Which Lures Work Best?

The snappy and glib answer is that the lure that catches fish works the best. This is true but stupid because it provides no answer at all. Whether you are sea fishing or fresh water fishing then the lure which works best is the one which most resembles what the fish are feeding on right now.

The only way you can possibly discover that is by observation. Watch the waters you want to fish and look for the rising fish. What are they rising on? Are they jumping ut of the water? Look for what insects are skimming the surface. Perhaps you can't see any fish jumping, have a close look at the waters edge. Are there any clues such as small fish or crustaceans close to the edge or in the vegetation? These are all potential food, that's why they stay in the shallows.

Ok, that's fine for the creeks, rivers and lakes but what about saltwater fishing? If you know what the species is that frequents the area you want to fish then you can study up their habits. Do they like deep water, active water, rocks, weedy beds? Do they bottom feed, top feed or somewhere in the middle? What type of fish are they? Predators, fast, ambush? All of these things determine where you are most likely to find them and what type of bait or lure to offer them.

Then you need to take into account the light. Dark days need light lures, bright days need darker lures. Should you be casting and retrieving? Using a popper, spinner, spoon, soft lure, plug? Is the water clear or dirty? If it's clear then you can use a bright flashy lure, if it's dirty then you will probably need one which is flashy and noisy.

And then you need to take into account the fact that, if you fish a well as I do, you'll need spares because you can guarantee that you'll lose a couple every time you go out whether you catch any fish or not.

Fishing is an art as well as a science. You can spend many hours researching to learn more about your favorite fish and spend significant money tracking them down, presenting them with the best lures money can buy, tempting them with the freshest, juiciest bait and then that damned kid from down the road catches the fish of the day on a bit of string and a bent pin.

Well not quite but you know what I mean and it can sometimes be frustrating. But you know what? I wouldn't miss it for the world.