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Crankbaits are best in light vegetation, rocky bottoms, shallow flats, and through bushes and grass. These lures are quite versatile. Crankbaits come either lipless or with a lip and each is effective depending on the depth and the speed at which you reel.  Use lipless crankbaits if you’re fishing in 1 foot (0.30 m) of water or if you’re fishing as deep as 50 feet (15 m). You will have to reel faster or use a lighter lure in shallow water, whereas you will reel slower or use a heavier lure when fishing deeper water.  Use a specific lipped crankbait depending on the depth of the water because they are classified as shallow, medium or deep diving based on a 10 lb (4.5 kg) nylon monofilament or fluorocarbon line.  The lure will not dive as deep if you use a higher pound line. The effect increases as the diameter of the line increases. Use square bill crankbaits or crankbaits with round, stubby lips and sharp angled off noses when fishing for bass in shallow water, around wood or rock.  Deploy medium-diving crankbaits when fishing in a 5–10 feet (1.5–3.0 m) range. If you’re fishing 12 feet (3.7 m) or deeper, use deep-diving crankbaits. Lipless crankbaits can easily be ripped out of grass or bumped along a clean bottom whereas a lipped crankbait will hit something and kick outwards because the lip acts as a deflector.  The shape of your crankbait determines how much movement you will get, which is important depending on the temperature of the water as bass are less active in colder temperatures. With a more rounded-bodied crankbait you’ll get a wide wobble that is attractive to bass that are aggressive, usually when water is warmer; in contrast, a flat crankbait with narrow sides will have a tighter wiggle that is more appealing to bass in cold water who won’t react to large movements. Thanks to their unique blade shape, they can dive and be retrieved quickly. Spinner baits work best when it’s windy and cloudy because they are meant to cause a reaction from the bass. Use faster spinner baits in clearer water and slower ones in muddier water.  Cast close to you first then cast farther away to cover larger areas without spooking the fish. Aim to vary the speed at which you retrieve your cast and the amount of time you let the lure sink before reeling it in. Choose spinnerbaits in standard or weedless. A weedless spinnerbait is a good option if you are fishing in a lot of cover, but are also harder to set the hook on. Add a cheater hook to catch short striking fish. There are 3 major blade types: leaf, Colorado, and Indiana. Each blade type is effective for different conditions. The leaf blade is most effective when fishing through grass and in clear water when you want a fast retrieval. It is a long slender blade with rounded points on either end to allow a faster spin and less water resistance.  Deploy the Colorado blade when fishing at night or in muddy and murky water. The rounded shape allows it to spin slower giving the bass more opportunity to bite.  Utilize the Indiana blade as a compromise to the slower Colorado blade and faster leaf blade. The larger the blade means that it is easier to maneuver around stumps, rocks, and other debris, while narrow blades move quickly through sparse grass. These are also effective in areas that are covered in surface vegetation, such as lily pads. These lures are meant to ripple the water surface with popping and splashing as you retrieve it.  In the spring, bright colors work best, and in the fall and winter, black white or gray work well. Choose topwaters that produce a lot of noise and splash to get the bass' attention. Topwater lures come in walkers, poppers, wakebaits, minnows/twitch baits, prop baits, buzzbaits, and frogs. Each different type of topwater lure is most effective in different conditions.  Walkers are most effective when covering a lot of top water quickly because it keeps the bait in striking distance for the bass. Poppers should be deployed when fishing around stumps, docks, bushes, rocks, and small areas that are covered because these lures will aggravate bass into biting. They are also great for fishing in creeks. Wakebaits work best in clear water when fish are attracted to the V shaped wake. Minnows/twitch baits excel in clear lakes or small areas where bass may spook at aggressive lures. They are great during spawning when bass are guarding their nests. Prop baits should be used in places with a lot of grass, especially during spawning season. They create a lot of movement even without moving a great distance, which keeps them in a bass’ striking range longer. Buzzbaits should be used in sparse grass and places where you feel your lure might get snagged but you still want a topwater presentation. These are most effective after spawning during the late summer. Frogs are meant to mimic real frogs so use them effectively around heavy grass. They can also be used around cover as they are one of the toughest lures to snag. Bot frogs and mice are great for fishing in lily pads. Jigs are also good when you’re using short-range flipping and pitching techniques instead of casting out into the distance. The common plastic skirting attracts bass all year round.  Bass will usually hit a bait while it is falling, so after it has sat on the bottom for a bit give the rod tip a small twitch to see if anything has picked up your bait. Jigs are most effective when employed in cover or closed to cover so be aware of the risk of getting snagged. Jigs are meant to imitate crawfish so try to make them scoot along the bottom.  Both jigs and plastic worms are best used slowly. Use a ¾-ounce jig when fishing through thick grass. Jigs are also effective when fishing on docks and piers because they provide protection from predators. These lures are the most versatile and the most effective because they are so lifelike. They can also be fished weighted or weightless.  Floating plastics can be used just like a topwater, and any type of plastic can be fished weedless to allow fishing in extremely heavy vegetation. Fish with plastic/rubber lures in the Winter when bass are not very active. These lures can still be effective in warmer weather if you employ slightly more movement but the only time these lures are ineffective are when bass are very active.  Plastic/rubber lures work best when water is over 55 °F (13 °C). Use large lures that are 7–10 inches (18–25 cm) when the water is murky but shorter lures that are 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) when the water is clear and the bass are lethargic.  Both rigs and plastic/rubber lures are best used slowly.
Fish with crankbaits when you want to cover a lot of water. Fish with spinnerbaits when you want to fish through quick cover. Fish with topwater lures in very shallow water. Fish with jigs when you want a very accurate feel on the line. Fish with plastic and rubber lures to imitate worms or lizards.