Going bass fishing in Idaho? Don’t leave home without these expert-recommended lures!
Bass fishing has always held a special magic for me. I love all kinds of fishing, but there’s something about bass — the ferocity with which they smash a lure; the hold-your-breath athleticism of their head-shaking leaps — that always leaves me wanting more.
With the spring weather (finally) improving and water temperatures on the rise, we are about to enter prime bass fishing season in Idaho. And while I pursue a variety of species throughout the year, a good chunk of my upcoming trips will be dedicated to bass. On each outing, I’ll be sure to have these five tried-and-true lures in my tackle box:
Plastic worm. If I had 5 minutes to catch a largemouth for $1 million and could only choose one lure, this would be it. There is nothing more versatile and effective than a good plastic worm, which can be used on a Texas rig in heavy cover, on a Carolina rig over bottom structure, or fished weightless/wacky-rigged just about anywhere. If I’m fishing around vegetation, I almost always reach for a worm first.
There are countless styles, brands and colors to choose from, but for me, dark green Zoom plastics are a staple.
Red crankbait. Crankbaits are deadly when fishing rocky dams or Snake River shorelines, and red crayfish imitations are always a go-to choice. The key with crankbait fishing is to make occasional contact with the bottom, as the lure bouncing off rocks and other structure triggers a reaction bite.
It’s good to carry models that dive to various depths so you can adjust to where the fish are holding. Some of my favorites include jointed Rapalas, Strike King deep divers, Yozuri shallow runners and the Rebel crayfish.
White spinnerbait. Another largemouth magnet, the spinnerbait is an essential tool for probing grass beds, weed lines and the outside edge of flooded trees. Meant to mimic a school of baitfish, these lures get hammered as bass come in looking to crush multiple minnows in one bite. Spinnerbaits also stay surprisingly weedless.
White with a little red or chartreuse mixed in is usually the first option out of my box, and Nichols, Booyah and Strike King are my favorite brands. Pro tip: These lures are especially deadly on windy days!
Plastic crayfish. Another big-time fish catcher with a ton of versatility. Lures like the Strike King Rage Craw and Zoom Speed Craw catch dozens of fish for me every year. I’ll even cheat a little and include jigs here.
Whether I’m working a crayfish-colored tube jig or one of the aforementioned plastics on some kind of jig head, it’s always fun to feel the unique “double-tap” bite as bass pluck the lure and suck it in tail-first (which is how they attack a crayfish, to avoid choking on the pincers).
Ned rigs. These baits are relative newcomers to the bass scene, having become popular over the past half-decade or so. The idea is simple — a specially formulated, buoyant plastic lure sits on a jig head and subtly wiggles on the lake bottom. The knock on the Ned rig is that it’s “boring” to fish because the angler doesn’t have to do much, other than make a cast and wait for the bite. But I’ve salvaged slow days by switching to a Ned rig, which seems to almost always get eaten. In my book, there’s nothing boring about that. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.
