The 10 Best Bass Lures

Fishing can often be a frustrating hobby, especially when you’re a novice dipping your fingers in luring. Splurging on new lures is easy, but having it catch fish is usually the toughest part no matter how promising your new lure looks.

While the learning curve can be steep for novice fisherman, luring is still an immensely satisfying and rewarding form of fishing, because it requires a certain level of skill to impart the desired action in the lure. Unlike baiting, while still requires some skill, it is more of a patience game.

Most fishermen tend to have a few favorite lures for each category that produce the best results for them, i.e topwater, mid-water, and divers. Lures are often expensive and don’t always produce results when using them. Therefore, choosing a good bass lure is an essential skill for any fisherman.

In today’s article, we talk about some of our favorite lures as well as how we can choose the best bass lures.

Top 10 Best Bass Lures

1. Truscend Multi Jointed Swimbaits 4.7-7”

Swimbaits are usually made either really well or really badly and are probably one of the most expensive categories of lures.

Thankfully, Truscend’s range of swimsuits is not only very well built, it is also very affordable as compared to other good swimbaits in the market today.

It is designed to swim exactly like a baitfish and depending on the type of action you require, it can also look like a dying fish. The swimbait is also constructed with what seems like high-quality ABS plastic as well as an ultra-strong mesh woven fabric to link the separate pieces together. It also features sharp and detailed patterns of actual baitfish.

Swimbaits are a great choice of lure for bass fishing because of the versatility of the bait. Depending on the speed of the retrieve, the angler will be able to fish this type of lure in almost any part of the water column.

2. Plusinno Fishing Lure Tackle Set 102 Pieces

Sometimes choosing a suitable lure can be a real pain. There are so many different lures in the market today all claiming that they catch fish. But do they really?

Luckily, some companies produce sets of lures that contain almost every type of lure imaginable. The Plusinno lure set does just that. It provides you with a comprehensive set of lures for you to test out to see which is the most suitable for you. The best part? Its a steal!

Admittedly, however, this set is more geared towards novice fishermen who are still unsure where they should put their money. It contains everything you will need to start luring!

The set contains 102 pieces of lures as well as a terminal tackle. It contains a great selection of lures, from topwater frogs to hard baits, to soft plastics and spinnerbaits.

While it might not be made from the best quality materials, it will definitely give you a feel of all the different types of lures available. It also produces results!

3. Chasebaits The Smuggler Topwater Fishing Lure

The Chasebait Smuggler is an interesting lure with a creeping action. It features a small bird that has fallen to the surface of the water and is trying to claw its way back to shore.

More commonly known as jitterbugs, these types of lures are generally easy to use as they work on a straight retrieve and impart a very unique action. Most of the time we see this lure in the design of a beetle or another insect, rarely a bird, which is quite cool!

The Smuggler is also a well-built bait that has an extremely realistic paint job. Which adds to the realism when we try to impart action into the lure. It has 2 treble hooks on its underside, one in the middle and one at its tail.

The metal ‘wings’ also produce an attractive chatter with some blooping sounds to attract attention.

4. Plussino 16pc Spinner Lures with Portable Carrying Bag

So we already know that Plussino produces some pretty good products that are not only of good quality but also function really well.

This set of 16 comes with a convenient yet compact carrying case that allows you to store all the spinnerbaits. The carrying case also comes with a carabiner attached so that you will be able to clip it onto a belt loop or hung conveniently. Of course, it also comes with the option of the 16 spinner with a tackle box instead of a carrying case.

What we love about the spinners that come with this kit is that it comes in many sizes as well as color options. Great for the beginner who is unsure of which color spinnerbait to get.

If you are a beginner thinking of doing some trout fishing, this Plussino Kit is the way to go!

5. Truscend Fishing Lures – 2-4” Swimbaits

Another product and another swimbait by Truscend! Yes as you probably could tell by now, we’re big fans of swimbaits.

Unlike the previous swimbait we discussed above, this version of the swimbait is smaller, coming in at a maximum size of 4”. As with most swimbaits, the problem is that it’s really difficult to make one that swims well and even harder to make one that swims well at a small size.

This swimbait does just that, it’s small and it swims incredibly well! Predominantly made of ABS plastic, it is incredibly tough. The segments of the body are held together by a tough and strong mesh fabric that ensures the lure stays together even with the strongest of fishes.

It also features Mustad treble hooks which are ultra-sharp and will definitely hold on to the fish at the other end of the line. The lure itself is also very realistic and comes in a myriad of different designs.

6. Arbogast Hula Popper

The Arbogast fishing company is an old school fishing company that still produces some pretty good lures. Even with modern innovation and design, they’re still producing great tackle. Maybe if it is not broken, don’t fix it?

