Fishing Lures

Fishing lures are types of artificial baits that are designed to resemble live bait as much as possible. They are often shaped in order to move through the water in random patterns, and to generate turbulence and other “noise” so as to attract fish. Lures therefore come in a variety of colours, shapes, sizes and textures. Common types of lure include jigs, spoons, spinners, plugs, plastic baits, spinner baits, poppers and flies.

Jigs are some of the more complex lures. They are made from a range of substances, so as to appear organic. Feathers, soft plastic, rubber or animal hair are attached to a metal head in order to create a tail. When the jig is moved through the water, the loose ends are pushed into a fish shape. One of the main criticisms of lures is that they do not smell organic. For this reason, some anglers attach a small piece of fish to the hook, in order to add to the illusion.Spoons are a simple but clever lure. They are constructed of metal and resemble broad spoons. When they move through the water they roll from side to side, and reflect light similar to fish scales. You can acquire spoons that are specially designed for trolling, while others are shaped so as to effectively be cast.Some lures, such as spinners do not resemble fish very well, but are designed to generate turbulence as they are dragged through the water, thereby enticing fish. Spinners have small propellers, which are attached to a wire shaft. Sometimes the spinner will be partly concealed by a tail of feathers or animal hair, similar to a jig. Spinner baits are based on a similar principle, but the shaft is bent into a ‘v’ shape. Again these baits usually have artificial tails attached to them, in order to make them look less artificial.

Plugs are less complicated lures, and are usually vaguely fish shapes pieces of wood or plastic which are designed to float on the surface. From below these lures create a fish-shaped silhouette and entice hunting fish to bite them from below. Types of plugs include topwaters, crankbaits and floating plugs. You can also get diving plugs, which will dip below the surface of the water slightly.

Plastic baits are shaped plastic lures that resemble crayfish, minnows and worms. They come in many different colours and shapes and are designed to be combined with various other types of lure. For example plastic baits can often be used with jigs, spinnerbaits and spinners. Some plastic baits are designed to float while others will sink, depending on the type of creature they are created to represent. As plastic is not very appetising to many fish, some plastic baits are scented artificially.

Poppers and flies are similar lures, that are created to resemble flies and insects. Flies in particular are intricate and detailed, and are an integral part of fly fishing. Many fly fishermen spend many hours designing and creating their flies, as well as perfecting the casting technique that allows them to drop their flies convincingly on the surface of the water.

As with live bait, fishing lures should be chosen based on the types of bait available in a particular area, and based on seasonal conditions.