Peter WilkinsAuthor: Peter Wilkins
Last Updated: August, 2020

Bass image

Bass would have to be one if not the most popular freshwater fish targeted by anglers worldwide. Their popularity has grown in years and they are the featured fish in dedicated fishing competitions throughout North America and Australia. The popularity of Bass can be put down to their ability to live in a wide range of environments from fresh water to brackish saltwater where they spawn. Many lakes are stocked with Bass and therefore easily accessible to both amateur, professional and your casual holiday fisherman.

When targeting bass, there are quite a variety of lures available, all suited to different species of bass, fishing environments, season, time of day and even the amount of sunlight.

In this article we will discuss the different types of lures that are ideal for catching Bass.

bass swimbait

SWIMBAIT

bass softplastic lure

SOFT PLASTICS

bass spinnerbait

SPINNER BAIT

bass jig

JIGS

bass topwater lures

TOP WATER

bass crankbaits

CRANKBAITS

”There is nothing I love more than fishing. It’s a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life and just relax.

The thrill of the catch and the places that fishing takes you all add to a great past-time. Thankfully working for Focus Fishing gives me the opportunity to mix business with pleasure and wet and line as much as possible.”

Matt, Focus Fishing.

Focus Fishing Matt

Best Bass Lures 2020 - Reviews

1. Premium Topwater Frog Lures - Weedless Design, Perfect Sitting Angle, Lifelike Swimming Action, Rugged Hooks - Pack of 5

TOPWATER BASS LURES

Fishing for bass using topwater lures is an exciting form of fishing mainly due to the action of the fish when it hits the lure. Visually seeing a Bass strike your lure as it slowly glides across the water is an amazing experience and once you have caught a bass topwater it’s hard to fish any other way. When choosing a topwater bass lure there are many styles to choose from from frogs and lizards to poppers and stick baits.

Here we have chosen a quality topwater frog lure that not only looks good, but has a great swimming action that is sure to attract the most stubborn bass from below.

The topwater frog has a lifelike appearance with detailed anatomy, lifelike 3D eyes and highly realistic patterns that are sure to match the native frogs of various fishing locations. The tail is weighted which increases castability and ensures the frog sits realistically in the water upon retrieval.

With hooks embedded on the belly this topwater frog lure has a weedless design allowing for snag free fishing around weed beds and heavy cover. The swimming legs also automatically extend to provide a super realistic swimming action with every movement of your rod tip which is sure to attract attention.

Main Features

  • Realistic design and swimming action
  • Pack of 5
  • Weedless hook design
  • Durable materials
  • Weighted tail system
CHECK PRICE

2. YONGZHI Fishing Lures Shallow Deep Diving Swimbait Crankbait Fishing Wobble Multi Jointed Hard Baits for Bass

CRANKBAIT BASS LURES

Crankbaits or hardbody lures are an easy way to start targeting bass. They are generally not too expensive so you can afford to have a number of different styles and sizes as standard inclusions in your tacklebox. A good crankbait will contain ball bearings and weights that rattle upon retrieval attracting bass to the lure. Different bib sizes and angles will determine the depth the lure will dive to and with single or dual trebles, the hook up rate is quite high.

The best way to use a crankbait is by casting hard up against the bank or structure and slow retrieving it. Mix up your retrievals by adding a short pause ever few metres, also try adjusting your retrieval speeds as well until you hook up!

The YONGZHI range of bass crankbaits are a great entry level crankbait for chasing Bass. They dive between 3 – 6ft and come in both a shallow and deep diver option. There are a wide range of colors available so you will also have a color available for different fishing conditions. Internally is a metal ball bearing to provide a fish attracting rattle upon retrieval and assist with casting distance. With a quality design and side to side wobbling action, these lures are sure to catch you decent bass.

Main Features

  • Variety of colors to suit different situations
  • Dual trebbles
  • Internal metal ball bearing
  • Great wobbling swim action
  • Shallow and deep diving options
CHECK PRICE

3. Yoshikawa Bait Wiggle Worm Soft Plastic Fishing Lure Drop Shot Bass Lures Perch 3"

SOFT PLASTICS

Soft plastic lures have come leaps and bounds in the last decade. The variety is huge and the research and technology that goes into making them just keeps getting better and better. There are soft plastics designed specifically for nearly all types of fish especially bass. Bass will eat almost any style of soft plastic, but it’s best to keep in mind the old saying “match the hatch”, which basically means, try and match your bait to what the fish will be eating. So keep this in mind when fishing your next bass location.

