Fishing Lures that Catch Fish

Fishing lures are artificial baits.

They can be made of metal, wood, plastic, feathers, hairs, or even rubber in a wide range of shapes, styles, sizes and colors.

Lures are designed to imitate the movement of injured or fleeing baitfish when retrieved through the water -- provoking attacks from predatory fish. They are usually rigged with single or multiple treble hooks that are normally not meant for bait.

Many are created to look like the natural prey the fish are feeding on, but there are some that don’t look like anything from this world. Anyway, fish are not that clever, because when worked correctly – through the water they are able to fool the fish to grab them.

There are many different types of fishing lures for recreational anglers to choose from. Some are designed to float on the surface -- some are heavily weighted so that they sink right to the bottom of the water -- and some are made to dive to certain depths on a retrieve by means of a vane built into its head. They may spin, flash, flutter, wobble, wiggle or simply create some noise when retrieve on a straight line.

Here are some of them:

Spoons

One of the simplest types of lure is the spoon. Made from various materials such as steel, brass, aluminum or copper, rigged with a swivel at one end and a single treble hook at the other, both connected to the body with split rings.

Spoons come in various weights and sizes. The choice of both weight and size depends on the species you are targeting. They can be cast or troll and when retrieved they simply wobble from side to side so they can be retrieved at almost any speed you like. Spoons are deadly for most predatory fish!

Spinners

A spinner is an artificial lure with a rotating blade attached around a weighted body. The spinner is designed to spin with the rotating blade creating strong vibrations in the water when cast and retrieved. The single treble hook is usually dressed with hair or hair-like materials to incite predatory species such as trout, salmon and pike, or nothing at all.

Spinnerbaits

Spinnerbaits have one or a pair of revolving blades with a rubber skirt that wrap around a single hook to make it tastier and attractive to the fish on a retrieve. Working very similar as the spinners, the spinner baits are very versatile for many fishing situations and very effective for a large number of fishes.

The 3 Super (3S) lures above as I called them are some of the best tried-and-tested artificial baits around, every angler should keep a variety of them in the tackle box. Furthermore they are not really expensive compared to other fishing lures.

Crankbaits

Crankbaits also known as fishing plugs are hard-bodied fishing lures made of plastic, wood or metal. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Most are painted and designed to imitate some types of baitfish.

There are 3 categories of fishing plugs: surface, sub-surface and deep-diving.

Surface Plugs

Surface plugs also known as topwater lures or poppers. Designed to work on the surface, they have a concave front that make a popping sound when cast and retrieve on the surface. Some have a skirt folded around a treble hook, and some even have ball-bearing inserted in the body to create some noise during retrieving to attract fish.

Sub-surface Plugs

Sub-surface plugs float on the surface after being cast. When retrieved they dive to certain depths. The extent to which they dive depends on the shape and size of the plastic or aluminum lip built into the head of the plug. Smaller and shorter lip lures will stay much closer to the surface while those with larger and longer lips will dive deeper. Most do not dive very deep, sub-surface lures are made to swim and work slightly under the surface.

Deep-diving Plugs

Most of these deep divers are weighted without a diving vane because their weight is enough to take them down. Designed for fishing deep waters they are also good alternatives for trolling. They are usually long and heavy – 6 inches to a foot long. Beware not to lose them – some good brands may cost a bomb!

Soft Plastics

Modern soft plastic lures come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors. These life-like lures are very effective for almost any type of fish. Many natural preys have been closely imitated by these flexible lures. These inexpensive lures can be rigged in a wide range of styles, such as the Texas and Carolina rigs.

Jigs

Jigs are made of solid metal, often lead, and come in many shapes and colors. Some glows in the dark. They are designed for jigging vertically off the bottom in deep water. Jigs must be worked with a jigging action to attract fish.

Using fishing lures to catch fish is fun and productive, but some branded lures are not cheap. Many are designed to attract angler than fish. Choose only those that are well-suited to your needs.

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