How to Choose Lures for Bass Fishing

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Going to the fishing store can be overwhelming, as there are millions of lures to choose from, and you can not carry it all out to the lake. This guide will help you to narrow it down.

Steps

  1. Understand that there are 5 main types of lures: crankbaits, spinnerbaits, plastics, topwaters, and jigs. You need to get familiar with each, and their uses and advantages. Crankbaits and spinner baits allow you to cover a lot of water, and work best in light vegetation and rocky bottoms. Jigs give you a very accurate feel on the line, and are one of the most effective lures when used with a pork trailer. Topwaters are best in very shallow water, or in areas that are covered in surface vegetation, such as lily pads. Plastics are the most versatile. They can be fished weighted or weightless. Floating plastics can be used just like a topwater, and any type of plastic can be fished weedless to allow fishing in extremely heavy vegetation.
  2. Crankbaits: select a couple of deep diving, shallow, and medium divers in natural baitfish colors. Get a few "loud" colors. Find fat, short lures. Many crankbaits include rattles, this helps the bass to find the bait. Another good feature to look for on a crankbait is very visible eyes. Glowing eyes seem to work the best, predatory fish use the eyes to home in on where to strike the bait.
  3. Spinnerbaits: get a few spinners in chartreuse, white, and black with different blades. Gold blades are also good. Spinnerbaits are usually available in standard or weedless. The weedless is a good option if you are fishing in a lot of cover, but they are also harder to set the hook on. Add a cheater hook to catch short striking fish. A 1/0 size for 1/4 Oz. Baits and a 2/0 for 3/8 to 1/2 Oz.
  4. Topwaters: select these the same as cranks. Get different sizes, color isnt too important. Find ones that produce a lot of noise. Popular patters are shaped like frogs or lizards. Floating plastic worms often imitate small snakes swimming on the water.
  5. Jigs and plastics: get a few bags in dark colors such as black, purple, or brown. Get different sizes. Dont forget hooks and sinkers to match the presentation. To fish a jig or plastic worm cast out and give the line plenty of time to hit the bottom. Bass will usually hit a bait while it is falling, so after it has sat on the bottom for a bit give the rod tip a small twitch to see if anything has picked up your bait. Jigs and plastics are fished differently than other types of lures. Instead of reeling in to produce the "action" the bait is retrieved by moving the rod tip. After the bait has hit the bottom and you have given it a twitch, slowly lift the rod tip until it points straight up in the 12 oclock position. let it sit there for a moment and then drop it down to the 9 - 10 oclock postion and reel in the slack. Repeat these steps until your line is in. Youll have to have a good feel for your line to tell when a fish is biting. Most people hold their finger against the line while lifting the rod tip. You are looking for sudden resistance or bumping on the line, or a line that goes slack suddenly or veers sideways. to set the hook, drop the rod tip very quickly to the 3 oclock position, and pull back hard to 12 oclock.
  6. Add a medium spinning reel with 10 lb. line, and a baitcasting with 14-20 lb. line, and youre ready to start bassin on any body of water. Have fun!

Tips

  • Try to match your crankbaits to the colors of the baitfish in the water that you are fishing.
  • Remember that bass have very hard jaws and require some effort to set the hook effectively.
  • If you are not catching fish try changing retrieval speeds and patterns before switching lures or colors.
  • Try fishing parallel to drop-offs and along the outside edges of weed lines.

Warnings

  • Bass have very sharp spikes on their dorsal fins. the safest way to grab them is by the face.
  • Walleye are sometimes present in bass waters and can be caught with the same gear. DO NOT attempt to grab a walleye by the lower jaw; they have large, razor sharp teeth and can seriously injure your hand. If you do accidentally catch a walleye grab it on the sides just behind the gills squeeze firmly and remove your hook with a good pair of pliers

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