How To Catch Australian Salmon

I've decided to put together a series of blog posts that will help teach you exactly how to catch many different kinds of fish, starting with a very popular catching and eating fish, the salmon.

About Australian Salmon

When you're lucky enough to see a sizeable salmon launching itself out of the ocean, arching its back in a body-shaking attempt to free your hook, it will pump the adrenalin of even the most hard-nosed angler.  Australian salmon are most frequent off the southern coasts of Australia, and also located in New Zealand waters.  Despite their name, these fish are not related to the salmon of the Northern Hemisphere.

When Is The Best Time To Catch The Fish?

The months of May through to Novemberis best off Victorian beaches, but may be caught all year longin bays, estuaries and from the piers.  In Western Australia, February to April are the greatest times, especially in southern parts.  The best stage of day to catch salmon is either around dawn or dusk, as this is what time the fish are most actively feeding.

Where Salmon Can Be Caught

Lorne and Frankston piers will usually produce good numbers after there's been strong onshore winds.  Albany in WA can also give really heavy specimens at times.  At the beach search for some good gutters with deep water and some wash/whitewater over it.  From the rocks search for areas with some wave action and whitewater coupled with deeper water.  Fishing from the rocks can be perilous, so always be cautious.

The Best Equipment To Use

Great salmon fishing rods are12' with a 600 or 650 alvey side reel, particularly for beach or rock fishing, with a 15lb main line and a 15kg lead will work well.  Fishing for salmon is similar to fishing for tailor, and you can even end up hooking a decent jewfish, gummy shark or even yellowtail kingfish while targeting salmon, so the extra weight on your rig will be worth it just in case.

Light tackle spin gear is also great for catching salmon.  You can use a 3kg outfit rigged with a small chrome slice, soft plastic or bibbed minnow lure.  Trolling with white or pink coloured skirted jigs at six to eight knots is trendy.  At the beach, make use of a fixed paternoster rig with a pyramid-style sinker at the bottom.  This will help to make longer casts, and will hold really well if there's a current.

You can use a berley trail with an unweighted bait if you're fishing off a pier or in a boat.  Depending on your location, you should ask your resident fishing tackle store about the number of wraps you ought to have.  A 6 or a 7 wrap is by and large very good, light enough to have a good feel, yet heavy enough to have a bit of grunt about it and get stuck into the fish with.  Not only do they make for good salmon fishing rods, it will also work well to catch tailor, trevally, bream and flathead.

The Best Bait For Salmon

Salmon's favoured bait is pilchard, whitebait and squid.  Live bait like Tommy Rough works really well, especially from the rocks and under a balloon on your line.  Salmon will go for most fishing lures, however I think that medium-sized raiders are best.  Depending on what they're chasing, you may want to stick to smaller saltwater fishing lures though, as larger ones can be disregarded if the salmon are going after smaller baitfish.

Fishing restrictions can apply, check the regulations in your area.  In Victoria it is - Size limit: Min 21cm.  Bag limit: 20

The Best Holiday Fishing Spots In Victoria

Saltwater Edition

I'm originally from Victoria, and I remember many mornings spent taken out very early to go fishing with my dad, and then later on some great days out with friends as well.

Here are some of the best fishing spots around Victoria in saltwater, and next time I'll add to it with a list of freshwater locations.

I've included some of the fish you might expect to catch, and what you might need to catch them.

Lonsdale Bight

Much of the bight is a marine park, but fishing is allowed from Point Lonsdale pier and the beach from Dog Rocks car park east to Queenscliff. You can expect to catch salmon on the beach. If you're fishing from the pier you can add whiting, squid and snapper. Best chances for catching snapper are at night, or on days when the water is soiled. Boat anglers will find above average King George whiting in sand holes, snapper over reefs and a few squid over the weed beds.

