10 Most Underutilized Bass Baits According To The Pros

by John Johnson, Bassfan.com, Managing Editor • April 10, 2012 • 14 comments

We asked 10 of the top professional bass anglers in the world what they thought were the most underutilized bass baits for landing bucketmouths. If there’s a common theme that runs through the responses, we couldn’t find it. Maybe you can.

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Kevin VanDam

Kevin VanDam

“I think it’s a buzzbait. I just think people have kind of forgotten about that bait — when they think about a topwater, it’s a (Lucky Craft) Sammy or something sexy or new. They don’t just go out and throw a buzzbait anymore. But those are hard to beat because you can cover water, find fish and draw big bites with them.

“I use my own signature-series bait, the Strike King KVD Tournament Series Buzzbait, in both the 1/4- and 3/8-ounce sizes. If I had to pick one color to fish day in and day out, it would a bluegill-colored skirt, with black as a second choice. I like a darker color instead of white or chartreuse.

“A bluegill-colored bait with a gold blade will catch fish in clear water, dirty water and everything in between.”

In Bass, Featured, Fishing, Gear & Accessories, Largemouth Bass
  • F J Ferrell

    There are no common underutilized bass baits. We, individually have are own preferences that work with our personally fishing styles or techniques. It depends on various factors and even personal moods about what to tie on for that particular time. No two bass fishing outings are ever the same. What works one minute or hour may not work the same way the next.

    For examples, I have caught bass with various Eppinger Dardevle spoon of various color schemes; with dressed or undressed hooks; with live bait or plastics; and with various sizes or weights. Let's not discount the Red-Eye Wigglers spoon arrays that Eppinger makes. I caught fish when no one else was catching anything by using something different; thus, spoons were the favorite utilized baits for the moment.

    Why does my inconsistent[?] bait system work? Nothing in my tackle box goes unused. I can't afford an extensive inventory array of fishing lures/baits. I will use anything that works at the moment as well as offer the fish something new or unseen. Fish do get conditioned to seeing the same offerings or bait patterns all the time. That's why using spoons, like Dardevles or Red-Eye Wigglers when crankbaits etcetera do not. Even my red-&-white classic Dardevle [3/4 oz.] has gotten me a whopper bass on occasion.

    Also, please don't laugh, but I have caught bass [when i gave up and was tired of being skunked] when I connected a fresh long colorful "gummi"-worm on a DarDevle [shad scale color] spoon! What started as a mental therapy change to the fishing day actually worked!! –Several times over. I now carry gummi worms in the tackle box and use them with whatever rig works. {Gummi Worms are a good human treat too!} Thus, you see I use everything/anything that works for the moment. Nothing gets really underutilized. That's the FUN to bass fishing trying anything that works consistently for the given moment with [my] inconsistent personal techniques. Now that's utilization of the inventory at hand!

  • Mike Robinson

    Myself and my fishing partners still throw a buzz bait. We don't get anymore bites on them as we do on cranks and soft plactics. I tend to throw white but have started to branch off and try different colors.

    • F J Ferrell

      Have you ever tried the old Buell Spinners? They have worked for me on occasion. The Buell spinner design is over a 100 years old and is made in various sizes and colors. It provides a different unique but interesting presentation to the bass.

  • James Reynolds

    My most favoriate old big baits are a 4 inch Lazy Ike(wood one) in all colors but best for me has been crawfish and green silverside. Use mostly in rivers. Also the old hellbender crawfish and white. Use them mostly in rivers also.

  • richard vincent

    I have found that you can't beat a tube bait as I just let out 30 or 40yards of line and just drag it slowly behind at a slow speed alond the shoireline and bingo bass go crazy after it

    • bret ryan

      What color?

      • Tom Ryan

        Brother Bret,
        Frog green with flakes or pumpin with flakes workes for me,thats it….no more secrets…. :)

  • Nick Nardone

    I've Fished a pond in Keezer Falls, Me. that at the moment in time anything I tossed in the water worked for me that includes buzz baits, crank baits, spinners, and live bait. Went back to the same pond in the same weather conditions same time of day and Absolutely Nothing worked. I say it is all up to the Fish and their mood.

  • ed vasel

    with all the crankbaits today my all time favorite was the heddon sonic in the coachdog color.
    That bait when retreived at the proper speed had such a vibration it was unbeleivable and it caught fish.
    wish they would make them again.

  • Tom Ryan

    Since Bass pro has opened a store locally in my area, seems everyone and their gramma is out pounding every pond thats "had" a fish in it. But as we all know theres always some fish left that are educated enough to keep their mouth shut when they hear noise or that familiar spash in the water from a lure. So….I been becoming a big fan of slow fishing the jig-n-pigs and soft swimbaits,also drop shotting.

  • Jeremy k

    Your right Kevin but I love mine.strike king sexy shad color tour edition.In fact I am going to through it on this fall morning.

  • Ben B.

    Totally agree with Andy Morgan with the trick worm, it seems so few people that I know of are using it, I use it for almost every thing, not just shakey head and dropshot

  • http://www.facebook.com/TheRuggedKnuckle Rob Oaks

    The theme is; all the baits that worked so well in the past still do. Geez

  • http://www.facebook.com/chgrantz Craig Grantz

    Hmmm. Don’t forget Frog baits. Top water action is explosive. Add a trailer hook. Works great for Pike too. This summer hop a frog.