| After a rain, it’s essential to determine whether it was tied to a cold front. Cold fronts typically lead to tough fishing conditions, especially in the first two days, because bass become sluggish and less active. In these situations, slow, finesse presentations with soft plastics like insect larva or beetles in deeper water can be the key to getting bites. Deeper water stays more stable and is less impacted by sudden weather changes. Once a few days pass and conditions stabilize, bass behavior often improves, and they become easier to target. It’s important to approach these post-front periods with patience, as fish may only react to the most subtle presentations. Avoid loud or fast-moving baits, which often spook bass in these conditions. Focus on vertical structure, break lines, and ledges that offer cover and consistent temperature. Pay close attention to sonar or depth readings to locate suspended or bottom-hugging fish. Even one bite can clue you into the right depth and speed for the rest of the day. Sometimes, downsizing your line or even switching to a more natural-colored soft plastic can increase your chances of a bite. Every small detail matters when bass are in a negative or neutral mood following a front.Our Fresh HellaMite is designed to imitate a major aquatic food source, delivering a realistic profile of an insect larva that fish can’t resist. Each is scented for complete and total attraction underwater along with being made in the USA by real fishermen just like you. We’ve recently dropped a new HellaMite Pro Pack that is loaded with 60 total baits in all six proven colors, plus three Owner Block Head Ned Jigs and a handy storage bag. This kit has everything you need to stay rigged and ready year-round. Grab our newest Lil Bass, Hot Sauce, MidNight, Glow, 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink HellaMite colors. We’ve also recently restocked our popular Ghost, Red Bug, Purple Rain, Brown Bug, Electric Chicken, and Goby Wan colors. The HellaMite’s solid body and hyperactive ribbed tail design produce a life-like quivering action with every twitch of the rod. Its unique flat underbelly detail enables this bait to be fished as a drop shot, Ned rig, neko rig, and even a small Carolina-rig, making it the ideal bait in any condition year-round. When the water is clear, the fish can see the bait and look like real food, causing strikes. Each cast becomes an opportunity for an exhilarating catch, thanks to its superior performance and versatility. |
| A light rain after a dry spell can stir up insect activity and wash natural forage into creeks, culverts, and lakes. This inflow attracts baitfish looking for an easy meal, which in turn brings in bass. Focusing on these areas can lead to an active bite, especially in the hours or day following the rainfall. These situations offer great opportunities to fish soft plastics like worms or lizards that imitate the forage being carried in. Moving from one inflow to the next can result in a productive day on the water. Bass often position themselves just outside the moving water, waiting for prey to be funneled toward them. Target the edges of current with slow retrieves to keep your bait in the strike zone longer. Overcast conditions following the rain can extend the feeding window into mid-morning or even midday. Be sure to pay attention to subtle water temperature changes, as cooler inflows can also help concentrate fish. Staying mobile and covering multiple feeder areas will increase your chances of capitalizing on these short feeding windows. Don’t overlook small trickles or runoff ditches, they may hold more fish than they appear. Even the tiniest flow can create just enough disturbance for strikes.We use our Fresh Scorpion because it closely imitates a crawfish. Our newest 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink Scorpion colors work wonders. The Scorpion is a revolutionary new look to soft plastics. Its intricate detailing and texture mimic the nuances of a real crawfish, making it hard for bass to resist. Of course, water clarity always plays a role in color selection but in any season, you can’t miss using colors such as Green Pumpkin Seed, Brown Bark, Magneto. This bait not only appears natural to fish but gives them something to become curious about. The Scorpion paired with a stand-up jig is deadly because the jig actually sits the bait upright in a defensive stance. The subtle color variations across the bait further enhance its appeal, mimicking the natural color shifts found in live prey. Each Fresh Scorpion has a unique and exclusive 3-axis tail design that is engineered like no other soft plastic bait. Our Scorpions are made by anglers from high-grade non-salt plastic to provide superior life-like action-triggering strikes! |
| Heavy rain can lead to muddy inflows that create distinct mud lines where dirty water meets clearer lake water. Bass often position themselves inside the mud line and ambush prey as it moves past the edge. Fish these transitions just like you would a weed line, presenting your bait along the cleaner side of the edge. Soft plastics like beetles or cray-styled baits can be worked slowly and visibly to tempt fish out of the murk. The key is to understand where the clarity shift occurs and treat it as a target zone. Wind direction can help push muddy water into certain coves or pockets, further defining these zones. Focus on areas where the wind and current naturally stack debris and stain, as bass may use these spots for cover. Vary your casting angles to determine where the bass are holding along the transition. Sometimes fish sit deeper within the stained water, while others cruise right along the edge waiting to ambush. Maintaining a natural presentation in these zones is crucial to coaxing bites in reduced visibility. If visibility is extremely low, consider using slightly larger soft plastics to increase your profile. Even the smallest of movement can draw attention when fish are relying more on vibration and instinct rather than sight.