The Arbogast Hula popper is one of the best poppers we’ve used hands down. It is a well-balanced popper that does its job exceedingly well.

Unlike other cheap poppers that flop around like a dead fish on the surface of the water, the Arbogast Hula Popper sits perfectly level on the surface of the water. Its large mouth products large bubbles that do an excellent job at attracting fish.

The popper is also very well made, it features a wood body with an attachment along its underside which holds 2 treble hooks, this attachment is uncommon in modern-day lures, so if you’re into vintage lures give this one a try! It also features a nice long skirt to mimic either a fishes tail or frog legs.

The lure also casts like a missile so for the distance junkies out there, this is a great lure to extend your casting distance.

7. TB 10 Piece Spinnerbait Set

The TB Spinnerbait set comprises of 10 well made larger spinnerbaits that are heavier than the Plussino ones we spoke of earlier.

What we like about this set is that it comes in a compact plastic tackle box that comfortably houses each spinner in individual compartments. The spinnerbaits themselves are also of great quality and seem to produce some pretty great results!

The beauty of a spinnerbait is that it functions on a constant retrieve. Making it a very suitable bait for novice fisherman looking to catch some trout or bass.

Like we mentioned earlier, this set of spinnerbaits is larger and measures 2.5-3” in length. It also weighs between 0.25-0.28oz which makes casting easier as the lures are heavier.

The different designs included in this kit also allows fisherman to explore the different options available ensuring that there’s a right design for the day!

8. Shinefish Multi Jointed Slow Sinking Swimbaits

The Shinefish slow sinking swimbait is another great swimbait that we chanced upon that works really, really well.

It is not much more different than the other swimbaits we’ve discussed earlier, however, they feature very realistic 3D holographic designs as well as built-in steel balls that rattle on the retrieve!

The 3D holographic designs are imprinted on the lure with high-grade ink, ensuring that the colors don’t fade in time. Apart from the holographic designs on the body, the lure is additionally coated with 3D scale bumps which essentially mimics actual scales on the body of the lure, just like a baitfish.

The swimming action on this lure is one of the best we’ve seen as well. Most swimbaits have issues swimming properly either at fast or slow retrieves, however, the Shinefish multi-jointed swimbait does well both on a faster and a slower retrieve, making it a great option for beginners who would like to dip their fingers into this category of lures.

The lure is well built and boasts a strength rating of 100kg, which is a lot for a swimbait (although we haven’t tested this out).

9. Catch Co Mike Bucca Baby Bull Shad Swimbait

Created in collaborating with legendary fisherman Mike Bucca, the Catch Co Mike Bucca baby bull shad swimbait is a double wire through swimbait that swims very well!

At 3.75” it’s just the right size for both smaller and bigger bass. However, even though it’s small, it still swims great at both fast and slow retrieve speeds.

Made from ABS injected plastic for extreme durability and ultra-realism, the swimbait is also slow sinking giving it an added advantage against snags. The jointed body is different from the usual swimbaits that we see, which often use a fabric that can sometimes be prone to fraying.

What’s really interesting about the baby bull shad swimbait is that if you look carefully at the tail, its made out of a fine brush! This tail gives the lure a very life-like appearance that is sure to fool even the wariest bass!

The paintwork on the bull shad swimbait is also very good! The company provides you with many good looking options that will ensure that you find the right bait for any water to fish in.

10. Free Fisher 6 Pc Spinner Lure Spinnerbait

Our last contender on this list is a spinnerbait. Spinnerbaits are essentially dressed jigs with a shiny piece of metal that spins on a constant retrieve. They are extremely easy to use and suitable for novice fishermen as well.

This set of spinnerbaits is well built and comes in a variety of color options that you might need for any fishing application. It also features high carbon hooks which increase the sharpness and longevity of the hooks.

Out of the 6 spinners, you will also notice that 2 of the spinnerbaits are double-bladed spinners which is a plus.

Spinnerbaits are not new inventions and generally don’t have a lot going for them. However, they are a classic and a go-to lure for many bass fishermen. If you’re unsure about what spinnerbait to get, give this set of 6 a try and you’ll be sure to find something that will suit you.

Buying guide – How to choose the best lures for bass

Now that we’ve gone through some of our top picks for the best baits for bass, let’s take a look at what we look for and how we can go about looking for it.

Like what we mentioned at the start of the article, buying lures is easy, if you’re willing to spend money of course! Most of the time, beginners walk into a fishing store and pick out what catches their eye the most.

