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Going Deep or Skimming the Surface: The Guide to Lure Selection for Every Depth


lures

Choosing the right fishing lure is one of the biggest questions every angler has when they are on the water. Having the wrong size, weight or even color can determine whether or not you will find success. In this blog, we will take you through some of the best lure selections for fishing different water depths.


Conquering the Deep: Precision Lures for the Abyssal Pursuit

When your quarry lies in the cooler, darker waters below, your lure needs to go the distance—downward.


Deep-Diving Crankbaits: Essential for the deep-water angler, these lures get down quickly to where big fish hold. An extended lip allows them to dive to depths beyond 20 feet. When selecting your crankbait, consider the season and forage. In colder months, choose colors that match the baitfish in the area, while in spring or fall, opt for bright or contrast colors that can initiate reactionary strikes.


Blade Baits: Their metal construction allows for sinking rapidly into the depths. A tight vibrating action on the retrieve can mimic the movements of a struggling fish, appealing to the instinctual triggers of predator fish like bass, walleye, and pike.


Heavy Jigs: Particularly skirted jigs or those paired with soft plastic trailers which can imitate everything from crawfish to bottom-dwelling fish. Jigs can be fished with a variety of techniques, from dragging and hopping along the bottom to vertical presentations directly below the boat.


Shallow Endeavors: Inventive Lures for Those Topwater Triumphs

A different set of tools is required when fish are patrolling the shallows for their next meal.


Topwater Lures: This broad category includes walking baits, which dance back and forth on a steady retrieve, chuggers that create a noticeable splash, and frogs that can skim over lily pads and surface vegetation with minimal snagging. These are fantastic for early morning or late evening fishing when predator fish are looking to ambush prey near the water's surface.


Shallow Diving Crankbaits and Jerkbaits: These typically dive up to five feet and are perfect for fishing over submerged grass beds, shallow reefs, or other structures. They can also be effective around docks and fallen trees. Jerkbaits, especially, offer a suspending action that, with the right twitch of the rod, mimic a dying fish an irresistible sight for predatory species.


Weedless Soft Plastics: When working extremely shallow water or dense cover, lures that can navigate through without getting hung up are crucial. Soft plastics rigged weedless or on Texas or Carolina rigs can slip through vegetation and mimick a variety of prey items.


All-Around Aces: Versatile Lures That Cover the Gamut

There are those trusty lures that hold their own regardless of depth, able to be fished in varied ways to attract strikes in different situations.


Spinnerbaits: The flashing and vibration of these wire-frame lures entice fish through their senses of sight and lateral line detection. They can be allowed to sink and retrieved at a depth or burnt across the surface, making them hugely versatile.


Lipless Crankbaits: These can be cast a country mile and fished at any depth. Yo-yo them off the bottom in deeper water, burn them back in the middle depths, or work them just below the surface to search for active fish.


With this comprehensive understanding of deep and shallow water lures, you’re better equipped to tackle any fishing adventure. Match your lure to the conditions: clear versus turbid, morning versus midday, summer versus winter. Always be prepared to switch it up—fishing, after all, is a dynamic interplay between angler and the ever-changing undercurrents of the aquatic world. Dress your line with these lures and stay keenly tuned to the environment for the best chance at a record-breaking day on the water.


For information on fishing tips at various depths, CLICK HERE

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