Every summer the allure of the Australian Bass draws anglers back into the freshwater, and for those who target these fish for the first time, creates an awesome sense of adventure and exploration that only comes when chasing these little green things.

Ask any Bass fisho about what lures to use and they will be able to rattle off a dozen or more without even blinking. It can be a little frightening for anyone new to the sport, so I thought I would put together a guide of surface lures that I would buy if I was just starting out.

This guide has lures that vary in price, so I’ll start with the least expensive through to the most expensive.

1. River2Sea Buggi Pop

Length: 35mm

Weight: 4.0g

Action: Surface with a tight fast wobble

Sound: Light rattle

Price: Around $14

Opinion: This is a top producing lure and is hard to go past for value and results. They cast well and start paddling on the surface without the need for a drastic wind of the handle. They are a small lure but fish big and small are all over them. If I take friends who don’t fish out for a Bass, I always put one of these on for them.

2. River2Sea GT Bug

Length: 35mm

Weight: 3.8g

Action: Subsurface/wakebait with a tight fast wobble

Sound: Light rattle

Price: Around $14

Opinion: Perfect lure for around Christmas time when there are plenty of Christmas Beetles getting around. This lure swims just under the surface and is best fished with a couple of slow winds of the handle, before letting it bob back up to the surface then given a couple of twitches to get it under again.

3. Tackle House Elfin Large Cicada

Length: 46mm

Weight: 4.3g

Action: Subsurface/wakebait with a wide slow wobble

Sound: heavy/deep rattle

Price: Around $21

Opinion: These were recommended to me last season and upon it’s first outing started producing fish. My guess is that it only dives to around 10cm but has a big wobble with a loud rattle that really draws the fish in. Perfect for working over the top of weed beds and shallow banks.

4. Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada

Length: 40mm

Weight: 4g

Action: Surface with a slow side to side walk

Sound: No rattle, but the wings and action create a distinct plopping sound

Price: Around $25

Opinion: I don’t think there would be a Bass fisho who has not owned one of these. Without a doubt it would have to be the most popular Bass lure in Australia. The construction of the lure is a dense foam, so when cast it has a soft natural landing. I find that fish generally come back at this lure time and time again on the same retrieve after missed hook ups because it is soft the touch. The wings retract on casting, then when wound in pop back up as the lure is towed from the front. The downside to this lure is that they tend to get water logged after a dozen or so cast and I find myself squizing the water out constantly. This then causes cracking in the painted finish which will result in the paint eventually peeling off. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s a hard choice between this and the next lure as my favourite.

5. Megabass Siglett Pagani

Length: 36mm

Weight: 5.31g

Action: Surface with a slow side to side walk

Sound: Deep rattle, plus the wings and action create a loud plopping sound

Price: Around $30

Opinion: The Siglett and the Soft Shell Cicada have huge followings. When I’m fishing the surface for Bass, this is my goto lure. It cast like a bullet due to it’s weight, has a deep rattle which I always look for and creates a lot of motion on the surface when retrieved. The one pictured above has a fur finish (FF) on the bottom of the lure which is designed to trap air bubbles to create a more natural presentation. Who knows if it works or not, but I always find I will buy a FF over a standard. The downside of this lure, it only has one treble and you need to keep a watch on the treble screw eye as it is prone to losing up and even coming off completely.

Now I know 2 of these lures are subsurface, but these lures tend to catch most of their fish when worked/twitched on the surface, resulting in big explosions!

Another lure which I haven’t included in my top 5 but only just missed out is the Kokoda Bat. I’ve had some trouble with the quality control on this lure hence it not being included, but for $5-6 a lure, this is a must for anyone just starting out that doesn’t want to spend a fortune casting expensive lures into tight country.

One thing to remember when surface fishing for Bass, is to wait a while before you start your retrieve. Once you’ve cast and the lure has landed, wait for the rings created by the lure hitting the surface to dissipate. Twitch the lure to create more rings, then wait again. Do this 5 – 10 times before you start to retrieve the lure. Once retrieving, give the lure a few pauses while you’re bringing it back and throw in a few more twitches.

I hope this helps someone out and if you have any questions just drop me a comment on this page.