While there is some merit in doing that, advanced fishermen often have very specific needs for a particular application they need the lure for. In this section below, we talk about what these applications are as well as how you can buy the best bass lure for yourself.

1. Application

There are 3 main sections of water that advanced fisherman fish in. They are namely, topwater, midwater, and bottom.

As their names suggest, each section of the water column requires a different type of lure. Thankfully, lure categories are generally classified in the same manner, making things easier for everyone.

So to delve a little further, if you would like to fish topwater for example, you’ll need to find a lure that has the corresponding characteristics. Using a bottom lure for a topwater application is inefficient and probably will not catch you any fish.

2. Types of lures

In the market today, there is a huge selection of lures and it can be daunting especially if you’re a beginner trying to buy a bass lure.

We’ll let you in on a little secret – there is no lure in the market today that guarantees a fish. Always remember, the best bass lure is the lure that produces results for you.

That said, lures are generally characterized into 2 main categories – Hardbody lures i.e minnows, divers, etc. And soft plastics i.e those jelly looking baits that come in plastic pouches, that usually require fishing with a jighead and are usually fashioned after a worm.

Within the hardbody category, there are also subdivisions i.e, topwater, midwater, and divers. Soft plastics on the other hand are easier and more straight forward with different designs but generally work in similarly.

Knowing the type of lures available is very important as this knowledge will allow you to decide which lure is more suited to the type of application you require the lure for.

3. Size

The size of the lure matters a lot. Ever heard of the saying, “big baits catch big fish”? Well, that’s quite true!

Generally, bigger lures target bigger fish. However, in our experience, big lures also scare away smaller fish but big fishes do take smaller lures too!

Smaller lures usually present themselves as easy prey for fish and have a better success rate at catching bass than bigger lures.

Therefore, we recommend smaller lures, i.e 2-3 inches in length is perfect. We’ve found that while it is true that big lures do bring in bigger fish, tempting these bigger fish to bite is a much bigger challenge.

One of the reasons why bigger fish grow to that size is that they’re smarter and have steered away from ‘easy targets’. As such, smaller lures usually have a much better success rate at catching fishes.

4. Preference

Most fishermen have a preferred column of water they like to fish. It could be topwater, midwater, or bottom, it does not matter. What matters is what produces results for you.

Having said that, you must experiment with new lures to see which you prefer the most. We know many fishermen who will only fish topwater walk the dog type of lures all year round, while some stick exclusively to soft plastics.

Once you have an idea of what you’re more comfortable with, it will be easier to focus before branching out to other types of lures. Each type of lure is unique and every lure is different from its nuances.

Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions

In this section, we answer some of the more commonly asked questions with regards to choosing the best lure for bass fishing.

What is the best bait for largemouth bass?

Truth is, there is no best bait for largemouth bass. What’s best for us will almost always be different for someone else.

However, based on our experience, we’ve had most lucky fishing midwater lures like minnows and jerk baits.

What is the best lure for bass in early spring?

As we said earlier, there isn’t really the best lure. However in early spring when waters are not pressured and the fish are hungry, we tend to use topwater lures to entice the bass.

You will find that fishes tend to strike topwater lures more during this period more than any other season of the year. Of course, you are free to use any lure of your choice.

What we usually do is work down the water column, i.e work the top-water lures first, then the midwater lures, then the bottom lures. The reason for this is that fishes tend to retreat deeper into the water when they sense any form of danger.

What is the best way to catch bass?

Depending on what you’re after, the answer could differ. If you’re looking to catch the most number of bass, then cast a net, you’re sure to catch many more bass that way.

If you’re looking for a lazy afternoon fishing session, then probably a floater with some worms as bait would do well.

If you’re after the thrill of bluffing bass with lures like we are, then luring is the best way to do that!

How do I know what bass lure to use?

There’s no hard and fast rule for fishing. Usually, we start with topwater lures and transition between the water columns until we get some results, then we will either stay with that particular lure until it stops producing results or we change spots and start the process all over again.

However, our go-to lures are soft plastic worms rigged with a jig head. This setup enables us to fish all levels of the water and can be fished in a myriad of different styles, e.g hopping, straight retrieve, etc.

Conclusion

Choosing the best bass lure can be a pain sometimes and we get it, especially if you’re a novice trying to buy your first lure.

We’ve gone through some of our top picks today to hopefully aid you in starting out your fishing journey. If you saw something that you liked, please feel free to take a chance with that lure because they’ve been thoroughly reviewed by us.

Thank you for taking the time to go through this article with us, we hope it was as much fun for you as it was for us. Cheers and tight, best fishing lines for bass fishing!

Other fish lures:

• Snook lures
• Pike lures
• Crappie lures
• Freshwater lures