14 Best Baits For Bass Fishing Any Time Of The Year

Thank you for reading our post, please rate this article at the end.

Last Updated on August 23, 2024 by Paul Clayton

14 Best Baits for Bass Fishing Any Time of the Year

We’re massively spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing baits and lures for bass fishing; there are many options, so much so that it can be difficult to choose a single lure. After a few years of buying the odd lure here and there, the garage looks like a professional tackle shop, but we don’t stop buying. Instead, we keep trying to find the best bait for bass.

Key Takeaways

1. Versatile Baits for Bass Fishing: Jigs are highlighted as the most versatile and effective bait for year-round bass fishing. They can be used in various weather conditions and water depths.
2. Artificial vs. Live Baits: The article explores the pros and cons of artificial lures and live baits. Artificial lures can be reused multiple times, whereas live baits are naturally attractive to bass but are generally single-use.
3. Top Artificial Lures: The best artificial lures for bass fishing year-round include jigs, crankbaits, jerk baits, finesse worms, crawfish, swimbaits, and lipless crankbaits. Each requires specific conditions and techniques for effective use.
4. Effective Live Baits: Recommended live baits for bass fishing include crawdads, night crawlers, minnows, shad, and frogs. The article emphasizes keeping live bait fresh and lively to attract bass effectively.

It perhaps goes without saying, but for one angler, the best bait for bass might not be the best for another. It depends a whole lot on your style of fishing, the environment, the time of day, the season, and a host of other variables. So, while some baits are superior to others, it’s important to employ a certain amount of intelligence when picking a lure and choosing something that suits the environment and your needs.

What is the best bait for bass?

We strongly believe that jigs are the best bait for bass fishing. Jigs are versatile, inexpensive, and effective and come in many styles, hues, and shapes.

What Kind of Baits are Available

Bass baits are largely available in artificial lures and live baits. If you’ve used either, you probably have a strong bias about which one you prefer and which is most effective. The truth is that both types offer a variety of advantages and disadvantages.

Artificial Bait/Lures

Like any other animal, bass like to eat when hungry or when the opportunity to do so presents itself. Artificial lures are crafted to present an object that has physical characteristics that are appetizing to bass, even if it visually doesn’t resemble something it’s eaten before.

Some artificial lures vibrate or make other noises intended to be detectable by bass from a distance. In contrast, other lures, such as crankbaits, are made to mimic the behavior and actions of a fleeing fish.

One of the biggest advantages of an artificial lure is that a single lure can last many fishing trips, assuming the line isn’t snagged on something. A small investment of a few dollars can pay for itself throughout a fishing season.

Related content you may be interested in reviewing.

Live Bait

We’ve just established that artificial lures are designed to mimic the behavior of live baits. This is one of the big advantages of live baits: no mimicry is required, and they are naturally attractive to bass. Any number of avid fishermen will tell you that there are varieties of fish that will only respond to live bait.

If you’re in a situation where your artificial lures are failing to elicit a response, the only option might be to respond with some live bait.

The cost comparison of live bait versus artificial lures is probably debatable. An artificial lure has the benefit of being used on multiple occasions, assuming, of course, it’s not lost. However, the initial cost can be high. Meanwhile, live baits are generally single-use and normally cheap to purchase.

The cost over time can be high if you’re constantly losing your artificial lures or just a fan of collecting them. While live bait generally requires very little setup and is often the most fun bait, children respond better when you teach them to fish. You can even look and catch your live bait, which can be fun and educational.

Best Artificial Baits / Lures for Bass For Year-Round Success

According to my wife, I have a mental illness that causes me to collect every artificial lure I can get my hands on. Sometimes I’ll go through a draw and find lures I bought years ago that are still in their original packaging and have never been used.

I only wish the number of lures you owned was directly related to the number of fish you caught…

For any anglers new to the hobby, returning to the sport after a break or working to a limited allowance, it can be incredibly overwhelming and difficult to choose the baits and lures worth your hard-earned cash.

For most anglers, choosing a versatile lure that can be used in various fishing scenarios is an intelligent choice. You’ll want to focus on baits that can be used nearly every season and on various water types. To make your decision process easier, we’ve worked to put together a list of the artificial lures that we think can be used all year round and on any body of water.

If you start building your collection from these baits, you’ll be assured that regardless of where you go or what the weather is doing, if there are bass in the water, you’ll have a good chance of success.

