About Our Lure Reviews
If you want to update your tackle with the latest and greatest lures to fish bass in 2022, you've come to the right place. Here at Bass Tackle Lures, we give you unbiased information to help you have more success while you're out on the water.
This list will be great for all you avid anglers out there and perfect for novice anglers who are just getting into the sport.
We've compiled a list of the bass lures that are either new in 2022 or are gaining popularity. You'll want to be using these if you're going after big bass this year. See our guides to the best bass fishing rods and best bass fishing reels for equipment information.
What's most important is that you all get out on the water and enjoy yourselves, but hopefully, we can help put you on to some PR (Personal Record) bass.
Overview of Contents (clickable)
1. Crankbaits
Crankbaits are one of the best lures for covering lots of water in a short period of time. This makes them great for tournament fishing and finding bass more efficiently. These hard body baits imitate wounded baitfish and can be found in all colors, shapes, and sizes to match the prey in your body of water.
Crankbaits dive to different depths depending on the size and shape of their front lip.
Shallow diving crankbaits swim on the surface between 0-4 feet deep. They are best for working shorelines, docks, and other shallow submerged obstacles.
Medium diving crankbaits swim 5-9 feet deep and are best for fishing deeper cover such as logs, rocks, and underwater grasses.
Deep diving crankbaits can dive up to 35ft and are best for fishing open waters. These lures need to be fished on a longer rod that casts farther, as it takes the bait a while to dive to their target depth. Your rod also needs to be stronger since deep diving crankbaits have more water resistance.
Lipless crankbaits don't have a front lip used for diving. Instead, they rattle side-to-side and are commonly fished in colder waters and "ripped through grasses." A sharp tug on your rod will knock any debris off and often cause a reaction strike from bass.
Bomber Shad Crankbait - Best crankbait for bass
4.6 Stars | 288 Angler Reviews
There aren't many lures that have changed bass fishing as much as the Bomber Shad Crankbait has. This crankbait has a unique design with flatter sides that makes it swim more efficiently than other lures.
The Bomber Shad has a diving depth of four to six feet, which is the most productive crankbait depth. While it has medium-diving action, it moves effortlessly. This allows you to fish it faster and cover more water.
Bomber's unique lip design makes this crankbait bounce off obstacles. This reduces the chances of hangups and snags, which are always frustrating.
Overall, this crankbait has an enticing action that other brands haven't been able to replicate. Anglers have won over $1 million in prize money with the Bomber Shad, so it's hard to argue against.
2. Rubber Worms
Rubber worms are the most popular bass fishing lures because they never fail to catch fish. They're made from malleable materials that give them a natural look and feel. There are many different brands, shapes, and sizes of rubber worms. However, some are more effective and versatile than others.
These lures are the go-to option for beginners, as you don't need any experience to fish them effectively. Rubber worms are also used extensively by professional anglers to catch record-setting bass.
The two most common types of rubber worms are stick baits and ribbon tail worms.
Stick baits have an even thickness and are the most popular type of rubber worm. They are best fished on Texas rigs and wacky rigs, and you should let them drift naturally through the water column.
Ribbon tail worms have long and thin tails that produce more action in the water. They're most effectively fished on Texas rigs and Carolina rigs. Ribbon tail worms may entice more active fish to bite when stick baits aren't getting enough attention.
Gary Yamamoto Senkos - Best Stick Baits for Bass
4.7 Stars | 3,915 Angler Reviews
*Update: Bass Pro Shops 25% Sale
"Rubber worms are extremely effective lures for catching bass. Nothing even compares to the Gary Yamamoto Senko Worms when it comes to worms and soft plastics in general.
Sure, on some days, you may catch bigger fish on topwater lures or more fish on a jig, but there's nothing else on the market like Senko Worms that will catch fish 'day in and day out.'
From fishing the dog days of the summer to cool water temperatures of the winter, bass can always be caught on these things."
* This is an excerpt from our recent article, 6 Best Senko Worm Colors For Bass.
Green Pumpkin Senko Worms
Most Popular
*Update: Bass Pro Shops 25% Sale
You're missing out if you don't already have the Green Pumpkin Color Pattern. These baits aren't ranked #1 on our list because they've been around for ages, but they very well could be. Gary Yamamoto sells more of these baits than almost all other colors combined.
"It doesn't matter whether you're fishing clear water, dirty water, cold water temperatures, warm sunny days; this thing will get bites. There's one lure and color that EVERY bass angler has in their tackle box, and it's this Green Pumpkin Magic Senko Worm."
3. Frogs
Frogs are weedless and are one of the most exciting lure types to fish. They're fished on the surface and cause bass to strike aggressively and leap out of the water. Topwater frogs are most effectively fished near shoreline cover such as lily pads, grasses, fallen trees, and around obstacles where frogs commonly reside.
Most frog lures have a soft plastic body with unexposed hooks. When a fish strikes, the body collapses, and the hooks become exposed.
The most important factors are color, durability, and build quality when choosing a frog lure. Topwater frogs go through a lot of abuse, so cheaply made ones will get ripped apart by larger bass.
Livetarget Hollow Body Frog
The Livetarget Hollow Body Frog is the most realistic and well-made topwater frog of the year. This lure has phenomenal details that bass notice when they inspect it on the surface. It looks like the real thing with 3D eyes, built-in legs, and accurate dimensions.
