stalking that elusive trout or bass or pike.Fishing lures are designed to work with the water, or in some cases against it.

The basic idea is the same no matter the design and it’s captured nicely by the very name: lure. Fish aren’t famous for being eager to jump onto the hook.

They have to be lured. The variety of ways discovered over the centuries to do that is astounding.

Most try to resemble something the fish will find tasty, which naturally varies from species to species and place to place. Here are just a few…

Spoons are shaped somewhat like what their name suggests. That’s not something one would expect the average fish to find attractive. But when they’re in

motion in the water, they do look a little like tiny minnows, which are often used as live bait. A hook (sometimes a three-pronged treble) is fastened inside

the bowl and the weight of the lure makes it ideal for casting and trolling.

Plugs may be shaped like minnows and sport hooks at one end and in the middle. They may be anywhere from an inch to eight inches long and can also resemble

crayfish or other tasty morsels. Some varieties float on the surface and so acquire the name floaters, where they lure top feeding species to their doom.

Spinners are designed for what their name suggests – to spin in the water as the line is moved or a current moves the terminal tackle. They come in as wide a

variety as there are species of fish.Most spinnerbaits have skirts made from animal hair, vinyl, rubber, or other materials. When they spin they sparkle.

Jigs may have a name that sounds like a dance, but they’re designed in the hope that the only dancing is that of the fish on the end of the line. No, that’s

not the origin of the name. Since they don’t resemble any live bait, it’s surprising that they often work so well. But work they do.

Made of a lead blob the size and shape of a small fish’s head, they have an eye at one end and a hook at the other. An attachment called a skirt is often

used to disguise the hook. Fish are more clever than you would suppose.

Jigs and other types can also incorporate a very handy mechanism called a swivel. This simple but clever device allows the lure to turn rather than twisting

the fishing line. That has all sorts of advantages, since a twisted line can more easily snap, is difficult to reel in and causes other nasty problems.

Anglers already have enough to do without making things tough for themselves.

Whether made of metal, plastic or the most exotic material around (any you can imagine has been tried), lures are the business end that starts the fishing

game going. Match the type to the quarry you’re after and you’ll never have to talk about the one that got away. Well, almost never.

Here are a few tips and tricks that can help when using fishing lures.

Where to fish?

Ideally, it’s advisable to not stay in one position for too long. A good way to start is by doing a complete reconnaissance of the water, and then finding a suitable point. Remember, bigger fish prefer still water, so you’ll probably find them off the main current.

Finding the right fishing lure

When you a buy a lure, ensure that you pay attention to its every detail. Most fish have extremely sharp vision, so the more alike your lure is to a real fish, the more are the chances you’ll catch one. Things to look out for are the eyes, scale pattern, and color.

Correctly using a lure

Even if it appears that the line is only being cast and retrieved, there is method to using fishing lures. The only way you’re going to be able to catch fish while using a lure is if you can successfully make your lure resemble a fish or an insect. Remember, fish are not attracted to metal, wood, or plastic, so it’s your job to make the fish think there’s a meal in there somewhere for it. Hence, cast accurately and carefully, once you’ve cast your line keep moving the rod tip so that the lure keeps changing its direction of motion.

Some pointers

Almost any fish is attracted to a fishing lure that resembles a minnow or crayfish. For bass, the most effective lures are spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and plastic worms. If you’re fishing for trout, it’s good to know that trout enjoy fish like pike and saltwater fish, so use shiny metal lures.When it’s time to catch some big fish, use plastic worms or jigs.If you’re fishing on the surface, which is by far the most exciting, cast your line near the cover and hold still for a few minutes. Then, slowly tug the rod tip in such a manner so that the fishing lure appears to be moving on the surface.

If you’re having trouble catching fish, or there appears to be few fish in the water, opt for a smaller fishing lure. For instance, you could use a small plastic worm. Make sure to attach a small weight about a foot and a half above the hook. Again, cast the line accurately and then wait patiently for the lure to rest on the bottom of the water. After this, very slowly begin to retrieve the line. This will cause the weight to bounce on the bottom, which, in turn, will cause the worm to move around in different directions along the bottom.

For more information on the types of fishing lures available and the range of methods that can be used for effectively attracting and catching fish, visit http://www.seaisletackle.com.

Let’s face it, you drove, you shelled out the $40,000 for a top of the line bass boat.  You are darn right; I’m casting first at that log lying majestically in the water.  That log is calling me.  I know, the log knows, and even the bass knows he’s about to be mine.

I’ve eyed up my target.  I’m just about ready to launch the perfect cast just past my target when all of the sudden….I hear the blades of a spinnerbait come within an inch of my ear from the back of the boat.  I turn around to look and my partner has just launched a cast almost straight down the length of my boat and right to my picture perfect log.

