Making The Switch From Natural Bait To Artificial Lures

A question I am often asked goes something along the lines of: “I usually fish with bait and I don’t really know how to use lures, which ones are best to start?”

I empathize with this dilemma, fishing is all about confidence and if you’ve been using natural baits your whole life, that’s where your confidence lies,

You invest all the money and time into your fishing trips and it’s a big move to change away from something you’re confident in, especially in the (sometimes) unforgiving world of fishing.

So yes, if you’re looking to make the switch from using natural bait to artificial lures, it can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be!

The advice I always give to people that ask about this situation is to keep it simple, take one step at a time and start by simply doing the same thing they would normally do,

Don’t overcomplicate it, 95% of fishing is simply finding the dang fish, the other 5% is what you feed them, so if you’re someone looking to make the switch,

Go to the same spots,

Fish with the same gear,

Use the same-ish rigs,

Just put a lure on the hook instead of whatever bait you’d normally use.

For example, dropping a lure under a popping cork instead of a shrimp is probably the easiest way to start, you don’t have to worry about the action too much, or what weight jig head to use, or how fast to reel or any of the other variables that go into lure fishing.

Just cast it out, keep your eye on the cork, pop it, reel it and set the hook when it disappears just like you would if it were a shrimp!

 To be honest, unless it’s a glass calm day, you could even get away with just letting the cork bob around in the waves and it’ll work the lure for you!

Then once you build a little more confidence with lures you can start trying different stuff.

I’d also recommend reaching out to that buddy of yours that uses lures & get some guidance from them, if you don’t have any lure fishing buddy’s go down to your local tackle shop and shake some hands, I guarantee you can find someone knowledgeable that’s willing to help you out!

Then there’s always the option of hiring a guide, if you’re willing to invest the money to go some time on the water with a guide that fishes with lures professionally, as in makes a living doing it, take the time to do your research, invest in a good one and I promise they can coach you up in no time! (hopefully you’ll be catching fish too, building major confidence as a bonus!)

So, in short, don’t over complicate it, take it one step at a time, talk to people, seek guidance, potentially invest some money in a good coach, and remember that it’s supposed to be fun, challenging, yes, but fun. (this is probably solid general life advice)

Hope this helps ya out, as always, my goal with this Blog is to provide value, so if you have any questions or topics you’d like covered in future posts, let me know!

Thanks for hangin’ out,

M.

P.S. - If you're looking for a solid spread of lures to get started with our Box Combos are it!