It can be quite frusturating, especially for a first time angler, showing up to a beautiful spot and spending the wole day catching nothing. You may have been lucky and caught the odd branch or snapping turtle (that's a scary experience), but you want the trophy size bass you saw Pete Bowman holding up on tv. You want the picture, not the story or the one that got away. No one likes getting skunked, close only counts in horse shoes. Unfortunately it is inevitable and it hapens to all of us. Sometimes they just arent biting. But as I have learned throught my many years of angling, there are ways to increase your chances of not getting skunked and it all starts with your lures. Of course weather, season, depth, time of day and many other things play big factors as well. For now we will focus on your lures.

1. JIGS/JIGHEADS

This is the lure that I begin every fishing trip with. I never go fishing without one. Bass love jigs. For me they serve more of a purpose however. Jigs/Jigheads come in many different sizes, colors, weights and varieties. I personally use a yellow 1/4 oz plain jig, to which i usually attach a twister tail grub also yellow. The size, color and variety all depend on what fish your going for as well as your own personal preference. Another benefit to a good old jig is its weight. I use a jig when I'm somewhere new to get a feel for whats on the bottom of the lake or river I'm fishing at. A good way to tell between rocks and weeds is to tie on a nice heavy sinker and head out to your driveway. Practice casting amidst gravels and tall grasses to feel the difference between rock and vegetation.

2. TOP WATER FROGS

If i had to pick a favorite way to fish, this would be it. Nothing compares to watching the fish bite your line. Adrenaline coursing through your veins as you wait for the right moment to set those hooks. Some of my biggest bass have been caught on plastic frogs and top water baits alike. You don't have to break the bank for one either. The frog lures from your local dollar store will work just fine. As with all lures there are many different sizes colors and varieties of frogs so pick the one you feel most comfortable with. I use a yellow and green frog with the weedless hooks, I tend to stick with yellow and green for all of my lures. I'll throw that sucker anywhere. Bull rushes, lily pads, trees, with weedles hooks you'll rarely get it snagged. You can retrive it slowly, bounce it accross and off of lily pads, anywhere with good cover is a good place to throw a frog.

3. SPINNERBAITS

The next lure in this list is the spinner bait. I use, you guessed it, a yellow 1 oz spinnerbait. Again, your local dollar stores spinnerbaits will work just fine if you don't want to spend the money on a brand name one as they can be quite costly. These are pretty straight forward. While there are many different techniques to fishing a spinnerbait, a nice and steady retrieve will do just fine. I usually use a spinnerbait when I'm out at ponds, but it will work for all occassions. This is a great addition to your fishing arsenal and a must have for all bass anglers. This is another piece of equipment I don't go fishing without. 

4. SOFT PLASTIC BAITS

There is so many different types of soft plastic baits that it's unreal. Every one claims to be better than the next. For myself, however, one in particular always reigns true. The plain jane 6 inch soft plastic worm on a texas rig setup. The offset hook in a texas rig setup creates the perfect weedless hook. You can drop these suckers in the thickest of vegetation and bass absolutely love them. You can also soak them in a bass attractant for even better results. Fish it weightless, cast and retrieve, or throw on a bobber and chillax. Then test your luck with twister tailed grubs, salamanders, crayfish, and anything else that peaks your interest. You can use soft plastics on jigs or hooks, you can even add them as trailers to your current lures. 

So there you have it. These are the 4 lures that I swear by, the 4 lures I never leave the house without. These are The 4 Lures Every Bass Angler Should Carry.