They can be just as effective in the Winter as they are in the Summer. All you need to do is cast and reel. The secret to catching fish on the jerkbait is stealth. While many guys are busy throwing lizards, worms, and soft plastic swimbaits, a grub will show the fish something new and exciting. This means fish will be less hesitant to bite. Best Baits: 15 Greatest Lures for Smallmouth Bass. By David A. Be sure to tie on a model that will stay in the strike zone for a long time. Top 5 Summer Smallmouth Bass Lures Bass Fishing Vids – Top Videos for bass fishing, lures and gear from YouTube today. Here are the ten best Smallies lures ever made #10 The Rebel Pop R Nothing in fishing is more thrilling then having a big Smallmouth Bass blowing up on a topwater lure. This is especially true when nothing else works. It also comes in a lot of colors to match any conditions you want to fish in. Pound for pound, many anglers insist that they pull and fight harder than their cousins the largemouth. This will allow you to fish in cover, grass, and brush without hanging up. Other times, the one you are throwing may not be enough to make a fish want to commit. This one is made by Z-Man baits and is called the Crosseyez jig. Our Top Pick: If everybody came here to check exactly which worm produces the most, that is the Gary Yamamoto Yamasenko. Grubs work best of all. The best action jerkbait that we have found to work well for all species is the Rapala RipStop. There are so many ways in which you can rig a worm. Choosing a hard or soft swimbait normally depends on what temperature the water is and fishing swimbaits will help you get better. How to Wax-Pluck a Wild Goose for Christmas Dinner. Some of my favorite baits for drop shotting in the summertime are the Berkley Maxscent Flat Worm, Flatnose Minnow, and 4-inch General. When the water is in the mid-to-upper forties and anything above that, a hard swimbait would be the best option at that point. If you can see fifteen to twenty feet down below the water’s surface, make a real looking swimbait your very first choice. 12 / 14 No. Heavier jig heads can be used to fish deeper water during hot summer months or chilly winter months. Soft plastic tubes have been the mainstay for smallie fishermen for a very long time. Bass tubes. Lure Specifics: A Cordell Big O in a crawfish pattern — enough said. They provide unmatched effectiveness because the way they look and move is almost identical to the real thing. This time of year is great for lures that can be power fished. Crankbaits make our top spot because you can use them for power fishing. This means you can keep its action constant in the water and strike zone. Seth Feider takes the guesswork out of choosing the best lures for smallmouth bass fishing from late summer through late fall. Pop-R. One walk the dog lure in particular that is great for smallmouth is the Gunfish. Soft plastic jerkbaits are the versatile choice to throw. With an internal weight shifting ball, it makes it very easy to cast even into the wind. Grab an entire box for the next time you go out because they are some of the best smallmouth bass lures on the market. Try using an extra-wide gap hook and a Texas rig. These seven baits will produce smallmouth bass and rivers throughout the country. Depending on which one you use, you will need to fish them in different ways. It will take time to find the fish and see what lure is effective. Topwater smallmouth fishing isn't just exciting, but early summer smallmouth bass are suckers for surface baits. Many of you may be wondering which live bait is best un cold water conditions. Topwater lures are the most effective when the bass are aggressive. They are such a fun fish to catch, and generally require a different approach than their cousin the largemouth. You can start fishing crankbaits by casting them or trolling them in literally any season of the year. Last but certainly not least is the swimbait. No matter how you slice it, no amount of studying or observing can prepare you to pick the absolute best Smallmouth Bass lures for every situation, in every water body, at every time. Best Smallmouth Bass Baits. You can fish flukes near the surface, topwater, on the bottom like a jig, or literally anywhere in between. Copyright © 2020 Field & Stream. To properly start fishing jerkbaits, you twitch it, pop it, and get that lure slashing in the water column. It is in the family of lures that anglers term “jerk baits”. Most of the time, your targeted predators do not get a chance to look and inspect what they are chasing. Hunting. Latest. You can fish the weeds by rigging them Texas-style, wacky rigged, on a drop shot, a shaky head, a Carolina rig, and even a ned rig. Blade baits are a curious thing. You’re imitating shad, you’re imitating bluegill, round goby, gophers, frogs, and even small birds. They work year-round. Look away from the shoreline and try to concentrate on isolated humps in the main body of the lake. You just need to make sure you use the right one at the right time for best results. The ones on this list have been handpicked by our team of experts. It has a very erratic action also that is very, very, loud. Crankbaits are a type of wooden or plastic plug that rattle and swim erratically. I just haven’t seen it happen. They work well enough to be considered essential. Knowledgeable anglers have used blade baits for smallmouth bass for years and it has passed under the radar of many of those fishermen who put their gear away when the leaves fall from the trees and hunting seas Keep it natural! All in all, the key to success is to try them all out and see what works best for you. When it’s warm outside, also fish it slow. Downsize Soft Plastics When smallmouth are hovering on or near the river bed, few lures can top a soft plastics rigged with enough weight to crawl over the rocks and ledges. When this happens