Corio Bay

This is very productive water best known for its snapper, but it also offers King George whiting in good numbers, gummy sharks, flathead, salmon and garfish. Boat ramps at Avalon, St Helens and Limeburners Bay. Shore-based anglers can fish from rock walls at St Helens and Limeburners Point, jetties at Rippleside and Cunningham Pier (it has restrictions).

Lorne

A very well known holiday destination, the most popular fishing spot is the pier. Strong southwest winds can churn the seas and salmon sometimes go ballistic. Other species caught include barracouta, silver trevally, whiting and squid. For rock fishing, Jump Rock as you enter Lorne is popular for salmon, pinkies and trevally. There are many rock ledges along the Great Ocean Road past Lorne including Artillery Rocks. The Cumberland River has a small self-sustaining population of brown trout and the Erskine River holds estuary perch downstream and a few trout in the upper reaches.

Lakes Entrance

This is one of my favourite childhood fishing memories, it has excellent facilities with boat ramps on both sides of the Highway Bridge and is an ideal family destination. The town jetties in the Cunninghame Arm produce luderick, trevally and bream. Expect to hook mainly salmon and tailor at the rock wall and jetty on Bullock Island. Beneath the main highway bridge spanning the North Arm is popular for silver trevally, bream and whiting. Other species include yelloweye mullet and garfish. The beach is excellent for salmon and mullet, with the occasional gummy shark caught at night.

Portland

Plenty to offer surf, rock or offshore anglers. Catches include snapper, salmon, King George whiting, yellowtail kingfish and even mulloway. Offshore shark fishing has makos, threshers and blues. The harbour has excellent boat launching and fish cleaning benches. Popular offshore areas include Lawrence Rocks, Black Nose Point and the North Shore. For land-based anglers, the Lee Breakwater on the eastern arm of the harbour has produced big snapper recently. Beach fishing is popular at Shelly and Bridgewater beaches.

Bemm River

Primarily an East Gippsland bream fishery, but you will also catch estuary perch, luderick, dusky flathead, silver trevally, salmon and tailor. Most anglers fish the lake area in boats. The lake is shallow, with an average depth of 2m. Bream and estuary perch can be found mooching among the snags. With the deepest water in the system, it is the place to go for tailor, salmon and trevally. The beaches can fish well for salmon, tailor and gummy shark.

Werribee

Go offshore for whiting, flathead and snapper over the many reefs. Bream fishermen love the Werribee River. Stay in the marked channel and don’t try to head for deeper water until you have passed the large pile mark.

Newport

A new ramp at the end of North Rd launches into the “Warmies”, the hot water outlet channel for the power station. This area is productive for mullet, bream, silver trevally, pinkies, salmon and tailor. The outlet mouth and Yarra River junction produce pinkies, salmon, tailor, bream, flathead and sometimes mulloway.

Carrum

Boat launching facilities in Patterson River are the best in the bay. Inshore grounds will produce whiting, pinkies, squid, flathead and salmon. Many anglers head out to deeper water, 16-20m, for big snapper and gummy shark. Patterson River is well known for its bream, mullet and salmon. Mulloway is sometimes caught here from late January onwards.

Sorrento

Offshore waters offer diverse fishing options. The pier can produce garfish, whiting and squid. Boat anglers work the deeper water for snapper but the best whiting fishing is generally within 1km of shore. You can also expect to catch salmon, garfish, flathead, squid. A dual boat ramp is situated to the west of the pier.

St Leonards

The pier and rock wall are popular and produce good snapper. Boating anglers do best fishing from close to shore out to the edge of Coles Channel for King George whiting and calamari squid. In January, most snapper and gummy shark are caught offshore in 16-20m of water.

Hastings

Having lived in Hastings for several years, I managed to get in quite a bit of fishing here. It's a popular launching point for anglers wanting to work the Middle Spit, and the shallow banks and deeper channels of the western arm of the bay. The Middle Spit is a whiting hot spot, but from Hastings you can also fish the channel edges for big gummy sharks or chase snapper in the deeper water.