While other brands make somewhat realistic topwaters, Livetarget uses the best materials. The frog's body protects the hooks but always collapses when bass bite. Most importantly, the hooks are sharp and strong, giving this frog the best hookup ratio on the market.
Some anglers prefer to trim the tail skirts to prevent short strikes, but this isn't a necessary modification. Skip this frog over lily pads or across grass mats, and you're sure to have an exciting day on the water.
4. Creature Baits
If you've never fished creature baits before, they may look funny to you. Creature baits are soft plastic bass fishing lures with strange-looking appendages that wave in the water. The good thing is bass can't get enough of creature baits as they mimic their favorite prey.
Creature baits look like either crawfish or wounded baitfish, depending on how they're rigged. When used on a Texas rig, they become virtually weedless. This makes creature baits ideal for flipping or pitching in shoreline shrubbery.
While the Zoom Brush Hog was the first to popularize this style of lure, other brands have come out with their own variations.
Googan Baits Bandito Bug
4.7 Stars | 860 Angler Reviews
The Googan Baits Bandito Bug is a scented creature bait with a broader body than other popular soft plastics. The wide body of the Googan Bait gives this bait a "juicy" or tempting presentation, which helps when you're going after larger bass that are more selective in what they eat.
There's no perfect approach to the Bandito Bug. You can choose to flip it, skip it, tie it onto a Carolina Rig, or even fish it on a drop shot rig. The baits are sold as a 7-pack, making them less than $2 each, and the best variety is the Bandito Bug - Green Pumpkin Color Pattern.
We also love the kicking action of the legs, which really makes this bait come alive. It currently has 4.6 stars on Amazon, with 557 customer reviews. You can find the Bandito Bug here or by clicking the button above.
5. Swimbaits
Swimbaits are baitfish replicas that come in all shapes and sizes. However, swimbaits are commonly large lures that require hefty specialized tackle. While some novelty swimbaits replicate birds and mice, fish-style designs are more effective.
Most world-record fish were caught on gargantuan swimbaits. Large bass lures tend to draw fewer strikes because only big bass are attracted to them. Big swimbaits won't land a ton of fish, but if you're patient, you just might catch your PR.
There are four main categories of swimbaits; hard body, glide baits, soft plastic, and paddle tail.
Hard-body swimbaits are the most popular, although they can be super expensive. They usually feature lifelike paint jobs and jointed bodies that give them an "S" shaped swimming action. Some float on the surface, while others have lips that help them dive beneath the surface.
Glide baits have a slower swimming action. These lures have one joint, compared to hard-body swimbaits, which can have several. Anglers love the sweeping motion of glide baits and usually fish them during colder winter months.
Soft swimbaits are made from rubber, which gives them a more realistic feeling in a fish's mouth. Bass usually hold onto these baits longer, which gives you more time for your hookset. Soft plastic swimbaits don't usually have treble hooks, making them more resistant to weeds and better for fishing in shallow waters.
Paddle tail swimbaits are usually smaller, which means they get more frequent bites. These swimbaits aren't sold with hooks attached but can be made weedless with the right hooks. Color and size are the most essential qualities to look for in a paddle tail swimbait, as the swimming action is impacted the most by the type of hook you use.
Shinefish Swimbait - Best hard body swimbait
4.4 Stars | 203 Angler Reviews
The Shinefish Multi Jointed Swimbait comes in a 3-pack variety and is an excellent lure for largemouth bass fishing. The swimbait is slow-sinking and is weighted well for long casts. This lure's body has 8 segments, which is more than most other swimbaits.
The extra joints give this swimbait a more realistic swimming action than other lures. Usually, large swimbaits don't catch as many fish; however, we found the Shinefish Swimbait catches a surprising amount of fish.
Fish seem to love how realistic this bait looks in the water. Shinefish coated this lure with 3D stereoscopic paintwork, which shines through the dirtiest waters. Anglers around the world love this swimbait. It currently has an average of 4.7 stars on Amazon with over 250 reviews.
Truscend Swimbait - Best paddle tail swimbait
4.4 Stars | 2,418 Angler Reviews
The Truscend Paddle Tail Swimbait utilizes the most recent bass fishing technology. The product comes in a set of 5 pieces, so you're really getting great value out of this one. This swimbait imitates both baitfish and crayfish, which largemouth bass can't resist.
Truscend used a unique drop-down hook design. A small magnet raises and lowers the hook when a fish strikes. We found this feature increased our hookup ratios and kept us from getting snagged.
The hooks used are durable and made from Carbon Steel BKK. We think the shape is perfect as the hook consistently finds its way to the corner of any fish's mouth.
The swimbait has a subtle rolling action and can be fished with a fast or slow retrieve. It currently has 4.7 stars on Amazon and has been rated by over 150 people.
6. Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits are one of the easiest lures to fish, and time has shown they're fish-catching machines! To use these baits, simply cast them out and retrieve them in a straight line back to you. These lures have spinning blades that attract fish by reflecting light and vibrating.
Different spinnerbaits swim at varying speeds and depths. The two main categories of spinnerbaits are willow blades and colorado blades.
Willow blade spinnerbaits have longer and skinnier reflectors. These spinners don't create as much resistance, allowing the lure to move quickly through the water. Willow blade spinnerbaits d