Best Bait for Catching Bass

Asking what bait is best for catching bass might sound like a ridiculous question but there really is a solid answer. Soft plastic baits. Ok, so that is not a super specific answer but the category of baits that is the most effective for catching bass is definitely soft plastics.

Real world experience can prove this but there is also scientific data that supports this argument. The researchers at Pure Fishing have done many studies on bass and what makes them bite. They found that soft plastic baits are the only category of baits that bass bite over and over and over again. They concluded that the natural motions of soft plastics baits paired with the fact that no unnatural vibrations are there to detect so the bass continually were fooled by the soft plastic baits.

Any bass angler with some experience can tell you it is hard to beat a good soft plastic bait for catching stubborn bass. I totally agree and it seems like many of the bass I fish for are stubborn. Most fishing spots are fished by someone else, even ponds and private lakes. Natural action is the best way to get these bass to bite again and again.

Weightless soft plastics are a great way to catch those bass. Taking a straight worm like a Missile Baits Magic Worm and hooking it in the middle of the worm is called a wacky rig. This technique is my absolute favorite way to catch bass in ponds and small bodies of water. The bass are often feeding up and will not bite anything unless it is very natural looking. Tossing the wacky rig out, giving short little jerks causes the worm to collapse then open back up. This wacky rig action drives bass crazy and is so much fun to fish.

When you fish bigger bodies of waters like lakes and rivers, you often need to get the bait down to where the bass are. A Texas rigged soft plastic with a weight in front of the lure is a great way to accomplish that. My go to bait for the Texas rig is a Missile Baits D Bomb. It is a bulkier bait that looks like a bluegill or bigger crawfish. You can cast this rig into cover like a laydown tree or under a dock where bass like to hide. You can also just cast the Texas rig and drag it back and have bass bite the lure off the bottom. Weights from ¼ ounce to ½ ounce are the best place to start with a Texas rigged D Bomb.

Stick with soft plastics if you are having trouble getting bass to bite your lures. So many hard plastic topwaters and crankbaits look amazing and tempt anglers to throw them. Don’t fight the science and real world experience because soft plastics are the best way to get those stubborn bass to bite over and over again.