Walk into any tackle shop and you will see walls of bass lures in every shape and color. It is easy to feel lost. The truth is that a handful of proven baits catch most bass in America. This guide explains the best bait for bass for beginners, how to fish each one, and which to choose by season, water clarity, and situation.
If you are brand new to bass, start with our beginner’s guide to bass fishing, then come back here to choose your baits.
The Short Answer: Start With These 6 Baits
If you only buy six kinds of bait, make it these:
| Bait | Best for | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Soft plastic worm (Texas rig) | Everywhere, all year | Easy |
| Stick worm (wacky rig) | Shallow water, docks, spring | Very easy |
| Spinnerbait | Covering water, stained water, wind | Easy |
| Square-bill crankbait | Shallow cover, spring and fall | Easy |
| Jig with a soft trailer | Heavy cover, bigger bass | Medium |
| Topwater lure | Early morning, evening, summer | Easy to medium |
Plus one natural option: live nightcrawlers, where live bait is allowed.
1. Soft Plastic Worms (Texas Rig)
The soft plastic worm is the most reliable bass bait ever made. It looks and moves like a living creature, it is cheap, and it works in almost every situation.
How to rig it
The Texas rig makes the worm weedless, so it slides through grass and branches:
- Slide a bullet weight (1/8 to 1/4 ounce for most shallow water) onto your line, pointed end first.
- Tie on a 3/0 or 4/0 wide-gap worm hook.
- Push the hook point about 1/4 inch into the head of the worm, then out the side.
- Pull the hook through until the eye is buried in the worm’s head.
- Turn the hook and push the point back into the body so the worm hangs straight, with the point just under the surface of the plastic.
How to fish it
Cast near cover, let it sink to the bottom, then lift the rod tip slowly, let the worm fall again, and reel up slack. Most bites come as the worm falls. If you feel a tap or see the line jump sideways, reel up slack and set the hook firmly.
Good starter sizes: 5 to 7 inches.
2. Stick Worms (Wacky Rig)
A stick worm (also called a stick bait) is a thick, straight soft plastic worm with no tail. It is one of the easiest baits for beginners because the bait does the work.
How to rig and fish it
Hook the worm through the middle with a small, light wire hook (size 1 or 1/0). Cast it near docks, weeds, or the bank, and let it sink slowly on slack line. Both ends shimmy as it falls, which bass find hard to resist. Lift it gently off the bottom and let it fall again.
Tip: Wacky-rigged worms tear easily. An O-ring around the middle, with the hook under the ring, makes each worm last longer.
3. Spinnerbaits
A spinnerbait has a lead head with a skirt, a hook, and one or two metal blades on a wire arm. The blades flash and vibrate, so bass can find it even in stained water.
When to use it
- In stained or muddy water
- On windy days, especially along windblown banks
- When you want to cover a lot of water fast to find active fish
- Around shallow weeds, stumps, and flooded brush (the wire arm helps it deflect off cover)
How to fish it
Cast past cover and reel steadily, fast enough for the blades to spin. Try different speeds and depths: just under the surface, or let it sink a few seconds before reeling.
Good starter size: 3/8 ounce, white or white-and-chartreuse.
4. Crankbaits
Crankbaits are hard plastic or wood lures shaped like small fish or crayfish, with a plastic lip that makes them dive and wobble as you reel.
Which one to start with
A square-bill crankbait is ideal for beginners. It dives about 2 to 6 feet (check the package), and its square lip bumps off rocks, stumps, and docks instead of snagging as often.
A lipless crankbait (a flat, rattling lure with no lip) is another excellent choice for covering open water and the tops of underwater weeds, especially in spring and fall.
How to fish them
Cast and reel at a steady speed. When the lure bumps into cover, pause for a second. Strikes often come right after it deflects off something.
5. Jigs
A bass jig is a weighted hook with a skirt and a weed guard, usually paired with a soft plastic trailer that looks like a crayfish claw. Jigs are famous for catching big bass around heavy cover.
How to fish a jig
Pitch or cast it next to docks, fallen trees, or thick weeds. Let it fall to the bottom on a semi-slack line, then hop or drag it slowly. Bites often feel like a soft “tick” or a mushy weight. Set the hook hard.
Good starter sizes: 3/8 to 1/2 ounce, in brown, green pumpkin, or black and blue.
Jigs take more practice than the other baits on this list, but they are worth learning.
6. Topwater Lures
Nothing in fishing beats watching a bass explode on a lure at the surface. Topwater lures float and create splashes, pops, or a side-to-side walking motion.
Beginner-friendly topwater lures
- Poppers: a cupped face that spits water when you twitch the rod.
- Walking baits: a cigar-shaped lure that zigzags with rhythmic twitches.
- Hollow-body frogs: weedless, perfect over thick weeds and lily pads.
- Buzzbaits: a blade that churns the surface as you reel steadily.
