Types of Fishing Lures

Fishing lures are a really effective tool that can be used to attract fish when you are out fishing. They are a great alternative to live bait, and they are an entirely artificial type of bait that you can use to attract fish.

There are so many different types of fishing lures available, and they come in different sizes, colors, and materials, and some may be better at attracting different types of fish.

This can make it difficult to know which fishing lure that you should use, which is why we will give you all the information that you need to know about the different types of fishing lures in this article.

A fishing lure is one of the best ways to make a catch if you aren’t using live bait, which many prefer not to. Live bait also typically doesn’t last very long and can be difficult to get your hands on, which are some other reasons why fishing lures are the more preferable choice.

Knowing which lure you should be using in any given situation can make the difference between plenty of catches and a wasted trip. There are many different types that are great for different purposes, and we will let you know what they are below.

How Do Fishing Lures Work?

You will usually find that fishing lures are made to imitate the thing that a certain type of fish eats, in order to attract fish towards the object.

This can be through a variety of things such as the way the lure moves, and the color that it is. Fishing lures are usually designed to target a specific species of fish, and it is highly unlikely that one lure would work for all species of fish. 

This is why there is such a wide variety of fishing lures available, to be able to accommodate for all of the different species that there are. A lure that is designed to catch one type of fish, will be quite different from one that is designed to attract another.

The species that the fish is designed for will be included in the product information, to eliminate any guesswork. This makes it much easier to know what you are buying, and what fish you will be able to attract by using a specific lure.

In the next part of this article, we are going to explain the different types of fishing lures that there are available. 

Spinner Lures

These are a type of fishing lure that will have one or more oval-shaped blades that are made from a thin type of metal. The blades will spin around the lure when you reel it in, which is how it gets its name.

The spinning motion of the shiny blade will reflect off of the light and attract fish towards it. This type of fishing lure is designed to imitate a small baitfish, and it can be used in either freshwater or saltwater without any problems. 

You can actually purchase them in a variety of different sizes and colors, and it is recommended to have a few different types available to you when you go out fishing.

Something that you should be aware of is that some spinner lures are designed specifically for freshwater, and you should avoid these if you ever want to use them in saltwater. This is due to the fact that the salt will corrode the metal relatively quickly, rendering the lure useless.

You should always check the product listing to make sure that the lure is suitable for both types of water, in order to avoid disappointment.

The weight of the lure is something important that should be considered, and the lighter types of spinners are great for areas such as ponds, though the heavier spinner lures are better for fishing in deeper waters. 

You should also note that these lures are not typically able to be used for trolling, and they are more designed for use through casting and retrieving. You can cast the spinner in the direction of where you think there is likely to be fish, and bring it back up again.

The hope is that you will attract the nearby fish using this method, but if you are not catching anything, you might want to switch up to a location where there are likely to be more fish.

It might take a lot of practice to get a hang of this method, and you should try using it at different depths and speeds for the best results. This should help you to be able to catch more fish. 

Some species of fish in particular that this type of lure is useful for are pike and bass, jacks, mackerel, and even small tuna. 

Jigs

If you are looking for one of the more common types of lures, then you should definitely take a look at jig lures. They are one of the more popular types of lures, and they come in so many different styles that it can be hard to choose which one to get.

They are often available in different shapes and colors, and they are specifically designed to target a wider range of predatory fish. Some of these types of fish can include bass, panfish, pike, and more. 

A jig lure is typically made up of three parts, which are the hook, lead sinker, and the body, which is divided up into even more components. 

It can be considered to be quite different from other types of lures due to the fact that it actually moves through the water in a striking motion either upwards or downwards in motion.

This is a technique that is preferred by many and you will need to be able to feel the strike through your fishing rod for the best results.

It is a highly versatile type of fishing lure that can be used both in freshwater and saltwater, depending on the location that you choose.

These lures are used as a clever way to mimic minnows in cold water, and they are great for providing similar motions to smaller fish that work to attract larger predatory fish.

A bigger fish will usually choose to strike when the lure goes still, and this is how you can tell that there is a bite. These lures might not be as durable as some other types, and they are usually made out of a rubber or silicone material that can also mimic other wildlife as well as fish.

In terms of the color that you should select, it is recommended that you stick with a color that is suitable for the season that you are fishing in. This means that you should use warmer colors in the summer and lighter colors in the winter. 

These are the perfect type of lure for beginners and they are often favored among those who are just starting out in the hobby.

Fishing is made slightly easier using jig lures, and they can help to attract more fish through a variety of different techniques.

You can choose between a variety of different types of jig lures, and we will leave some of them here for you to read about. The five main types of jig lures are

• Arkie jigs
• Football jigs
• Punch jigs
• Finesse jigs
• Swim jigs

The most common type of jig lure is the arkie jig, and they are the most purposeful type that you can get. They suit most fishing techniques, and they are great for beginners that are just starting out.

