Fishing Lure is one of the key components of catching fish. If you, like many other anglers, need help to choose the right bait, we will make your decision easy by offering full details about different fishing lure types.
Furthermore, fishing lure is such a vast field as it depends on numerous factors like size, water temperature, water level, type of target fish, and numerous others. Therefore, it is a challenging selection decision even for professional anglers.
However, another key aspect is the fish and its eating priorities. By knowing this information, you will significantly improve hookup chances. Therefore, it is vital to conceptualize all ideas related to lures, making it easy for you to come back home with success.
So, let us move on and dive into the world of fishing lure types.
What Are Fishing Lures?
Let us start with the basics, as it will set the tone for understanding the fishing lure deeply. The history of lures dates back to the 1890s, when lures were made of wood. However, it has evolved immensely over the past century.
Likewise, this development has come in all aspects, including shape, design, material, and colors. In short, modern fishing lures are a thing of an art.
Fishing lures are made to imitate the fish eating the bait. Anglers use numerous means to achieve this target, including action, smell, and visual presentation.
Fishing Lure Types Chart
We have compiled a chart featuring fish types and their preferred lure to make your decision easy. Although it is more complicated to select, the fishing lure types chart below will give you an idea of making the right decision.
So, have a look and choose the right lure.
| Fishing Lure Type | Fishing Technique | Target Species |
| Crankbait | Casting, Trolling | Bass, Trout, Salmon, Walleye, Muskie, Perch, Crappie, Northern Pike |
| Plugs | Casting, Trolling | Bass, Tuna, Pike, Wahoo, Mahia Mahi, Muskellunge, Tarpon, Redfish, Grouper, Snook, King Mackerel |
| Jerk baits | Casting, Trolling | Bass, Pike, Redfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Muskellunge, Snook, Tarpon, King Mackerel, Spotted Seatrout |
| Jig | Casting, Vertical Fishing, Ice Fishing | Bass, Panfish, Yellow Perch, Walleye, Trout, Crappie, Amberjack, Tuna, Bluegill |
| Inline Spinner | Casting, Trolling | Trout, Bass, Muskie, Walleye, Northern Pike |
| Spoon | Casting, Trolling, Ice Fishing | Salmon, Walleye, Northern Pike, Muskie, Steelhead |
| Spinnerbaits | Casting | Bass, Northern Pike, Trout, Perch, Muskellunge |
| Inline Spinners | Casting, Trolling | Bass, Trout, Salmon, Panfish, Sunfish, Northern Pike, Walleye, Muskellunge, Bream, Crappie |
| Swimbait | Casting, Trolling, Vertical Fishing, Ice Fishing | Bass, Walleye, Muskie, Northern Pike, Salmon, Trout, Steelhead |
| Top waters | Casting | Trout, Barracuda, Bluefish, Refish, Bonefish, Smallmouth bass, Largemouth bass, Northern Pike, Striped bass, Spotted Seatrout |
| Soft Plastics | Casting, Finesse, Ultra-Light, Trolling | Bass, Trout, Perch, Bluegill, Crappie, Panfish |
| Spoons | Casting, Trolling, Ice Fishing | Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Trout, Salmon, Muskellunge, Kingfish, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Blackfin Tuna |
| Swimbait | Casting, Trolling, Vertical Fishing, Ice Fishing | Bass, Walleye, Muskie, Northern Pike, Steelhead, Salmon, Trout |
| Blade baits | Casting, Vertical Fishing, Trolling, Ice Fishing | Bass, Sauger, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Trout, Panfish, Stripers, Crappie, Muskellunge |
| Chatterbait | Casting | Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Muskellunge |
| Trolling Lures | Trolling | Bass, Salmon, Lake Trout, Tuna, Blue Marlin, Billfish, Kingfish, Wahoo, Sailfish, Muskellunge, Barracuda |
| Fly | Fly Fishing, Casting, Trolling, Ultra-light Fishing, Finesse Fishing | Trout, Bass, Steelhead, Salmon, Northern Pike, Carp, Snook, Panfish, Wahoo, Tuna, Marlin, Sailfish, Redfish, Tarpon, Northern Pike |
| Crabs | Bait Casting, Bottom Fishing, Surf Casting | Redfish, Snook, Cobia, Pompano, Black Drum, Catfish, Bass, Striper, Perch, Whiting, Rockfish |
| Bread and Dough Balls | Bait Casting, Bottom Fishing, Still Fishing | Chub, Carp, Catfish, Panfish, Sunfish, Bluegill, Suckers, Crappie |
