5 Perfect Baits for Covering Water Quickly
Bass fishing requires coverage of water throughout the year. Fisheries often have different stages of fish, especially in the spring and fall when fish migrate significantly.
This means you can catch them multiple ways, but they are also hard to come by at times. In cases where bites are spread out, you need a bait that covers water quickly and effectively.
Throughout today’s article, we will explore a selection of baits that work great for this purpose and can be used regardless of the cover, water clarity, or season.
BUZZBAIT
The buzz bait is great for covering water and is an excellent example of what is depicted here.
In addition to constantly moving, its buzzing blade creates enough noise and flash to attract fish from quite a distance away.
Many might wonder why Whopper Popper-style baits do not replace buzz baits on this list.
It can also be used as an excellent search bait in some situations, but buzz baits are weedless and more versatile, so that they can be fished in a broader variety of covers.
It is possible to process much water very quickly by throwing a buzz bait when the water is above 55 degrees.
When the water temperature reaches the 50s, the buzz baits bite will slow down substantially. It’s an excellent time to use our next search bait during this period.
The Spinnerbait
A spinner bait works well all year long for covering water, and it is more effective than buzz baits once the water gets cold.
The spinnerbait can also be fished faster at other times of the year, even just below the surface in the summer and early fall. During cooler water temperatures, you should slow down retrieval.
It’s possible to fish this bait on a near-constant retrieve, but a little pump and pause here and there is a good idea.
Spinnerbaits move continuously, allowing you to cover water while attracting bass with their thump and flash, like a buzz bait prop.
There should be a trend forming among baits that are good at covering water. The bait constantly moves and offers flash, sound, or vibration to attract bass. Next time, we will use the same bait as well.
LIPLESS CRANKBAIT
Another classic lure for covering water is the lipless crankbait. The versatility of this bait makes it an excellent option.
Unlike buzz baits, which work only near the surface, and spinner bait, which reaches deeper into the water, a lipless crankbait works in the deep water while still fishing shallow and near the surface.
Because the lipless can effectively cover water laterally and vertically, it opens up a large water column area.
In 7 to 10 feet of water, you can rip through submerged vegetation or yo-yo a lure 20 feet deep around a bait ball.
Lipless crankbaits come in all colors and sizes, making them ideal for every season, every watercolor, and every forage.
BEST OF THE REST
Many other baits will cover water fairly well under certain conditions. For example, the Whopper Popper works well under sparse cover and in open water.
Vibrating jigs are also excellent and can sometimes be replaced with a spinner bait. A swim jig can also cover much ground, especially around vegetation. It is also possible to use toads and swimbaits in those situations.
Then, when you get out into open water, you can use swimbaits on jig heads, underpins, and jerk baits to break down water relatively well.
These lures require speed and drawing power but can still attract fish from quite a distance, especially in super cold, clear water.
This is when louder, more aggressive baits are usually ineffective on lethargic and wary bass. Using these subtler baits is the best way to cover water.
FINAL THOUGHTS
5 Perfect Baits for Covering Water Quickly
When you are on the water, it is almost necessary to have good bait on deck to cover the water. Choosing the right bait for your fishing conditions will provide a solid option during those stretches without bites.
In most cases, knowing where to slow down and where to speed up is easy.
Take the case of fishing down a bluff wall with patches of water willow grass. The best way to catch fish in a water willow is to slow-swim a jig and fish with a buzz bait or popper.
Think about fishing long stretches of water willow and getting a bite every time you reach a piece of wood in the willow.
You can use a toad to cruise along, then change to a swim jig or light Texas rig when you see a piece of wood coming up. You can then try again after picking up the toad.
The time you spend fishing less productive water will be cut down, allowing you to pick up a fish or two even on the most barren stretches.
Fishing Tips
5 Perfect Baits for Covering Water Quickly
Fishing a New Lake for Bass | Spawning Season
Whenever we head out fishing on a new lake, we must keep an open mind and adapt as the day unfolds.
This is what Bassmaster Open pro-Chad Smith does in Florida on a chilly morning. he explains how he fishes a new lake and provides some insight.
It takes Smith a long time to put the boat in the water. Finding new lake candidates begins with a simple “let’s try it” or word-of-mouth about a sound bite.
You can learn about gamefish and key lake attributes, such as water clarity, using lake survey information.
Smith uses aerial imagery to determine water clarity, shoreline development, tributaries, and structural elements such as flats and steep drop-offs.
The combination of aerial imaging and contour lake maps helps you understand the field before entering.
Smith assesses the time of year and what the bass are doing. Biology is an essential component of understanding bass.
As this video shows, Smith focuses his efforts on shallow areas. Despite it being cold, he prefers starting with moving baits that allow him to fish relatively fast.
He refines his tactics after catching a few basses or finding a unique spot, like a submerged brush pile.
The best way to read new water is to use your senses and fish finders. Observe points, pockets in the grass, or areas with bottom composition changes for fish-attracting subtleties. The bottom line: areas of change can be crucial to getting a bite and figuring out a pattern.
After running through a handful of baits, Smith shifts to the sunny part of the lake as the morning unfolds. Sun can immediately impact fish activity levels by increasing the water temperature, especially during a cold front. It was a good move, and he caught his first fish of the day.
Despite a problematic bite, there is still a lot to learn. The lake teaches us many things, including how to read it and make wise decisions. Spend your time wisely and fish hard. Every day you’ll learn something new and improve as an angler.
Frequently Asked Questions
5 Perfect Baits for Covering Water Quickly
What is the best bait for dirty water?
A spinning lure, a jig with a wobble, crankbaits with a rattle mechanism, or a wobbly crankbait are great muddy water lures. Bass and redfish are best caught with spinnerbaits and wobbling jigs.
Is there a bait that catches the most fish?
Lure Love Podcast has crunched the numbers in its database and determined that jigs have caught the most fish of any lure type among the nearly 20,000 records on file.
Should I bait cold, muddy water?
On any given day, a small crankbait is the best bait for cold, muddy water. I don’t usually use square-bill crankbaits in the winter, but I use the Yo-Zuri Square bill when the water is muddy. The flat side allows you to fish the shallow rock well.
In terms of bait, what is the most popular?
WORMS
- 1. There is a reason why worms are the quintessential fishing bait. Many fish species bite when you use worms, which are not hard to come by or expensive.
What do you do to attract bait?
Baitfish chum the water is the best way to do it. Using chumming to find bait fish is efficient. All you need to know is how to create an attractive chum mixture. Maggots, shrimp, and pinfish are suitable meaty components, and fish oil, oats, breadcrumbs, or sand are suitable binders.