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fact, we just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Syntheic Lizard designs! The unique forward-facing leg design creates drag that holds it in the strike zone longer or produces wild flapping action with every pull of the rod. Additionally, its slightly ribbed solid body and large head hold your hook in place and provide much better weedless performance making it the ideal bait to use in any condition. Water clarity always plays a super big role in color selection but in any season year-round, you can’t miss when using colors such as Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, or Green Pumpkin. Its flexible tail design ensures added movement, tempting even the most cautious fish. The superior 5.5-inch profile stretches to a whole 7 inches which is perfect for predatory fish including bass year round. Made from long-lasting durable high-grade non-salted plastic for total and maximum attention-grabbing action underwater. |
| Rising water often pushes bass shallow as they follow bait and insects into newly flooded areas. These fish can be surprisingly aggressive, even in stained water, and will strike soft plastics like lizards or worms worked in inches of water. On the flip side, falling water caused by dam releases or drainage forces bass to retreat quickly to deeper, safer zones. They instinctively avoid being trapped, so identifying whether water is rising or dropping is crucial. Always assess the trend before deciding where to start your approach. When fishing rising water, focus on fresh cover like submerged grass, bushes, or newly flooded timber that provides both shade and forage. In dropping conditions, key in on breaks, ledges, or the first major depth change near where fish had recently moved shallow. Bass often pause at these spots while adjusting to the new conditions. Don’t overlook isolated structure in mid-depth zones during falling water, as fish may temporarily stage there. Keeping an eye on shoreline watermarks can help confirm whether levels are rising or falling during your trip. Steep banks can be especially productive during falling water, as they offer quick access to multiple depths. Staying flexible and adapting your depth range throughout the day can help you stay on active fish.Our Fresh Beetle delivers ultimate versatility in a soft plastic bait. Its slim yet wide body design and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water. This design ensures they remain enticingly active longer than conventional baits. Its unique texture also provides a realistic feel, making bass hold on longer once they bite. Water clarity plays a big role in color selection but year-round you can’t miss when using go-to colors such as Chocolate Mint, Ox Blood, or 10w30 Synthetic beetles. The hyper-active swimming claws are designed thin with long-lasting durable non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement. The Fresh Beetle offers an enticing 4-inch profile and is scented for complete and total attraction! You can rig these Beetles as a Jig/ Chatter Trailer, Flippin/ Punching, Texas Rig, Swing Jig, and Carolina Rig. Making the beetle beyond perfect in any weather condition year-round! |
| Significant rainfall can introduce current even in lakes that normally don’t have much flow. Whether natural or manmade, this current can reposition bass around points, humps, and breaks where they ambush food. In these situations, bass often become more aggressive, capitalizing on food being pushed past their strike zones. Look for current seams or eddies and target those with slow-moving soft plastics like worms or insect larva for natural presentations. Adapting to current direction and speed can make a major difference in success. Bass typically set up facing into the current, so casting upstream and allowing your bait to drift naturally can increase your chances of a strike. Be mindful of changes in current strength, as stronger flow can concentrate bass tighter to structure. Areas near inflows, narrowed channels, or bridge pilings often create reliable current breaks. Keep your retrieve subtle and controlled to maintain realism in turbulent water. Watching surface disturbance and debris movement can help identify prime current zones quickly. In low-light or overcast conditions, current-driven feeding can last longer than usual. When timed right, these windows can offer some of the most aggressive bites.Using a stick-styled worm is the most tried and true ways to catch fish. We have a variety of 5-inch Worms to choose from but we just added new MidNight, Glow, and Ghost Worms! Our popular Watermelon Red Worms have been restocked as well. You can also experience our new wacky rigging kit while it’s ON SALE! The WACKY Pack offers our most popular colors and essential tools for wacky rigging. If you’re fast enough you might be able to grab the limited-release Pumpkin Spice Worm before it’s completely sold out along with some of our newest colors including the Brown Worm, Electric Chicken Worm, and Goby Wan Worm colors. The high-grade non-salt plastic they’re made from provides positive buoyancy and it even floats underwater! We also released new 6-inch Worms including Charmeleon, Rainbow TRT, Bone, Chocolate Mint, and Fire TGR — all available in 5 and 6-inch. We’ve also recently released new 8-count packs of worms available in Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, and Green Pumpkin. We also offer worms that have the unique ability to shift from one color to another. Scented for total attraction underwater. |