| Crayfish | Fly Fishing, Bottom Bouncing, Bait Casting, Bottom Fishing | Bass, Catfish, Salmon, Carp, Walleye, Perch, Herring, Trout |
| Clams and Mussels | Bait Casting, Surf Fishing, Bottom Fishing, Chumming, Drift Fishing | Flounder, Bass, Stripers, Perch, Rockfish, Whiting, Catfish, Sea Trout, Porgy, Blackfish |
| Insects | Jigging, Bottom Fishing, Casting, Still Fishing | Bass, Perch, Trout, Crappie, Sunfish, Bluegill, Walleye, Panfish |
| Grubs and Mealworms | Jigging, Bottom Fishing, Still Fishing | Bass, Perch, Trout, Walleye, Bluegill, Crappie, Sunfish, Panfish |
| Eel Bait | Bait Casting, Surf Casting, Trolling | Salmon, Cobia, Chinook, Steelhead, Grouper, Striped Bass, Sharks, Barracuda |
| Leeches | Casting, Bottom Fishing, Trolling | Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Panfish, Trout, Pike |
| Live Saltwater Fishing Bait | Jigging, Surf Casting, Bottom Fishing, Trolling, Bait Casting | Most saltwater fish species |
| Shrimp | Drifting, Bottom Fishing, Trolling, Still Fishing, Bait Casting | Seabass, Redfish, Wahoo, Bluegill, Catfish, Flounder, Crappie, Bullheads, Perch, Bass, Walleye |
| Minnows | Bait Casting, Bottom Fishing, Drift Fishing, Trolling | Bass, Catfish, Perch, Pike, Crappie, Chain Pickerel, Trout |
| Squid | Jigging, Bait Casting, Bottom Fishing, Drift Fishing | Sharks, Panfish, Pike, Trout, Salmon, Catfish, Grouper, Little Tunny, Tuna |
What are the Main Types of Fishing Lures?
Since fishing lures have developed enormously, learning about their different types is essential. There are 14 major types of fishing lures.
- Crankbaits
- Jigs
- Inline spinners
- Spoons
- Topwater lures
- Swimbaits
- Soft plastic baits
- Blade baits
- Spinnerbaits
- Chatterbaits
- Flies
- Plugs
- Jerkbaits
- Trolling lures
Also, remember that all these categories can also have sub-categories. Moreover, with technological advancements, numerous hybrid lures are also available in the market. However, if you know the basic categories, you can easily decide between buying a fishing lure.
Let us have a closer look at the different types of fishing lures mentioned above.
1. Crankbaits
Crankbaits or plugs are one of the most used fishing lures worldwide. Since it is a versatile lure, you can catch various fish, including trout and muskie.
Generally, crankbaits are made of hard plastic or balsa wood. Moreover, it has a bill attached to the front that gives it a wiggling action during action. Thus making it an attractive lure for fish. Further, you can also use it for deep-water fishing as it can go deep into the water, considering its weight and angle.
2. Jigs
If you want an all-rounder lure, jigs are the perfect match. Since these are the most versatile fishing lure types you can connect an infinite variety of skirts and soft plastic baits.
Moreover, these also come with a weed guard option, making them semi-weedless lures. So, its manufacturing makes it a perfect option for close-to-heavy cover fishing.
Furthermore, you can also get it with different soft plastics like grub tails and creature baits. Jigs are widely used for vertical and ice fishing.
3. Inline Spinners
These lures were initially designed to target trout fish and are still famous for trout. However, these have also become popular for catching fish like bass, pike, and Muskie.
It is a type of spinnerbait with a blade attached below the eyehole to the body. Once you pull inline spinners, it creates a vibration that attracts predatory game fish.
Moreover, these lures are easy to use and are effective in attracting fish even in shallow waters. Similarly, they are also relatively inexpensive and can be used in various conditions.
4. Spoons
It is like a concave, oblong, metal-shaped lure, like a spoon. Once you throw it in the water, it creates a specular reflection and wobble, which attracts fish.
Moreover, it is popular for catching bass, pike, and billfish. It creates a reflection that resembles a fish, thus deceiving them to come towards the lure.
Additionally, it is easy to use and requires no special skills or knowledge. It is also environmentally friendly as it is reusable and biodegradable.
