The 9 Best Largemouth Bass Lures of 2023
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We recommend the Buckeye Lures G-Man Ballin' Out Jig
TripSavvy / Chloe Jeong
Best Overall: Buckeye Lures G-Man Ballin' Out Jig at basspro.com
"A true multi-purpose jig that works well with a variety of covers in almost any situation."
Best Softbait: Zoom Bait Brush Hog at Amazon
"This tool combines the features of a plastic worm, a craw, and a lizard imitator."
Best Finesse Worm: Zoom Bait Finesse Worm at Amazon
"This pick's gradually tapering profile perfectly mimics live worms for a natural presentation."
Best Spinnerbait: Strike King KVD Finesse Spinnerbait at Amazon
"This spinnerbait works excellent in shallow vegetation. "
Best Jig: Rapala Terminator Pro Series Jig at Amazon
"A universal jig that can be used in a variety of different ways to fish almost any situation successfully."
Best Topwater Lure: LIVE TARGET Hollow Body Frog at Amazon
"The body's boat-like shape is also ideal for walking it back and forth across pockets of open water to lure out bass."
Best Buzzbait: BOOYAH Counter Strike Buzz at Amazon
"This lure features a unique sound that can grab the attention of even the most pressured bass."
Best Deep-Diving Crankbait: Strike King Pro Model 8XD Crankbait at Amazon
"This lure dives deeper and faster than most other deep-diving hardbaits and reaches depths of up to 20 feet."
Best Lipless Crankbait: Rapala Rattlin' Rapala at Amazon
"This pick offers excellent castability and is negatively buoyant. "
It’s human nature to want the best, but when selecting a largemouth bass fishing lure, the best can prove elusive. Mind you, we do call out one that will work well for almost all angling situations, but the many variables of largemouth bass fishing—location, season, weather, water type, and depth, just to name a few—that make it such an adventure is also why it’s tough only to suggest one. So we’ve included lure recommendations for all types of fishing, including finesse worms, topwater crankbait, and buzz bait, paying particular attention to the vibration and color choices.
Best Overall: Buckeye Lures G-Man Ballin’ Out Jig
Courtesy of Tackle Warehouse
What We Like
Sharp hooks
Deflects weeds
What We Don't Like
Reviewers note color may fade quickly
Designed by pro bass angler Gerland Swindle, the G-Man Ballin’ Out Jig from Buckeye Lures uses a round ball head design to handle any sort of cover or fishing situation, making it a reliable go-to for catching tournament-winning largemouth bass. The standard jig lure includes a stout, razor-sharp Gamakatsu Hook for serious setting power, partnered with a fiber weed guard to cut through dense foliage. The multi-purpose lure uses a banded finesse-cut skirt to create subtle action to catch the fish’s eye and provides just the right amount of weight for confident casting. You can select from 11 colors and four sizes that range from a 0.25-inch up to 0.75 inches.
Price at time of publication: $5
Colors: 11 | Weight: 0.25 ounces, 0.37 ounces, 0.5 ounces, or 0.75 ounces
Best Softbait: Zoom Bait Brush Hog
Amazon
What We Like
Versatile
Realistic swimming action
What We Don't Like
Reviewers note a strong plastic smell
Choose the Zoom Bait Brush Hog lure when you can’t decide between a plastic worm, a craw, or a lizard imitator. This creature bait borrows elements from all three lure shapes to tempt hungry bass and deliver results in almost any situation. It’s perfect for pitching and flipping and can be rigged in many different ways depending on whether you want to keep the bait suspended in the strike zone or send it diving for big bass.
Multiple appendages give it a realistic swimming action and help to displace water, creating vibrations that the bass’ lateral line can pick up. Glitter flecks trigger bites by replicating the sheen of baitfish scales, while salt impregnated in the plastic encourages fish to hold on longer and ensures the perfect fall rate. The lure measures 6 inches—long enough to carry a large hook on its own or act as an irresistible jig trailer. There are eight lures in a package, and you can choose from a rainbow of colors, including Summer Craw and Green Pumpkin.
Price at time of publication: $9
Colors: 16 | Weight: Not listed
Best Finesse Worm: Zoom Bait Finesse Worm
What We Like
Affordable
Versatile
What We Don't Like
Not as durable as other options
Specifically designed to yield results when fishing in a pressured area or at a time of year when bass are reluctant to bite, Zoom Bait Finesse Worms are praised for their quality construction and affordable price tag. The lure’s gradually tapering profile allows an undulating action that perfectly mimics live worms for an irresistibly natural presentation. Good water displacement and light-catching glitter flecks alert sluggish bass to its presence. The plastic is impregnated with salt to increase the fish’s hold time, giving you a few extra moments to set the hook.
The finesse worm can be rigged in countless ways to suit specific conditions on any given day. Wacky rig it when fishing just after the spawn or attach it to a shaky jig head for deadly results in clear water. Each lure is 4.5 inches long. Choose natural shades like bullfrog and green pumpkin, or opt for attention-grabbing hues like red bug shad, cotton candy, and chartreuse pepper to ramp up the action when targeting bass in stained water.
