The Best Baits for Lagemouth Bass

There really is not much of a better live bait than a nice, big, juicy night crawler worm when fishing for largemouth bass. When presented properly to the fish, the wriggling worm appears to be swimming through the water as a worm or small snake normally would. The best bait for catching largemouth bass is worms, grubs, small mice, small frogs and leeches. The baits presented to the large mouth bass should be live, and fish scents can be used if the bait is not working on it's own.

When referring to bait, we must not include lures, but the bait need not necessarily be alive. dead worms, minnows, grubs, etc., can still catch their fair share of largemouth bass, as long as the fish are in a feeding mood, or are protecting their present habitat. Largemouth bass can be very territorial, so use top-water crank baits to flush them out, them start with live baits if they do not strike the crank baits, or if they stop striking them.

Many fishermen fish only for largemouth bass, and most use lures, and only resort to live bait when the lures are not producing. Live minnows may work well with some largemouth bass, but they are nowhere near the best baits to catch these possible lunkers. Largemouth bass can have huge bellies, and gigantic mouths, but this does not mean that large hooks should be used. The largemouth bass will strike a smaller lure or bait presentation before tackling something bigger, because they are confident in catching the smaller offerings.

The larger hooks can injure the largemouth bass irrevocably, and they can also easily tear the mouth of the bass, where the hook is most often set. Smaller hooks, used 2 or 3 in series, about an inch apart, will enable the setting up of a great worm harness, and still be not visible to the fish. The smaller hooks also stand a much better chance of being swallowed by the larger largemouth bass, and the smaller hooks will not so easily break the tissue of the fish's mouth, making landing them as probable as catching them.

Largemouth bass can give up a really good fight when you find some that have lots of energy and strength. They are known to jump high out of the water to try and shake the hook free, so the drag on the reels must be set at a rather high level, but not too high so that the largemouth bass will break the line before the drag goes out.

Fish on!  And fish safe.