If you ever watched the television show, Ultimate Match Fishing, you know that cast deserves a penalty just like on the show.  However, we’re out fun fishing.  No penalties can be assessed, just utter disbelief.

Now once I’ve cooled down and forced to take a picture of his lunker, that should have been mine, I started trying to figure out how he cast a so far.  He’s 20 feet behind me and I thought I had him out of range.  Then it hit me.  I looked at his reel.  It was this shiny new greenish Shimano Curado 200 E7.  I’m using the Shimano Curado 100D, a very fine reel, however, I was out gunned.

After the day was over, I started researching this new edition from Shimano.  The Curado 200 E7 has a much larger spool allowing more line capacity.  Also, the Shimano Curado 200 E7 has a 7:1 retrieve ratio.  My Curado 100D only has a 6.3:1.  My partner was casting farther and reeling in his casts faster, hence, getting in many more casts than me.

As captain of my ship I have a new policy in place.  No Shimano Curado 200 E7 reels allowed…except for the eight of them I now own!

Be innovative – employ slightly larger than normal (¾ to 1 ounce weight) bass-style willow leaf spinner baits. A worm or a “twister tale” can be added to further entice the fish out for a strike. In addition this combination works to great effect being quickly retrieved as the lure bulges just below the lake water’s surface. You need not hop, pop or play around with the lure in any way. Just keep the lures moving continually through the water.

When the bigger game Pike won’t come to the surface though, you can dredge them up with a heavier 1 ½ ounce to2 ½ ounce muskie size spinnerbait. Just let the spinnerbait flutter down and then slowly crank it back to the boat, keeping the lure within a foot of the lake bottom at all times. This will work best in thick grass but also on main rocky lake structures as well.

On the other hand hard crankbaits excel in “open water”, on deep flats and around main lake rocky structures in the time periods from the mid summer until freeze up at Lake Manitoba Narrows. You can even employ lipless versions of these lures as they are superb around weed and seed lines.

If you do troll with these lures, they can useful. Just do not troll around aimlessly. It is always easy to do with a case of Canadian O.V. Concentrate on key transitions, edges, drop offs. Breaklines and specific bottom contours. Remember that if you pause the lure for only a split milli second, the Pike of your dreams, following your lure has only the option of opening its mouth to grab that lure.

You might want to try “Weedless Spoons” in and around cover while the traditional style spoons produce best fishing results in main lake areas especially around the rocky structures. Troll the bigger heavier traditional style spoons during the late fall periods. Each spoon style has a different pattern to attract the Pike – moving around in a distinctive wobbling and thumping action. It all comes down to trial and error, day by day. It is as if those fish have distinct and yet changing personalities and preferences. Some like this, some like that, and they seem to change their mind day to day as well.

While most experience anglers know that in line spinners are just wonderful around vegetation few ever try casting them into shallow rock piles, reefs and shoals that you find in your fishing travels. Even more when the Northern Pike head for deep and deeper water patrol weedlines and the edges of hard rock structures especially the sections exposed to the wind and the waves. Experienced anglers see, to know that nothing seems to catch the Pike’s attention more than a large (½ to 1 ounce) bass style, jig dressed with oversize 5 to 8 inch long soft plastic twister tail, minnow or eel baits. The weight of the jig and the size of the dressing depend of course on the depth of the water and the size of the fish. Of course big is better but when the fish are aggressive cast out the jig and soft plastic? Let it fall to the bottom. Then quickly “snap” it back to your boat briskly using an exaggerated lift. Then fall, pause and retrieve.

Remember – you came all this way to get that monster Pike of your dreams. That fish did not live this long and grow this big without being both smart as well as hungry.

For starters I will discuss the physical differences between the two species. Largemouth Bass are about twice as large as Smallmouth Bass. A five pound Smallmouth is considered a true trophy fish. A Largemouth bass needs to be twice that size to be considered for trophy status. Largemouth Bass are typically green in color, Smallmouth Bass are brown. The other obvious difference is the size of their mouths. The mouth on a Largemouth Bass extends beyond the eye socket when closed. This is not the case for a Smallmouth Bass.

The next different I will discuss is the preferred habitats of each species. In lakes you will find Largemouth Bass in much shallower water than Smallmouth Bass. A Largemouth Bass is very comfortable in water as shallow as three feet. Smallmouth Bass on the other hand prefer the colder water, often twelve to fifteen feet is their preferred handout zone. Largemouth Bass tend to congregate near weedy areas. They also drawn to wood like a magnet. It does not matter if it is standing or fallen timber, Largemouth Bass love wood. Smallmouth Bass on the other hand prefer gravel bottoms and are attracted to rocks in much the same way their larger cousins love trees.