Bass Strait

Has a multitude of species. Expect to catch tiger and sand flathead over the sand areas in water from 15-40m. The inshore reefs hold snapper, yellowtail kingfish and King George whiting with the odd big gummy or thresher shark. Australian salmon will be found close to shore while good schools of pick handle barracouta can be found in the strait. Arrow squid start their annual migration through this water in January and for those who crave more excitement you can always fish for bronze whaler, mako and blue sharks.

Barwon River Estuary

Usually experiences a good run of school mulloway in January. The river also fishes well for silver trevally, Australian salmon, bream and even luderick. Worth a go, particularly upstream of the Sheepwash.

Mallacoota Inlet

One of Victoria’s largest estuaries. Anglers can catch black and yellowfin bream, dusky flathead, luderick, mullet, trevally, sand whiting, estuary perch, garfish, Australian salmon, tailor and mulloway. Prawning is also popular.

So grab your fishing rod, tackle, a couple of your favourite fishing lures, some bait, maybe a comfortable chair, and head on out this weekend to see what you can catch!

Teaching Children To Fish Is Good For All...

Summer holidays are perfect for parents to introduce their kids to fishing. It is one of the best ways to bond with your children, as long as your heart is in the right place. The experience of catching a first fish is more memorable than a computer game score. Years later, the youthful anglers will remember who they were with on the day they trapped their first fish.

Schooling children how to fish can be a great challenge for both parent and child. For some parents, the biggest challenge may be convincing their children that, unlike computers, fish do not react to an on/off switch.

Two must follow rules apply when fishing with kids - always keep it safe and keep it simple. Remember you cannot teach a youth everything. Some areas of fishing, such as tying a knot, need more than basic determination - there is also a little something called co-ordination.

Do not start out by trying to teach your child how to bait a hook. On the positive side, there is casting. It�s fun and keeps kids entertained. This means spinning should not be passed over as an option.

Locality has its share of importance in terms of results and safety. If you're going to be around the coast, I recommend you locate an estuary. If you�'re inland, go for a lake. These waters are by and large somewhat safe, offer straightforward access and on some you will discover fishing platforms.

Estuaries are the breeding ground for many types of fish and the majority of the time you can count on catching mullet and salmon, sometimes garfish, trevally or bream. In lakes, the species you catch will depend on wherever you are. It could be trout, redfin or maybe yellowbelly.

Fishing Tackle

There aren't many issues to worry about with tackle requirements for kids. �Combo� outfits take the anxiety out of decision making and contain all you require. A high-quality estuary or lake combo unit is about 3kg and comprises a matched fishing rod and reel (usually spooled with line), a selection of little sinkers, split shot, swivels, a couple of quill floats and hooks from No. 8 through to about No. 4.

Rigs

Fishing with baits generally use three basic rigs - the paternoster, running sinker and float.

Bait Made Easy

Bait that occurs naturally in the environment you're fishing in is always the best to use. In freshwater, mudeyes, minnows and scrubworms suit trout, but for local fish such as yellowbelly and Murray cod, shrimp, bardi grubs and yabbies cover nearly all situations. In saltwater, sandworms, bass yabbies, mussels, pipis, pilchards and squid will be enough for most species.

Sourcing Bait Part 2 - Freshwater Fish

Ok, last time I covered sourcing bait for saltwater fish, today is all about sourcing good bait for catching freshwater fish. Combined with the right fishing lures, I'm sure this will help you have a great time catching even the most cunning of fish.

Minnow: Small bait traps are ideal in rivers and lakes. Add a little berley (breadcrumbs) in the water and inside the trap.

Mudeye: The dragonfly nymph, mudeyes are found in dams and impoundments with good vegetation under the water, particularly around the edges. Drag a mudeye net through the weed.

