Over 45 million anglers take to the water each year looking to pull up their prized fish…
Will this year be yours?
If you’re still looking to pull up that big ol’ bass or other photo-worthy catch, it’s time to start exploring your hard baits options.
Here’s a quick lesson in hard baits 101 and how you can use them to your advantage this season.
Vary Your Retrieve
The biggest mistake a fisher can make is to cast their hard baits then let them sit there, idly drifting away.
Try this tactic instead the next time you pull out artificial bait:
- Cast your line
- Reel it
- Twitch it
- Knock it against stumps and rocks on the way in
Basically, anything that will make the hard bait move around erratically. Use shallow or medium diving hard baits when first starting out with this tactic.
Try a Realistic Swimmer
There are lots of things to think about when finding the right hard bait… Such as choosing the color of your hard baits, the look to imitate, and the pricing.
But another key thing to think about is the way it will move in the water.
Fish are visual predators. So while it’s important that your hard baits look like something they would eat, it’s also crucial to think about how they’ll move in the water.
Don’t be afraid to try out different types of hard baits to see which swims most like the baitfish you are trying to immitate.
Get Species Specific
What’re you fishing for?
Answering this question can help you choose the perfect hard baits for your fishing toolbox.
Every species has a type of bait it’s naturally attracted to. Do your research and choose the lure that will best imitate this type of bait.
Types of Hard Baits
1. Crankbaits
A lure (either lipped, or lipless) that has a shape which enables it to dive and remain under the water.
Crankbaits are among the top choices for bass anglers, since they can explore various depths and cover water quickly.
They come in various shapes and sizes. The lure’s bill (unless it is a lipless model) is the key feature; defining the lure as a deep-, medium-, or shallow-diving plug.
2. Spinners
Spinners are one of the easiest hard baits to use. When they roll through the water, their spinning motion creates noise and vibration that can hungry fish pick up on.
This fact alone makes them an excellent choice for murky water.
3. Spoons
These move through the water with a bit of side-to-side motion. This is meant to replicate an injured baitfish.
And game fish love injured baitfish.
Just like a spinner, you’ll merely cast and retrieve when using a spoon.
4. Jigs
These are extremely versatile lures. They’re relatively inexpensive, can be ‘dressed’ to look the way you need them to, and can catch just about any game fish out there.
Keep in mind: All the action – the movement of the bait in the water – will come from you when using this type of hard bait.
Where to Find Great Hard Baits
Fishers spend over 48 million dollars in fishing goods each year looking to have the perfect season.
You’re probably one of them, and you want the best. Well when it comes to the best hard baits, we’ve got you covered.
Check out our online store for great hard baits sure to hook your dream fish.