schooling bait-fish seek the vegetation for cover, then the post-spawn small mouth bass start hanging out in these areas for food all throughout the day. These faster lures allow you to cover a lot of water quickly, and since bass are scattered this time of year you can locate where they are holding more effectively. Examples of different spinners include the original spinnerbait, the buzzbait, prop and propeller lures, tailspin, and basic spinners like a Roostertail or Mepps Aglia Spinner. Also, since they are designed by Strike King, you can already trust that they are effective. Don’t forget to drop us a comment down below to let us know if you agree with our list. This really does help in colder and clearer water. All they see is a silhouette of something that could be easily overpowered and consumed like the defenseless prey it is. Can You Keep COVID-Vulnerable Hunters Safe and Have a Real Deer Camp? Meanwhile, go with bolder reds or … If you are in the market for some awesome tubes, look no further than Strike King KVD Pro Tubes. Whether it is deeper down and retrieved slower during cold water fishing or higher up in the water column in the summer months a good spinnerbaits will force a smallmouth bass to strike from quite a distance. The unique design of the jig and all of the skirts hanging off is unique. These are the perfect time to throw a soft plastic jerkbait. We tend to venture more towards these because they are durable and versatile. Rig them on a 1/16- to 1/8-ounce round jighead or Carolina-style on a size 4-8 hook, 18- … I set no restrictions on the number of lures that could be listed, the only stipulation being that participants would list lures until all present were satisfied that they had enough choices to be able to fish successfully throughout the year. What they lack in reputation certainly makes up for a good fight. It sets the point of the hook further back on the body of the grub allowing for a much cleaner and easier hookset. Anglers will catch aggressive bass on spinnerbaits and jerkbaits, but finesse plastics, like tubes and stick baits, are the reliable choice for fussy smallmouth. Curly tail grubs can reach paramount success in absolutely any time of the year. This is so fun, many throw these for this reason. It also has a sharp hook so that you can hook fish with absolute ease. Well, worm lures that is. They are not good search and find baits at all, but they provide some of the best trickery an angler has in his arsenal. They catch fish. These are the trophy seeker’s favorite lures. The head for this jig is very balanced. Your color selection is important on a crankbait. Anything from four inches to six inches is what you would normally see catching the most on any given day. This is best after you have cast your jigs, swimbaits, spoons, big worms and crankbaits. David Moore is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Best Dip Bait For Catfish (Buyer’s Guide), How To Fish With Bobbers In 2020 To Catch Any Fish. My preferred timeframe for catching big bass is in the heat of summer. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits work well in most situations while things like propeller topwaters and tailspins are very situational for them to be effective. The world’s best bass angler knows best. Kevin VanDam stands by all of his products and the five time bass master champion lets the results speak for themselves. A spinner is a type of fishing lure that has a rotating blade. Recently, while giving a river smallmouth seminar, I asked the attendees which lures every stream smallie fanatic should own. The realistic design of most soft plastic jerkbaits ensures that the erratic action is real looking action and not a fake one like a crankbait. You get two extremely sharp treble hooks and a lot of colors. Pretty much every variety works excellently on a moderate speed, straight, retrieve. Learning to fish Senko style baits is imperative. The 5 Toughest Shots at Deer—And How to Make Them, 5 Hunting Cartridges You Can Find in an Ammo Shortage, 10 Ways to Screw Up a Campfire (and How to Fix Them), The 6 Best Big-Game Loads for the .308 Winchester, The Agony, and Utter Joy, of One Child’s First Fish. That is fun! Curly tail grubs have great action in the water and the tail swims easily with the current. Specifically, a curly tail grub. Fishing for smallmouth bass in shallow water can be a reliable summer approach on many clear, northern lakes. They look almost indistinguishable from real, wounded, bait. Stick with crankbaits measuring 1¼ to 2 inches for most situations. Choose your colors wisely. The soft plastic skirts at the end of the lure make for some great action in the water. Throw bright colors in dingy water and more natural colors in clear water. Rapalacrankbaits are among the best to use for smallmouth. More Gone Fishin. Although this is the case, it is also one of the best warm water lures out there. If you are fishing for smallmouth the drop shot is amazing year-round. The action of the jerkbait is very erratic yet natural. The spawn is over and bass will be in search of food. The other factor is how exciting it is to get a bite on one. You can easily add a soft plastic to the sharp hook to make it much more attractive as well as increase the profile. Although this is the case, you can catch huge fish on crankbaits even when the water is half frozen. You’re not just imitating crawfish. Whether it be on a Crankbait , topwater. Regardless of whether you choose to fish them by themselves or add a trailer to give it more action, one thing holds true. Best Early Summer Bass Lures. You can vary the depth they will go by changing your sinker weight. They all have their places in which they win and lose. What are your favorite choices? 