I made my picks after years of fishing with professional bass anglers and interviewing them about the lures they use-and why they use them-spring after spring. I picked the best spring bass lures that would cover the gamut of water temperatures from immediately after ice out into the post spawn period. But with the following six choices, you’ll have a lure for every condition during this transitional time, no matter where you fish. Of course, the best spring bass lures can vary depending on what part of the country you’re fishing, and which species of bass you target. Best for Catching a True Spring Giant: Storm Arashi Glide.Best for Eliciting a Reaction Bite: Z-Man Evergreen Jackhammer.Best for Pitching Around Cover: Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits Senko.Best for Bedding Fish: Strike King Rage Craw.Best for Searching for Concentrations: Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap.

Best for Big Prespawn Females: Megabass Vision 110 Jerkbait.Sometimes that requires moving to a different depth range or another part of the lake altogether, but even that might not be enough if you’re not using the best spring bass lures. However, springtime fishing conditions change quickly, and anglers who fail to change with them will have hard days on the water. Spring is most bass anglers’ favorite season, because fish are often at their fattest and most active. Mike Bednarski is the Chief of Fisheries of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and spends all of his spare time at Lake Chesdin trying to catch largemouth bass.We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Good luck fishing and send us photos of all the big bass that you catch!ĭr. If you run into me on the water this summer, I promise you’ll find all three of these on the deck of my boat. You will get enough action to stay engaged as you wait for that big bite! They are great options for those that want to catch a larger fish but don’t want to commit to a giant lure. One thing I want to highlight is that these three baits don’t limit you to big fish like some very big baits will-I’ve caught plenty of 15-inch fish on these lures. If you haven’t thrown a rat, it’s worth the investment.

My biggest Virginia bass came on one of these baits, and I lost another that was even bigger. I like this bait in the summer when the water is over 70 degrees and the fish have an appetite. I throw this lure in the same places I’d throw the crawler and fish it the same way-let it hit the water, count to five, and wind it slowly. I throw the heavy copolymer because of the shock strength-rats are not cheap and with braid, you can snap the bait off on a cast. I like to use 20 lb copolymer line on an 8′ heavy action graphite composite baitcasting rod. These are big baits that run shallow and throw a big wake. The third bait in my records is one I discovered about two years ago-a rat. Mornings, evenings, and night are the best time to throw this, but don’t underestimate the strikes you can get on a hot, flat calm day in mid-summer. No bait that I have ever fished gets the violent strikes that I get on a crawler. Cast it out, let it hit the water, count to five, and reel it back slowly. I use 50 lb braided line on a 7′ MH baitcasting setup and throw this lure near targets, hydrilla beds, pad fields, and along water willow lines. This is a great bait for spring through fall as long as the water is above 60 degrees.Ī topwater crawler has proven to be quite effective! I’ve caught more big bass in recent memory on this bait than a jig, including my best bass out of the Chickahominy River and from Pocahontas State Park. They look ridiculous, but they make a tremendous amount of noise. This is a relatively new addition to my arsenal. The next bait that I like to throw for a big bass is a topwater crawler. The best tip for this bait is to always have one ready to throw and pick it up throughout the day. I prefer copolymer line and select types known for strength and abrasion resistance. Let the bait drop to the bottom, shake it, pick it up, and throw it back out there. I throw a ½ ounce on a 7′ heavy baitcasting setup with 17 lb line when I’m pitching a jig-short casts-and I like the extra weight because I can get the bait to go further under a dock. I let the bait get to the bottom and hop it back to the boat.

I throw a 3/8 ounce on a 7′ medium heavy or heavy baitcasting setup with 15 lb line when I’m casting the jig at rip rap or rock piles. I really like a jig and pig around rocks, docks, or brush.

Bass fish lures