Yabbies: Top bait for fish such as redfin and Murray cod and even bream. Find a dam or waterway with holes burrowed in around the banks. Tie a string around a piece of meat, cast it out a few feet from the edge and let it settle on the bottom. Bring it up slowly as the yabby with clutch the meat; place the net under the yabby before lifting it out of the water.


Shrimp: Favourite bait in rivers for Murray cod, redfin, trout and yellowbelly. Take a leafy gum branch and place in an old drum near a weed area. Shrimp will use it as shelter and grip the gum, which you can then remove.

Other

Alternative baits can be sourced from the supermarket. Canned corn and cheese will take carp. Raw chicken and rabbit meat will attract silver trevally and yellowbelly.

Berley

Berley is any plant or animal tissue or extract that is placed in the water for the purpose of attracting fish. Berley must not be used to attract fish for any purposes other than as part of a fishing operation. You must not use more than 10L of berley to assist in the taking of a shark.

I hope these tips for sourcing good bait will help you in your next adventure out on the water, and best of luck catching those fish!

Sourcing Bait Part 1 - Saltwater

I want to share with you some tips on collecting your own bait, which if combined with the right fishing lures, can give you the greatest edge when you're trying to catch the 'big one'.

I've broken it down into 2 parts - today is all about saltwater fishing bait, and then in the next post I will cover freshwater fishing bait for you.

Low tide is the best time for gathering baits such as worms, crabs and Bass yabbies. Check fisheries regulations in your area as bait gathering is banned in some low tide areas, as are spades.

Lettuce Weed: Favourite bait for luderick, lettuce weed is found growing on rock faces and in pools continually washed with water.

Bass Yabbies: Top bait that will account for fish ranging from bream through to mulloway. Yabbies live underground on mud and sand flats of estuaries and can be found along some surf beaches under wet sand. Tell-tale holes are left where they have burrowed. All you need is a bait pump.

Sandworms: Found over flats and damp areas when the tide is low; often under heavy banks of weed.

Mussels: Found clinging to pier pilings or on reefs. Look in water that can be reached with waders, or even shallower. Advisable to wear gloves.

Pipis: Commonly found under the sand on beaches where the water washing over is 10-20cm deep or on exposed sand flats. Either dig a hole or twist with bare feet until you find a patch and then dig with your hands.

Squid: The most versatile saltwater bait, easily caught using a squid jig that is cast out, allowed to sink and then retrieved slowly. Mostly found lurking over grass beds. At night, they are attracted to lights and hunt in the shadows on the edge of the beam.

Part 2 will cover freshwater bait, coming up very soon. In the meantime you can learn how to make your own fishing lures if that interests you...

NOTE: I do earn a commission if you choose to purchase anything through the links above, however it is definitely worth checking out if you'd like to learn more about this artform.

Passing Your Fishing Knowledge To The Next Generation

There is an old saying that if you give a man a fish he can eat for a day, but if you teach him to fish he can eat for a lifetime. The same also holds true that if you take a child fishing he could enjoy it for a day, but if you teach a child to fish he can enjoy it for a lifetime. When was the last time you took your son or daughter fishing and really took the time to teach them the right way to fish? Have you ever taken your kids friends on a fishing trip and taught them how to fish?


These days it’s all about self gratification and immediate reward, and we often neglect to share with our younger generation the heritage of hunting and fishing for food that our ancestors used to do out of necessity. Maybe it’s much easier to get a fish from the local shops, but the fun and recreation of landing a big fish still excite most outdoorsmen and pump adrenaline through the body.

Prepare Them For A Sustainable Future In Fishing

Teaching the skills of fishing also instils in our younger generation the need to protect and preserve the heritage as well as the natural resources that allow these recreational pursuits. Many of our younger generation are being taught to preserve the land for its beauty and natural resources but not how to interact with nature without damaging that beauty and natural resource. Share with them the wonders of the outdoors so they can see it for themselves, instead of through a little screen.