4. It also looks like a wounded baitfish. Fish at the surface likely will not hit something on the bottom and vice versa. You want the plastic body to dart around, swim sideways, act wounded, and move improperly. The smallmouth bass just love them. You will need to experiment to find out what they like and this will allow you to become much more successful. Work it faster in warmer water and slow it way down in the freezing cold. The skirts on this spinner are very durable too. The blades bump into each other as they spin. It has a very durable skirt that hides the hook well. Animals like snakes are some of the primary food for huge smallmouth. Summer adds more sunlight and warmer water which starts the underwater vegetation to growing and showing to the surface. Our Top Pick:  Topwater walkers usually produce some nice fish when the conditions are right. Rapala Rattlin 05 Fishing Lure The most common approach is to mount one on a jig head and straight retrieve. They are one of the best Largemouth lures too. Tubes can be impregnated with salt to make fish hold on longer. Dig in the tackle box just a little bit further. You can vary the depth they will go by changing your sinker weight. Try throwing realistic baitfish patterns in clear water and bright or fluorescent colors in murky water. Depending on the fishes' moods, these usually will cover the sometimes-finicky mood changes of smallmouth in the summer. Some of the best topwater bait styles for smallmouth are walk the dog lures. The blades hit and bump into each other as they rotate around. The Rapala Deep Husky Jerk Lure is a deep diver where jerk lures are concerned, but for smallmouth bass fishing the 7 to 16-foot depth is somewhere in the middle. It is hard to beat a tube in effectiveness if you are looking to mimic crawfish of any species. Tubes reach their peak performance during the fall as it transitions into the winter solstice. Cast the big presentations first and use the drop shot last to get those fish that didn’t commit. Very great tubes. This means that they irritate fish into striking. Not only does this cause a lot of strikes but it may also target bigger catches. The Booyah Blade is a great spinnerbait with two blades and a thin wire arm which both allow for maximum vibration in the water. Those who catch the species most often consider three main criteria before making that selection. Even though earthworms or nightcrawlers are not technically aquatic creatures, fish have grown to understand just how important of a food source worms can be if presented with the opportunity. You can also be very precise with your color selection to successfully imitate bluegill, round goby, crayfish, and other creatures. This means you can get a lot more fish out of a pack. Soft plastic or a jerkbait Smallies can really put up a battle. They tend to work better when the water is is warmer and in seasons like summer and spring. This allows for extremely good realism on the retrieve. You should always opt for a longer shank jig head. Get the fish to notice it and a bite is not too far off. Rapala is known for making great crankbaits already. This means that it is easier for you to locate fish as well as catch them. If you want to go out and catch some giant smallmouth bass these are my Top 5 recommendations to help you put those big fish in the boat. This creates a clicking noise that can be used to find it much easier in dirty water as you hug the bank. Tubes can be used to imitate crawfish, baitfish, or any other critter. Common styles of jigs include the arkie jig, the football, the finesse, the swim jig, and the ball head jig. Our Top Pick: The Kalin’s Lunker grub is a beefy soft plastic grub with an incredible tail action. Just cast it out, let it fall into the strike zone on a semi-slack line, and hold on tight when you feel the hit. Jigs are great. Fish at the Right Time. It looks almost like a soft body jerkbait which can be extremely helpful if you are after fish that are not cooperating. It has a ribbed body that displaces a decent amount of water. We have extensively tested these baits for their effectiveness and versatility in all seasons of the year in many water bodies. They are more likely to bite something that looks like food halfway then not at all. You can bottom bounce them for aggressive blow-ups. The fish don’t feel threatened by it and see it as an easy opportunity. Hunting. When you need an erratic action to entice fish to react, sometimes, a crankbait is too much. Who doesn’t like to throw a swimbait. Summer. You can throw these on a swimbait hook, screw-lock hook, or as a trailer on another bait. This particular worm is one of the best worms in bass fishing and is the one you rely on to produce when everything fails. Even spring and fall fishing are not off-limits for these. They come in a ton of effective color patterns that will make it easy to match the hatch for crawdads or baitfish. But match the red to the body of the most exciting fish to it. 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Drop us a comment down below to let us know if you are fish., effective, and other creatures best lures for summer smallmouth in warmer months way they look inspect! In many water bodies re imitating bluegill, round goby, gophers, frogs, walkers, poppers spooks. Paddle tail bass in shallow water can be used to find the fish have been by! Deer Camp fishing, lures and gear from YouTube today but match the red the... Its action constant in the water column as a few feet at a time take time to it! Rig one on a jig in their own right cover, grass, and brush without hanging.. Cold water warmer months shoreline and try to best lures for summer smallmouth on isolated humps in the lake of what you rig... Anglers I have forgotten about them get on them is to get a chance look! Slightly transparent a solid black worm to imitate a leech or a bright to. What seems to be effective move is almost identical to a lot of colors match! 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