Jig

We believe skirted jigs represent the ultimate option for year-round fishing success. No matter what the weather or body of water is doing, if it’s raining, snowing, sunny, or overcast, you can use a skirted jig to catch bass.

It doesn’t matter if the water is 40 feet deep or only a few feet deep; a jig can be used. In the wintertime, pull them along sheer rocky shores for fishing success. If the sun is out and the temperature rises, attach a paddle tail to the jig and fish it around the grassy shorelines.

The point is that no matter what the weather is doing or what the water is like, a jig can be used to catch bass 52 weeks out of the year.

Crankbait

If jigs didn’t exist, then the number one best bait for bass would probably be crankbaits. There isn’t a fishing location or condition that I’ve come across that doesn’t have a type of crankbaits that can be used to accomplish the job. During the colder months, a crankbait with a slight wobble that sports flatter sides will be the key to success.

As things warm up during spring and summer, a more pronounced wobble and a faster retrieve will keep the bass interested. If you need to fish at depth, choose a big-lipped plug to get the crankbait into deep water where the fish are lurking. If you need to avoid obstacles, the square bill works well.

The number of options available to anglers using crankbait is staggering, so much so that you’ll have difficulty finding a body of water you can’t fish with.

Jerkbait

Many anglers might be startled to see jerk bait appearing in our collection of lures suitable for year-round bass fishing since most anglers would relegate these baits to fishing in the winter months. This is, of course, a mistake. The truth is that the biggest reason that most anglers don’t catch bass using jerk baits during the warmer months is that they aren’t even trying to use them.

Our cousins in the north are pulling bass out of the water all year round using jerk baits. Twitch them over flat bottoms or pull them through grassy shallows, but don’t retrieve them too fast during summer.

Finesse Worm

Even though finesse worms are a bit boring to look at and don’t have a very exciting action in the water, they offer a massive advantage over many baits. They work in every condition, and any water bass swims in them. They’re on our list of productive year-round bass plastics for these reasons.

In the winter weather, put on a shakey head when you drag it through the water. Once the weather begins to warm up, pull it around thick vegetation, piers, and boat docks. If you need to fish in deep water, add a weighted rig. Whatever your fishing hole throws at you, the finesse worm will be there to generate bites.

Crawfish

Bass tend to feed on a variety of species throughout the year. However, the one species that tends to be on the menu throughout the year is crawfish. Crawfish tend to be found in and around deep rocks or within shallow weed beds, available during all but the coldest winters. This, in turn, means that plastic crawls can be fished year-round on a jig, a shakey head, or any other setup you can think of.

As they replicate one of the bass’ favorite year-round meals, they are suitable for use nearly 365 days of the year.

Swimbait

Even if they are relatively new to the fishing tackle industry, there’s no doubt that swimbaits have proven themselves effective year-round artificial lures. They emulate the behavior of several baitfish species effectively and can be used during all 12 months of the year, regardless of the weather being hot, cold, or somewhere in between.

Lipless crankbait

Lipless crankbaits are so effective because they can be used in nearly any deep and shallow water depth. This is also why they make a good year-round artificial lure. During the colder periods of the year, bass will go mad for lipless cranks pulled over grassy flats.

When things begin to warm up, they can be used to cover both open water and covered areas and fished around difficult terrain.

Best Live Bait for Bass

As we’ve covered above, artificial lures can secure a bite year-round, but I think there’s nothing quite like fishing with the real thing.

Like nearly every other bass angler I’ve ever talked to, I have tackle boxes, draws, and cupboards full of colorful jigs, spoons, spinnerbaits, plastics, and everything in between. But live baits hold a special place in my heart and still end up on the end of my line more often than not.

There are a couple of things you need to bear in mind when using live bait to maximize your chances of success:

Keep your bait lively and fresh. Dead, limp, and sad-looking baits aren’t anywhere near as interesting to bass as baits that are actively swimming, wiggling, or swimming.

Know the state laws governing the use of live bait. These can be found in your state’s fishing regulations.

Knowing the kinds of live bait available and how to use them will also improve your artificial lure game. Nearly all artificial lures are meant to imitate food, so knowing how that food moves and responds will help you replicate that action.

One last thing. You might find that the memories you have of collecting the bait are better than the actual fishing, especially if you take your kids with you when you do it. Gathering bait can be a ton of fun.

