On the lookout for the most effective surf fishing lures? The surf isn’t the friendliest of waters for lure fishing. With waves and currents, winds and weeds, fishing with lures within the surf could be extremely intimidating. Confidence is the largest consider being profitable with lures, and realizing you’re utilizing lure is step one there. So what are the most effective lures for surf fishing?
For a severe angler who is aware of what he’s doing, the most effective surf fishing lure adjustments per the situations and per the construction. That is the place we get into one other debate: “Jerkbaits vs. Swimbaits“. I’ve already written about that matter and when to make use of which within the linked article.
For now, let’s discuss the most effective surf fishing lures on the market (in no specific order).
- Fortunate Craft CIF FM 110(leap to this part
- Keitech Fats Swing Affect leap to this part
- BioSpawn ExoSwim leap to this part
- Shimano WM 115 leap to this part
Fortunate Craft CIF FM 110
Since I started writing extra about surf fishing with swimbaits again in 2021, the local people has taken to swimbaits more-so than ever in a noticeable wave. Nonetheless although, no lure is extra trusted and well-known than the LC FM 110 jerkbait. It’s a 4.5-inch (110mm), slow-suspending jerkbait that weighs 5/8 of an oz. Like many jerkbaits, it dives upon your retrieve. Normally, the quicker you retrieve, the quicker it dives. The Fortunate Craft FM 110 dives roughly 1-2 toes and of all of the lures on the market, that is actually among the best surf fishing lures.
The place do you have to fish the Fortunate Craft lure? Technically, anyplace is sweet. Construction like troughs and holes is superior. What’s higher? Throwing it the place you assume you would possibly lose it. Round rocks, reef and different arduous construction. That stated, I’ve sure zones that I like to make use of swimbaits and different I like to make use of jerkbaits. Normally if it’s extra rocky than reefy, a jerkbait will do and vice versa.
Retrieve
In my expertise, a sluggish regular retrieve has labored greatest. The factor about these jerk baits is that you simply don’t have to do a lot to make these lures look sporadic, injured, and engaging. I discover that usually occasions you’ll even get bites whenever you sluggish to a pause.
Up till 2022, I had but to discover a jerkbait that held its wobble (motion) as effectively and as tight because the LC does (proceed studying to search out out which jerkbait might have topped the LC). The flexibility to work a sluggish retrieve whereas nonetheless sustaining engaging motion is one factor that units the LC other than the remainder. There’s one different jerkbait that holds wobble and it’s talked about beneath.
Motion
It holds , tight wobble and responds effectively to angler path. The LC FM 110 has the second greatest motion of any jerkbait I’ve used. I’ve in contrast it to the Calissa look-a-like, the Caivo, some Rapalas and even some lesser-known jerkbaits. None matched the tight wobble of the LC till I got here throughout a lure by Shimano that I’ll point out later.
Casting
Strong. It beats the Calissa, Caivo, Rapala’s, however not Shimano’s WM.
Specs
- Size: 4-1/2″ (110mm)
- Weight: 5/8oz (16.5g)
- Depth: 1-2ft (0.5m)
- Sort: Sluggish Suspending
- Hook Dimension: VMC #6, #6, #6
Keitech Fats Affect Swing
The lure I at all times come again to. The Keitech Fats Swing Affect swimbait has been a well known lure for fairly a while. However within the surf, it’s primarily gaines reputation since I started writing about it just a few years in the past. Immediately, it’s generally referred to as one of many greatest swimbaits for surf fishing.
What conditions would you utilize this over the LC? If there’s an excessive amount of kelp or weeds within the water, or when you’d like to essentially work inside rock and reef crevasses, that’s the place swimbaits shine. They mean you can dramatically decelerate your retrieve and drop your bait to the underside, testing each little lower and gap on the market.
Retrieve
My greatest recommendation for this one is to make it your individual, use your creativeness, and envision what your lure seems like whereas it’s swimming. Spend a while in shallow water, watching how the lure reacts to sure twitches and speeds and go from there. I at all times like a sluggish retrieve and generally I add some twitches and jerks. Many different profitable anglers have differing views from on one other, additional supporting the notion to “make it your individual”.
