10 Best Bass Fishing Lures

Many anglers consider bass fishing an art form, and it can be at times.

To make fishing into art, you need the right supplies, which means having great bass fishing lures. And, you might not know which lures will be the best bass lures for you. There is a type of lure for every water source, weather condition, and bass size.

You need to pick the right lures for the type of bass fishing you plan on doing.

In a hurry? Here’s the test winner after 10 hours of research:

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10 Best Bass Fishing Lures of 2021 Reviewed – Overview

Here are the top 5 picks (keep scrolling for more details and picks 6-10).

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1. Strike King KVD Dream Shot Opt Soft Plastic Finesse Worm

[amazon box=”B06X3VMM6B”]

Soft plastic worms are a classic lure for bass fishing, and this type of worm is very effective. They come in packs of ten, and there are about seven different colors to choose from. It’s infused with a coffee scent to entice the bass to the lure, and it’s also infused with salt to improve bass hold time.

This plastic worm also works very well in both shallow water and deep water. It costs about $6 on Amazon, which is a great price for a ten-pack of great worms. 

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2. Strike King Square Bill Crankbait

[amazon box=”B00WN5QM2U”]

This type of crankbait was made by a professional angler to outperform the other crankbaits in shallow water. Also, the square bill makes it look like the lure is roaming around in the water. While some crankbaits make rattling noises, this crankbait is silent so the skittish bass fish will strike.

This crankbait comes in a lot of different bass-attracting colors that will help you catch big bass. It’s available on Amazon for between $4 and $18.

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3. Z-MAN Project Z Chatterbait

[amazon box=”B01FOYPE0M”]

This lure comes with weedguard protection to help you not get caught up in murky water. Catching bass isn’t that hard when fishing with one of these because they’re made to withstand trophy-sized bass.

They come in several colors that are very appealing to bass fish, and the skirt creates a wiggle motion that also attracts bass. They cost between $8 and $16 on Amazon. 

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4. 13 Fishing BAMF Shad Soft Swimbait

[amazon box=”B07W5WQJ8G”]

These lures are hand-painted, so they look very similar to live bait. It’s a favorite among soft swimbaits because the swimming motion it creates is very realistic. The best strategy for this bait is to cast it as far as you can and reel it back slowly.

This lure works best in deep water, and it’s very good at bringing in big catches. It costs between $15 and $24 on Amazon. 

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5. Heddon Rattlin’ Spook Topwater

[amazon box=”B003ZZACBO”]

This classic topwater lure design is great because it has a rattling chamber to imitate a wounded baitfish like a crankbait. This model is made with attracting bass fish in mind, so it’s great for attracting both smallmouth and largemouth bass.

This lure performs very well in heavy cover, so you should cast it near laydowns, lilypads, and tall grass. It will draw out the most hesitant of bass. It’s on Amazon for about $11. 

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6. Strike King Tour Grade Skipping Jig

[amazon box=”B01N99AQRM”]

This jig is commonly used in bass fishing tournaments, so you know it’s good at catching bass. The jighead is unique from others on the market, and it has a 60-strand skirt that is available in six colors.

It also has a custom-made hook that doesn’t bend like other hooks on the market. Despite not sinking and merely skimming the surface of the water, it will lay down and attract lots of big basses. You can buy one on Amazon between $5 and $13. 

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7. Booyah Pad Crasher Frog Topwater Lure

[amazon box=”B00637587Y”]

This lure mimics a frog with its 3-D realistic eyes, and it has a hollow, plastic body so that it doesn’t get water-logged and slow down. It comes in natural colors that look very similar to live bait.

This lure is very durable and holds up well when dragged through weeds. It also has two treble hooks that are weedless. It’s only about $7 on Amazon. 

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8. Nichols Lures Pulsator Double Willow Spinnerbait

[amazon box=”B00MK0H1E6″]

This spinnerbait is a favorite among largemouth bass because of its school of baitfish appearance when it hits the water. The movement this lure makes underwater is very unique and will draw out all of the skittish fish.