When and how to fish topwater
Topwater works best in low light: early morning, evening, and cloudy days, especially from late spring to early fall. Make a cast, let the ripples die down, then twitch it. Wait until you feel the weight of the fish before setting the hook. Many beginners pull the lure away from the bass because they react to the splash.
7. Live Bait for Bass
Live bait is natural and easy, which makes it great for beginners and kids. Common choices:
- Nightcrawlers: fish them on the bottom or under a bobber.
- Minnows or shiners: hook them lightly through the lips or behind the back fin, under a bobber or on a light bottom rig.
- Crayfish: a natural bass food in rivers and rocky lakes.
Important:
- Check your local rules. Some states and lakes restrict live bait or limit which baitfish you can use and transport. Never release leftover bait into the water.
- Set the hook sooner. Bass often swallow live bait deeply, which can hurt fish you plan to release. Setting the hook quickly helps. So does a circle hook: with a circle hook, do not jerk the rod. Simply reel steadily until the line tightens, and the hook will usually catch the corner of the fish’s mouth.
Our bank fishing tips show two simple live-bait rigs: the bobber rig and the sliding-sinker bottom rig.
Best Bait for Bass by Season
Bass change their behavior with water temperature. Here is a simple guide that works across most of the U.S.:
Spring (prespawn and spawn)
As water warms, bass move toward shallow bays and flats to spawn. Try lipless crankbaits, square-bills, and spinnerbaits before the spawn, then stick worms and soft plastics near shallow cover during and after it.
Be responsible: bass guarding nests are easy to catch. If you catch one, release it quickly near where you caught it so it can protect the nest. Some states have special rules during the spawn, so check yours.
Summer
Fish topwater early and late. In the heat of the day, bass move deeper or into shade: use Texas-rigged worms and jigs around docks, deep weed edges, and drop-offs.
Fall
Bass chase schools of baitfish and feed heavily before winter. Spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits, square-bills, and topwater lures that look like small fish shine. Follow the baitfish.
Winter
Bass slow down in cold water. Fish slowly with small jigs, soft plastics on light weights, and suspending jerkbaits with long pauses. In many places, sunny afternoons are the best time.
How to Choose Bait Color
Color matters less than location and depth, but these simple rules help:
| Water clarity | Colors to try |
|---|---|
| Clear | Natural: green pumpkin, watermelon, brown, translucent shad |
| Stained (slightly tinted) | Brighter: white, chartreuse, chartreuse and white |
| Muddy or at night | Dark, solid shapes: black, black and blue |
Rule of thumb: match the main food in your lake. If bass eat shad, use white and silver. If they eat crayfish, use brown, green, or orange tones.
Gear That Matches These Baits
Most of these baits work on a medium or medium-heavy spinning rod around 7 feet with 8 to 12 pound line. Heavier jigs and frogs fish better on a baitcasting setup, but you do not need one to start. See our guide to the best fishing gear for beginners for a complete setup.
Use a strong knot, such as the Palomar knot, for all of these baits. Our guide on how to tie a fishing knot shows you how.
A Simple Beginner Bass Box
You can fit everything in one small tackle box:
- One bag of 6 to 7 inch soft plastic worms (green pumpkin) with bullet weights and 3/0 to 4/0 worm hooks
- One bag of stick worms with size 1 or 1/0 hooks and O-rings
- Two spinnerbaits (white, white and chartreuse)
- Two square-bill crankbaits (one shad color, one crayfish color)
- Two jigs with trailers (green pumpkin, black and blue)
- One popper and one hollow-body frog
That box covers almost every bass situation you will meet in your first year.
Final Thoughts
The best bait for bass is the one you fish with confidence in the right place. Start with a Texas-rigged worm and a wacky-rigged stick worm, add a spinnerbait and a square-bill to cover water, and save topwater for early mornings and evenings. Match your colors to the water, slow down when it is cold, and keep moving until you find active fish.
New to fishing in general? Our fishing tips for complete beginners cover the basics, from licenses to landing your first fish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best all-around bait for bass?
A soft plastic worm is the best all-around choice for beginners. It works in every season, in shallow and deep water, and it is cheap. Rig it Texas style so it slides through weeds without snagging.
Is live bait or artificial bait better for bass?
Both catch bass. Live bait such as nightcrawlers or minnows is easy for beginners and often gets more bites, but bass tend to swallow it deeply. Artificial lures are easier for catch and release and let you cover more water. Check your local rules, because some waters restrict live bait.
What color lure is best for bass?
Match the water clarity. In clear water, use natural colors such as green pumpkin, watermelon, or shad. In stained water, use brighter colors such as chartreuse and white. In muddy water or at night, use dark colors such as black and blue.
What size hook should I use for bass?
For soft plastic worms of about 5 to 7 inches, a 3/0 or 4/0 wide-gap worm hook is a good start. For live nightcrawlers, a size 1 to 2/0 hook works well. Match the hook to the bait size.