You need therefore to select artificial lures that fit the surroundings. Spinnerbaits and other topwater style baits work much better for Largemouth Bass because they navigate weeds and tree lines successfully. These lures however are of little use to an angler fishing water fifteen feet deep for Smallmouth Bass holding near rocks. In these circumstances you need to have crankbaits and jig and pig combos in your arsenal to fish successfully.

In rivers you will notice another bunch of differences between these two fish. Largemouth Bass dislike fast water current. You will find this species in backwaters, creeks and other areas of the river without a fast current. They love to congregate above a dam where the water is less turbulent. As you may have guessed Smallmouth Bass behave quite differently. They enjoy a very fast current. You will find them often below a dam. They feed right in the middle of the white turbulent water created by the dam.

Crankbaits come in many sizes, designs, and colors these days. If you look in your local tackle shop it most likely would be difficult to pick just one. With that said I am going to try and give you some information that will help you the next time you’re crankin.

When to use them?  Water temp needs to be 60-80 degrees F

What type? Well that depends on what type of area you’re fishing , 20 foot plus are for channels and deep timber, medium divers drop offs, points, and flats, shallow are for just that shallow cover kind of like spinnerbait cover, lipless shallow cover and murky water.

What color?  Well shad patterns work best in clear to stained water, but your body of water needs to have shad. Crawfish work great in muddy rocky bottom lakes sometimes deadly in the spring, fire tiger patterns are best used in murky water .

What rod,reel, line should I use? Well the rod should be 6′6″ – 7′ and have a soft action. The reel would depend on the lure, slower retrieve 5:1 for deep divers, and faster for lipless around 6:1. Line should be 10-12lb test for deep divers but you can use up to 20lb for fishing heavy cover. *Heavier line will hinder the lure’s ability to dive to proper depth’s*

The retrieve types. First you have the cover bump retrieve this is where you are fishing cover and you reel the bait in until you feel it hit the cover, pause and continue the retrieve. This mimics a crayfish and is a very important retrieve. There is the stop and go retrieve which is good if you’re not fishing cover. Simply retrieve the crankbait back and stop while it’s in the water column pause for a few seconds then begin the retrieve again. Last but not least there is the burner technique, this is achieved by fishing a bait which is designed to go deeper than the water you’re fishing and by reeling this in at a faster pace kicks up silt and mud catching bass attention and getting reaction strikes.

Following these simple yet effective tips, the next time you’re on the water should help you boat more bass.

1 Vary the presentation in which you fish your artificial lures. I observe many fishermen move their boat to an area, tie on a lure and then proceed to fish that lure at the same speed casting to the same area. They will do this for an extended period of time and then declare the area lacking in fish. You need to vary your presentation.

Bass are a peculiar species. What works well one day may not the next. For instance, suppose you discreetly position your boat near a large section of lily pads in four foot deep water. To thoroughly fish an area such as this you need to cast both along the edges of the pads and if that is not successful you need to cast to pockets in the middle of the pads. You also need to vary the speed and depth of your offering.

In this scenario I would likely start by selecting a spinnerbait as my artificial lure of choice. I would begin by casting along the edge of the pads, retrieving fast so the lure ran no deeper than one foot below the surface. If I was not having success using this approach my next option would be to slow down my retrieve and allow the lure to run at a 2-3 foot depth. You would be surprised the difference this can and will make.

Always fish an area thoroughly and using your entire arsenal of baits and techniques. Be versatile and learn to fish in many different ways. This allows you adjust to the behavior of the fish and catch them all the time rather than only occasionally.

2)When fishing for Largemouth Bass always look for wood. Wood is a magnet for Largemouth Bass and is without a doubt the number one place to try and catch them. Fallen trees and standing timber are equally excellent choices.

3)Understand what you are doing and fish with a plan in mind.

You should try and think like the fish you are trying to catch. For instance, everyone knows that shoreline areas are excellent places to fish. But many people do not understand why. These people will fish any shoreline at random and wonder why some produce and others do not.

Think like the fish, think about the food chain. Shorelines that offer access to deep water are much better than those that do not. Shorelines with trees hanging over them and steep banks are much better also. Think of the food chain. Steep banks and hanging trees deposit bugs and other small creatures into the water. These creatures are eaten by small fish which in turn attract the bass to these areas.

The first thing to consider is just how cold the water temperatures are. Remember the important factor is the water temperature, not the air temperature. If the water temperature is less than 40 degrees I would not even consider targeting Largemouth Bass. This only occurs in the Northern United States. If you want to fish when the water is this cold target another species such as Walleye or Northern Pike. At 45 degrees Largemouth Bas become a little bit active, I still do not recommend fishing for this species under these conditions but at this point you have a fighting chance. It is not until the temperature reaches fifty degrees until Largemouth Bass become a fishable species in my opinion.

