is no other lure that can be rigged as weedless as a rubber worm. You can bury the hook point in to the body of the worm making it completely snag proof and allowing it to get in to very weedy areas. The point will expose itself when you set the hook, executing a good hook set is essential in worm fishing.

There are a handful of common ways to effectively rig a rubber worm, and how you choose a rig will be based on what kind of presentation you are looking to achieve. Some of the most popular worm rigs are the Texas rig, the Wacky rig, the Ned rig, the Carolina rig, and the Drop Shot rig.

They all play their role in worm fishing, but of all the rigs the Texas rig is most commonly used amongst bass fishermen. This rig is completely weedless, making it a great choice for fishing vegetation and other cover without getting hung up.

And there are endless styles, sizes, and colors of rubber worms to choose from, so you can really zero in on the conditions you’re fishing.

Spinnerbaits come in at number three because of their unique ability to attract bass while covering a lot of water quickly. The fact that they are fairly weedless and pretty simple to fish gives them a bump in the ranks as well. For the most part, spinnerbait fishing is done reeling the bait in a straight retrieve.

With their odd appearance and unnatural looking action, it’s surprising to most beginners how effective these baits actually are. But when bass see a spinnerbait in action, they’re really only seeing the flash from the blade and the skirt/head.

Their odd appearance consists of a spinning blade, or multiple blades, dangling from one end of a bent wire. The purpose of the blade is to attract attention by sight and sound. The flash from the blade and vibration caused as it spins can draw attention from many yards away.

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

Spinnerbaits also come in different weights, with the most popular sizes ranging between 1/4 oz and 3/4 oz. The weight is mainly determined by the depth you are fishing, but the most commonly used weight is 3/8 oz. It’s not uncommon to see a trailer hook rigged on spinnerbaits to hook up on short strikes.

This is another lure that can also cover a large area of water in a short amount of time. Crankbaits are a tremendous option for targeting fish in open water and/or around deep cover.

Crankbaits come in various sizes, shapes, weights, and running depths. The correct selection of specifications depends mainly on the depth of water you’re fishing. 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. It’s selecting the right diving depth and color that triggers bites. 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.

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.

These lures are designed to ripple the water’s surface, causing popping and splashing sounds as the lure is retrieved. 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.

Topwater fishing is at its best in low light conditions, like early morning, late afternoon/night, or on an overcast day. The wind can be an important factor as well. A bass will be able to see a topwater lure much easier on a calm day than if there’s some chop on the water. Take this into consideration when selecting color and size.