With spring in full swing and fishing seasons opening up in northern states, it’s one of the best times of year to get out on the water. From the Midwest to the Deep South anglers have been covering water across the country and testing lures in every region. Whether chasing smallmouth in cold northern lakes or flipping bushes down south, May offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities—and baits to match.
Here’s what we’re throwing this month, broken down by region:
Northern U.S. Picks
Jerkbaits for Smallmouth
Minnesota’s Ryan DeChaine calls jerkbaits a “must-have” for May smallmouth. As prespawn fish move shallower with warming water, jerkbaits like the Rapala X-Rap, Megabass Ito Vision 110, and Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Minnow draw aggressive strikes and curiosity bites.
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Cold water (40s°F) – fish deeper along drop-offs leading to flats.
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Warming water (50s°F and up) – target flats with shallow-running jerkbaits.
Swim Jigs for Largemouth
With largemouth pushing into shallow bays and flats, swim jigs are ideal for fan casting and covering water. Top producers include:
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Strike King Thunder Cricket
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Ark Elite Z Swimmer Swim Jig
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Freedom Tackle FT Swim Jig
Pair them with trailers like the Netbait BaitFuel Infused Paca Chunk for added action.
Casting Jigs
A 1/4- to 1/2-ounce skirted jig works wonders in northern lakes, especially where grass is minimal. Great for pitching or swimming across hard cover and flats. Try:
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Terminator Pro Series Jig
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Strike King Compact Tungsten Jig
Small Swimbaits
Small swimbaits rigged on jigheads offer the versatility to fish any depth. Kobie Koenig recommends the 2.8 to 3.8-inch Keitech FAT Swing Impact on a ball head or the Storm Largo Shad on a VMC Hybrid Swimbait Head for smallmouth roaming during temp shifts.
Midwest Favorites
Soft Plastic Stick Baits
With spawning in full swing on Kentucky Lake and similar regions, soft plastics like the Yamamoto Senko, Yamatanuki, and Perfection Lures Wacky Worm shine when fished near visible cover and on forward-facing sonar targets.
Use a weighted hook to speed up the presentation and pitch to docks, wood, and grass.
Floating Worms & Soft Jerkbaits
For post-spawn bass and fry guarders, a Zoom Trick Worm or soft jerkbait rigged weightless or on a hover-strolling rig provides a finesse presentation that’s been highly effective.
Pitching Plastics for Cover
High water and shallow cover make May perfect for bush flipping. Some standout pitching plastics include:
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Missile Baits Baby D-Bomb
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Xcite Baits Sucka Punch
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Zoom Brush Craw
All great options for targeting prespawn, spawning, and postspawn fish in shallow brush and flooded cover.
Southern U.S. Baits
Poppers for the Shad Spawn
May is shad spawn season in the South, and that means early morning topwater action. Sam Hanggi likes the Lobina Rico Popper in bone or shad patterns for picking off aggressive bass feeding on spawning shad along docks, seawalls, and rocky banks.
Compared to faster topwaters, poppers fish slower and improve hookup ratios—perfect for short feeding windows during the early bite.
Deep Diving Crankbaits
Once the sun rises, it’s time to hit the ledges. May marks the beginning of ledge season, and deep-diving crankbaits like the Strike King 8XD are key for drawing reaction bites from bass schooling on structure.
Use these crankbaits to cover large sections of ledges quickly and find fish actively feeding on shad and other baitfish pushed by current.
Whether fishing cold northern lakes or warming southern reservoirs, May provides a unique overlap of prespawn, spawn, and postspawn fishing opportunities. From jerkbaits and swimbaits up north to plastics and crankbaits in the south, these regional lure picks are proven to produce throughout the month.
Image/Source: Wired2Fish