5. Topwater Lures
It is commonly known as a walker amongst anglers, as these float on the water’s surface. Moreover, these come in vibrant and buoyant colors because of the nature of their operation.
Moreover, these have numerous sizes and shapes, with the most popular ones including poppers and frogs. The common feature of topwater lures is that they float on the surface to trigger strikes and are used to lure bass, trout, and pike.
6. Swimbaits
Swimbait design lures fish through characteristic action when pulled through the water. One of the most widely used swimbait lures is the paddle tail, which wiggles its tail during retrieval.
Moreover, you can also get a hard-body swimbait that is ideal for catching trophy-size bass. Likewise, swimbaits are preferred for catching pike and muskies.
7. Soft Plastic Baits
You can get soft plastic baits in various colors, sizes, and shapes. It is famous for finesse fishing, as you can use it with a jig head.
Moreover, it has subcategories, including Texas rig, wacky rig, and shot rig. Thus, these are suited for catching bass, trout, panfish, and crappie.
Hence, these soft baits are also effective for fishing in deeper water. They are easy to use and can be fished with various techniques.
8. Blade Baits
Blade baits were initially designed for vertical fishing, the reason for these having the hook at its tail. However, these are now widely used for ice fishing and help catch walleye and pike.
Moreover, many anglers have succeeded in using blade baits in open waters. It has a flat metal spoon with a weighted nose. Likewise, it comes with treble hooks, one at each end. It also looks like a crankbait but is narrower in size.
9. Spinnerbaits
It is a lead head molded on a hook and attached to an L-shaped wire that can hold 4 blades. The blades spin around the wire once you retrieve these from the water.
If the water is clean, it can attract fish from a long distance. It is commonly used to catch large fish like bass, pike, and Muskie. However, you can use small spinnerbaits to catch fish such as perch.
Moreover, blades play a major role in creating noise and vibrations to lure fish.
10. Chatterbaits
Chatterbaits are also called bladed or vibrating jigs. It has a unique design and looks like a skirted jig. It has a small square metal piece with trimmed corners. It combines spinner and crankbait, bringing vibration and flash to lure the fish.
Moreover, you can use it in both shallow and deep waters. However, it is suited for the fall and late winter seasons. You can use it to catch bass, pike, and Muskies hiding under heavy covers.
11. Flies
As the name suggests, these are ideal for fly fishing. The purpose of fly lure is to attract those species that are a natural food source. It is developed by strategically attaching feathers, furs, and other materials with a hook to create a pattern.
Anglers use these lures to attract aquatic and terrestrial prey. Moreover, these have two major subcategories – imitators and attractors.
12. Plugs
While it looks like a crankbait, this lure has a hard body, ideally suited for casting and trolling lures. Moreover, shorter and deeper lures imitate frogs, baitfish, and prey. Further, these are commonly known as wobblers.
You can use these for both shallow and deep waters. Likewise, these come in a variety of designs and functions. They come in small, like 1 inch, and reach up to 8 inches, meaning you can select the size depending on the target fish.
13. Jerkbaits
These are similar to plug or crankbaits but are smaller and are used to lure baitfish. However, these are more slender, longer, and have two treble hooks.
Moreover, considering their small bill size, jerk baits go farther than some crankbaits. Further, these come in different shapes like square, diamond-shaped or rounded.
14. Trolling Lures
These lures lure injured or fast-moving fish. Moreover, anglers use it behind a moving boat to target billfish and other saltwater fish.
Furthermore, many people tie to a metal device or an improved clinch knot called a snap.
What to Consider When Buying Fishing Lures
Buying a lure is a complex affair, as you must consider several factors before making the final decision. Here are key points to consider before buying fishing lures.
What Species Am I Targeting?
One of the biggest filters to narrow your lure search is identifying the fish species you will target. Since most predatory fish prefer a particular bait they feed on, it is important to first decide on target fish.
For instance, if you are going for smallmouth bass, you need a small-sized lure. Therefore, a ned rig becomes the perfect choice. Likewise, you will need other lures if you are targeting largemouth bass.
What Time of Year Is It?
Fish change behavior throughout the season. For instance, during spring, bass goes through the spawning phase. Therefore, you will find them close to banks on beds protecting their eggs. Hence, you need a big and loud lure to entice bedding fish.
This means you must select a heavy jig lure in this situation.
What Is the Water Temperature?
Understanding the water temperature is another critical factor before choosing a lure. Fish go into deep water if the surface temperature is high. Therefore, you need a lure that can go deep waters and is more stable in harsh conditions.
