Creature Baits for Bass Fishing
Creature baits are one of the most otherworldly-looking bass fishing baits. They're designed to imitate bugs, crayfish, minnows, and worms all in one but can sometimes don't look like any of these things. However, it doesn't matter whether we think because bass love them.
With a handful of colors in these plastics, you can fish coast to coast year-round and consistently catch fish. Creature Baits have the most action out of all soft plastics, and they catch all three bass species; Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted.
As a general rule, the larger your creature baits, the better chances you'll catch monster fish. Some anglers will only use creature baits when bass fishing because they work so well.
Now that these lures have gained popularity, there are many options to choose from. We've compiled this list of the best creature baits to help everyone from beginners to experienced anglers catch more fish.
Best Creature Baits
Zoom Brush Hog
The Zoom Brush Hog has been around for many years, and its design is still yet to change. It's the most popular creature bait ever made. We're confident every bass fisherman has tried this soft plastic at least once before.
If you're new to creature bait fishing, this is the perfect place to start. Its arms and legs give it a ton of action, and it just flat out catches fish. When you can't get bit on other finesse techniques, this bait puts fish in the boat. There are many color options for the Brush Hog, but Green Pumpkin is a good tried and true pattern.
Strike King Game Hawg
The Strike King Game Hawg has a subtle action compared to the Zoom Brush Hog. The appendages are longer and kick at a slower speed. This type of action is a hit or miss. Some days it may not do the trick, while on other days, it catches fish non-stop. Overall, the Game Hawg has a natural presentation that the bass can't resist. It's a creature bait we can confidently recommend.
Keitech Crazy Flapper
The Keitech Crazy Flapper, as its name suggests, has a ton of flapping action. It's a well-designed bait that kicks a great deal at slow speeds and kicks aggressively at fast speeds. It's sold in various, but the largest size has proven to be the most effective.
You can throw this creature bait behind a swimjig, wobble head, or on a simple Texas or Carolina Rig. The Crazy Flapper's best techniques are to either jig it slowly on the bottom or flip in under docks. Using a Texas Rig or weightless presentation works best when flipping.
This creature bait is known to hammer big largemouth and spotted bass. It doesn't have the popularity of other lures on this list, but its large profile makes it ideal for targeting trophy bass.
Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig
A cross between a beaver style and creature bait, the Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig is really special. It has a smaller profile than your classic Brush Hog, but the longer rear appendages make up for it.
This creature bait is phenomenal for flipping on either a Carolina Rig or Texas Rig. It's super versatile, high quality, and offered in custom colors and designs. Sometimes you can't catch fish on anything other than this bait. Largemouth bass especially seem to love this one.
Missile Baits D Stroyer
The most notable feature of the Missile Baits D Stroyer is its extra-long set of tails. It has a unique design with a wider ribbed body, many thin arms, and two wide tails at the rear. It has just begun to build a name for itself and has been catching monster bass everywhere around the US.
You'll see the unique action of this bait stand out during the fall and while you're dragging the lure along the bottom. The appendages have a strong paddling action that creates a ton of vibration. These qualities help to draw fish in from long distances away.
Netbait Mad Paca
The Netbait Mad Paca has the same kickers featured on the popular Paca Chunk and Paca Craw. This is a phenomenal addition as they have even better performance on this creature bait than on other styles.
Long appendages in the rear allow this bait to have a realistic flutter even at slow speeds. If you look closely underwater, it's easy to see why bass love this creature bait. The arms and legs wave in unison, producing a slow, methodical, and tempting fall effect.
Many colors of this bait are also available, but the Green Pumpkin with Purple Flake is our choice color. It gives the bait the ideal shimmering effect as it falls to the bottom.
Gary Yamamoto Mermaid
At first glance, it may seem like the thick arms on the Gary Yamamoto Mermaid wouldn't be practical. However, this is far from the case as they give the creature bait a better crawfish imitation. The wide curly tails make the profile a lot bigger, which is just what you need when targeting trophy-sized fish.
The added weight that all these features have makes it ideal for certain situations. Specifically, when punching, flipping, and pitching, the Gary Yamamoto Mermaid effortlessly slips through thick vegetation. When picking the right colors, try to match the bait to the crawfish species you have in your area.
It's also worth mentioning that this creature bait has better performance at slightly faster speeds. It takes a bit more effort to get the larger appendages moving freely.
Jackall Archelon
In recent years the Jackall Archelon has become the best flipping bait, hands down. It gives you results day after day and never fails to catch fish. Where it really shines is in heavy cover flipping and punching situations. The streamlined profile of the creature bait has a semi-weedless effect.
This performance is most noticeable when the bait's flipped on a Heavy Texas Rig. It's a good idea to use heavier tackle in general when flipping in heavy cover, but especially with this bait. The most popular colors are Green Pumpkin Candy, Green Pumpkin Pepper, and School Bluegill.
Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver
Other creature baits have a wild action to them, but not this one. The Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver has a slow kicking action with minimal movement through the body. If used correctly, it can even have little to no movement whatsoever.
The short appendages don't get caught up in debris and make the lure slip through aquatic plants with ease. Anglers have also trimmed it down to use it as a great jig trailer.
This bait really shines in the winter because the almost "dead" action is much more natural. Fish it on a Texas Rig during colder months, and you'll see great results. During this time of year, a ton of erratic movement isn't natural since fish and crustaceans become lethargic.
Big Bite Baits Flying Squirrel
The Big Bite Baits Flying Squirrel has a similar design to the baby brush hog with one significant difference. Instead of having curly legs, the rear appendages are straight with a large mass on end.
A simple change to weight placement can make a huge difference, and it's clearly seen here. The Flying Squirrel's legs move much more with the smallest of shakes and jigs. This quality gives it a super unique underwater action.
The body of the creature bait is softer than most, with very high salt content. You're likely to notice just how strong the scent is, too, as soon as you open the packaging.
If you're having trouble deciding between this bait and the baby brush hog, observe what people around you are using. The minor changes between the two can make a huge difference because fish are intrigued by new presentations. If you're fishing a lake where everyone throws a baby brush hog, this should be your lure of choice.
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