Rock Bass are one of the most aggressive panfish. They will strike a variety of baits and lures, which is great for anglers who like to catch them. For some anglers, they are quite annoying though because they will go through your nightcrawlers or leeches in a hurry.
Like most sunfish, rock bass rarely exceed 2 pounds, however, rock bass as big as 3 pounds have been caught. Most rock bass that anglers catch will usually be in the 6 to 9 inch range. Because rock bass can grow quite large compared to other sunfish and they have larger mouths, there are some baits that will work great for catching them that may not work as well on the other sunfish.
Popular Baits
Nightcrawlers
Nightcrawlers are larger worms, so most of the time, you are going to be using smaller pieces of these worms when targeting rock bass. However, rock bass have no problem grabbing a whole nightcrawler.
Red Worms
Red worms are much smaller worms and they are the perfect size for most panfish and they are great for rock bass too.
Leeches
Leeches can be very good baits for rock bass, especially if you are targeting bigger fish. The smaller leeches will do the trick.
Small Minnows
Smaller minnows will work for rock bass. Most anglers will usually go with worms or leeches since you go through a lot of bait while catching rock bass, but minnows will help you target some of the better-sized fish.
Lures
Soft Plastics
Hard Baits
Hair Jigs
Hair jigs are great baits for rock bass when you find them schooled up in deeper water. Add a tiny piece of worm and even better action.
Jigging Spoons
Jigging spoons can be very effective in deeper water when rock bass are active. If you want to catch them when they aren’t as active, tip them with a piece of worm. This is a great deep water presentation.
Spinners
Rock bass will crush inline spinners when they are in an active mood. When the bite is tougher, add a piece of worm on the back of these lures and you’ll catch a lot of rock bass.
Smaller Crankbaits
A smaller crankbait can be very effective for bigger rock bass. If you are on a body of water that holds good amounts of large rock bass, you can definitely target them this way.