The Essential Fishing Handbook. Joe Cermele

      these lures work. Some your granddad fished. Others have earned a reputation for productivity in more recent decades. In any case, these catch fish, time aer time.

      KEY

      BASS

      TROUT

      WALLEYE

      PANFISH

      PIKE/

      MUSKIE

      SALMON/ STEELHEAD

      SALTWATER

      MANN’S 1-MINUS This crankbait easily skims the top of barely submerged weedbeds. That’s

      oen where the bass live.

      REBEL POP-R There are lots of poppers on the market, but this one casts farther than most and

      spits water like no other.

      CORDELL RED FIN The 7-inch, 1-ounce (18 cm, 28 g)Smoky Joe–color Red Fin is a striper killer in both fresh

      and saltwater.

      CURLYTAIL GRUB Combined with a plain or painted roundhead jig, these are arguably the most versatile

      fishing lures of all time.

      RAPALA ORIGINAL FLOATER

      Loved by trout, bass, walleyes, and pike alike. Size F11 is great for all species, and black over

      silver is a top color.

      PANTHER MARTIN A staple from Montana to Maine, these spinners are perfect for picking trout from the pockets of steeply tumbling

      mountain creeks.

      KASTMASTER Great for its lively, tight wobble on a fairly fast retrieve and a broad shape that resembles a

      small freshwater shad.

      DARDEVLE SPINNIE Probably the world’s most recognized fishing lure, this spoon is as effective now as it

      was a century ago.

      JITTERBUG Cast this frog-paern hardbait across a summer cove, then watch it get crushed as it glub-glubs

      slowly back.

      ROOSTER TAIL For large brown and rainbow trout in bigger rivers and lakes,

      this is the hot-ticket lure.

      YAMAMOTO SENKO

      The fluering action of this so-plastic lure as it falls is amazingly effective for large- and

      smallmouth bass.

      GIBBS PENCIL POPPER

      Cast with heavy surf gear, then reel s-l-o-w-l-y while using your right hand to

      whip the rod tip.

      PHOEBE One of the all- time great trout spoons. The 1⁄8-ounce (3.5 g) gold version is deadly on small

      streams.

      SNAG-PROOF FROG

      You can throw one of these so-plastic frogs just about anywhere; it won’t get stuck in thick

      pads and cover.

      MEPPS AGLIA Use a size 0, 1⁄12-ounce (2 g) version with a silver blade to turn big trout in

      small and large streams.

      2

      T

      hese crankbaits, so plastics, and jigs—plus some in categories all their own—are

      MEET 15

      NEW CLASSICS

      the hoest baits on bass impoundments, walleye lakes, and trout streams today because they catch fish consistently. Beer start making room in your tackle box.

      MANN’S STRETCH 25+ These lures dive up to 30 feet (9 m) deep unassisted when trolled, making

      them staples on saltwater boats.

      GULP! MINNOW If a fish eats baitfish, it’ll eat a Gulp! Minnow. This versatile so bait comes

      in a range of sizes.

      MUSKY INNOVATIONS BULL DAWG

      Its nose-down falling orientation and high-vibration tail turn trophy-

      muskie heads.

      SPRO PRIME BUCKTAIL Not all bucktails are created equally. The head shape and eye position of the Spro gives it a fluer

      that’s unmatched.

      ZOOM FLUKE The Fluke is at its best when rigged weedless and worked in a twitch-fall paern

      off the boom.

      RAPALA X-RAP Works best when twitched aggressively, producing an irresistible side-

      to-side slashing action.

      KEY

      BASS

      TROUT

      WALLEYE

      PANFISH

      PIKE/

      MUSKIE

      SALMON/ STEELHEAD

      SALTWATER

      ZOOM BRUSH HOG

      This creature bait collects fewer weeds and is the ideal length and girth for

      Texas rigging.

      ORIGINAL ILANDER Marlin and wahoo will inhale it, and the blue-and-white model

      entices finicky bluefin tuna.

      YO-ZURI PIN’S MINNOW If you need to imitate some iy-biy baitfish for trout or smallmouths, the 2 3⁄4-inch

      (7 cm) Pin’s is the ticket.

      MUSKY MAYHEM DOUBLE COWGIRL Two giant blades swing in a wide rotation, making unparalleled

      vibrations.

      STRIKE PRO FLEX X Strike Pro’s segmented swimbait was revolutionary as the first lure to feature “bicycle

      chain” joints.

      SÉBILE MAGIC SWIMMER The unique weight balance of this lure lets it continue swimming as it

      falls forward on the pause.

      CAVITRON BUZZBAIT

      The wide blade keeps it on the surface at a slower turn rate, so it’s in the

      strike zone longer.

      REBEL CRICKHOPPER

      This cricket-shaped crankbait flat-out slays every summer fish from

      panfish to trout to bass.

      SHIMANO BUTTERFLY JIG

      This Japanese-style lure crushes everything from tuna

      to grouper to snappers.

      3

      Rig me

      Softly

      These four rigging methodswill get any style of so-plastic lure ready for action.

      WACKYRIG (A) This killer setup for bass involves hooking slim so-plastic bait through the middle.