Fishing has been part of my life since I can remember. I enjoy fishing, and this has exposed me to different types of fish, including crayfish, perch, largemouth bass, and catfish, among others. In this article, I will focus on smallmouth bass, which also happens to be my favorite.
Smallmouth bass is a type of fish that is known for its enthusiastic fighting abilities. Ideally, luring and catching a smallmouth bass is a challenging task. Why?
Smallmouth bass doesn’t submit to a hook, and if it does, it will fight its way from the hook and hide even from experienced bass anglers. Surprisingly, this gives the bass anglers a hard time trying to locate the smallmouth because they know how to disguise.
The smallmouth is a game fish, which is one of the reasons why trying to catch a trophy smallmouth is exciting.
With their fighting ability in mind, any angler needs the best smallmouth bass lures. It’s essential to understand; different smallmouth bass fishing lures work best depending on the time of year.
You, therefore, have to buy different smallmouth bass baits for various seasons. Luckily, we will guide you through the best smallmouth bass lures and the season each is best suited for.
What Are Smallmouth Bass Lures?
If you’ve gone fishing before, you understand how fishing lures can be productive when it comes to catching a lot of fish. A fishing lure is an artificial bait that attracts fish and right into a trap-hook.
Lures come in different shapes, colors, sizes, and designs, and each is best for luring specific fish species. There are many types of baits, and they are such as crankbait, buzzbait, swimbaits, and spinnerbaits, among others.
So, how do you evaluate which lure works, and how do you use them? We will examine various top smallmouth bass lures and how to use each. After reading this article, you will have the skills and knowledge you need to catch smallmouth bass any season.
The following are some of the benefits and disadvantages of using smallmouth lures.
Benefits Of Using Smallmouth Bass Fishing Lures
- Lures promote an angler to cast further.
- The exercise of using a lure is less messy.
- You can target a specific species accurately.
- You can swap lures effectively. If you find bait is not working as expected, you can change to another.
- Lures imitate small fish, larvae, insects that big fish feed on. This attracts more smallmouth bass.
- Lures prevent fish from gutting it. Nonetheless, in some cases, fish gut lures.
Disadvantages Of Using Smallmouth Bass Fishing Lures
- Lures are relatively expensive.
- Lures can be ineffective in colder waters or seasons.
- You need to have skills for using lures.
- The device might get snugged in water obstacles, and this can be painful to lose them, bearing you spend money on buying them.
Types Of Smallmouth Bass Lures And Baits
1.     Jigs
A jig is a device with a massive head and a hook that travels through the lure. It looks like a fish only that the jighead is round and made of lead, and a hook pierces from the body of the bait.
The weight of the jig head promotes their sinking ability making them the best smallmouth bass lures for fall. Why? During fall, top water on seas, lakes, and any other smallmouth bass habitat usually get cold.
The smallmouth bass, therefore, moves towards the deep water where the water temperatures are warmer.
How Do You Use A Jig?
You have to cast the jig until your line slacks. To do this, you have to wiggle, wobble, or move your line up and down by incorporating different speeds. Experiment small and big movements until you find the motion that works best in the waters you’re at.
One of the best jigs is thkfish Mix Color Metal Lead Fishing Jigs.
This is one of the top smallmouth bass lures, and it looks like an insect dressed in a skirt. The silicone-like skirt is tied around the neck of the plastic to prevent it from falling off. It typically looks like hair jig smallmouth. The silicone material also promotes the natural swimming ability of the jig.
The swimming of the jigs helps to attract your targeted fish. The packages come with either five or 10 devices with different colors. The jig has a hook that is weed protected to prevent it from snugging in water vegetation, and thus, you can’t lose your jig easily.
Moreover, the hook is made with black nickel, which makes it durable. The hook is also somehow covered, which helps to manipulate smallmouth bass.
Pros
- It comes in different colors and weights, giving you a wide range of selection.
- The jig has a weed guard.
- The jig is made from durable material-silicone and carbon steel.
Cons
- The guard is not durable. You might have to use glue to stick it more effectively before you go swimming.
2.     Blade Baits
The beautiful thing about blade baits is the vibration they make while in the water. The pulsing rhythm attracts smallmouth from their hideouts. Moreover, the tool is ideal for cold water, and when smallmouth is less active.
How Do Blade Baits Work?
When you place blade bait in the water, it produces a pulsing rhythm. This makes the bait look venerable, especially in cold water, and smallmouth bass is unable to resist the motion. It strikes thinking it’s a small fish only for the hook to capture the fish.
Although blade baits are ideal in cold water, some anglers love to use it during the hotter part of the day. Ideally, the tool is applicable throughout the year.
One of the top best blade baits is Blitz Blade – Blade Bait.
Blitz blade is made from zinc alloy. It is light and has offsetting fins on both sides of the head, and this is an advantage since it looks more realistic. When dropped into the water, the blade bait looks like ailing/dying small fish, and it lures smallmouth to it.
Pros
- Availability of homes between hooks to provide a room where you can add a spinner.