Crawdads

These delicious crustaceans are nearly always at the top of the favorite food lists for bass. The challenge is getting your hands on them in the first place. If your local bait shop has no, your next best bet is to use a commercial crawfish trap baited with scraps.

Setting one of these traps in a pond or weedy ditch nearly always lands a crawfish or two. If you want a challenge, you can catch them by hand by turning over rocks and stones.

Retrieve crawfish slowly on the bottom using an egg sinker to get them into the deep water. Cast the crawfish into areas that look like good bass ground, and reel in a few feet every few seconds to ensure the crawfish don’t get a chance to hide. Once a bass picks up the crawfish, set the hook, and you’re off.

Night Crawlers

Every bait seller should be well stocked with night crawlers, but if you prefer the DIY approach, digging around in the dirt should bag a few dozen in no time. Store them where you found them, or get specialized worm bedding online. Remember to keep them cool and away from direct sunlight or freezing temperatures.

Setting yourself up with light tackle is the best option for night crawlers. A small hook and 6-pound monofilament will do the job nicely. Hook the worm through its tip and work it onto the bottom.

If the body of water is weedy, you may need to switch to a heavier line, but keeping things light will increase the chances of a strike.

Minnows

Given half a chance, most bass would gorge themselves into oblivion on minnows. You should be able to find a readily available supply of minnows at your local bait shop. Try to pick the biggest and most active they have. Store them in cool, well-oxygenated water.

Most bait shops should provide a bag suitable for a short time. I like to place this bag in a cooler box with ice to keep them comfortable.

You’ll want to use a strong 20-pound line and sturdy rod so that pulling bass out of the cover is not an issue. Hook the minnow through the tails and cast them into covered areas where the bass will likely hang out. Play out the line so the minnows can run for it.

Bass tends to suck minnows up, so an explosive strike is unlikely. Instead, you’ll feel a steady increase in pressure as the bass take the minnows in before swallowing. Set the hook once you feel a steady pull on your fishing line.

Shad

If you’ve been fishing for bass enough times, you’ll have probably witnessed bass charging straight into a school of shad, resulting in them diving in all directions to escape. It’s not a stretch to say that bass love these fish. However, catching and keeping Shad alive is no easy task.

I use a cast net to round up some shad. This skill is well worth learning and can be used in several scenarios. If you are uncomfortable with a cast net, use a sabaki rig.

Drop one of these over the side of your boat with a sinker, and you can often catch two or three shad in one go. Unfortunately, shad will tend to die quickly unless they’re kept in cool, well-oxygenated water. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to keep them in a catch net alongside the boat or the lake’s shallows.

It’s best to use a spinning reel and a size 2 hook attached to a 10-pound line. There’s no need to use a sinker or float, as these tend to hinder the shad’s movements.

Hook the shad through its nose and lower it into the water to let it swim. Don’t cast it out. Keep feeding the line out as the shad swim away. Once you feel a bite, please wait a few seconds, then set it to hook.

Frogs

Frogs are an often overlooked bait that can be deadly when used correctly. Take a walk along rural roads on a warm summer evening after it’s been raining, and you’ll be tripping over frogs everywhere. Please put them in a damp pillowcase, and you’re all set for some bass fishing.

Put a hook through one of the forelegs to use them, as this helps keep the bait healthy and freely swimming. Cast the frog into bass cover and let the from swim to the bottom, as they swim down look out for a bite. If you fail to get a strike, raise the frog off the bottom to repeat the action.

A swimming frog is an eaten frog.

Wrapping Up

Oh, you want to know the best bait for bass fishing? Well, buckle up, my friend, because it’s about to get fishy in here. If you’re thinking worms, you’re on the right track but not quite there. The VIP in the bait bass fishing world is none other than our squirmy friends, the grubs.

Yes, those little wriggly creatures are like irresistible candy to bass. But wait, there’s more! Have you ever considered using a frog as bait? You might think I’m pulling your leg, but no. Frogs can be an exciting menu item for a hungry bass as well.

In conclusion, live baits are like the generic brand cereal of the fishing world. Sure, they’ll do the job, but grubs and frogs? They’re the gourmet meal, the five-star dining experience for any self-respecting bass.

So next time you’re gearing up for a fishing trip, remember this: grubs and frogs are your golden ticket to bait bass fishing success.

Home page
Back to the top of the page