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Like bass fishing rods, bass fishing lures are at an all-time high when it comes to quality, popularity and availability. But you need to make sure your lure box is full of lures of different colours, shapes and actions so you can fish on both the surface and the briny depths.
For any successful bass fishing trip you need to be prepared for all eventualities, so understanding more about the best conditions to go bass fishing is key. For starters;
- Are the bass fishing on the surface?
- Is the water crystal clear or murky?
- Are you fishing from the shore?
- Is it overcast or is the sun shining down?
As long as you can target bass based on their feeding patterns and to suit the overcast conditions you’ve got a chance. So get your lure box up to scratch with the best of the best and check out the rest of the best sea fishing lures here.
Table of Contents
What does our bass fishing lure setup look like?
Typically our bass fishing lure setup combines a mixture of surface lures, metals, paddle tails and other soft plastics in a variety of sizes and colours. Your job with your bass fishing setup is to cater to every eventuality regarding weather conditions, sea temperature, feeding habits etc.
The last thing you want to do is find a fantastic spot where the fish are feeding, but don’t have a lure that tickles their fancy!
We’d recommend a variety of metals and paddle tails in the 20-40g range, alongside some quality hard surface lures and some ultra-realistic sand eels. That should cover all your basic needs when lure fishing for bass.
What is the best sea bass lure?
Based on cost, reliability and propensity to catch, in our opinion, the best all-around sea bass lure is the Savage Gear Surf Seeker. Its casting distance, weight and all-around action make it a must-have for any bass fishing trip. Just make sure you pair it with a quality sea spinning reel.
Whilst Surf Seekers come in surface and diving varieties, you can’t just have metals. You need a variety of soft plastics, hard surface lures and something for when the going gets tough. A worm, crustacean or fly are notable options. This lure is also – in our experience – the best pollock fishing lure. So it’s well worth the money.
How do we pick the best bass lures for the UK?
By picking the best lure of each type that caters to every eventuality. As bass tend to feed at or near the surface in shallower waters, the best lures tend to have a surface or sub-surface action. So ensuring we choose lures that can cater to both is key. How the bass feed is out of your control.
Conditions-wise, bass tend to feed in slightly rougher waters in and around the swell and wash of the waves for baitfish or on shingle beaches, scouring the bottom for crustaceans. This means we also need to have a weedless lure option and ones that mean you can fish in both crystal clear and murky conditions.
At a glance
The 6 best bass fishing lures
Savage Gear Surf SeekersBest all-around bass fishing lure
Fishing, Tackle & Bait
eBay
Amazon.co.uk
- Typically a 28g – 35g is the perfect weight for bass fishing
- If you’re fishing with a more powerful rod from the shore don’t be afraid to go heavier
- Change the treble hook for a single hook for more ethical, equally effective fishing
Savage Gear’s Surf Seeker is our bass lure of choice. No matter the conditions, casting distance, or visibility, this lure just never seems to let you down. And that’s not just for bass either; we’ve found almost any predatory fish – from bass to pollock and even pike – loves a Seeker as we do.
As a proponent of natural colours and attempting to mimic a bass’s prey, the light blue and silver colours and particularly close to mackerel and have always served us well. And the 28 – 35g models are superb for fishing from the shore. With a casting distance of significantly more than 80m and enough density to manage rough conditions, these pocket rockets are a no-brainer when it comes to bass fishing.
In sunny conditions, the glint when it catches the light is like catnip to bass. Bassnip if you will.
IMA Hound 125FBest premium bass fishing lure
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- A 125mm, 20g+ lure that is capable of casting up to 80m
- The best hard lure for bass on the market
- On hard lures such as the IMA Hound treble hooks tend to be much more effective
The IMA Hound is a superb lure with an exceptional slightly sub-surface action that has caught us several superb bass. It is one of if not the, best hard lure on the market. And the devastation that comes from losing one is not something we care to replicate often.
Its casting distance belies its relatively lightweight nature. When conditions are particularly rough, IMA’s excellent lure is tough to beat. Its sub-surface action is powerful enough to withstand larger swells. A real lure box essential.
We tend to wheel out our more expensive lures when using heavier line and the almost unbreakable FG knot line-to-leader combination.
Xorus Patchinko 125Best surface bass fishing lure
Tackle Direct
- A 125mm, 18g lure that is capable of serious casting distances
- Perfect lure for fast-action rod
- Again with hard lures treble hooks tend to be more effective
- There’s no denying that the Patchinko is an expensive lure, so more of a luxury purchase
The Patchinko 125 is the best-looking bass lure on the market. The pointy, streamlined features and ultra-smooth body glides over the surface of the waves capable of a serious rate of knots. Whilst the price is on the premium end, Patchinko’s legendary status in the bass fishing scene should give you a little peace of mind. Until you lose it of course.
Made for ultra-fast action lure rods, the Patchinko is perfect for targeting surface-feeding bass around high tide. The 125 is the mid-sized lure. We have always found the 90 a little on the small side (although it is perfect for tighter spaces). But both the 125 and 150 are excellent options, particularly when it comes to exciting surface strikes.
It is not an all-action powerhouse. The surface action is subtle, so just a few twitches on the retrieve should be enough.