| Rain changes water temperature, and its effect depends on the season. In early spring, warm rain can heat up shallow zones, drawing bass in and boosting their activity levels. In fall, however, cold rain can cool the water abruptly, causing bass to slow down or even shut off. These temperature shifts influence where fish will go and how they respond to the presentations. Adjust your speed and depth accordingly, using subtle soft plastics when fish become hesitant due to a temperature drop. During warming trends, target sunlit shorelines and shallow flats where the temperature rise is most noticeable. Conversely, in cooling scenarios, deeper, more stable water may be your best bet for finding active fish. Watch your electronics for temperature gradients and bait movement, they often reveal where bass are staging. Pay attention to overnight temperatures too, as they can either reinforce or reverse the effects of rainfall. Being in tune with even a few degrees of change can make or break your fishing strategy. If you’re not getting bites, test both shallower and deeper zones to see where bass have repositioned. Subtle shifts in temperature can completely reset feeding patterns, especially during seasonal transitions.Our newest FreshBaitz Mandingo Trick Worm is the ultimate game-changer for anglers with a passion! Engineered for the angler who knows SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a penchant for the larger bait. The Mandingo Trick Worm boasts a solid 7-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. Officially available in a vibrant array of 8 colors. Each worm is made from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for total and maximum attraction, the Mandingo Trick Worm promises year-round effectiveness in lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you’re rigging it on a Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Texas Rig, or Carolina Rig, these worms are your ticket to landing the big ones. Proudly made in the USA by real anglers to help elevate your fishing experience and catch more bass year-round! |
| In the fall, cold rain can cause lakes to turn over, mixing the water column and pushing bottom debris to the surface. This process reduces oxygen levels in surface layers and makes bass much harder to catch. You can often identify turnover by the presence of floating debris and a sulfur-like smell from decaying organic material. If conditions are severe, it may be better to try another nearby lake that isn’t affected. When turnover happens, even the best bait choice might not overcome the disrupted environment. Fish may scatter or suspend unpredictably during turnover, making patterning difficult. If you choose to stay on the water, look for areas less impacted, such as wind-protected coves or zones near inflowing creeks where fresher water enters. These pockets can sometimes hold more oxygen and slightly more active fish. Keep presentations slow and natural, with soft plastics like worms or insect larva to match the bass’s reduced energy. Ultimately, remain flexible at all times and recognize turnover early can help you adjust or relocate before wasting valuable time. Use your senses and surroundings to assess the extent of turnover before launching into a full day of fishing. Saving time by identifying poor conditions early can help you make smarter location choices and stay productive.We have a wide variety of terminal tackle to choose from, but we’ve recently released new Nako Tungsten Tear Drop Shot Weights, crafted from 97% eco-friendly tungsten for stealth, durability, and vibration, with easy-to-read size stamps and a crimped swivel for quick changes. The new Haymaker EWG Worm Hooks are also now available, featuring an extra-wide gap for various soft plastics, a Z-lock shoulder bend for secure bait placement, and an angled-up super needle point for fast, powerful hooksets. For creature-styled baits, a more popular choice to use is the Stand-Up Jig because it sits the bait up-right in a defensive stance! Mosquito Hooks work for dropshotting and perfectly accommodates a wide range of soft plastics. The popular All Purpose Hooks are built with an extra-wide gap and are made to accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. The Block Head Jig is perfect for ned rigging the HellaMite with its mushroom-style head that seamlessly matches a wide variety of soft plastics. The Offset Block Head Jig, offers the same mushroom-style head with a unique offset hook, making it a go-to for weedless Ned Rig applications. The Shakey Ultrahead can permanently secure baits by inserting the pin in the center and screwing the twist lock coil spring for perfect rigging every time! The Ultrahead Wacky Jig features precise weight positioning and hook orientation for the ultimate wacky presentations. For fast Texas rigging, we use the Bullet-Type Rig which has an attached weight saving you pressure time when fishing cover. The 4x Jungle Flippin Hook is designed for big fish and the toughest conditions. The Range Roller Jig Head is crafted for precision with its high center axis design, perfect for hover-strolling and mid to bottom strolling with forward facing sonar, ensuring an enticing rolling action that triggers bites. We also just release New Keep’em Fresh Bait Bags! These bags are the ultimate solution for anglers who need their gear to perform. Built like a tank, this bag is 20x stronger than regular zip bags and offers 100% waterproof protection with a rock-solid double zipper seal. Whether it’s for soft plastics, snacks, or your smartphone, this reusable and versatile bag keeps everything safe from the water, mud, and grime. Lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure. |