Have you walked through the fishing department aisles of your mega-department store or sportsman’s warehouse?  Lure fishing for women can be intimidating due to the sheer volume of options... every size, shape, and color you can imagine.  From lures that look like avant-garde jewelry to plastic baits that look like gummy worms.

Two places to start are to come to understand the type of food your target eats and take advantage of the in-store help.  If you know what species of fish for which you’ll be angling just do a quick on-line search to read about what that fish eats so you can choose a close facsimile.  Then approach the clerk in the fishing department and ask their opinion.  Chances are you’ll get a retired professional who knows more than you could ever forget about what to use for women’s lure fishing.

Some of the lure types you’ll come across include:

Plastic Baits

These are made of soft pliable plastic and formed to look like live food such as worms, frogs, crawdads, minnows and even mice.  (I LOVE catching fish big enough to eat a mouse!)  Sometimes the manufacturer will even infuse the plastic with salt or fish-attracting scent.  This type of lure will attract everything from bass to walleye.

Crankbaits

Crankbaits are typically hard-bodied and do their best to mimic an injured bait fish.  They too will come in endless shapes and sizes and are made to be fished at different water depths.  Some are made to float on the surface while others are made to sink quickly and get to the bottom dwellers. These work especially well with fresh water fish.

Jigs

When I think of the word "jig", I typically think of rigging something together.  that definition actually works as jigs are sometimes paired with live bait such as minnows or worms.  They include a weighted head on the front of hook that may be covered with plastic or feathers.  Also most popular angling for freshwater fish.

Spoons

Women lure fishing know that these don’t come from the silverware drawer.   Spoon lures are typically shaped like an elongated tear-drop and are made to look like swimming bait fish. You’ll find larger trolling spoons made to be fished behind a moving boat, weedless spoons manufactured with a guard over the hook to help prevent snags when fishing in moss or weeds, and normal spoons designed to cast with anything from heavy to ultralight tackle.  These can be used for a variety of fish including northern pike, trout, musky, and walleye.

Spinner baits

The most complicated looking in my opinion but very effective.  They are usually made with a stiff wire shaft and have a blade or two that spins like a propeller when pulled thru the water and mimic a small fish. The hooks can be dressed with plastic, hair, or feathers and are used for a large assortment of fish including bass, musky, trout, walleye, crappie, etc.

Popper and Surface Lures

Poppers can produce explosive top-water fishing.  They are designed for either casting or trolling and should be retrieved very quickly so that they splash on the surface and drive fish crazy.  You’ll find extremely high-tech models with holographics and 3D eyeballs and sometimes split rings that will rattle to further grab a fish’s attention. Surface lures, in general, are a blast to fish with because you can often see the predator chasing down your lure and you definitely feel the take!

Flies

Dry flies, wet flies, nymphs and streamers; this type of lure fishing for women deserves its own page.  Click here to learn about fly fishing!

As you can see,  there are many types of fishing lures made to resemble your target fish's prey that appeal to its hunger, curiosity, and territorial instincts, or sometimes to just plain anger them.  Yes, it really is as fun as it sounds!