With summer having finally arrived many fishing enthusiasts are already planning that trout fishing, bass fishing or surf fishing trip. Take a trip with your kids and their friends and spend the time to truly teach them how to fish. Let them experience the thrill of that native trout jumping from the stream, while fighting them on a light tackle fly rod. Take the time to teach them how to land a fly in a teacup at ten paces, even if you can’t.

If you are a bass fishing enthusiast, take your kids bass fishing and teach them not only how to fish, but boating safety and common courtesy on the water. Teach them how to pick the right fishing lure or bait for the conditions you are fishing in. Teach them the value of catch and release.

If you are a surf fishing fanatic, take them to the beach and put a rod in their hands. Let them feel the tug of a blue fish or puppy drum on the rod. Teach them how to cast a surf rod and to tie the knots for rigging lines. Show them how to care for the equipment.

Get your kids away from the video games and television and let them get involved in some outdoor activities instead. Take a kid fishing and you will possibly find that you enjoy teaching them as much as you enjoy fishing yourself.

The Latest Trend In Fishing Lures Is...

There have been many advances in the technology of fishing lures lately, and to keep up with the trends it helps to know what cutting edge designs are being used to catch fish these days.

Introducing Lighted Fishing Lures

Lighted fishing lures can be used effectively to attract predatory fish, such as Bass. Some of these battery powered lures are embedded with LEDs that can be used for fishing during the night, or even during the day, but are usually more successful at night-time.

There are other types of lighted fishing lures which contain glows sticks that really only glow at night time. Some distinguish the latter as glow-in the-dark lures, but in the end they basically have a similar result.

The Advantages Of Fishing With A Light Lure

A battery powered lure often comes with a strobe or blinking option and can usually last a whole lot longer than a glow stick - anywhere from 80-400 hours. Most of these are only activated when they are in the water so that their batteries are conserved even further, plus there are no moving parts necessary.

On the other hand, glow sticks do not run the risk of leakage of the outer shell and damage or shorts to the internal electronics, especially when wrestling with a fish. For this reason, metal light lures are usually best when opting for the LED variety as they will be more difficult to destroy.

Lighted fishing lures often perform best in low visibility such as at night or in murky water. Lights come in a huge variety of colours to simulate different types of bait, and also to catch the eyes of different kinds of fish. Red is a particularly effective colour, especially for attracting fish of the bass family, as it simulates the blood of injured prey. Red is the most common colour used by anglers for its effectiveness.

... And Some Of Their Disadvantages

There are differing opinions amongst anglers about light lures. Some doubt their effectiveness at catching fish altogether, and some claim that they can break easily or do not work out of the box. In any case, a light lure holds the current record for catching the most basses, so it’s totally up to you to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and decide if you want to include a lighted fishing lure as part of your arsenal of fishing weaponry.

When buying, however, make sure that the product comes with a warranty in order to maximize your investment.


Bite Light 4 Lure - 4 different Models

The Top Ten Bass Fishing Lures

Today I wanted to put together a list of the top ten best Bass fishing lures to give you an idea of what you should try using to catch small and large-mouth Bass. This is purely opinion of course, you may have different ideas on what works best for you, but without further ado here they are, starting at number 10....

10. Chatter-Bait

The Chatter-bait is still relatively new but has made a big splash on the bass fishing scene. From tournaments to weekends on the water it is making a name for itself as a consistent bass producer. The Chatter-bait falls somewhere between a buzz-bait and a jig in presentation.

9. Swim-Bait

In recent years Swim-baits have become the best bet for trophy-size large-mouths. There is a wide variety of Swim-baits available to match your location. Their popularity in "Big Bass" waters like those found in California and Texas push them up on to the list at No. 9.

KickTail XL5 Ghost Minnow Single Color 3 Set

8. Creature Bait

There is a wide variety of soft plastics on the market that look like anything and nothing in the water. Creature baits like the Yum Woolly Beavertail have given anglers a new set of plastics to trick pressured bass. Creature baits can also be used as trailers for other baits.