Different seasons and time of the day will influence what bass eat, so always have a range of soft plastics to suit your situation. A popular color for bass is purple, so with that in mind, here are some soft platics to have in your arsenal of baits.

 

The YONGZHI range of dropshot soft plastics are a great addition to any bass fishermans tacklebox. Their supple body with round head and wiggle tail is irresistable to smallmouth bass. These lures come pre-cented at a length of 3″ meaning it’s a great size for not just bass, but most freshwater species such as perch, pike, bluegill and walleye.

These soft plastics are made from high quality silicon and come in a number of different colours including watermelon, blue, white, lime, black and motor oil. Grab a pack today for your next fishing session.

Main Features

  • Variety of colors to suit different situations
  • Small round head and wiggle tail
  • Pre-cented
  • 3″ size is perfect for smallmouth bass
CHECK PRICE
Bass Lures image

Buying Guide: What To Look For When Buying Bass Lures

Earlier in this article, we have listed out a wide range of lures that can be used to target Bass. If you are serious about catching big bass then there are some important factors to consider. This goes for fishing in both lakes and rivers and applies to almost all species of Bass.

So with this in mind, we will outline a number of core factors to help you with your next bass fishing adventure. Keep in mind that it’s always helpful to bring a fish finder, you can check out our reviews of the best fish finders to get a few recommendations.

Location

When choosing a bass lure it’s always good to take a close look at your location and the surrounding environment. This will give you a good idea of the potential terrain underwater and also the type of food the fish are feeding on. Steep banks can hide undercuts and great hiding places for bass, lakes can house lots of small baitfish as well as cicadas and other potential baits at different times of the year. These are all important factors when choosing a bass lure. You can also use an underwater fishing camera to help you out here.

Best Lure Color for Bass

Your choice of lure color will play a vital part in your success when fishing for bass. It is best to practise to match the lure color to your fishing conditions, especially the clarity of the water. It is important to understand the vision that Bass have. When the water is clear and the sun is shining, it’s best to use a clear/translucent lure that matches a small bait fish. The idea is to present a natural-looking lure that won’t spook the bass. An unnatural lure for the environment you are fishing will be easily indentified by the bass and will potentially spook them. Use natural colors like grey, green, silver and white.

When fishing murky water, you can experiment with more bright colors such as pink, reds, bright green or orange to attract the bass’ attention. Try using a dark lure that contains some glitter to add additional light signals underwater.

Best time of day to catch Bass

The time of the day can play a big part in your lure selection and the fishing method when chasing bass. Early mornings and late afternoons are a great time to find bass higher up the water column and close to the banks chasing bugs and insects and as the sun comes up they often retreat to deeper water, especially on clear warm sunny days. So when fishing early mornings give topwater lures a go in an around structure and weeds. Use frogs, poppers and other topwater lures for best results.

During the day search for schooled bass and use deep-diving crankbaits or jigs to entice the bass into feeding.

So all up, bass can be caught at all times of the day so just mix up your lure selection depending on the conditions.

Swimming action

A great natural swimming action is ideal to mimic the local food source. There is an amazing range of very natural lures available that swim just like the real thing. Topwater lures such as frogs, lizards and mice have amazing swimming actions that are irresistible to bass. Swimbaits have come along way in recent years and are a quality option also. If using crankbaits make sure the trebles are straight and the bib is not damages as issues with those parts will cause the lure to not swim properly.

Size

Don’t go crazy with your bait size, keep in mind, it’s still got to match the bait within the area you are fishing (speaking of bait, check our comparison of the best baitcasting reels). If you are targetting smallmouth bass try and stick to 3″ plastics or small crankbaits, and use larger swimbaits for largemouth bass.

Natural Food Source

This is a very important factor when fishing any lake, river or ocean. Do some research about what food source is available at the location you are fishing in the season you are there.

Now take a decent fishing kayak and your best fishing sunglasses, and have some fun!

About The Author

Peter Wilkins

Peter WilkinsWhen I’m not out fishing trying to land my next pb, you can find me writing about fishing, or reviewing the latest in fishing gear. Hopefully, our articles will help you make an informed decision on your next fishing tackle purchase, and ideally catch more fish!

More info…