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Angler often want to know the best bait for bass. Why would you not want every advantage you can get when you’re pitted against mother nature? Do you want to catch the best fish? Then be sure you are you using the best bait for bass, and we have a list of the top 10 for you to choose from.
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Best Bait for Bass FAQ
1. What Is the Best Time to Use My New Bass Lures?
Many anglers have good luck with bass in the spring before the fish spawn. Water temperatures are usually prime at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Most bass fishermen prefer to fish for bass in the early morning or the evening. Midday bass fishing, especially with a hot sun, is less successful for most fishermen.
2. What Color Lure Should I Be Using?
A general rule is to use brightly colored bait in dark or muddy water and lighter colored bait in clear water. Some anglers will vary their color selections to trigger the bass to bite.
3. Can Bass See My Lure at Night?
This question is usually tied to how late a person can fish for bass. Bass have some vision at night, particularly on a clear night with a good moon. During the pitch black bass may still see action on top of the water. A surface lure, especially one that makes a ruckus, can be perfect for night fishing.
How We Reviewed
The following products were reviewed based on their features, price range, availability, and other features of interest to anglers of all levels. In our review, we’re looking particularly at lures, but also at other types like spinnerbaits, frogs, and crankbaits.
Overall Price Range
Fishing bait, like many other products, come in a wide variety of prices and quality. We found crankbaits for under $3 and spinnerbaits on sail for a buck. But we wanted to isolate reasonable prices on lures that are both effective and durable. In the end, our list of the best bait for bass begins with soft lures that are sold at about a dollar each in packages of six or more. Other lures range from $5 to $12 each.
What We Reviewed
- Yamamoto Senko Bait
- Zoom Bait Brush Hog Bait
- Rapala Rattlin’ 05 Fishing Lures
- Zoom Bait Finesse Worm Bait
- Heddon Zara Spook Lure
- Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait
- Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait
- Terminator Pro’s Jig
- Booyah Boo Jig
- Livetarget Hollow Body Frog
Yamamoto Senko Bait
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Description
The Yamamoto Senko is a soft worm-like bait simple in design and use. It can be used as a Texas rig or a drop-shot rig. It is a preferred lure for beginners as well as something in many professionals tackle boxes.
Ease of Use
The versatility of the Yamamoto Senko makes it useful for anglers of all levels. From various rig setups to a simple jig tail, we believe most anglers can find an easy use for this lure.
Effectiveness
Many anglers list the Yamamoto Senko as a fall-back lure. It has a salt implant that affects its fall rate, so it is common to get strikes on the fall. It also has an effective wiggling action.
Durability
The soft, lifelike feel of the Yamamoto Senko is a great bonus toward its effectiveness, but its durability suffers. The soft design gets torn up more quickly than other soft baits, so when you consider the price of your investment be prepared to replenish your supply as needed.
Zoom Bait Brush Hog Bait
[amazon box=”B004S47V60″]
Description
Among the best bait for bass, the Zoom Bait Brush Hog is another soft lure winner. Excellent in heavy cover, you can use the Zoom Bait Brush Hog as a Texas rig, Carolina rig, or any way you would fish a lizard or rubber worm.
Ease of Use
We find the Zoom Bait Brush Hog easy to use because you can handle it with a style you already enjoy. Feel free to fish it just like a plastic worm or choose a more advanced rigging technique.
Effectiveness
Anglers give rave reviews of the Zoom Bait Brush Hog’s use in heavy cover. Throw it into the weeds or near logs and your results will be promising.
Durability
The Zoom Bait Brush Hog has a soft, realistic feel, but it can last through many catches and strikes.
Rapala Rattlin’ 05 Fishing Lures
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Description
A Rattlin’ Rapala is a lipless crankbait that is well balanced and produces a sound during retrieval. Easily listed among the best bait for bass, this Rapala is a shallow-runner with two large treble hooks.
Ease of Use
The Rattlin’ Rapala has a long-casting design capable of covering a lot of area. You can retrieve quickly or slowly. There is no wrong answer, making the Rattlin’ Rapala an easy lure to use.
Effectiveness
Crankbaits are a go-to bass lure, and Rapala is a great name. This lure has sound frequencies that are very natural. Its wobbling action makes it a great lure for bass fishing.
Durability
The lure features hooks made of nickel. They are tuned and tested before sale. We found all components of the Rattlin’ Rapala durable and well made.
Zoom Bait Finesse Worm Bait
[amazon box=”B003CTTBBU”]
Description
Returning to the soft bait category in our hunt for the best bait for bass, the Zoom Bait Finesse Worm is a favorite among many anglers. Like some of our other favorite soft baits, the Zoom Bait Finesse Worm is salt impregnated. The Zoom Bait Finesse Worm has great action as you fish it rigged or drop shot style.
Ease of Use
Several anglers have reported letting their children use the Zoom Bait Finesse Worm. Just move the rod tip and reel slowly and you get enough action to catch a bass of any size.
Effectiveness
The very natural feel and shape of the Zoom Bait Finesse Worm is effective with different types of fish, including bass. It can even be used in saltwater. These lures glide and swoop through the water with the simple blink of the rod tip.
Durability
Durability is a perk with this soft bait, and it holds up through many catches.
