| Finding bass begins with understanding where food and structure intersect. Schools tend to gather where prey is concentrated and near structural elements that offer security, such as drop-offs or submerged cover. In stained water, these schools often stay shallow, while in clear or colder water, they retreat to deeper zones. Depth is also influenced by the thermocline, a layer where oxygen levels drop, making it uninhabitable for both bass and their forage. Using sonar to identify where baitfish congregate within these comfort zones is often the first step to success. Pay close attention to areas where two or more features converge, such as a point near a channel swing or submerged vegetation near a depth change. These intersections act as natural funnels for both prey and predators. During warmer months, bass often position just above the thermocline, especially if baitfish are suspended there. In colder months, they may hold deeper along vertical structures. Tracking seasonal shifts in baitfish behavior will reveal the most productive bass locations. Understanding how structure influences the movement of forage can help you anticipate where schools are most likely to relocate.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 Smoke Purple HellaMite. 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. |
| Bass schools can be either surface-breaking or subsurface, and knowing the difference is crucial. Surface-breaking schools are easier to spot visually and often indicate active feeding near the top. Subsurface schools, on the other hand, may never show themselves but still offer opportunities if located with electronics. These deep or mid-column schools often hold tight to structure or suspend at consistent depths, particularly in warmer or colder months. Understanding which type you’re targeting helps dictate your overall approach and bait presentation. When fishing surface-breakers, fast casts and quick retrieves are essential to capitalize on short feeding windows. Subsurface schools typically require more patience and precision, especially when working baits at a specific depth. A reliable depth finder helps pinpoint not only the fish but also the baitfish they’re tracking. Water clarity and temperature can influence how visible or aggressive each type of school will be. Recognizing subtle signs like bird activity or isolated surface swirls can also help reveal hidden schools before they fully show themselves on the surface.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, and the 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 that triggers strikes! |
| When fishing schooling bass, it’s important to observe their feeding activity and adjust your bait accordingly. If they’re actively chasing small prey near the surface, downsizing your soft plastic to a beetle or insect larva imitation can trigger more strikes. For more aggressive feeders, a larger lizard or cray-styled bait may be more appealing. The key is to mimic the size and action of the natural forage they’re keyed in on, whether that’s baitfish or bottom-dwelling creatures. Subtle presentations often outperform flashier ones, especially in clear or pressured water. Bass can become conditioned to repetitive lures, so rotating bait size, shape, or retrieve speed can make a difference. Watching for short strikes or missed hooksets is often a clue that your lure is slightly off in profile or action. In heavily pressured lakes, switching to a slower, more natural presentation like a weightless soft plastic can generate more bites. It’s also helpful to observe how the school responds to different retrieves because sometimes a steady swim works best, while other times a twitch-and-pause triggers reaction bites. Being observant and flexible allows you to stay dialed into what the bass want.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fast, we’ve recently just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Synthetic 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. |
| Fishing deeper or suspended schools often requires a more methodical presentation, such as counting down your bait to the proper depth before beginning your retrieve. Weighted soft plastic rigs can help target specific zones in the water column without dropping below the fish. When schools are holding close to the bottom, using a vertical presentation with lizards or worms work especially well. Patience and precision matter most when fishing this way, particularly when oxygen or thermoclines layers limit where bass can comfortably hold. A sonar unit is invaluable for identifying the exact depth where your bait should be positioned. Once you determine the holding depth, it’s important to keep your bait in the strike zone as long as possible. A slow, steady retrieve or gentle lift-and-drop motion can be effective for enticing less active fish. Avoid letting your bait fall too quickly past the school, as this can spook the fish or move it out of their feeding range. Using some type of countdown technique paired with consistent casting angles helps maintain accuracy and repeatability. When executed properly, this can produce consistent results when bass aren’t feeding aggressively.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! |
| In a typical school, the biggest trophy bass often sit beneath their smaller counterparts, waiting for wounded prey to fall before striking. This behavior suggests that presenting your bait just below the main activity can increase your chances of hooking larger fish. Heavier soft plastics such as big cray-styled baits or full-length worms are ideal for deeper targeting. These lures mimic either struggling forage or smaller bass, both of which can attract larger predators. The key is to let the bait sink below the surface frenzy and work it at a slower, more deliberate pace. Large bass tend to be more cautious, so natural presentations are often more effective. Avoid aggressive retrieves that might appeal to smaller, more impulsive fish in the upper part of the school. Focus on maintaining contact with the bottom or staying just beneath the school with a steady presentation. When bites are light or infrequent, it’s crucial to try adjusting the fall rate by changing weights or using more streamlined soft plastics. Targeting these deeper zones consistently can lead to fewer bites—but often results in higher-quality catches.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 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. |
| Once you locate a school of bass, there’s a strong chance they’ll return to the same area to feed over several days or even weeks. This predictability is tied to stable conditions like consistent forage, water clarity, and temperature. That means anglers can develop patterns and revisit productive spots with confidence. However, environmental shifts such as a cold front or a drop in water the levels can scatter the school. Regularly monitoring changes in the lake helps you stay one step ahead and relocate bass quickly when needed. Pay close attention to specific time windows when the school becomes active, as bass often feed during similar times each day. Saving productive spots with GPS waypoints or the physical landmarks allows for quick repositioning on future trips. If the school vanishes, scanning nearby secondary structures such as adjacent ledges or points can help you find where they regrouped. Don’t overlook subtle variations like wind direction or cloud cover, which can push baitfish and bass slightly. The more consistently you observe and document these different patterns, the more reliable your success will become.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! |
| Fishing schooling bass requires a willingness to change tactics based on the mood of the fish and the depth at which they hold. One day they may be eager to strike a fast-swimming worm; the next, they may prefer a slow-dragged beetle along the bottom. Switching between vertical, horizontal, and suspended presentations helps match the behavior of the school. Anglers who succeed are often those who experiment with soft plastics in various sizes, colors, and fall rates until the right formula is found. The ability to adapt quickly is often what separates a slow day from a productive one. Pay close attention to how bass respond to each adjustment in your approach. Even slight changes, such as switching to a darker-colored cray-styled bait or using a lighter weight, can turn followers into biters. Weather conditions, boat pressure, and light levels can all shift how bass behave throughout the day. Being prepared with a variety of options and techniques gives you flexibility when fish suddenly change their preferences. Inconsistent days often reward the most observant and adaptable anglers willing to make on-the-fly decisions.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 precious 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 released 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 water, mud, and grime. It’s lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure. |