The Best Bass Fishing Lures

Crankbaits are one of the best bass fishing lures that a person can use. There are so many different varieties out there today that it may seem a little overwhelming to a beginner bass fisherman. There are countless colors, shapes, lips and sizes and all do have a purpose.

I like to narrow these choices down based on the water that I will be fishing. You do not need to have every crankbait that has ever been made to be successful. If the water you fish is deep and clear you would limit your choices to those that dive a bit deeper with a larger lip. If your lake is not as deep and the water is green or brown, you would limit your choices to those that don't go as deep. It is really that simple. Base the lip, size and diving depth of your crankbaits on the water you will be fishing. This is a great start to picking the bait you will use.

The shape of crankbaits also varies. There are flat sided baits that have a nice tight wobble. There are shad or minnow shaped baits that have a bit more wobble and there are big bulky baits that can shake the pole out of your hand. The choice here will be based on the mood of the fish, the time of the year and even the temperature of the water. It is very important to "read" what the bass are telling you. If you are using a flat sided bait and not getting any bites, switch it up and use a wider wobble lure. Never be afraid to change lures, being set on just one lure can make for a long day on the water. You need to change things until something works. Let the fish tell you what they want. As a general rule, I like to use a lure that has a tighter wobble in the spring and fall when the water is cooler and the fish are not moving as fast as they do during the summer months.

When it comes to the color of these bass fishing lures, I like to really make it simple. I use lures that have a more natural color. I like crayfish colored lures in the spring and fall when the crayfish are most active. I like greens and browns early in the summer months and switch to "louder" colors during the peak summer bite. I stay away from the really bright colors because they really seem to attract pike and these lures are expensive now a days.

So you have your lure narrowed down and are ready to start fishing. But where do you start? Watch for points (primary and secondary), inside and outside turns and weed lines. I really like to concentrate on the weed lines that combine with at least one of the other features. If a weed line is on a point and has some nice turns in it, you may have found the golden "spot on the spot". This is what the pros do, we all have spots that we like to fish but the most successful fisherman will nail that spot down to a few main areas and concentrate on these. These will be the very best places on each of these spots. Thus, the "spot on the spot" is where you want to be!

You now have your lure, and you know where you are going but what equipment do you need? I like to use fiberglass rods that are long enough to get a good distance from your casts. The reason I use fiberglass is this: the newer and more advance rods on the market are very sensitive, maybe too sensitive. You can set the the hook too soon and too fast with these new rods. The fiberglass allows the fish to hook itself before you drive the hook home. I couple this fiberglass rod with a nice quality reel. I prefer baitcasting reels and I believe everyone should learn how to use them. Once you have them figured out, you will never use another! The reels that I use for crankbaits are the ones that have a gear ratio of 4.7 to 5.2 : 1. This allows you to fish longer with out the strain of reeling hard and fast all day. A good steady crank with this type of real will allow your bait to maximize its depth and still run true.

I hope this has cleared a few things up about bass fishing with crankbaits. Yes, they are complicated when you look at the vast variety but if you take some time and figure out the when, and where of the water you are on, you can narrow down your choices quickly.

There are many, many different soft plastic worms available on the market today. Just take a walk down the bass fishing isles at your favorite big box sporting goods store. You will be amazed at the color, shape and size options that are available. I consider many of these to be gimmicks and deem them useless. I concentrate on two main types of worms. I like the stick straight worms and the curly tail worms. Just like with the crankbaits, you need to narrow down your choices.

The curly tailed worm is what I cut my teeth on. You can't argue with the effectiveness of this style soft plastic worm. The power-bait worms from Berkley are by far my all time favorite but Zoom and several other companies make super nice worms that I also use.

The straight tail or trick worms as I call them, are very good whenever the fish are in a more neutral feeding mood. These worms can be used on any application that you would use a soft plastic. For more information check out my other sites at BestBassFishingInfo.com!

Ever since they hit the market, I have loved the "senko" style worms. These are worms that sink slowly and stay horizontal as they float teasingly towards the bottom. I like to use these on everything from a Carolina rig to the drop shot. I use these weightless and lightly weighted by using a hook with the weight built right in. I will use these under and around any cover. Docks, trees or deep weed lines, it does not matter to me. I love these worms and will use them everywhere. Did I tell you that I love these worms???

I like to stick to darker colors, but this is just a personal preference. It is important that you use the colors that you are most comfortable with. I like black, black/blue, watermelon and green pumpkin. These are the colors I prefer for any and all worms that I use. I also have a tendency to use smaller worms usually nothing bigger than 7" or so. I am more of a finesse fisherman but once again this is MY style and I encourage that you develop YOUR own style and use what you are confidant and comfortable with!