Price at time of publication: $9
Colors: 27 | Weight: 0.7 ounces
Related:The 8 Best Striper Lures of 2023
Best Spinnerbait: Strike King KVD Finesse Spinnerbait
What We Like
Deflects weeds
Realistic features
What We Don't Like
Not as durable as other options
The result of a collaboration between respected lure manufacturer Strike King and seven-time Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam, the KVD Finesse Spinnerbait is intended to be your go-to all-rounder. Like all spinnerbaits, it particularly excels in shallow vegetation, as the pin that connects the hook to the blades deflects weeds and sticks to prevent potential foul-ups. The larger willow-shaped blade is designed to spin rapidly through thick cover, while the smaller Colorado blade is shaped for maximum bass-catching vibration. Both are made of reflective polished metal.
The lure boasts top-quality components, from the premium hook to the solid ball-bearing swivel. The Perfect Skirt and Magic Tail come in natural color patterns, with a smaller profile that realistically mimics bait to trigger more strikes. The fluttering of the KVD-insignia-stamped blades also gives the silicone skirt a pulsing action that proves fatal for predatory bass. Opt for a 0.5-ounce or 0.37-ounce weight lure, then choose from several colors, including blue gizzard, chartreuse sexy shad, and super white.
Price at time of publication: $9
Colors: 10 | Weight: 0.5 ounces or 0.37 ounces
Related:The 9 Best Pike Lures of 2023
Best Jig: Rapala Terminator Pro Series Jig
What We Like
Versatile
Durable
What We Don't Like
Reviewers note it can catch weeds
The Rapala Terminator Pro Series Jig is a universal jig that can be used in a variety of different ways to fish almost any situation successfully. Although the lure works perfectly in open water, it’s particularly suited to flipping, pitching, or casting in and around dense cover, thanks to its unique head design and integrated nylon brush guard. Together, these elements prevent snags and reduce the likelihood of having to cut your tackle loose. The silicone half-skirt gives the lure a tantalizing bug-like appearance and comes in custom color patterns that perfectly match the head and brush guard.
These include June bug, peanut butter jelly, and electric blue. Whichever shade you go for, a single rattle generates sonic vibrations that complete the lure’s appeal. If you add a soft plastic trailer, a stainless steel wire keeps it from slipping down the hook shank and getting shredded on the premium VMC black nickel hook. The latter is extra sharp for quick, solid hook sets. There are five lure weights, from 0.25 ounces to 1 ounce.
Price at time of publication: $5
Colors: 17 | Weight: 0.25 ounces, 0.37 ounces, 0.5 ounces, 0.75 ounces, or 1 ounce
Related:The 9 Best Crappie Lures of 2023
Best Topwater Lure: LIVE TARGET Hollow Body Frog
What We Like
Realistic features
Deflects weeds
What We Don't Like
Pricier than other options
Choose a topwater, award-winning lure like the LIVE TARGET Hollow Body Frog for the high-octane thrill of watching bass strike aggressively through the surface. Its incredibly accurate anatomy and detailed color patterns (in shades like emerald brown and yellow-black) serve to fool even the canniest fish, while silicone streamers generate vibrations by displacing water on the retrieve.
The lure’s main appeal, however, is its ingenious hollow body design. When a bass strikes, the soft body collapses to reveal custom double hooks tucked in on either side, which sink instantly to give you a higher hook-up ratio. This design serves a dual purpose in that it is also naturally weedless. You can cast it into any thick brush or around the grass and lily pads that constitute a live frog’s natural habitat without fear of fouling. The body’s boat-like shape is also ideal for walking it back and forth across pockets of open water to lure out bass hiding in the shadows.
Price at time of publication: $16
Colors: 10 | Weight: 0.25 ounces, 0.62 ounces, or 0.75 ounces
Related:The 9 Best Bass Fishing Lines of 2023
Best Buzzbait: BOOYAH Counter Strike Buzz
What We Like
Great stability
Realistic features
What We Don't Like
Reviewers note skirt can get tangled
The BOOYAH Counter Strike Buzz is the perfect surface lure for shallow flats. Designed along similar lines to a traditional spinnerbait, it features counter-rotated blades that deliver exceptional stability and make a sound unique enough to grab the attention of even the most pressured bass. The blades are nickel or gold-plated to maximize flash and trigger enthusiastic bites. The body’s triangle-shaped head is custom painted with ultra-realistic scales and eyes. Its streamlined profile cuts quickly through thick cover to the surface.
The lure’s combination of sound, vibration, shimmer, and bubble trail creates a package that few basses can resist. It’s designed to last, too, with a premium Tx3 hook and components, in addition to a durable silicone skirt. Choose from three sizes and five colors.
