5 Popular Fishing Lures

One of the most common ways that anglers catch fish is by using lures. Many lures are made to look and move like fish's natural food, which makes them hard for fish to resist. Most fishing lures are made of plastic, rubber, metal, or wood. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, spoon lures, soft plastics, and fly lures are some of the most popular types of fishing lures. This is by no means a complete list; just an overview of some of the popular ones available.

Crankbait

Crankbaits are hard-bodied lures made of wood or plastic, measuring around two to three inches. Great for catching bass or pike, crankbaits are designed to imitate the movement of the creatures that these predatory fish eat. They can be manipulated by more anglers to further tweak their twitch or wobble. They also have a couple of treble hooks attached. Some have patterns or colors that make these fishing lures blend with the environment, while others have colors that make them stand out.

Spinnerbait

Spinnerbaits are also hard-bodied lures, but they have a blade that spins, vibrates, and flashes when the lure is retrieved, imitating the movement of baitfish or other small creatures. They are great for catching bass, walleye, perch, and trout. 

Spoon lures

Spoon lures get their name from their shape, which is long and narrow like the head of a spoon. They are made of metal or sometimes shell, and they shine and move in ways that make fish want to eat them. Spoon lures work well for cast-and-retrieve fishing and trolling. Some of the fish that are attracted to this lure are trout, musky, salmon, and bass.

Soft plastics

Soft plastic lures are made from a soft, flexible plastic or silicone that is molded into different shapes and sizes. They come in a wide range of colors and can be printed with different patterns, either to blend into the environment or to stand out. Their movements resemble those of worms, lizards, or frogs, especially injured ones, which many fish can’t resist. Compared with hard lures, they’re meant to be moved more slowly and subtly. Sometimes, anglers like to add scents to soft plastic lures to make them smell more like prey.

Fly lures

Fly lures, also known as artificial flies, are made to look like insects. They attract both saltwater and freshwater fish. Depending on how they're designed, they can be used on the surface or subsurface. Speaking of design, there is a mind-blowing amount of design that goes into fly tying as there are so many ways to mix and match materials to make them look like insects or crustaceans. Feathers, fur, plastic, and rubber are just some of the materials used for fly lures. Many also have quirky and interesting names, including Crazy Charlie, Club Sandwich, Royal Wulff, Dave’s Hopper, and Bow River Bugger, to name a few.

Lures vs. natural bait

Using fishing lures instead of natural bait like minnows, worms, or leeches has a number of benefits. Lures are less messy to carry, easy to swap out, and enable you to cast further than you could if you were using natural bait. They come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, which means that you should be able to find one that will attract the specific type of fish you’re after. They can also be purchased from any local tackle shop or online.

Artificial lures are reusable, unlike natural bait, which can get torn up by fish easily. They can also be used in both freshwater and saltwater, making them very versatile. You can even bring a variety of lures to cover all parts of the water column, from the top to the bottom. They’re also used by many anglers who practice catch and release fishing, as some lures tend to injure fish less.

But even though lures have these benefits, they may not be the best choice in some situations. For example, you should use live bait when there is a lot of structure underwater that they could get snagged on. In contrast to live bait, which moves on its own, the angler has to keep lures moving all the time. Traditional fishing lures may not be the most sustainable choice either, since most of them are made of materials that don't break down, like plastic or rubber, although newer ones are made to be better for the environment. Lastly, anglers also debate about how well they work in colder water.

Whether or not you’re a fan of lures, it’s undeniable that they’re a tackle box staple of anglers across different skill levels. What about you? Do you have a favorite lure? Which type of lure are you curious to try? 

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