For those looking to catch bass in Northern VA, understanding the type of bait to use is essential. Live baits such as small blue gills, minnows, crayfish, nocturnal crawlers, and frogs are recommended by the DGIF. For fly fishing, streamers and large poppers on an 8- to 10-pound leader can be productive. Tarpon, minnows, and sea bass are some of the best live baits for sea bass.
Baitfish of different sizes can be used in all types of bass waters, but they are especially effective in deeper waters. In winter, bass anglers often succeed by dropping a dying tarpon-like bait to nearby bass. Whether you're a novice or an experienced angler, a fishing charter can help you improve your techniques and presentations. Knowing the life cycle, habits, and ideal habitat of largemouth bass is also beneficial since they are often found closer to the coast during spawning.
Some of the most successful baits for attracting spawning fish include the Strike King 4-inch Game Hawg, the Berkley Powerbait Maxscent, the General Worm, the Bagley Bang O Lure Spinetail, the Dirty Jig No Slack Swim Jig and the Googan Baits Bandito Bug. Bass anglers should evaluate current conditions to choose the best lures and techniques throughout the day. When fishing with a swim bait, roll it up slowly to mimic the swimming pattern of prey. Bass become aggressive when protecting their eggs, so anglers should use baits that will cause a reaction attack.
In general, anglers catch more bass when using bait; largemouth bass feeds naturally. Bass anglers can fish for plastic crabs on the back of a jig or drag them onto a Carolina platform and put them under cover with a shaky head. Spend time fishing around any possible largemouth bass hiding place. These are what fishing professionals consider to be the “best baits” that bass anglers can always use as a reference. Baits and crabs are usually the most consistent types of live bait for catching bass since they are what bass usually eats in many different places.