Savage Gear Saltwater SandeelsBest soft plastic bass fishing lure
Go Outdoors
Karl's Fishing & Outdoors
- 125mm+ from 23 – 28g is typically most effective for bass
- The best soft plastic lure for bass on the market
- A lure that attracts almost any predator – bass, pollock, mackerel and even freshwater species like pike
- The spare body is a useful addition, but the jighead is frequently bitten off by predators
Another superb lure for the majority of salt and freshwater predators Savage Gear’s Saltwater Sandeels are our favourite soft plastic for bass and at any one time comprising at least 20% of our lure boxes such is their flexibility. The range of colours is perfect for almost any condition. We’ve had excellent success on bright pinks in murkier, rougher conditions and – when the sea is calmer – have used the greens, blues and silvers to excellent effect.
The weight range – primarily 23 – 35g – is designed specifically for the bass market and allows for some reasonable distance casting and precision casting. Although when conditions are extremely windy they can leave a little to be desired. On any trip, you should have multiple naturals and a few brighter colours to hand.
Fiiish MinnowBest paddle tail for bass fishing
- A truly excellent paddle tail with a weight of 12 – 60g
- The single hook is set deeper into the lure than Savage Gear Saltwater Sandeel
- An (almost) weedless lure that can be used in snag-rich marks
- Arguably the best paddle tail for rougher conditions
Fiiish Minnows are a, if not the, truly outstanding paddle tail on the market. The lure itself is made up of three parts – a weighted head, (almost) weedless hook and imitation body. This is fairly unique in terms of paddle tail design and the separate hook and jig head help generate more lateral movement.
The larger size and more powerful tail action creates a larger volume of water displacement, which is ideal for slightly rougher conditions. The larger size options are superb for longer casts and it can be used as a slightly sub-surface lure or left to sink for extended periods of time.
Like with any weedless lure, ensure you strike with more ferocity than with your traditional paddle tails as the hook is set deeper.
Savage Gear 3D Sandeel Pencil Best natural action bass fishing lure
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- Typically comes in three options – 90mm (13g), 125mm (19g) and 150mm (30g)
- Based on a 3D scan of a real sandeel with an ultra-realistic S-curve swimming pattern
- The slow-sinking lure has a built-in rattle chamber that, when twitched, emits a clicking sound
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Savage Gear 3D Sandeel is the most realistic lure on the market when it comes to retrieval action and aesthetic design. Based on a 3D scan of a real sandeel, the slow-sinking lure works best around one metre below the surface with a steady retrieve and the occasional pause and twitch to initiate the rattle chamber’s clicking sound.
The lure comes in three sizes – 90mm, 125mm and 150mm – of which the two larger options are preferable when it comes to bass fishing. The 90 is just a little too small and light to be effective in anything other than almost perfect conditions. But it’s worth having a couple to hand in case the sea is carpet-like and there’s minimal wind.
FAQs
What lure catches the most bass in the UK?
From personal experience, hard metals around 28 – 35g are the most effective all-around lure when it comes to catching bass in the UK in almost any conditions.
However, you need to be armed with surface and sub-surface hard lures so you can target bass at different depths and feeding patterns, with a stock of soft plastics to hand so you’re ready for any eventuality.
What colour lure is best for bass in the UK?
Whilst the market has moved slightly away from natural colours, greens, silvers, whites and light blues that effectively mimic the bass’ prey are tried and tested and always the best starting point in medium visibility and up.
When visibility is poor and the water is churned into a darker colour, brighter pinks and oranges are much more effective than normal.
What lure action catches the most sea bass?
This entirely depends on how the bass are feeding, what they are feeding on and the prevalence of bait. As a general rule starting with a surface or slightly sub-surface lure is best practice, but come armed with diving lures and even spinners if you want to cover any eventuality.
What is the best lure colour for bass if the water is cloudy?
When the rougher water churns up the bottom and the sky is overcast brighter lures do tend to be more effective. From personal experience at least.
In this scenario, we recommend either using brighter oranges or pinks. Colours that tend to be easier to make out and are prime for aggressive strikes. Or go for lures that are whiter than white, which provides contrast and reflects all light around them.
What is the best lure to use for bass in the summer?
The best bass lures for the summer tend to be ones that allow you to fish on and around the surface. So the Patchinko and IMA Hound are personal favourites. But in reality, any paddle tail or metal lure will be effective in the bass fishing season.
What is the best lure to use for bass in the winter?
Should you decide to fish for bass in the winter in the UK you’re a braver man than I. But as there tends to be worse visibility and – towards the end of the winter months at least – the colder temperatures make for more lethargic fish. So fishing with sinking lures at a slower pace near the bottom tends to be more effective. The Fiish Minnow or sinking Surf Seeker are good options.
What is the best sea bass lure for shore fishing in the UK?
If you’re fishing for bass from the shore then the likelihood is you need to generate a greater distance than if you’re casting from the rocks. So picking heavier lures that are designed with casting in mind is a good idea. Metals are always effective here, as is the IMA Hound and Fiish Minnow.
Harry
Hi, I'm Harry. A keen, albeit exceedingly average fisherman. I've spent the last few years trawling London's waterways with - if I'm being kind - varied success and would love to help you avoid the mistakes I have made.
Excellent reading for a novice like myself
I’m very glad you thought so Dougie. I would class myself as somewhere above novice, but not an intermediate so hopefully the advice was useful, albeit not perfect. Just good to get out there and give it a go. Arguably my favourite thing about bass is that they aren’t fussy. Always handy.