Location, location and then location. You can't catch 'em where they ain't. Everything else is of lesser importance. If you find fish on structure, they will most likely be there because it presents good cover and ample opportunity to feed. Put any good presentation in such a place and you will get bit. Just do not get too hung up on kind of lure, shape, size or color. If the bass sees it, most likely he will try to eat it. It has to. It's the nature of the beast.

Weather usually drives me toward what I am going to be using.

Location, location and then location. You can't catch 'em where they ain't. Everything else is of lesser importance. If you find fish on structure, they will most likely be there because it presents good cover and ample opportunity to feed. Put any good presentation in such a place and you will get bit. Just do not get too hung up on kind of lure, shape, size or color. If the bass sees it, most likely he will try to eat it. It has to. It's the nature of the beast.

Rick Clunn has a similar take:

"Catching bass is easy, the challenge is finding them."

8-)

I choose my lures based on water clarity and forage for the color.  For the type of lure I base it on the vegetation in the area.  Also, wind is a factor to which type of lure I will throw.

1) Depth- the lure has to get to the depth that the fish are using

2) Cover - does it fish effectively through the cover that is available at that depth

3) Prey and water clarity- This will point you in the direction of size, shape, color,  etc

The first two are by far the most important because if you can get a lure in their face then you stand a good chance of catching them.  The prey and water clarity add that last little touch to sale the picky bass the bait.

After defining those you should have your options narrowed down enough to feel confident that you have the correct lure/lures for the job

Mottfia