Fishing Lure Types and Techniques

Lure Types and When to Use Them

• Inline spinners are effective in open water, along deep edges of vegetation, and in river currents; retrieve at a constant rate, experimenting with depths.
• Spinnerbaits are great in sparse vegetation, along dense vegetation edges, and near woody structures; gold blades work best in dirty water and cloudy days, while silver blades excel in clear water and sunny days.

Crankbaits

• Crankbaits are realistic lures that come in various sizes and diving depths; use deeper divers in open water and shallow divers in shallow water or near vegetation.
• Crankbaits wobble back and forth, working best near the bottom or near structure, and are effective for trolling in open water for pike, muskies, trout, and salmon.

Top Water Baits

• Topwater baits are ideal for bass and pike in vegetation or structure with water temperatures above 50°F; retrieve near shore, and be prepared for aggressive strikes.

Underspins

• Underspins are jigs with a small spinner blade and a plastic trailer; they're similar to spinnerbaits but smaller and more weedless.
• Use underspins where schooling baitfish are present, casting into the school and retrieving at a steady speed.

Soft Swim Baits

• Soft swim baits are simple, inexpensive lures that range from DIY jig and plastic grub to specialized combos; they're effective for walleyes, bass, muskies, carp, and catfish.
• Use soft swim baits for gentle, bottom-bouncing presentations, and experiment with colors, styles, and weights for different species.

Spoons

• Spoons are metal lures that produce flash and have weight; they're ideal for casting from shore and working in open water away from heavy structure.
• Use spoons with a constant retrieve or twitching movement, and consider using trailers for added versatility.

Chatterbaits

• Chatterbaits are like spinnerbaits but with a side-to-side moving blade, producing vibration and flash; they're fairly weedless and work well in dirty water.
• Retrieve chatterbaits at a slow speed, bouncing them off structures or crawling on the bottom, and target largemouth bass and northern pike.

Lure Types and When to Use Them

Inline Spinners

• Effective in open water, deep edges of vegetation, and river currents
• Retrieve at a constant rate, experimenting with depths

Spinnerbaits

• Great in sparse vegetation, along dense vegetation edges, and near woody structures
• Gold blades work best in dirty water and cloudy days
• Silver blades excel in clear water and sunny days

Crankbaits

• Realistic lures that come in various sizes and diving depths
• Use deeper divers in open water and shallow divers in shallow water or near vegetation
• Wobble back and forth, working best near the bottom or near structure
• Effective for trolling in open water for pike, muskies, trout, and salmon

Top Water Baits

• Ideal for bass and pike in vegetation or structure with water temperatures above 50°F
• Retrieve near shore, and be prepared for aggressive strikes

Underspins

• Jigs with a small spinner blade and a plastic trailer
• Similar to spinnerbaits but smaller and more weedless
• Use where schooling baitfish are present, casting into the school and retrieving at a steady speed

Soft Swim Baits

• Simple, inexpensive lures ranging from DIY jig and plastic grub to specialized combos
• Effective for walleyes, bass, muskies, carp, and catfish
• Use for gentle, bottom-bouncing presentations, and experiment with colors, styles, and weights for different species

Spoons

• Metal lures that produce flash and have weight
• Ideal for casting from shore and working in open water away from heavy structure
• Use with a constant retrieve or twitching movement, and consider using trailers for added versatility

Chatterbaits

• Like spinnerbaits but with a side-to-side moving blade, producing vibration and flash
• Fairly weedless and work well in dirty water
• Retrieve at a slow speed, bouncing them off structures or crawling on the bottom, and target largemouth bass and northern pike