A Splendid Variety Of Bass Fishing Lures Await The Avid Fisherman

By Raymond Fischer

The sport of fishing for bass is one of the most singularly
appreciated summer sporting activities all across the United
States. Amateurs and professionals alike enjoy the competition
of bass fishing tournaments as well as simply spending a weekend
doing some bass fishing.

In addition to being a very popular sporting event, bass
fishing is also considered an art. For success, it is critical
to choose the best bass fishing lures to use by thinking about
the behavior of the fish, water temperature, water conditions
and seasonal movements.

There are plenty of freshwater bass fishing lures that are
customarily used in places where bass are known to concentrate.
The many kinds of bass include small and large-mouthed bass,
peacock, spotted, stripped and white bass. Each one of these
types is approached by using a different size and style of lure.
Bass fishing lures often include the following:

• Swimbaits – these bass fishing lures are sectioned and
streamlined in order to closely approximate the movement of a
minnow when swimming. Usually, they possess coloration such as
the fish used for bait in the area; and, for most bass fishing,
the shad colors are very often appreciated. The swimbait offers
options. It can have a single hook, a treble hook or a series of
hooks.

• Topwater baits – these lures are used on the water's surface.
They are made to move across the water and float in order to
attract bass that are feeding directly under the surface.
Topbaits may be buzzbaits or rattlebaits that cause their
movement through the water to make a vibration or sound to
attract bass, or they may have little propellers that are there
to produce a splashing sound when breaking the water's surface.

• Crankbait – these bass fishing lures may be used at any water
depth including deep, mid-level, or very close to the top.
Crankbaits come with or without a lip, which is dependent on the
depth at which they are used and the action that the fisherman
desires to get from them. Crankbaits are most often shaped to
resemble thick minnows and they attract fish when they move
through the water while the lure is being reeled in.

• Jerkbaits – these are also shaped like minnows, but they are
usually heavier than swimbaits. However, the jerkbait is not
designed for smooth retrieval as the other lures are. Instead,
they move irregularly and act as an injured bait fish would when
swimming.

Bass fishing lures also may include live bait fish, trolling
baits, and worms. Most often, the lures will be brightly colored
for fishing in bright conditions and in deep waters. More
naturally-colored lures are used for fishing in the typical
shallow and the cloudy water near the shoreline.

Stop in at your favorite bait shop or sports equipment store
and ask the sales person to show you the latest bass fishing
lures on the market today. You can be sure that he'll be happy
to give you a lesson on what's new in artificial baits.

Fishing gear and more at Basspro.com