The heads of these jigs are wide enough to make them well-balanced, but slim enough to allow them to maneuver through weeds. These are great for fishing in water like lakes that have lots of cover.

Another type of jig lyre is the football jig, which is spherical in shape. The shape of the head makes the jig wobble as it sinks, and as they are dragged along the bottom of the surface.

The wide head is also great for providing balance, and it stays upright when in the water. This prevents the hook from getting caught at the bottom. They are probably the best type of jig for fishing among rocky areas and hard bottoms due to the fact that they are very stable.

The next type of jig that we are going to mention is the swim jig. These have thinner heads on them that allow them to cut through water and vegetation better than any other jig type.

They use a side-to-side tail kicking motion that mimics that of a swimming baitfish. You would need to continue reeling to stop the jig from reaching the bottom, and the straight retrieve method is the best way to use them.

Another jig lure that is worth a mention is a finesse jig. These are smaller in size and they are specifically designed for finesse finish styles, which is when you fish slowly using small baits and light tackle.

These jigs are great for use in clear water that has a hard bottom, and in conditions where the fish don’t seem to be biting. 

The final type of jig that we are going to talk about is the punch jig, which has a bullet-shaped head that is specifically designed to be able to easily move through thick vegetation.

They will require a heavy-duty punching rod to handle them properly. They are typically really heavy so that they can do their job efficiently, and make their way through anything in their path in order to get to the bottom.

This will help you to get through any weeds and vegetation without any issues. 

Swimbaits

Just like many other types of fishing lures, these work to mimic other fish to attract bigger predatory fish. They work very similarly to some other types of lures, but there are also some key features that make them stand out as a different option.

One of these key differences in the way in which they are retrieved from the water. There are some types of swimbait lures that will increase their motion as they are being brought up through the water, and they start to move around a lot more.

There are other types that will move in a waving motion when they reach the top of the water. 

This type of fishing lure was actually created to resemble the rainbow trout fish, which is a type of fish that bass like to prey on. The swimming motion that this lure creates works to draw in other predatory fish.

More modern types of swimbait lures have different features and materials that work to offer more control, and this means that they are not limited in terms of the depth you can use them at.

These lures are another that are a great choice for beginners and those who don’t have much knowledge surrounding fishing and bait types.

They can be used in a wide range of depths, and they are more durable than some other lyre types. When you look at the materials that are used to create these lures, you can be assured that they are robust enough to withstand harsher environments, and they are also less likely to get caught in debris.

The mix of rubber and plastic that is used to manufacture these lures is inexpensive, let high-quality in terms of how long that they will last. This also makes them a great cost-effective option.

Spoon Lures

You will usually find that spoon lures are made out of metal or shell materials and their title comes from the fact that they are shaped kind of like a spoon.

They work similarly to the way in which spinners work, by reflecting the light and being able to move through the water in an unpredictable manner to catch fish. This method almost always requires a bit of practice, but it should become easier once you get the hang of it. Sometimes, a combination of different fishing techniques can help here. 

They are often referred to as one of the best types of lures, and they can be used by people of all skill levels, due to the simplicity required to use them.

They are not as complex as some other lure types, and they are really low-cost when we compare them to the cost of other lures.

They are widely available and easy to get your hands on, and they won’t break the bank either. They don’t have to be used or moved in a specific way in order to work, which is great for providing the user with a straightforward experience.

There are many great advantages of using the spoon lure, and one of the main ones is that they are able to be cast far away and with great accuracy.

The hook will stay in the water for long periods of time without having to be recast, which will also help to save time when you are out fishing. 

Many people prefer these types of lures due to the fact that they are more humane, and they put fewer holes in the flesh of the fish.

Other lures aren’t as kind, and this could be considered to be a great added benefit of using these lures. They are also usually more durable than the rubber or silicone materials that are used for other lures, meaning that they will be more likely to last much longer. 

The only downside to using these lures could also be considered to be a positive. They don’t require much work to use, and the process is relatively straightforward, but this could be boring for some people that might prefer a challenge. 

Crankbaits

The final type of fishing lure that we are going to look at in this article is the crankbait type. This is another of the most popular lures, and the plug lure is short while resembling the appearance of smaller prey that are attractive to larger fish.

They are usually made from wood or plastic, and they aren’t as strong as some other lures on the market, but they are more than capable of getting the job done.

They have a tail-end feature that moves, mimicking the movement of a small fish, and the front is adjustable to allow for better movement and depth.  

These are more expensive than some other types of lures, but they are also highly effective. You will usually find that they come in the colors of the fish or other creature that they are trying to imitate, which is really clever.