Motion
The title of this lure says all of it. Fats, Affect Swing. It’s a fatter lure and it’s acquired a extremely sturdy swing to it. Extra dramatic than most different swimbaits, the Keitech’s motion is one in every of this lure’s greatest options. It should typically maintain it’s desired motion at slower retrieves than the LC can (principally as a result of it’s a swimbait).
Casting
Casting relies on the angler in fact, however it additionally relies on what measurement jig-head you utilize. I used to love the half-ounce jighead from Warbaits quite a bit. At this level, I virtually strictly follow fishing the Texas Rig with a 1/2 oz or 1/4 oz bullet weight.
Specs
Catch Co BioSpawn ExoSwim Paddle Tail Swimbait
The BioSpawn ExoSwim is presumably my favourite swimbait for surf fishing. Its motion rivals some other high swimbait on the market and its sturdiness is what I imagine separates it from the pack. When the Keitech is getting shredded by bites and tail grabs, these BioSpawn lures maintain up in most related eventualities and get bit simply as effectively.
The one factor I want that they had is extra glitter within the coloration choices. I believe Keitech actually nailed down the glitter to paint ratio and I’m an enormous believer that glitter helps entice fish. With time, I hope they develop these choices. However, for now, they’re nonetheless among the best lures for surf fishing.
Retrieve
Like most swimbaits, I wish to work these sluggish and near the underside. I’m usually not dragging it alongside the underside, however at occasions, I’ll come to a cease after which bounce it off the underside and let it fall for a short while earlier than both bouncing it once more or persevering with a sluggish retrieve.
Take a second to see the way it swims within the clear water in entrance of you. Give it a sluggish retrieve and take a look at just a few jerks. Discover the way it seems whenever you manipulate it in sure methods, then, visualize the way it seems whenever you retrieve it after a solid. If it appear to be a baitfish, it’ll get bit.
Motion
With such a thick physique and fats tail, the BioSpawn ExoSwim truly has a reasonably slender connection between tail and physique. I imagine this provides it the most effective motion of any swimbait on this checklist.
Casting
Your vary on these is fairly commonplace. No higher or worse than the Keitech.
Sturdiness
As talked about above, these lures have stable sturdiness and sacrifice no motion to attain that.
Specs
- Size: 3.75-inch to 4.75-inch (I take advantage of the 4.75-inch)
- Weight: Normally paired with 1/4 to 1/2 ounce bullet weight Texas Rigged.
- Depth: High to Backside… Sinking
- Sort: Swimbait/Sinking
- Hook Dimension: 3/0 – 5/0
- Hook Pairing: See Finest Jigheads and Swimbait Hooks for Surf Fishing
Shimano WM Jerkbait
Retrieve and Motion
The swim motion on this lure was what impressed me essentially the most. I’ve praised the LC’s swim motion prior to now for its capacity to keep up such a decent wobble even by sluggish retrieves. I imagine the Shimano WM-115 SP holds nearly as good a wobble as (if not higher than) the LC 110.
It additionally virtually by no means rolls. That is an space the place the LC 110 is fairly good, however the LC 115 and others lag. Total, I’m very impressed with the wobble and general look of the lure when it swims.
Upon my necessary “close to toes shallow testing”, I’m very happy and upon seeing it in particular person, you’ll instantly achieve confidence that you simply gained’t be losing time with this lure.
For my part, when you possibly can take a look at a lure’s motion in entrance of you in clear water, you need to have the ability to inform instantly if it’s price your time or not. Typically, you’ll have unproductive days even fishing nice lures, so it’s vital to keep up confidence if it seems like lure within the water.
Casting
The Shimano WM 115 SP is stable when it comes to casting. I’d put it proper according to the LC FM 110. I did discover, nevertheless, that it’s very worth-while to offer it slightly shake previous to your casting in an effort to steadiness the weights correctly to permit for optimum casting. There was a noticeable distinction between when the weights have been vs. weren’t balanced.
Specs
- Size: 4.5 in / 110 mm
- Weight: 5/8oz
- Depth: 4-6 toes
- Sort: Suspending
- Hook Dimension: Similar because the LC
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