It has a lifelike silicone skirt, ball bearing swivel, and super sharp hook. Also, this lure is made in the United States! It’s on Amazon between $7 and $20.

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9. Smithwick Lures Suspending Rattlin Rogue Jerkbait

[amazon box=”B00C45G8ZA”]

This is an award-winning lure because it has a rattling chamber that imitates the sound of wounded baitfish to nearby bass. It has three treble hooks to ensure that the bass will be caught wherever it bites the lure.

The best way to use this jerkbait is to pause and slowly roll it back towards you to even further imitate an injured baitfish. Your tackle box is definitely missing out if you don’t have a few of these in it. It’s available on Amazon for about $7.

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10. Berkley Warpig Lipless Crankbait

[amazon box=”B07WXF1KS5″]

This lure has a thin body with two treble hooks, and it has better vibration than some of the other crankbaits on the market. This is because there are two slots on both sides of the lure. The nose of this crankbait is weighted, so it sinks to the ground very easily.

The rattle chamber on this crankbait gives a shimmy motion that draws fish in. This crankbait is for sale at Amazon for about $12. 

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Our Winner:

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The Strike King KVD Dream Shot Opt Soft Plastic Finesse Worm is great because it’s quality lures that will last you a long time. Also, plastic worms imitate real worms without being a one-and-done kind of deal.

They come in natural colors that appear lifelike to bass fish, and they attract smallmouth and largemouth bass. They are infused with coffee and salt to entice the fish even more. It’s a great deal for a great product. 

What Types of Bass Lures Are There?

There are eight different kinds of bass lures for you to choose from. Each of these lures has different characteristics to help a bass angler catch a certain bass fish in a certain way. All of the lures attract bass in different ways, so it’s important to learn about the kinds of lures so you know how to catch fish with them. 

  • Crankbaits
  • Jigs
  • Spinnerbaits
  • Topwaters
  • Swimbaits
  • Spoons
  • Jerkbaits
  • Soft Plastics

Crankbaits

This is one of the most popular bass fishing lures because they are very effective. They are made to look like food to bass, and they are sometimes full of BBs to make noise when they go through the water.

Crankbaits will make this noise because it attracts bass, and bass fish will think that they are chasing a smaller fish, invertebrate, or amphibian. Crankbaits are sometimes made with square bills so they will hit rocks and appear more lifelike to bass.

They don’t do very well in heavy cover because they have dual treble hooks. However, crankbaits are very good lures in both cloudy and clear water. There are three types of crankbaits: deep diving crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and shallow diving crankbaits. 

Jigs

One of the favorite meals for a bass fish is craws, and jigs are meant to mimic craws. A jig is just a metal head with a skirt that’s attached to a hook, and the skirts are often made of rubber or silicone. Sometimes, the skirt will snag, so they are often made with a weed guard to prevent the jig from snagging on a weed. 

Jig lures are very versatile and work well on a number of different rods and reels. There are a few different kinds of bass fishing jogs, and these include swim jigs, punch jigs, finesse jigs, football jigs, and flipping jigs. Any of these types of jigs are a must-have for your tackle box. 

Spinnerbaits

A spinnerbait is a metal blade on a hook with a swivel arm, and they mimic minnows by reflecting light off the metal blade. These lures might look very complicated, but they’re very easy to use.

There are three types of spinnerbaits: Colorado, Willow, and Indiana. However, all of them spin and create light and vibration to irritate the bass into striking. 

Topwaters

This type of lure is made to appear like an injured prey that’s swimming through the water, and you can make this motion more pronounced by jerking or twitching the rod. As the name suggests, topwater baits sit on the surface of the water.

There are lots of types of topwaters, including buzzbaits, poppers, topwater frogs, stick baits, prop baits, spooks, and jitterbugs. Some of these types have noise, specifically buzzbaits, poppers, and jitterbugs. Whatever topwater lure you decide to get, make sure that it’s the best for your fishing style. 

