When the bite gets tuff, sometimes you need to use a finesse approach to lure those finicky bass into biting.
Finesse fishing is very effective for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. It is also super fun because even small fish put up a great fight and feel big.
Finesse fishing is when anglers use smaller, lighter, more subtle fishing lures and tackle.
Finesse baits are usually small soft plastic baits, although there are some hard body finesse lures.
When finesse fishing, you will be using medium-light to medium power spinning rods.
The line will be 8-17 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon. Ideally fluorocarbon because it is thinner and clearer.
Because of the subtlety of finesse baits, this fishing style works better in water that is on the clear side.
Finesse fishing can certainly work in murky water, but it is hard for the bass to find the baits.
This approach is usually aimed at bass that are a little finicky or sluggish. Things like high fishing pressure, weather swings, and very clear water can make bass a bit on edge and less likely to bite.
Temperature can also makes bass say “no” to traditional lures. Very hot or cold conditions will make bass less aggressive and more selective with what they eat.
This is where finesse fishing is most effective. The lighter tackle and lures are more realistic and don’t disturb that bass like other fishing strategies will.
I have been finesse fishing for years and in all kinds of lakes, ponds, and rivers. These baits prove time and time again that they are the best finesse lures for catching bass.
A small paddle tail swimbait is my all time favorite finesse fishing lure. It is one of the only finesse baits that you can cover a lot of water with and fish whatever depth you want.
I prefer to use a classic round jig head when fishing these. However, if I am fishing very clear water then I will use a more realistic minnow shaped jig head.
A simple cast and retrieve is all you need when fishing a finesse swimbait. The paddle action looks exactly like a small minnow, shad, or baitfish.
Drop shots give a very unique suspending presentation that triggers lots of bites. I personally think drop shots give the most appealing action of all fishing baits, lures, and rigs.
They can also be fished very slow if bass are sluggish. My favorite drop shot soft plastics are the Zoom Baby Fluke, Berkeley Finesse Worm, and the Lunkerhunt Finesse Craw.
Rigging a drop shot can be a bit tricky at first but you get the hang of it fast. Either use specialized drop shot hooks, or tie a palomar knot with the tag end pointing down. You will attach the sinker to the tag line.
It doesn’t get more finesse that a wacky rig. Just a regular J hook and a stick bait. The inchworm action of a wacky rig will get even the most finicky bass to bite.
When nothing else is working, I go to the wacky rig. The only downside of a wacky rig is that you will get so many smaller bass biting it that the big ones won’t have a chance to get to it.
My favorite stick bait for wacky rigs is the Yum Dinger.
The Ned rig has gotten very popular in the past 3-4 years. I don’t fish it much myself, but I can’t deny how effective it is.
Less is more is part of the premise behind finesse fishing and the Ned rig certainly embodies “less is more”.
You can hop it on the bottom, straight reel it, or anything in between. Somehow it catches tons of bass.
And with tons of great ned rig baits to choose from, you can perfectly match the hatch.
There is also another bait that is very similar to the Ned rig and I really want to mention.
This is the micro jig, which is essentially a weedless, skirted Ned rig. You can read our micro jig bass fishing article if you want to learn more.
Tubes are a popular bait amongst smallmouth fisherman, but they can certainly catch largemouth too. They are rigged with a jig head inside the tube itself.
Tubes have a great torpedo motion as they sink and dart through the water.
They are usually fished by hopping them on rocky or sandy bottoms and seem to be especially effective in moving water like rivers and streams.
Also Read: How to Rig a Tube Bait Weedless
The shaky head is a very simple finesse bass fishing technique. It consists of a jig head hook paired with a finesse soft plastic, usually a straight tail worm.
Shaky heads are one of those baits that you tie on when nothing else is working.
The shaky head and the ned rig are the most reliable rigs and catch more bass than any other setups.
Finesse fishing is the best way to catch stubborn bass that don’t want to bite. The subtle and realistic approach to fishing entices even the most finicky bass.
The 5 finesse baits and fishing rigs in this article have given me the best results. I have fished them all for years and they always seem to catch fish.
Finesse fishing is also so fun because with the light gear, all bass will put up a good fight and even pull out some drag.
