There are many ways to catch bass, which is part of the draw to bass fishing. That's why they are such a popular target for anglers. Bass live just about everywhere in America and readily hit lures of all types, and lure manufacturers know this and sell countless different bass fishing lures.
Getting started may be a little confusing or intimidating if you are new to bass fishing. How do you catch a bass for beginners? And there are so many choices for lures! The good news is that six "must-have" lures will cover just about everything you encounter on the water.
Plastic Worm – Soft Stickbaits
The term plastic worm, or rubber worm, can fit a vast range of different baits made out of a soft plastic material. They are lifelike and versatile lures, and bass love them. There are many choices, and they will all work at times.
If you are looking for a must-have lure for beginners, the soft stickbait would be the one to learn and gain confidence with. The popular name for all of these lures is a Senko since the original Gary Yamamoto Senko is what started the trend. Every lure brand sells its version based on the original, and they will all catch fish.
Their action, or lack thereof, makes these baits so effective as they do not have curly tails or appendages to create movement. This makes them appear very natural in the water. Soft stickbaits can be fished weightless, Texas-rigged with a bullet weight, wacky-rigged on a Neko Rig, and many more ways.
Squarebill Crankbaits
Like soft plastics, crankbaits come in all shapes and sizes. To get started, the square bill crankbait is a solid choice. They generally dive down to depths of 3-6 feet and are useful tools for fishing shallow water.
Because of the square bill, or plastic lip, that is attached, they are great for fishing around laydowns and rocks. They tend to bang and bounce into cover without hanging up too much, which is part of the appeal. They can be fished just about everywhere and catch fish.
Walking Topwater Baits
The excitement of watching a bass erupt on the surface for your lure never gets old, and no matter how long you have been bass fishing, it is still exciting. That makes the walking topwater baits a favorite among all bass anglers.
These lures' general shape and profile are similar to a cigar, and the bait will walk side-to-side on the surface to attract bass. Working a lure this way is called "walking the dog," and all modern walking topwater baits are designed to get this action to appeal to bass under the surface.
Some popular lures in this category are the Heddon Zara Spook, Strike King Sexy Dawg, and the Lucky Craft Sammy, but countless others are available.
Jigs
The old standard for bass fishing is a jig, and they have been catching bass for ages. They come in countless variations, but the general properties are a jighead with a weed guard that has skirted material added. They do a great job of imitating both crawfish and baitfish, and they can practically be fished anywhere and at any depth.
If you are getting started, several jigs in the 3/8 and ½ ounce sizes in various colors should be enough to get you started. You can add a soft plastic trailer like a double tail grub, small chunk, or crawfish imitating plastic. Stick with natural colors like Green Pumpkin to resemble crawfish and bluegill, and opt for colors like Black and Blue when fishing stained water. These are the two most popular jig colors because they work.
Jigs can be cast and dragged along the bottom or pitched to shallow cover like docks, grass, and submerged trees and brush. There is no wrong place to fish a jig, and one of the best things about them is that they work in virtually all conditions and seasons.
Spinnerbaits
The spinnerbait is another lure that has been catching bass for decades and will continue to do so yearly. They are great for someone new to bass fishing because they can be cast and retrieved and catch bass. The appeal of these lures is the skirted material and blades that serve as a way to attract bass.
As you advance with bass fishing, you will learn additional ways to retrieve your spinnerbait to catch more bass. For example, casting a spinnerbait near a tree or other submerged objects and trying to bang the spinnerbait into the cover is a way to trigger more bites.
Other anglers fish them with a "slow roll" that can best be described as stopping and then starting the retrieve to cover a variety of depth zones. No matter how you fish a spinnerbait, they catch fish and deserve a spot in your tackle box.
Vibrating Jigs
This type of lure is called a ChatterBait since the Z-Man is the originator and most popular vibrating jig on the market. They are essentially a jig with a hexagon-shaped blade affixed that helps to create a unique vibrating action as the bait is retrieved.
They have become one of the hottest lures on the market in the past several years because they are so great at fooling bass. They excel when fishing around submerged grass but can be fished anywhere.
Like a spinnerbait, they will catch fish with a standard cast and retrieve, but imparting action during the cast is an excellent way to mix things up and elicit more bites.
Vibrating jigs can be fished by themselves, but adding a small swimbait or baitfish imitating soft plastic adds to the package and helps them appear more like a small baitfish.
If you are starting bass fishing, these six lures will be just what you need to get started. They will cover just about any situation and greatly help you land more bass.
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