Price at time of publication: $9
Colors: 5 | Weight: 0.5 ounces, 0.25 ounces, or 0.37 ounces
Best Deep-Diving Crankbait: Strike King Pro Model 8XD Crankbait
What We Like
Dives up to 20 feet
Durable
What We Don't Like
Pricier than other options
Deep-diving crankbaits are made for targeting the big bass traditionally found in deep water. The far-casting Strike King Pro Model 8XD Crankbait dives deeper and faster than most other deep-diving hardbaits and reaches depths of up to 20 feet. Its unique curved bill is the secret to its ability to carve swiftly through the water. A quick descent is key to increasing your catch rate because it maximizes your lure's time at target depth on the retrieve. At 5.5 inches and 1.4 ounces, this is a medium-sized lure with the signature wobble exhibited by all crankbaits in Strike King's popular XD range.
Free-floating rattles create sonic vibrations that add to the lure's appeal, while the chip-proof, high-gloss paint comes in a range of proven color patterns, including incredibly realistic options such as natural shad, barfish, and clearwater minnow. Choose high-visibility designs like citrus shad or powder blue-black chartreuse for stained water. Either way, the lure is completed by an oversized 3D eye and two sharp treble hooks.
Price at time of publication: $16
Colors: 30 | Weight: 1.4 ounces
Best Lipless Crankbait: Rapala Rattlin’ Rapala
What We Like
Hand-tuned and tank-tested
Realistic features
What We Don't Like
Reviewers note color may fade quickly
Best suited to fishing over or through shallow vegetation, lipless crankbaits are particularly useful in spring and fall. The Rapala Rattlin’ Rapala fishing lure is a category winner, having been hand-tuned and tank-tested for flawless out-of-the-box functionality. It offers excellent castability and is negatively buoyant. Control the speed at which it sinks by ripping it fast or running it slow—either way, Rapala’s famous wobbling action will tempt fish.
In addition, the lure features a unique rattle chamber that produces sound frequencies specially tuned for the most believable baitfish presentation. The highly detailed paint job completes the illusion with ultra-realistic patterns such as baby bass, bluegill, shad, and red crawdad. Two premium VMC black nickel treble hooks convert strikes into confirmed catches. The RNR05 model linked here measures 2 inches long and weighs 0.37 ounces.
Price at time of publication: $8
Colors: 15 | Weight: 0.18 ounces, 0.37 ounces, 0.5 ounces, or 0.75 ounces
What to Look for in a Largemouth Bass Lure
Type
It’s always best to first understand the native feeding species in your target waters to match the live bait in both the shape and size of the lure, but all lures have pretty specific applications. Spinnerbaits work year-round and are a great search lure as they can resist snagging on grass, while plastic worm-type lures can be used in practically any scenario unless the fish are very active, as it’s not the fastest or most efficient option. Meanwhile, crankbaits are made to move quickly and are available in various sizes, colors, and depth ranges. Go with a jig during the spring and summer or in colder water when the fish movement is slower.
Vibration
Largemouth bass and other fish species are attuned to vibrations generated by baitfish and lures and rely on that sense almost as much as their vision. Look for lures with many appendages and shapes that get the lure to spin and sway—a movement that mimics the action of live fish. This will increase your chances considerably in all water types and can work to attract basses that are a bit distant from your cast. This is especially important when trolling since you're relying on the boat's pull to move the lure rather than triggering some sort of action with your pole.
Color
While several other factors will likely influence the effectiveness of your lures beyond color, it’s still a consideration. In broad strokes, use brightly colored lures if you fish in dingy or muddy waters, as it’ll allow them to stand out against the murky surroundings while considering lighter, more subtle colors when fishing in clear fresh or saltwater.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the first thing to consider when buying a largemouth bass lure?
Start with the type of lure that’ll sync up to your preferred fishing style, whether that’s spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwater lures, soft plastic lures, or spoons. This will narrow the field down to one or two main lure categories. Then consider where you plan on fishing taking into account the weed/foliage cover, the water clarity, and the temperature and depth. Then look for lures that are designed to work in those scenarios.
How do the seasons affect my largemouth bass fishing lure selection?
As migratory fish, largemouth bass move—a lot. And their movement—and water depth—is often dictated by the season. Spring is when they typically spawn, with pre- and post-spawn depths around 8 to 15 feet, so if that’s your target fishing window, look for lures that align with those depths. During summer, basses are usually closer to shore in the morning and move into open water around creek channels as the day progresses, so go with topwater lures, jigs, or lipless crankbaits.
How should I start to build out my tackle box for largemouth bass?
Again, first, consider the conditions of your target fishing environment and let the water clarity, depth, and temperature fluctuations help narrow your field. Then go with a few different colors of the basic lure types: worms, crankbaits, topwater baits, softbaits, and jigs. Then start fishing. As you learn what works—and what doesn’t—as your skills improve, you should be able to supplement your kit with the best lure types that work for you.
Why Trust TripSavvy
Nathan Borchelt is a freelance contributor to TripSavvy. He has worked in the travel and outdoor industry for over 15 years as a writer, photographer, editor, and product manager. The contributors to this feature consulted the advice of both pro and amateur anglers who love fishing for largemouth bass. Then they widened their research to consider lures by type to identify solutions that would work for all kinds of fishing styles and options for beginners, intermediates, and experts.
