10 Best Fishing Baits 2025 in the United States

The Heddon Saltwater Super Spook Jr is a reliable option for anglers targeting saltwater fish. This three-pack offers tough construction and a selection of dazzling colors such as Red Head Holographic, Bone, and Black Shiner, enhancing its visual appeal to fish. The realistic finishes and strong, sharp hooks contribute to its effectiveness in attracting and securing catches.

Designed for 'walk-the-dog' presentations, the action of this bait mimics the movements of a distressed baitfish, which is particularly enticing for predators. The spear point style hooks ensure a secure hold on the catch. Despite weighing only 0.01 ounces, the bait's rugged line tines add to its durability, making it a long-lasting addition to any tackle box.

The Heddon Saltwater Super Spook Jr is well-suited for saltwater fishing enthusiasts looking for durable and visually appealing topwater lures.

The Savage Gear 3D Shine Glide Fishing Bait is designed to impress both novice and experienced anglers. This slow-sinking bait, weighing 2 1/3 oz and measuring 7 1/4 inches, provides realistic contours, colors, and movement, making it highly effective in attracting a variety of game fish such as largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, and striped bass. The lifelike action, achieved through a hinged design, creates a captivating darting motion and side-to-side gliding movement that can trigger predatory fish into a feeding frenzy, especially on a slow retrieve or a twitch and stop technique.

The bait is built with durable construction and features top-quality hooks and rings, ensuring it can handle the strength of large fish without giving way. Its realistic paint finishes mimic shad and shiner species, enhancing its effectiveness. The included treble hooks are heavy-duty, ensuring that once a fish is hooked, it stays on. Available in various ultra-realistic colors, this bait is versatile for different fishing conditions.

However, the bait might be a bit large and heavy for smaller fish or less experienced anglers to handle easily. Additionally, while the bait excels in mimicking live fish and attracting bass, it may not be as effective for other types of fish. In conclusion, the Savage Gear 3D Shine Glide Fishing Bait is a robust option for those targeting bass species, offering both durability and lifelike appeal, though it may not be suitable for all fishing situations or all types of fish.

The Berkley Gulp! Alive! Shrimp is a 4-inch soft plastic bait designed to imitate real shrimp, featuring a Pearl White and Chartreuse color combination. This bait stands out for its natural action and scent, which disperses scent up to 400 times more than typical baits, making it very attractive to fish. Its realistic presentation in movement and taste helps anglers use any fishing technique suitable for live shrimp, offering great versatility.

The bait comes in a pint-sized bucket, which is convenient for storage and transport. With a strong reputation built over 15 years, it has received positive reviews from many users, reflecting its effectiveness. While the bait is made of plastic, which some might prefer less environmentally, and the size might not be ideal for targeting larger fish that require bigger bait, it remains a popular choice.

Some anglers might find scented baits less desirable in certain waters or fishing conditions. This bait is an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced anglers looking to replicate the look and feel of live shrimp with added scent and flavor to increase catch chances.