Plastic Worms

Plastic worms come in at number one and are known for their versatility. No other rig has the same success and life-like appearance that worms offer. Tricking the bass into thinking the worm is alive and a natural food is easy to do with worms as they creates this appearance on their decent through the water column.

When switching from night-crawlers and minnows to artificial bait for the first time many anglers are often encouraged to throw a weightless Texas rigged Senko. This rig is extremely popular with novices and as well as pro’s and is the number 1 selling item in Amazons Fishing Lures, Baits & Attractants category.

You can rig rubber worms in a variety of ways. Common ways to fish with worms are the Texas Rig, Wacky Rig, Carolina Rig, and the Drop Shot Rig.

SpinnerBaits

Spinnerbait lures have stood the test of time. They rank at number two as you can cast them long distances to cover a lot of water, fish them in a variety of ways and the fact that they are essentially weedless.

Bass don’t see the goofy looking rig that humans do when a spinnerbait flies past their face – they see the flash from the blades to resembles scales on a fish, feel the disturbance in the water that feels like a tail thumping and see the blob of what to them could be one or two bait fish swimming together.

Spinnerbaits are just as versatile as plastic worms and can be rigged in many ways and sizes. Popular blades are the colorado and willow blade with the less common Indiana blade. Common sizes are from 1/4 ounces to 3/4 ounces.

Spinnerbaits are often retrieved at a steady rate to create a constant flash and thump in the water. Spinnerbaits can be fished shallow but must be reeled very quickly once hitting the water. Anglers can also fish spinnerbaits deep by allowing the lure to sink for several seconds before beginning the retrieve.

Crankbaits

Ranking number three are crankbaits. These hard plastic lures can hold rattles and deflect off of cover. They typically have two treble hooks of the same size. Crankbaits can be fished fast to cover water and come in various sizes, shapes and running depths. Choosing what crankbait to used is dictated by the water depth as fishing a lure that dives to 15 feet in 5 feet of water will not render success.

Crankbaits typically have a “bill” which can be rounded or squared to created different effects.

Jigs

Jigs work well for many fishermen but the skill needed to fish these lures effectively hurts their ranking. Jigs ability to produce quality fish and their ability to punch through tight cover helps push them to number four in our rankings.

Jigs are typically fished using the flipping and pitching techniques rather than casting them long distances. These lures are used to hit exactly the right spot an angler thinks a fishing is holding and bass will often strike jigs while they sink. These lure (along with plastic worms) appear to gyrate and pulse under water to create a lifelike appearance even when the angler is not working the bait at all.

There are lots of choices an angler can pick when buying a jig, such as size and shape of the jig head, skirt color combination, size of hooks and weed guard options. Trailers can be combined with jigs for an added element. These trailers are typically small soft plastic

Topwater Lures

Bass are known to explode out of the water when striking topwater baits. This amazing sight generates a great buzz for many anglers. Because topwaters are not only effective but also so fun to use makes us rank them as number five on our list.

These lures typically float and when worked create a ripple like effect across the waters surface. Some are retrieved in a popping or splashing manner while other are retrieved in a “walk the dog” manner – all designed to draw a bass’s attention and trigger a strike.

Although these lures are fun to fish and the strike is exciting to see, bass will often times miss the lure by misjudging the correct strike angle.

Topwaters are best fished during overcast or low light conditions. Anglers typically fish them first thing in the morning before moving on to other baits as the wind and light increase. If the wind conditions are too strong then anglers are not able to create the desired ripple effects.