7. Classic Lip Crank Bait

Crank-baits really are tried and true bass catchers. Large or small, these cranks can catch them all. The precision and physical appearance is constantly being updated but even the old classic versions will bring you plenty of fish. Tournament anglers will often be seen running cranks to locate fish on large flats or over deep water structure.

6. Bass Jig

Flip it, pitch it, swim it, either way the Jig is a great way to catch bass. It is a consistent 'go-to' bait for tournament anglers and rightly so. Natural colour football head jigs are great in deep structure or you can try swimming a shad coloured model off of ledges and over structure. The addition of a trailer is always a winner.

Minnow Jig 24 Pack

5. Lip-Less Crank

The Lip-less crank is a more versatile version of the classic crank. It's tight wiggle and multitude of depths and speeds it can be presented at have made it a favourite of professionals and amateurs alike. Kevin Van Dam uses this lure as his 'go-to' bait. Designed by KVD himself, this "sexy shad" is a must have bait!

4. The Senko

The Senko has quickly become a favourite amongst anglers. It can be presented in a great variety of ways and bass really love each and every one of them. One of the best Senko techniques is to use a Wacky Rig.

3. Spinnerbait

Spinnerbaits like the TerminatorT2 spinnerbait are the most reached for bait for locating bass. They can be fished fast or slow in deep water or shallow water. Spinnerbaits are especially effective as the water gets warmer. If you're out this summer and fishing in a new spot, tie on a spinnerbait and do some searching. I’m sure you’ll have a great time and some decent success catching fish with it.

2. The Tube

The Tube bait is one the most versatile bass lures available. It catches large- and small-mouth bass alike and can be used in any waters at almost any temperature to catch fish. Its versatility and ability to mimic so many things give it the No. 2 ranking. The best one I have come across is a Texas-Rig with a tungsten weight. The tungsten weight makes clicking noises as it bounces across objects, the sound of it helps bass look for it in unusual conditions. The tube gets its second place spot due to its incredible success at catching small-mouth bass. It is my favourite 'go-to' bait for small-mouth bass fishing.

1. The Worm

Soft plastic worms come in many shapes and sizes, all of which have a place. They're by far the most versatile fishing lure on the market, and are effective on their own or as trailers. Large versions over 10" have pulled monster bass from Falcon lake while finesse worms on drop shot rigs have been used to fool even the most wary of bass. My personal 'go-to' bait is a Zoom Trick Worm Texas rigged weightless, or with a tungsten weight if needed. You can use it as a top-water, in weeds, over logs, or put a weight on and throw it into rock piles in six metres or more of water. Nothing is better than the classic worm!


Walking Worm 30 Pack - Chartreuse

How To Make Your Own Fishing Lures

One of the most gratifying practices a fisherman can have is to catch a fish using a fishing lure he has created with his own hands.

It is not required to be a great craftsman to make your own fishing lures. If they retain the capability to hoop the couple of required tools, they can have glorious lures. The lures might not quite be professionally perfect, but they will catch fish, and that’s all that matters the most.

And if the angler creates his own lures, he’ll substantially catch more fish in the long run. The reason for this is psychological. An angler who uses a store-bought retard or hop tends to be wavering about cast of characters it around rocks, logs, piles, and rank and file of seaweed.

He spent his own money at the shop for it and doesn’t wish to lose it – even so he knows the most appropriate fish have been held around such obstructions. And alternative lures such as jigs have been most in effect when bounced on the bottom, where they usually get caught up and lost. So, rather than lose his dear lures the discreet angler casts in to safer spots, that enclose fewer fish!

Making fishing lures can be an interesting hobby, generally during the prolonged winter months when fishing is slow. It has even been argued that the happiness of conceptualizing and formulating a lure to capture fish offers as much - if not more - pleasure than the act of fishing itself.

