Types of Lures for Saltwater Fishing: Seven Great Options

Part of the fun of fishing is figuring out what types of lures you want to use and experimenting with them while you are hitting the water.

Whether you’re fishing Harrison Reef or headed out to the Diosa Del Mar Shipwreck for an adventure, you will want to make sure that you’re prepared with the right lures.

The types of fish that you will be targeting will change depending on where you will fish and what specific fish is in that region.

When it comes to saltwater fishing, there are thousands of lure options, but where do you begin?

Today’s list covers seven of the great types of lures for saltwater fishing that are available to you.

Types of Lures for Saltwater Fishing

The following lures can be tested in different areas and mixed to create your ideal fishing experience:

1. Soft Paddletails

Arguably the most well-known and classic saltwater fishing lure, soft plastic paddletails have always been a hit with anglers and the fish that they are chasing.

These lures are incredibly versatile; they attract many types of predator fish as they replicate the movement of various baitfish.

They are also an excellent option for various fishing depths.

You can rig these lures to surface fish easily, or you can lower them slowly to greater depths depending on what type of fish you are targeting.

2. White Bucktail

Another unique but popular option for lures in saltwater fishing is the white bucktail lures.

Bucktails have been used to catch a wide variety of fish from snook to redfish for years, and they continue to be popular for their simplistic effectiveness.

One of the coolest things about bucktails is that they are one of the easiest lures to make yourself!

Check out this video to learn how to make your own bucktail lure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4eBYsAyvBg

3. Twitchbait

Another popular option for saltwater anglers targeting the coast is twitch baits.

Twitch baits have movement and shape that replicates that of a glass minnow.

If you didn’t know, glass minnows are baitfish that coastal game fish absolutely love to snack on, so this type of lure is sure to help draw in some of your target fish.

4. Poppers

Poppers also work well when fishing in saltwater, and they are especially good for when you are planning to target an aggressive species.

Poppers “pop” across the surface of the water.

They create some splashing there, and that splashing is what draws in the predator fish.

These lures are best to use when fish would be surface feeding such as at dawn and dusk.

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5. Spinnerbait

Have you ever tried to use spinnerbait for saltwater fishing before?

While spinnerbait is more commonly associated with freshwater fishing, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its uses out on the coast.

Spinnerbait doesn’t particularly look like any baitfish that you might be trying to imitate.

Instead, a spinnerbait lure aims to appeal to the senses of the target fish and trick it into biting.

Both the sound and the movements created by this spinnerbait can pull in a variety of fish.

6. Spoon Fishing Lures

One lure that can surely be found in any anglers tackle box is a spoon fishing lure, and that’s because they’re so universally popular.

Spoon fishing lures are a concave piece of metal that somewhat resembles a spoon.

When they move in the water, they create flashes like fish might as they swim by.

Spoon lures are great for casting far out while trolling spoon lures are good for when your boat is going to be moving around.

7. Plug Lures

Finally, let’s talk about plug fishing lures.

These lures are made to mimic the action of a fish swimming through the water.

That action aims to pull in predator fish that might want to feed on it.

There are many different types of plug lures, and they all have various features to make them really seem like fish in the water:

• Plastic lip to pull downwards and “dive”
• Lights
• Electronic vibrations

The design of plug lures ensures that the plugs move on their own; there isn’t any specific retrieval that you need to do in order to create motion.

Plug lures exist for both inshore and offshore applications, so you can find one to fit any saltwater fishing need that you have.

Test Your Lures

While these are some of the top options among the types of lures for saltwater fishing, this list is not a be-all, end-all list to all lure types.

You can use all of these lures for both inshore and offshore fishing on the coast, but you will want to consider whether you should rig in any live bait or other additions when you head offshore to get a better result.

The only way to discover what you like to fish with the most is to take some time and test out different types of lures in different scenarios.

Take into account what other anglers you know like to use, but remember that your personal preferences should play a significant role in your lure selection, as well.

There’s no harm in trying out different lures.

You never know what magical rigging you might find!