When approaching a fishing strategy for Largemouth Bass at this time of year you need to slow things down dramatically. If you are fishing an area that you know holds fish and are not catching any the key things is to always slow down. It is almost impossible to fish too slowly for cold water Largemouth Bass. In fact you need to rethink everything you do during the hot summer months and make a 180 degree change.

You have no need for spinnerbaits, buzzbaits or any topwater lures during periods of cold water. Crankbaits and any other fast moving lures should also be left in the tackle box for warmer times. The two best artificials you can tie on your line are jigs and plastic worms. You should also think big in the cold water months. Again these bass are not very active. They do not have the energy to chase down several small meals. Their objective is to expend very little energy and get a big meal and then forget about eating for awhile.

I recommend the following setup for cold water bass fishing. First you need an ultra sensitive rod. You are much more concerned with feeling a pickup than fighting a fish at this time of year. If you use a heavy action rod you will not even feel the pickups and drops by Largemouth bass that have sampled your offering and declined. You need a high degree of sensitivity to feel pickups and set the hook before the bass drops your bait. They will not slam your offerings aggressively.

Inexperienced anglers fail to catch more bass because they don’t fully understand how to use
the lures properly. Lures of all types including spinnerbaits are intended for specific
functions.

There are a large variety of bass fishing lures available at fishing stores that
should only be used in particular environments and in certain ways, so here’s a quick guide
to the lures you should use in waters of varying depth.

Shallow Water Fishing: Although bass tend to feed in shallow waters, catching them can be a bit tricky because they’re scattered. Catching bass in shallow waters requires you to use lures that can be cast and withdrawn easily and in quick succession.

This way, you can cover a large area of water effectively. This is important because if you stay in a single area for too long, you decrease your chance of catching any bass.

Medium Water Fishing: Crankbait are ideal for medium water fishing. Depending on the exact depth of water, different sized crankbaits are needed. The most ideal are crankbaits that can sink deep into the water and remain there for long periods of time.

If you have enough of these out in the water, you increase your chances of catching fish. The best part is, with crankbaits, the lures typically go deeper into the fish’s mouth before hooking onto it. This ensures a guaranteed catch.

Deep Water Fishing: Bass go to deeper depths in search of cooler and more oxygen-rich water during the summer. Experienced anglers use pre-rigged plastic worms and jigs to fish in deeper waters. Be sure to get a worm made of soft plastic to imitate the texture of an actual worm, so the bass will hold on to the lure longer. The longer it holds on, the more time you have to reel him in.

Understand this and you’re ready to catch bass in any sort of environment. Fishing in medium
depth waters may be your best bet because anglers tend to go to the extremes when fishing.
Don’t be afraid to try something new. Just make sure you fully understand the purpose of each
lure type before you use it.

Here are a few tactics that can be very useful when fishing in dark or murky water. Using lures that make noise can be a great choice as it will help to draw the bass in your direction. Crankbaits is a good example of this type of bait. The best colors to use are the chartreuse, white and chrome. They work best when dragged through grassy areas and around Lilly pads and any other natural structures that are found in the water. Some anglers use bait scents to help encourage the bass to come after their bait.

Spinnerbait is a popular choice and is very efficient when used around boat docks, ledges, grassy areas and Lilly pads. Experimenting with different colors can help you find out which one will work the best in the area you are fishing. Flipping and pitching can also be very effective especially when bass are hiding in heavy cover. The old favorite of plastic worms can work wonderfully as well. In fact, you can get some great results that may even surprise you.

If you are fishing in clear water, then the best bass fishing tactics include using top water plugs and wacky worms. The bass found in clear water will be attracted to your bait when it is presented correctly. Therefore, your presentation can mean the difference in catching your limit and going home empty handed. The main thing that you need to make sure you do when using top water plugs will be to get the bait as close to the bass as possible. If you have problems casting you may want to practice as much as you can to improve your technique. You can normally catch larger bass using this method.

If you are not familiar with wacky worms they are a straight worm that is used with a spinning reel. The only weight used is a swivel that is placed above the bait. It also works great around Lilly pads and canals. Beware that you must pay close attention when using this technique or you may miss the bite. Trolling is another bass fishing tactic that can work very well in most all conditions.

If you are unsure of the right approach, then you can always go with the old favorite fishing rigs. There are three main types of rigs that are called the floating rig, Texas rig and the Carolina rig. Any one of these will work great when bass fishing if you present it correctly. You may have to practice with the presentation for awhile to get the results you are searching for. In fact, the presentation you use for any tactic is very important. It is the job of the angler to make sure they capture the interest of the fish and make them come after the bait. Keep in mind that normally, the slower you present your lure the better.