Contrarily, fish will come to the surface if the temperature is low, so you need to adjust your lure accordingly.
What Type of Water Am I Fishing? (Flowing, grassy, clear, etc.)
Every fish has its preferred water type. On a lake, you will come across clean and calm waters, while you could get muddy or grassy water in other places. Therefore, picking up a lure that can navigate through the type of water you will fish becomes essential.
Moreover, you will only succeed if your lure is visible to fish and matches feeding requirements. So, you must choose a vibrant lure if the waters are murky and darker to get attention from the predator fish.
What are the Main Types of Saltwater Lures?
Saltwater lures are divided into three main categories – crankbaits, spoons, and swimbaits. Since these are larger, they are ideal for saltwater fishing. Contrarily, smaller finesse lures are seldom used for saltwater fishing.
Features to Look For When Buying Fishing Lures
Now you are well aware of fishing lure types and ready to make a purchase, here are key features to look for in a lure. All these features combine to make a perfect buy.
Moreover, several different lures bring different features. Thus, selecting the right lure depends on certain features discussed in the coming lines.
Match the Hatch
Fish change their mood depending on the surrounding environment and available feed. Therefore, always do homework before you go out for fishing. First, identify your target fish and study its feeding priorities.
Once you have completed this work, now you are better placed to make a lure purchase decision.
Brand
When shopping for fishing lures, always prefer quality to quantity. Although buying a pack of ten from a random company seems very attractive, you could lose all these during your first visit.
Therefore, always purchase your lure from a trustworthy brand. You can check for reviews and get word of mouth about the trustworthiness of any brand.
How to Choose the Right Fishing Lures For You
Purchasing the right lure, depending on your needs, is an overwhelming experience. Since you are targeting the same area for different species, you need different lures and tactics.
Here are a few tips for choosing the right fishing lure.
Targeting Bass
Imagine fishing in the backyard pond during summertime, but you cannot catch a successful catch. The conditions are murky with low visibility; however, it has a depth of 10 feet.
Here are key points you must consider while fishing in the above-case scenario.
- Use heavy jigs to reach the bottom of the pond
- Use lures that emulate the bait
- Use a heavy lure that can reach the bottom as fish go down low during summertime due to increased temperature on the surface.
- Vibrant-colored lures are the best, as they have low visibility.
Inshore Angling
If you plan to participate in this year’s ‘tarpon run.’ This means you will come across clear water for tarpon, which is chasing pilchards.
You must consider the key points if you want to win the tournament.
- Use a white lure to imitate pilchards.
- Since tarpon tends to feed from the surface, use a lure that will stay near the surface.
- Use lures that can work fast to entice a bite
- Choose a color that feels natural in clear water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fishing lure is the best?
It is difficult to single out the best fishing lure, as it depends on several factors like target fish, water type, season, and many others. Therefore, the best fishing lure changes from time to time. However, broadly speaking and seeing the success ratio, we can include below the best fishing lures.
- Bucktails
- Spoons
- Soft plastic jigs
- Topwater plugs
- Marabou jigs
What lure catches the most fish?
Here are a few records made by different lures during fishing tournaments.
- Jigs: 1,105
- Spoon: 211
- Plastic worm: 195
- Plug: 177
- Spinner: 110
What lure is the best for beginners?
Lure selection is a tough decision, even for professional anglers. Therefore, most beginners find it tough to get the right lure. However, based on experience, we recommend the lures below as the best newbie options.
- Plastic worms
- Squarebill Crankbaits
- Walking Topwater Baits
- Jigs
- Spinnerbaits
What is better, bait or lures?
If you are fishing for feed and targeting a particular species, bait and local fishing advice is best for you. However, lures are a preferred option if you are going for a more challenging fishing experience.
Conclusion
Selecting the right lure can make or break the fishing expedition for you. Therefore, keeping a keen eye on the fishing lure types chart is vital. Many newbies struggle to hit the jackpot mainly because they carry the wrong lure.
Moreover, lure selection depends on factors such as target fish, water type, season, water temperature, and others. So, you must do thorough research before going out to purchase any lure.
Although jigs and spoons can perform an all-rounder role, getting local advice and doing homework is always better to avoid wasting time.
For your ease, we have mentioned all the details needed to make your fishing lure decision easy. We wish you all the best with your lure, and do mention your preferred option while fishing.