Heddon Zara Spook Lure
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Description
The Heddon Zara Spook is a top-water lure that has stood the test of time. Available since the 1930s, the Heddon Zara Spook attracts bass and other aggressive game fish. It is best known for its “walk the dog” retrieval that simulates a wounded baitfish.
Ease of Use
The Heddon Zara Spook is associated with its “walk the dog” retrieval. Some anglers will insist you can learn quickly the walk-the-dog technique, but it is certainly not as easy a worm and bobber.
Effectiveness
Once you learn to walk the dog and do it correctly, the Heddon Zara Spook will create a back-and-forth action with a gentle wake to attract fish. Its action has caught fish consistently for 7 decades.
Durability
The Heddon Zara Spook’s longevity speaks to its durability. The design has changed little since its debut, and it continues to be a favorite among bass anglers.
Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait
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Description
Our first spinnerbait on the list of best bait for bass is the Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait. This bait has a realistic appearance and has broad use as a go-to spinnerbait. Professional fisherman Kevin VanDam was involved in the design creation of the Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait, including its naturalized color schemes.
Ease of Use
Spinnerbaits are typically user friendly. Their weight makes them easy to cast and no retrieval is necessarily “wrong.” The Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait adds the extra perk of traveling through weeds with very few hang-ups or snags.
Effectiveness
With the action of its blade and its well conceived design, the Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait is especially effective in shallow cover.
Durability
The Strike King Finesse KVD Spinnerbait is made with premium blades and durable ball bearing swivels.
Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait
[amazon box=”B003THPS26″]
Description
This small spinnerbait found a place on our list of best bait for bass with its quality blade, head, and silicone skirt. If you enjoy ultralight bass fishing, the Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait is for you.
Ease of Use
Like other spinnerbaits, the Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait with many types of retrievals that can attract fish. We believe it would be especially friendly to children who want to catch mid-size bass on a small rod. If you happen to grab a lunker on an ultralight rod, watch out!
Effectiveness
The perfect bass lure for light tackle, the Strike King Mini-King Spinnerbait produces effective top-water disturbance. It may be more effective when bass are feeding lightly and bigger lures are not getting hits.
Durability
This Strike King product is well made, with a pop-rivet collar, quality blade, and soft but durable skirting.
Terminator Pro Jig
[amazon box=”B008DO5YVA”]
Description
The first jig to make our list of the best bait for bass is the Terminator Pro Jig. Part of the Terminator Pro Jig line, they have rattles and unique heads meant to get deep into cover. For that reason a nylon weed guard is added to avoid snags.
Ease of Use
A jig creates a more jerking or vertical motion than lures meant to travel horizontally in one direction. Once you get the hang of jigging, it is easy and you can be creative. The weed protection adds an extra element of user-friendliness to the Terminator Pro Jig.
Effectiveness
An advantage to jigs is that they are effective year-round, and as one of the better jigs available, the Terminator Pro Jig is highly effective in all stages of bass season. Its rattles provide an additional incentive for the fish to strike.
Durability
We love the stainless steel wire keeper that supports all your tails. The skirt is made of silicone, and the rattlers are well constructed. A premium banded silicone skirt and rattles provide additional fish attraction. Available in a range of colors, the Terminator Pro Jigs also comes equipped with super strong VMC hooks to make every bite count.
Booyah Boo Jig
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Description
The next jig on our list of best bait for bass is the Booyah Boo Jig. This jig is made to be used aggressively in grass, weeds, and other cover. It has a heavy guard, thick skirt, and rattles.
Ease of Use
Again, jigging is a fun and easy skill to learn, but the purposeful design of the Booyah Boo Jig will bring its own set of invited challenges. For many, those challenges will be a welcomed undertaking. It can also be used in a more traditional jigging patterns, including flipping into deeper waters.
Effectiveness
Jigs are standard bass lures, and the ability of the Booyah Boo Jig to get deep into cover makes it an effective option for bass fishing.
Durability
A large durable hook is not only reliable: it also adds to your success rate in setting the hook. The weed guard is made up of 30 individual strands and the skirt of 50. It is made to be dependable so as to get into deep structures and lure out the big bass.
Livetarget Hollow Body Frog
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Description
Our first frog, and the only one to make our list of best bait for bass, is the Livetarget Hollow Body Frog. This weedless frog has won many awards for its effectiveness and is the most lifelike frog we have every used. Along with bass, be ready for hits from Northern Pike and other aggressive fish.
Ease of Use
Skimming a frog lure across the top of the water is the most common way to use the lure. It is not the easiest, for making the movement lifelike can be a challenge. Short strikes are also common.
Effectiveness
The Livetarget Hollow Body Frog claimed the 2010 ICAST “Best of Show” award. The precise, lifelike details make it highly effective in bass waters. It is also less likely to get hung up in the weeds and pads than other frog lures.
Durability
The Livetarget Hollow Body Frog holds up well through many catches, and the tail stores well without drying out or rotting.
The Verdict
There are a lot of subjective aspects to identifying the best bait for bass. Every angler brings his own preferences and skill set to the water. Some prefer jigging and do it well; others enjoy retrieving a favorite crankbait.
While finding the best bass bait for you is an individual choice, we are always impressed by the durability of the Heddon Zara Spook and the way it has not let anglers down since the 1930s. The lure is nearly identical decades later, making it hard to doubt.
There are many great bass lures, so do not be afraid to experiment until you find the one that is right for you.