Swimbaits

Swimbaits aren’t as popular as other types of bass lures, and they require a bit of experience to use. They are big too, so you’re more likely to catch a trophy bass with one of these. Swimbaits are usually jointed and hollow-bodied, and they have either hard or soft bodies.

Like other bass lures, they mimic small baitfish. Swimbaits aren’t weedless, so you risk getting them caught in weeds when fishing in murky water. 

Spoons

Many bass anglers don’t use spoons when trying to catch bass because they take a bit more time to entice the bass than other lures. These are some of the oldest bass fishing lures, though.

They come in four different styles: trolling spoons, slop spoons, casting spoons, and jigging spoons. These all work best when it’s very sunny outside so they will reflect the sunlight. 

Jerkbaits

Jerkbaits are meant to look like baitfish that are struggling to swim and seem helpless, and they often have paddle tails or other moving parts. As the name implies, you should use jerking motions to entice the bass even more. There are two types of jerkbaits: hard jerkbaits and soft jerkbaits.

Hard jerkbaits come with one, two, or three treble hooks and are either floating, sinking, or suspending. Soft jerkbaits are more affordable than hard jerkbaits, and a bass fish is more likely to hold onto these than hard jerkbaits. 

Soft Plastic Worms

Soft plastic worms should also imitate baitfish, and they are often just called worms. These plastic lures help bass hold onto the hook, and they have lots of versatility. These are one of the best ways to catch bass because bass has always and probably will always bite worms.

There are five different kinds of plastic worms, and those include Carolina rigs, weedless wacky rigs, drop shot rigs, ned rigs, and Texas rigs. 

Fake Bait vs Live Bait

One of the main decisions you make as an angler is whether you want to use fake bait or live bait. Each type has pros and cons, and which you use really depends on what the water and weather conditions are. You just need to choose which is best for your fishing situation.

Pros of Fake Bait:

  • You can reuse fake bait
  • Lures aren’t smelly or dirty
  • Lures don’t require special storage
  • Lures are fun to collect
  • Lures lead to catching bigger fish
  • Lures increase fish survival rate in catch and release fishing

Cons of Fake Bait:

  • It takes lots of trial and error to find lures that work for you
  • Lures can be very expensive
  • You need to use the right combination of hooks, weight, and colors for the lures to work
  • Lures get stuck in weeds easily
  • Lures work best in spots that have lots of fish present

When To Use Fake Bait

You should use lures when it’s warm out, and the water is clear. Lures don’t always attract skittish fish, so you’ll need to be fishing for aggressive fish. Catch and release fishing is a lot easier with lures, so definitely only use fake bait when doing this type of fishing.

If most of the fish in the area you’re in are small, you’ll want to use lures because they won’t attract smaller fish. 

Pros of Live Bait:

  • Your chances of getting a deep-hooked fish increase
  • Live bait will attract fish from everywhere
  • Live bait is cheaper than fake bait
  • Live bait attracts many different types of fish
  • You can release unused live bait or freeze it for future use

Cons of Live Bait:

  • Live bait stinks and is often very dirty
  • Using live baits decreases the survival rate for catch and release fishing
  • Live bait means more trips to the bait shop
  • You need special storage for live bait, like refrigeration or circulating water
  • Because of the previous con, live bait is often heavier than fake bait
  • You might only attract small fish because live bait attracts all fish

When To Use Live Bait

If the water is really murky or muddy, you’ll want to use live bait because the fish will smell the bait before they see it. You should always use live bait when fishing at night, and you should always use live bait when it’s cold outside. If you plan on keeping and/or eating the fish you catch, definitely use live bait. 

Riley Draper

Riley Draper is a writer and entrepreneur from Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a world traveler, he has been to more than fifty countries and hiked some of the most elusive trails in the world. He is the co-founder of WeCounsel Solutions and has published work in both national and global outlets, including the Times Free Press, Patch, and Healthcare Global. When he's not writing, he's probably on a hiking trip or climbing in the mountains.

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