For decades, Bobby Garland has researched behavior of bass. It’s more than guessing. He developed a system that made presentation a science.
The lures aren’t just shaped out of plastic and metal. They’re the result of hours spent observing fish reactions in the water. His catalogue is your precision tool kit.
Knowing which lure work is the difference between an empty boat and a full livewell. This isn’t a complete list that determines one is better than the other. Rather it’s an explanation of when each bait works best.
Each one has its place and some are work horses while others are surgical strikes on particular situations. Knowing which Garland creation matches what you’re dealing with can help you do two things; match the mood of the fish as well as the situation. This is just a breakdown of must-haves in his arsenal and begins with the most crucial, followed by those that have more particular uses.
Ranking Bobby Garland Bass Lures Best To Worst
The Paddle Tail: Versatile Reaction Strike Lure
But his No. 1 lure is undoubtedly the Bobby Garland Paddle Tail. Durable and realistic, it has that great swimming action. That paddle tail gives it a wide enticing kick.
And even if fish are a little cautious, this will trigger those reaction strikes. You can fish it on a drop shot rig, swimbait hook, or jig head. Pretty much anywhere you want to put it, it will adapt.
Good on clear water when they can see it well. It is also good in stained water when they can’t see as well but still like vibration. It holds its profile well after being struck.
Anglers don’t have to worry about throwing into heavy cover. Because of all these facets, this should of been the first lure most anglers learn to fish.
Soft Plastic Craw: Bottom Structure Imitation
For bass positioned tight to the bottom, the Bobby Garland Soft Plastic Craw shines.
On docks, on logs and around rocks, craws imitate nature well. Because of its realistic body shape, the legs stays attached during the retrieve. Tail design enables it to skitter and hop along the bottom. It creates a nice little disturbance that draws attention without scaring off the fish.
It is lightly weighted for slow still water presentations or heavier for quicker moving water like a river. That small movement show its value. It flexes and bends with the flow of the water.
Harder plastics appear stiff and don’t stand up to other soft plastics. This becomes more noticeable in clear water. It is your go to bait when fish want something slow and deliberate around the cover.
Swim Jig: Hybrid Cover Penetration Bait
This is a Bobby Garland Swim Jig. Somewhere between a soft plastic and a traditional swimbait, we have the Bobby Garland Swim Jig. This new hybrid bait combines qualities of both materials.
A hard body give it buoyancy and the softer skirt/tail give it natural action. Where it really shines is in heavy to moderate cover like lily pads or hydrilla. A straight soft plastic will be too easily snagged for fishing around cover.
But not this bait. You can walk it over and through cover because of the jighead. Then it sits barely off the bottom where ambush bass can’t resist.
A lot of guys throw this bait in stained water when they think fish are keying on vibration. The hard body flashes and the soft tail moves, creating a moving jumble that the bass can’t seem to pass by.
Fluke: Open Water Schooling Bass Target
A clean presentation is like an open water lure, such as a Bobby Garland Fluke.
Flukes look just like baitfish swimming across horizontally. Great for targeting bass that are schooling or holding off-structure. A steady retrieve will allow the fluke to swim with a tight, effective action due to their flat body.
Again, simple is a good thing here. No special rod moves are necessary which makes this lure approachable by any angler. Active baitfish days (spring/fall) is where you’ll really shine.
Maintain a natural profile while covering water at a fast pace. It is efficient when fishing big areas of water. These are the conditions.
Crankbait: Hard Bait for Clear Water
Where does this leave us? In certain scenarios, a Bobby Garland Crankbait is holding up quite well. When dealing with heavy cover, you want hard baits to penetrate what soft plastics will not.
These crankbaits has a certain wobble and dive depth. They get bit by aggressive bass. And when the water is relatively clear, visual appeal is everything.
Those reflective eyes and painted finishes can call fish from afar. But it takes some skill to operate correctly. You’re adjusting your retrieve speed and tension on your line to maintain the lure in the sweet spot.
So in terms of general applications, it gets ranked a little lower but in heavy wood and deep situations, it rises to the top.
Topwater Bait: Situational Strike Triggers
The final slot is completed by specialty lures such as the Bobby Garland Topwater bait. These are situational baits for wind or low light situations.
Their splash and noise triggers an instinctive strike from bass that may otherwise sit there all day. They are great fun to fish but they are unreliable throughout the entire year. They have to line up with the right conditions and fish behavior.
So, they get the lowest spot for overall usefulness. They’re the icing on the cake in your tackle box. They come out when the conditions are just right and you want one more bite to salvage a tough day.
Knowing where these lures rank will help you better organize your tackle boxes too. Don’t feel like you have to carry them all to be competitive. Most of the time a few of these proven choices such as the Soft Plastic Craw and Paddle Tail will do most of the work for you.
Learn the presentations of those go-to baits and then adjust confidently to whatever the situation may be after learning their characteristics in the water. Functionality is what the Bobby Garland line is based off. Getting dialed into what bait to grab first will make a big difference in what you catch.
Bottom line, the best bait is the bait you can fish most effectively in current conditions.