- Made from zinc alloy thus light and environmentally friendly
- VMC hooks
Cons
- You need multiple blade baits with different sizes to suit various smallmouth sizes.
3.     Jerk Baits
Jerk baits are applicable all year round and can be used in rivers, lakes, or seas. Just like blade baits, jerk baits represent injured fish that is venerable to other fish. However, the angler has sole control over jerk baits contrary to blade baits.
I have used this previously, and it requires the user to jerk for it to move in a different direction. Every jerk seems like the last kick of a dying fish. This technique lures smallmouth towards the jerk bait.
Jerk bait is a popular smallmouth bass lures for fall when the water is colder. Why is it applicable during fall? Ideally, when water is cold, the fish tend to be less active. Since you can jerk as slowly as you like, jerk bait is ideal for smallmouth fishing as they are sluggish during fall.
One of the best jerk bait is Rapala Shadow Rap Jerkbait.
Rapala Shadow Rap Jerkbait is lightweight and ideal for fishing during summer or in warmer water. The tool is a perfect mimic of an injured fish since it has a crankbait that looks just like a real fish. It is ideal for a depth of 2-4 ft.
Pros
- Scale textured to mimic real fish
- It presents delicate and venerable injured fish; this attracts smallmouth.
Cons
- You can’t use them in deeper water or during fall
- They are small and, therefore, not children friendly because they can swallow.
4.     Tubes
Tubes are best suited for use during the spring season. The device is rounded on one side while the other side is flared. Tubes come in different colors.
The advantage of having several tubes with different colors is that you will be able to apply the tubes depending on various water conditions such as color.
Water is normally colorless, but some lakes have colored water. So, if the lake you are fishing looks green, it’s wise to use a tube that can easily blend.
One of the best tubes is Strike King Coffee Tube Regular Bait.
This tube is attractive, and it has a coffee granule scent that entices your target. The product allows you to rig through it to insert a hook of your choice. Besides having a unique scent, the tubes also have salt to help you catch more smallmouth bass.
The product comes in different colors, giving you a wide option to choose from depending on the color of water in your fishing area.
Pros
- Attractive, thus draw more fish your way.
- Coffee scented to present earthy feel and thus fascinate more fish.
Cons
- The material used to make tubes could be harmful. Avoid putting it in the mouth and keep away from children.
5.     Spoons
Initially, fishing spoons were just spoons but with broken handles. Today manufacturers design spoon lures from metal. One side of the spoon is pattern colored while the other side is metal.
This technique makes the spoon to reflect and attract fish. It is ideal for both saltwater and freshwater. Using spoons is easy as you can either cast or jig and retrieve it when you catch your target.
A perfect example of a spoon you can use is GuaziV Spoon Fishing Lures .
This product is one of the best equipment I have ever used. It has feathers that enable it to tremble while in water with a hook in place. Besides being useful, this product is one of the most affordable smallmouth fishing tools.
Surprisingly, the design of this tool is hilarious. It’s exciting to realize you’ll be catching fish with such a juvenile tool.
Pros
- Affordable
- Attractive to lure fish
- High-quality product that doesn’t wear out easily
Cons
- Sharp hook. Keep away from kids.
6.     Flies and Plastic Lures
Suppose you’re targeting river smallmouth. Well, you’ll need river smallmouth bass lures. They include flies and plastic lures. Flies are ideally a presentation of a fly-like plastic tool that floats on water or sink depending on the type.
Plastic, on the other hand, represents molds of frogs, crawfish, worms, and frogs. You set the hook through the head of the bait and barb it within to prevent it from getting stuck in the weed in the water. These tools are applicable when you go kayaking downstream or on a lake.
Examples of excellent plastic and flies lure include:
A.   Soft Plastic Bait Worm Fishing Accessories
This product has a high elastic-plastic and stainless steel hook running through it. It is one of the best river smallmouth bass lures in the market.
Pros
- Small and therefore easy to store and carry
- Made with quality materials
- Affordable
Cons
- The device is not assembled and might be challenging for some people.
B.    Woolly Bugger Trout Fly Fishing Streamer Assortment
This product looks like a fly and can float on water or sink, depending on the weight of the head. It’s a durable tool applicable during summer. It imitates baitfish, minnows, and giant flying insects.
Pros
- Great design with durable materials
- Promotes motion in and on water-attracting more fish
- Great packaging
- Affordable
Cons
- Time and weather might hinder or improve your fishing experience.
Conclusion
Different seasons call for a precise fishing technique. If you fish a few fish during one season than another, it is understandable because fish behave each season differently. However, the number shouldn’t reduce as much, especially if you have the right tools and techniques suited for a specific season.
The secret is to get the best smallmouth bass lures for each season. The truth is, fishing is exciting and rewarding when you have the right tool at the spot-on time. For instance, flies lures are exciting to use because you get to see your target getting lured and eventually getting hooked.
It’s hilarious because these species are what you’d call wise, yet they can be captured using mimics. Equip yourself with all the tools and remember to countercheck with the season and the color of the water of your lake or sea and enjoy bass hunting.
