In order to enjoy bass fishing you need to know what lures to use. A recent survey carried out amongst the pro bass fishers found that plastic worms was the most used followed by spinner bait and crank bait.  However, most will use a combination of all three depending on how they plan to fish.

Firstly, however, you must consider if it is better to cover a smaller segment of water thoroughly or skim across a larger area as quickly as possible to find fish. Using a worm is slower, but extremely effective as the Bass is attracted to this.  The problem with fishing with a worm is the inability to sense strikes, due to a sinker that is too heavy and a line that is too thick.

Not to worry – the best advice to overcome this problem is to use a variable buoyancy worm using lead strip sinkers.  The advantages to this are no moving lead on the line to dampen the feel of a gentle pickup.  The precise amount of lead is applied to deliver the necessary worm action.  This makes it easier for the bass to take the worm.  It will also help in hook setting and you’ll find it easier to shake loose from snags.  Moreover, you can make the worm hang suspended over the bottom when fishing in shallow waters.

The simplest way to work out how much lead strip is needed is to wrap one strip around the hook and bury the barb in the worm. Ease it into the water and watch it sink, it should barely settle toward the bottom. If it sinks to fast, take some off and try again. Ideally you should use nothing heavier than 8-pound mono line - preferably 6 pound.

Alternatively, Spinner bait can be moved quicker across the surface and can be bounced on the bottom, sent against a tree limb and moved in many different ways in order to encourage strikes. It is a great probing lure for the shoreline because of its tangle-free construction.

Finally, Crank baits cover a lot of water in a hurry. If you use them, you can check out a spot without wasting too much time. They can also be used for locating fish that may be scattered.

Regardless of which lure you choose to use you need to make it as easy for the Bass to get at it as possible. Drop that lure right in front of them.   Don’t forget to remember that the best time to catch Bass is at either dawn or dusk.  This is because they like to hide in ambush spots and pounce on baitfish which tend to be active during these times.  If you want success then this is the time to go fish.  Check the air temperature first though.  If it’s below 10C (50F) then it’s pointless as you will find certain pond life dormant during these temperatures thereby breaking the food chain feeding.

Discover and learn to use one of those lures and really find enjoyment in bass fishing!