The Tools You Need To Make Fishing Lures

Before you can have any kind of fishing lures you must have the correct tools. If you don’t have the right collection of tools you can’t do a great job, and you may be disappointed with your results. On the alternative hand, if you have been versed with the right collection you’ll find lure-making easy and far more enjoyable. So the most appropriate way to get started is to find the right tools before you begin the creation of your own lures.

Most anglers will already have some of the tools they will need lying around. The rest can be bought or acquired later as the need arises if you prefer.

The greatest singular object indispensable for creating fishing lures is a bench, table, or desk. Fortunate, indeed, is the male who has a basement, den, or special room like a garage or shed where he can have a permanent workbench and assorted electrical tools to work on his hobbies.

After you have such a bench, table, or list you need a vice that will hold still the assorted lures for drilling, filing, bending, and alternative operations. Almost any dais vice of great distance will offer the purpose.

A small anvil is additionally very handy if you wish to have mostly steel lures or collection for such lures. It is used for cutting, bending, punching, and riveting. However, if you get a big dais vice of the machinist’s or application sort you can make use of the anvil aspect found on such vices. Or you can make use of a small retard of iron with a well-spoken aspect as a temporary anvil.

A hammer, of course, is a simple apparatus for any kind of work, and for creating fishing lures about dual or 3 hammers will suffice. If you already have a scratch hammer, you can use it for most lure-making jobs.

Electrical Tools Can Be Used To Make Fishing Lures Too

At slightest dual saws will be needed. If you already have a palm saw it can be used for wooden materials in your fishing lures.

Some kind of drilling device is indispensable for training holes in timber and metal. If you have a home seminar with a cavalcade press you can make use of it for most of the work to be done. It is generally very good to use when training holes in metal. A stable electrical drill is additionally a big assist when training metal, generally if you have to drill most holes.

Pliers, files, screwdrivers and a pointy blade have been the usually alternative necessary collection indispensable for making fishing lures.

With these tools, you can create any series of lures to overwhelm any fish you're chasing. If you want to learn more you can check out this very handy guide on how to make fishing lures.

Quick Fishing Lure Descriptions

There are many types of fishing lures, and the best ones are often designed specifically for a particular species of fish to catch.

Most fishing lures are manufactured to resemble the prey of the fish in some form, usually created to look like dying, injured, or even fast moving fish. However sometimes they are designed to appeal to the fish’s sense of territory, curiosity or anger.

Different fish will have different motives for checking out the lure you’re tempting them with, so it’s important to know what you will need if you want to have a successful day out.

Common Fishing Lures

Here are some of the more common types of fishing lures you will come across, as well as a quick description of what they do and how you can use them:

• A jig is a weighted hook with a lead head opposite the sharp tip. They are often covered with a minnow of crawfish or even a plastic worm to get the fish's attention. The fisher will move the rod to make the jig move.

• Surface lures are also known as top water lures. They float and resemble prey that is on top of the water. They can make a popping sound from a concave-cut head, a burbling sound from "side fins" or scoops or a buzzing commotion from one or several propellers. A few have only whatever motion the fisherman applies through the rod itself, though if skilfully used, they can be very effective.

• Spoon lures are made to resemble the inside of a table spoon. They flash in the light while wobbling or darting due to their shape, and attract nearby fish.

• Plugs, or crankbaits as they are sometimes known, have a fishlike body shape and are run through the water where they can make a variety of different movements caused by instability due to the scoop under the head.

• Artificial flies are designed to resemble all manner of fish prey and are used with a fly rod and reel in fly fishing.

• Soft plastic baits are made of plastic or rubber, and are designed to resemble worms, lizards, frogs, leeches and other creatures that a fish might hunt as food.

• Spinner bait are pieces of wire bent at about a 60 degree angle with a hook on the lower end and a flashy spinner mechanism on the upper end.

