The Allure of Fishing Lures
Type of Fishing makes all the difference
Fishing lures hold special, almost mystical, places among fishing gear. Some fishers spit on them for good luck. Everyone has a favorite that they swear will always work. There are rules for their use, such as light on dark days, dark on light days.
There are cranks and spoons, tubers and streamers, buzzbaits, jitterbugs, dry flies and wet flies. It’s a lot to keep track of and enough o send any sane angler looking fro worms. Yet, we persist in buying them, naming them, and using them.
No matter what type of fishing you do, there are fishing lures out there. So how in the world do you choose?
Lure Fishing – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Let’s start with a simple concept: the purpose of a good set of fish lures is that they are compact, easy to transport, easy to use, and a whole lot less messy than live bait.
Lure fishing allows you to cover more water in less time, and with species-specific lures, a good fish lure means you can target the fish you want. Finally, lures are less likely to be swallowed whole, meaning your chances of gut hooking a fish are drastically reduced.
On the other hand, lures are certainly more expensive than a hook and live bait you catch yourself. In addition, they can get snagged on items and pylons. Put the two together, and you can go through a lot of money losing lures.
Still, that shouldn’t stop you from investigating, and using, a good fish lure. Simply put, lure fishing works, and isn’t catching fish a big reason to go fishing in the first place?
It’s all about the Bass
Bass, in particular, are eager fish when it comes to lures. Every solid bass fisher has an assortment of lures in his tackle box that focus on particular types of bass. This means bass fishing lures come in a wide variety, with some specific ones that everyone should have.
Whether it’s small mouth bass lures, or a good striped bass lure, the best anglers will agree that a good jig is a good start. Bass jigs are a great bet due to their versatility. You can cover an entire body of water, during any season, with a single jig. Small and mobile, they can get into areas other lures can’t.
Different jigs are designed for different techniques, but the most popular is the arkie jig. Arkie jigs can pretty much cover most jig fishing techniques. You can flip them, pitch them, skip them, work deep structures with them, or swim them.
Simply put, jigs just get big bass to bite, more so than any other lure. However, mastering jigs and the different ways to fish them takes practice. So, get some jigs, but spend the time needed to master their movement.
More Fish, More Lures
One of the most popular and versatile lures is the Rooster Tail. In fact, my bet is that when you think of lures you think of two types, small fish models and a rooster tail lure. In 1950, Worden’s created the rooster tail and it is still one of the best spinners around.
Rooster tail lures can be used to catch just about any gamefish. It has a bright spinner to attract fish, and the pulsating hackle tail entices fish strike. There are many a fisher who say a good rooster tail is a go-to lure when nothing else will work.
Another tried and true lure is the Daredevil Lure. Like many anglers, my first lure was the small, iconic, red and white striped Daredevil. The company still makes that lure and has expanded to multiple styles of lures for different fish and conditions.
Heck, you can even get a glow in the dark Daredevil Lure.
When you think of small, flat lures that look like minnows and other small bait fish, you are probably envisioning a rig from Mirr-o-lures. For more than 70 years, this company has been supplying the American angler with lures of all sizes and shapes.
So when looking for lures, don’t forget to look at the companies that have been around for decades. There’s a reason they’ve lasted this long.
Saltwater or freshwater – Lures from sea to shining sea
They built a name for themselves in fresh water tournaments, and the wide variety of their lures. Now Strike King Lures have branched out into salt water lures. Strike King is one of the largest manufacturer of lures, and a sure bet for finding what you need.
All Strike King lures have been tested and abused from coast to coast by designers, guides, clients and hardcore anglers. Heck, among their saltwater lures is one known as Saltwater Poison. This lure has a special blade design to maximize action and 3D eyes for realistic appeal.
Strike King makes crappie lures, bass lures, ice fishing lures, deep sea lures, just about any lure you can think of. So while specialist companies exist, and exist for good reason, if you are looking for an all-inclusive start, they are a good bet.
All of this may sound like a lot, and like a lot of money, but have no fear. The Rusty Angler is here to help you keep more money in your pocket and more fish on your table. Like many companies, fishing lure manufacturers are in competition for your money. That means fishing promotions worth looking into.
Companies often have fishing giveaways and gear promotions to attract clientele to their products. In addition, many have a good fishing giveaway that kicks in when you purchase package deals with bonus tackle.
Finally, pages like the Rusty Angler often have fishing sweepstakes where you can win big. So enter a contest or two, find some good deals, grab your rod, reel, and a tackle box full of lures.
There’s a lot of fish out there, and there’s no reason you can’t get a lot of them on your dinner table. Happy fishing folks!