I retired on the last day of 2025 and thought that would give me plenty of opportunity to casually fish for bass in my first year of freedom. That didn’t turn out to be the case. Between a heavy travel schedule for my writing career, international travel to chase other species, and steps to move on to the next stage of our life, I had relatively few days to test new lures.
When I got out there, I wanted to catch ‘em fast, which meant that I usually stuck with old reliables.
But I did experiment a little, and occasionally someone recommended a new lure or stuck a new one in my hand. Not all turned out to be successful or impressive, but there were a few that earned a permanent place in my boat. Here are five that I can recommend wholeheartedly.
Berkley PowerBait Chop Block Soft Glide Bait
I actually started fishing this one in late 2025 but really got a feel for it on a local power plant lake in early 2026. It glides easily with a very short learning curve, so much so that I often found myself reaching for it in lieu of gliders that cost 10 times more. The belly hook system is great, too, maximizing hookup percentage without impeding action.
Keitech Tee-Bone Double Willow Spinnerbait
The Keitech Fat Swing Impact is one of my go-to options, but I hadn’t experimented with the company’s wire baits or jigs until guide Niagara guide Frank Campbell handed me one and I proceeded to catch a bunch of smallmouths on it. What really impressed me was not only the catch rate, but that it continued to run true even after it took repeated beatings from meanspirited fish.
While I was in Arkansas in April, Texas Boat World head honcho Kensaku Kashiwagi gifted me a pack of these, his favorite Chatterbait trailer. I didn’t think much of it until my friend Scott visited and outfished me with a vibrating jig that he adorned with these. They seem to be the perfect mix of bulk and finesse.
Strike King Tungsten Thunder Cricket Vibrating Jig
Later in the summer when it became tough to get close to the bank in many of the Potomac’s key areas I concentrated my efforts on the offshore edges of some key grass beds. The fish showed a preference for smaller vibrating jigs but I also needed something that would get down into the grass at a rapid clip. This was the solution.
Berkley Swamp Lord Popping Frog
I carry a lot of frogs but typically rely on only a select few. It’s tough to break into the starting lineup, especially in the popping frog genre, where I have three or four that I know will produce. This one made the cut. On one particular day when I had trouble getting a frog bite over a pound and a half, a mostly-black Swamp Lord popping frog produced one over 4 pounds and one just under.
Remember, Black Friday is coming up soon and all of these lures are available at Tackle Warehouse. Stock up for yourself or buy a loved one a lure that’ll produce in the clutch.
Discover five bass fishing lures that earned a spot in my boat in 2026, from a Berkley glide bait to a popping frog. Shop these proven baits at Tackle Warehouse.