• Swim bait is a minnow-like soft plastic bait that is reeled like a plug. Some of these have a swimming tail to resemble a fish’s movements.

• A daisy chain is effectively a ‘chain’ of plastic lures which do not have hooks – their main purpose is to attract a school of fish closer to the lures that do have hooks. In some countries like Australia and New Zealand, daisy chains can sometimes refer to a rig that’s used to catch baitfish in a similar arrangement to a ‘flasher rig’ or a ‘sabiki rig’; a series of hooks with a small piece of colourful material attached to each hook.

What Can You Make Lures Out Of?

Fishing lures can be made with a variety of different materials, like plastic, rubber, wood, metal, and cork, and also things like feathers, animal hair, string, tinsel, or other similar items can be used.

There are advantages to using artificial lures to catch fish, including a reduction in the use of bait. On a larger scale, this will help to resolve one of the marine environment’s most pressing issues, which is the overharvesting of smaller ‘bait’ species at the lower end of the food chain.

Another advantage of the use of fishing lures is it improves the survival of fish during ‘catch and release’ fishing. Fishing lures tend to reduce the occurrence of deep hooking, which can quite often lead to the death of the fish through improper handling and during removal of the hook.

A Brief History Of Fishing

Fishing is a very ancient art of hunting, going all the way back in time to the earliest humans in many cultures (the earliest known evidence dates back over 40,000 years!). For thousands of years, people living near the waterways have used this resource to feed themselves, their families, and their villages.

The earliest forms of fishing usually would involve spears and a great deal of patience, or sometimes crude nets would be weaved to make the job of catching fish for dinner much easier.

The earliest known records of humans using fishing rods, lines and hooks dates back to 2,000 BC, with the Chinese and Egyptians being amongst the first people to experiment with different hunting weapons.

Early Fishing Equipment

Most of the early fisherman just used handlines, with hooks made out of bronze which was strong, but still very thin and less visible to fish. The Chinese were the first people to use fishing lines, which were spun from fine silk.

In the early 1900’s fishing lures were first created commercially in the United States, but before this time they were all made individually by craftsmen. Modern lures that were made commercially were based on the ideas of the individual craftsmen, just made in much larger quantities.

Why Go Fishing?

There are many reasons why people fish, and in the early days it was largely a necessity, as a way gather food for yourself and your community. These days many people fish for recreational purposes, and there is even evidence that this practice goes all the way back to the Egyptians doing it as a recreational past-time in the River Nile.

Fishing for food has become a large commercial business all over the world, and it is estimated that fisheries and aquaculture directly and indirectly employ over 500 million people worldwide.

On top of commercial and recreational purposes, fishing as a sport has taken off in a big way in recent times, with many people competing with one another to catch the biggest fish.

Fishing equipment has come a very long way since the early days, and whether you’re a professional fisherman looking to hone and perfect your craft, or just a ‘weekend warrior’ out for a bit of fun, there is a great deal of choice and range available to you in order to have the greatest chance of success.

So next time you’re out on the water or looking for that perfect fishing spot, just think about how much easier you have it these days than your ancestors had it in days long gone… and remember that it should be all about fun and relaxation!

Introduction To Fishing Lures Info

Hi, my name is Mick Reade, and welcome to my Fishing Blog!

I love to go fishing in my spare time, it's a great past-time and is a very relaxing way to get away from the fast-paced world we are often involved in.

I will be using this blog to share some general fishing tips and information, stories on my own and possibly other people's fishing adventures, and also get into the nitty gritty of sharing tips on fishing equipment, such as fishing lures, rods, tackle, bait, boats, and anything else I come up with along the way!

Fishing lures can be a metaphor for many things in life, and if you get that right then the rest can be easy. That's why I feel it's important to share some information with you on the best types of lures out there, how to use them, when to use them, and which fishing lures are likely to be most successful for particular fish you're trying to catch.

I hope you enjoy my fishing adventures and tips coming up in the future!

Rock on!!