The Best Bass Lures for Every Season
Bass are cold-blooded, so water temperature controls how they act. Use these temperatures as your guide: an inexpensive thermometer, or the fish finder on a boat, tells you which season the bass are in, even if the calendar says something else.
Winter
Bass are slow and hold deep, near steep banks, channel edges and rocky bluffs. They eat less, so work baits slowly and close to the bottom.
Top lures- Suspending jerkbait, with long pauses
- Blade bait, hopped off the bottom
- Ned rig or a drop shot
- Football jig, dragged slowly
Pre-spawn (early spring)
The biggest bass of the year move from deep water toward shallow spawning flats. They feed heavily to fatten up. A great time to catch a giant.
Top lures- Lipless crankbait over new weeds
- Jerkbait along points
- Squarebill crankbait on rocks and wood
- Jig around docks and laydowns
Spawn
Bass make round beds in shallow, protected water and guard them. They bite to protect the nest more than to eat. Please release spawning fish quickly so they can return to the bed.
Top lures- Stick bait, wacky rigged
- Creature bait or craw, Texas rigged
- Soft jerkbait (fluke)
- Small swimbait
Post-spawn (late spring)
Tired bass recover around shallow cover, then slide out to the first drop-off. Shad and bluegill are spawning too, so topwater lights up.
Top lures- Walking topwater or popper at dawn
- Soft jerkbait (fluke)
- Swim jig around grass
- Shallow crankbait
Summer
Early and late, bass chase bait shallow. Midday, they move deep to ledges, humps and thick shade, or bury under grass mats.
Top lures- Topwater and frogs early and late
- Deep-diving crankbait on ledges
- Texas-rigged worm or Carolina rig
- Drop shot in deep water
Fall
Bass follow schools of baitfish into the backs of creeks and feed hard before winter. Cover water fast and match the shad.
Top lures- Spinnerbait
- Lipless and squarebill crankbaits
- Walking topwater on calm days
- Swimbait matching the shad
Cold water, slow down. Warm water, speed up. When in doubt, match what the bass are eating.
Quick chart
| Season | Water temp | Lure #1 | Lure #2 | Lure #3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | Below 48°F | Suspending jerkbait, with long pauses | Blade bait, hopped off the bottom | Ned rig or a drop shot |
| Pre-spawn (early spring) | 48–60°F | Lipless crankbait over new weeds | Jerkbait along points | Squarebill crankbait on rocks and wood |
| Spawn | 60–70°F | Stick bait, wacky rigged | Creature bait or craw, Texas rigged | Soft jerkbait (fluke) |
| Post-spawn (late spring) | 65–75°F | Walking topwater or popper at dawn | Soft jerkbait (fluke) | Swim jig around grass |
| Summer | 75°F and up | Topwater and frogs early and late | Deep-diving crankbait on ledges | Texas-rigged worm or Carolina rig |
| Fall | Cooling from 75°F to 55°F | Spinnerbait | Lipless and squarebill crankbaits | Walking topwater on calm days |
Color made easy
Clear water
Green pumpkin, watermelon, natural shad and ghost colors.
Stained water
Chartreuse and white, red craw, and darker greens.
Muddy water
Black and blue, solid chartreuse, and baits that thump or rattle.