Are you a bass fisherman looking to improve your arsenal of bass lures? Look no further as the following list of 5 baits will maximize your bass fishing chances in the summertime. Read on to check out how each one works for different situations and environments.
This is the go-to bait for dirty water. I usually pair this up with a quarter ounce or 3/8 ounce depending on the cover. This lure is great for fishing around trees with moss or weeds around them. If there’s a lot of grass, this will also work very well.
It has a nice swimming action to it. You can crawl this around rocks too like a jig but for that application jigs will work better. The Ugly Otter is more for trees, lay downs, and brush piles. The Texas rig will prevent the hook from getting caught on random protrusions and weeds and such.
Take Away: Great for fishing debris and grass. Good action and works well in dirty water.
The bill moves the flow of water around it to create a “negative lift” effect and forces the lure downward. It dives to about 5 to 6 feet. The Strike King square bill is perfect for shallow water power fishing.
The action is great and it floats (which is nice to get around fallen debris). It’s good to throw this one around rocks and even around laid down logs. But despite floating, is heavy enough that you can cast a good distance.
The best bass fisherman of all time Kevin Van Dam designed these so you know it is the real deal. The sexy shad color at 1.5 ounces is the recommended lure for catching bass.
Take Away: Great for power fishing, floats but still allows for a long cast. Bass love it.
This one is good to cast around trees. It’s not advised to throw this around rocks like you would a beaver or jig. It’s recommended to throw the worm around standing timber that’s probably 5 foot or deeper for the deep summertime bass.
As far as color goes, use a green pumpkin one for clearer water ad black and blue for muddier, murkier water.
The PowerBait branded worms are particularly tough and they don’t tear easily. Try this one with a 1/0 or 2/0 worm hook.
Take Away: Use for fishing around standing trees, durable, and catches bass in the deeper water columns.
A byproduct of the action of the bait is a popping sound that makes it irresistible to bass. Black ones work great when it’s sunny and the silhouette of it attracts the bass. When it’s cloudy or in low-light conditions, natural and brighter colors work better.
The frog casts very far and is weighted to land upright every time. The live rubber legs can also be cut down to further manipulate the frog’s action. It’s easy to walk and works decently well in open water. These will not come through thick grass because of the popper mouth so use it in sparse cover.
For this bait, try a 3/0 or a 4/0 Gamakatsu Hook
Take Away: Popping noise attracts the bass, has great walking action, and chugs just as easy. Great top water fishing lure.
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Both of these baits should be Texas rigged and are interchangeable. Sometimes you’ll have great luck with one and sometimes you’ll have great luck with the other and it may depend on your environment. Choose a blue Senko and a white fluke for bass fishing.
These two lures work great around grass, grass mats, or a hole surrounded by grass. Pitch the lure into that location and allow the lure to fall naturally, jerk it back up a bit and repeat. The slow, subtle fall due to the weightlessness offers a great presentation for bass.
Depending on forage and if you are trying to mimic a bluegill, go with the Senko and if you are trying to mimic shad go with the fluke.
This is a lure that is great for the middle of the day. Try using 3/0 or 2/0 sized hooks with the Senko. Try using a 4/0 sized hook with a 5 inch fluke.
Take Away: Very versatile lure for fishing in a lower water column, works great on a slow retrieval.
Which one is your favorite? Or do you like them all? Let the fishing community know by commenting below. Thanks!