Choosing the best bass lures as a beginner does not have to be hard. I know people’s opinions will vary on this subject. Since there are so many lures to choose for bass. We are going to discuss the types of lures and where to use them.
Choosing the Best Bass Soft Plastics
The number of rigs and variations is extensive. The drop shot, wacky, Carolina and Texas rig are a few examples. These are some of the best options for heavy cover or colder water conditions. Soft plastics penetrate cover easily and in cold water, the fish will be less active and want a slow-moving bait, consequently, these are the best lures for those conditions.
These types of lures do require a little time to learn how to use them effectively but are worth the effort. As a beginner, a medium power rod with a fast tip will work in most cases. In heavier cover, use a medium-heavy power and medium-light for drop shotting or wacky rigs. In other words, some styles of fishing require a specific set up.
A beginner is better off learning how to use soft plastics before investing in multiple rods and reels for specific situations. You can buy multiple rods if the budget allows but it is not necessary to start. It is your decision to make.
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Tip
Bass swallow the prey whole limiting the size they can consume. You need to take this into account with the lure selection.
Choosing the Best Bass Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits are good for finding bass in open water or working through the brush, laydowns and stump fields. You can cover open water quickly with a spinnerbait. In the cover, the design will slide through or bounce over allowing you to go in for the bass.
You may want to start with inexpensive spinnerbaits until you learn how to run them in cover. Once you have confidence in working the cover upgrade to better spinnerbaits. Good spinnerbaits will have more vibration and better components.
The blades are also something to consider on spinnerbaits. The tandem models will usually have one blade spinning but if a single blade stops spinning the lure goes sideways and hangs up. You still risk getting a snag with the blades spinning in cover.
The trick to fishing cover is keeping the lure in sight. Do not let it sink deep into the brush or weeds. The bass will come up after the bait when they are active. Another note on spinnerbaits is using willow leaf blades in weeds as they slide through better. Colorado blades spin out farther from the shaft. They catch the weeds.
Choosing the Best Bass Crankbaits
Crankbaits are another lure good for finding bass. In shallow water use the square bill, and deeper waters use a long bill crankbait. The long bill baits dive various depths so check before buying. You need several diving depths based on how deep you need to go with the lure.
Crankbaits work well for rock piles, ledges, and other rocky features in the water. The treble hooks will grab weeds and brush easily leading to losing them on snags. Use a different lure in weeds or heavy brush.
The crankbaits have several body styles in addition to lips. A round fat body will wobble and has more of an erratic action. The narrow flat-sided bodies wiggle with little or no erratic action. Use a fat body with active bass in warmer water and switch to narrow-bodies for cooler water temperatures.
Crankbaits are reaction baits that work at faster speeds so do not be afraid to bounce crankbaits off the bottom. They will ricochet off the rocks making the bass strike. If the lure is hitting bottom too much change to a shallower crankbait or slow down the retrieve. Their design keeps the hooks tucked behind the lure reducing snags, but you will lose a few occasionally.
Choosing the Best Bass Jerkbaits
Jerkbaits are one of the most versatile lures to have for fishing. The retrieve can be varied by the speed and jerking action. The length of the jerks and pauses affect how well the lure works. The pause is an important aspect with jerk baits since fish strike after the pause often.
Also important is keeping slack-line when working jerk baits. The slack in the line allows them to hang motionless for the pause. Since a tight line will keep the bait moving. You will know when a bass hits even with the slack-line.
In regards to the lure hanging jerk baits come in suspending, floating or sinking models. Each of the versions has a time it is best but as a beginner use the floating or suspended versions.
Jerk baits will work better with lighter lines since a heavy line affects the action. The choice line matters also. Mono will float, fluorocarbon sinks, and braid is neutral buoyancy so choose based on confidence and the depth. If using braid a monofilament leader gives you better best results.
Best Top Water Baits
The topwater baits are great in the summer. Especially in the early morning or evening is the best time to use these baits. The selection of topwater is large. As a result, people tend to buy too many lures. A few lures are all you need.
Bass Topwater Lures
Jitterbug,
A classic lure that has caught a lot of fish by anyone using the lure. Simply cast and retrieve varying the speed until the bass hits. The 2-3 inch model in black or yellow is often the best choice for bass.
Whopper Plopper,
A newer lure on the market. It is simple to use with the same method as the Jitterbug. The best colors are black, chartreuse, or 2 colored schemed with high contrasting colors. A size best for bass will range, 2-4 inches, the smaller one will get more hits.
Hollow Body Frog,
A soft plastic lure that excels around weeds and heavy cover. They come in various colors with a darker color recommended to contrast the sky. You should check for a double hook on the lure as they will catch more fish, than a single hook model. Sizes around 2 ½ inches will work the best for bass.
Color Selection
The color will depend on water conditions. If you want to know more about colors go to the lure color selection article. The lure colors depend on the water clarity, amount of sunlight and other factors so it takes an entire article to cover.
Conclusion
I hope this information will help you with choosing the best bass lures. Since the choice of lures will vary on location and time of year. I suggest reading each of the articles on the various lures with more detailed tips. Add lures as experience dictates, consequently, this saves you money by not buying unneeded lures.
Keeping fishing simple for tight lines and bragging rights
John McIntyre