Lures for perch

Strike King Hybrid Hunter Jr.: the crankbait that veers off on its own

7.6 cm, 14 g, 0.6-1.2 m: an L-shaped bill that kicks the bait off line without touching anything, and a rattle built for stained water.

Lucky Craft Silent Fat BDS1: the silent squarebill for 50 cm of water

4.8 cm, 7.1 g, a stated 0.3 to 0.6 m and no rattle at all: why this tiny silent squarebill works where noisy crankbaits have stopped producing.

Bill Lewis MR-6: the crankbait built for the 1.8 m layer

5.7 cm / 2.25 in, 14.2 g / 1/2 oz, a 6 ft running depth. Flat sides, weight transfer, slow rise and two size 4 trebles — what the MR-6 actually does.

Bill Lewis ATV Squarebill 1.5: a crankbait built to bump wood

5.7 cm, 14.2 g and a 0.9-1.8 m range. What the ATV's square lip is worth, how to make it deflect off cover and when to reach for it.

SPRO Little John Micro DD 45: 4.4 cm that reach 3 m down

A silent flat-sided finesse crankbait, 4.4 cm for 8.9 g, listed at 2.4-3 m: the facts from SPRO's table, the cold-water retrieve, and the limits.

Bomber Next Gen Flat A: the flat-sided crankbait for cold water

6.3 cm, 10.6 g, 3-5 ft — weight transfer, an oval lip and an ultra-tight wiggle, the Flat A rebuilt for the hard fish of cold, clear water.

6th Sense Swank 66X: the compact crank that swims flat

How the Swank 66X's L-shaped bill keeps the lure horizontal through grass, and why its 6.6 cm body shines when the forage runs small.

6th Sense Crush Silent Squarebill 50S: the squarebill with no noise

A compact, fully silent squarebill with high buoyancy and a hunting action — when silence out-fishes a rattle, and how to work it properly.

ZipBaits Khamsin: the tall flat-sided crank that plays on flash

Why the compressed profile of the ZipBaits Khamsin produces such a pronounced roll, and how to use it in clear cold water on wary perch and bass.

ZipBaits B-Switcher: a crankbait, not a minnow from the same brand

Why the ZipBaits B-Switcher is chosen by series number rather than by speed, and how to use its deflections off the bottom for perch and bass.

Yo-Zuri Hardcore Shad: the crank that holds its action when you speed up

Why the Yo-Zuri Hardcore Shad keeps swimming true at speed where a balsa crank blows out, and how to use it to search a gravel flat for zander.

Strike King 3XD: the crankbait for the depth band everyone skips

Why the 2 to 2.5 m band is under-fished, how the 3XD grinds through it, and when it beats a squarebill or a 5XD.

Sakura Naja: the short crankbait that rises the moment you stop

How to use the buoyancy of the Sakura Naja crankbait to fish sunken wood and rock for perch and zander without leaving the lure behind.

Rapala Shad Dancer: the little crank that fishes by scraping the bottom

How to use the long lip of the Rapala Shad Dancer to keep permanent contact with the bottom and trigger zander and perch on the deflections.

Rapala Scatter Rap Crank: the deflection you get without an obstacle

The bent lip of the Scatter Rap Crank makes the lure dart off line at random without touching anything, to trigger perch and trout in open water.

Rapala Fat Rap: the balsa crankbait that fishes by banging into things

Why the buoyancy of balsa lets the Fat Rap grind through rock without staying snagged, and how to use the deflection on perch and bass.

Rapala DT6: the crankbait that reaches its depth in three turns

How the DT6 drops straight to its running depth, why that changes the way you grind a bottom, and how to fish it for bass and perch.

Rapala BX Brat: balsa rebound inside a shell that takes the hits

What balsa under a moulded plastic shell changes about the way a squarebill rebounds off cover, and how to fish the BX Brat through timber and rock.

Nories Worming Crank: the crankbait you fish like a worm

Why the Nories Worming Crank is fished slowly and in contact rather than on a fast wind, and how to use it on wary bass and perch.

Megabass Griffon: the small tight-vibrating crank for wary fish

Why the Griffon's tight vibration gets through where a squarebill is refused, and how to fish it on deflections off wood and along margins.

Manns Baby 1-Minus: fishing the top thirty centimetres

The Manns Baby 1-Minus never goes below 30 cm. How to exploit the layer nobody fishes, over weed beds and across shallow flats.

Lucky Craft Flat Cra-Pea: the flat-sided crankbait for cold, clear water

Why the Flat Cra-Pea vibrates tight and flashes wide, and how to fish it on a slow retrieve with deflections for perch and bass in cold water.

Illex Deep Chubby: the third storey of the Chubby family

Exactly where the Deep Chubby sits against the Chubby 38 and the Diving Chubby, and how to use its lip as a probe to read the bottom for perch.

Illex Chubby 38: the margin crankbait that fishes the first metre

What the floating Chubby 38 does better than its diving version, how to use it bouncing off structure, and what tackle it demands on perch and trout.

Illex Cherry 44: covering a bank in ten minutes

A small, round and very castable crankbait, the Cherry 44 is there to find the active zones along a bank fast, before you refine the approach on perch and bass.

Gunki Gamera: the crankbait you have to trip up before it catches

How to use the deflection of the Gunki Gamera on sunken wood and rock, what depth it holds depending on your line, and when it beats a small Japanese crank.

Fox Rage Tiddler Fast: the little crank that holds its line when you speed up

Why the Tiddler Fast stays stable at high speed, how to use it to trigger inactive perch and what depth it actually works at.

DUO Realis Crank M65: the crank that fills the 3 metre gap

Why the 2 to 3.5 m band is badly covered by common crankbaits, and how the Realis Crank M65 fishes it in contact with the bottom for perch and bass.

DUO Mid Roller 40F: the micro squarebill for tough days

3.5 cm, 5.3 g and a 1.2 to 1.8 m run: why this tiny staggered-roll squarebill still draws bites when standard crankbaits have stopped working.

Caperlan Wixom: what a cheap crankbait does just as well as any other

What you gain and what you give up with an entry-level crankbait, and how to learn bottom contact on perch and zander without fearing snags.

Bomber Model A: the tight-wobbling crankbait you fish on speed

How the trapezoidal lip and tight action of the Bomber Model A make it a fast search crankbait, and what retrieve speed to choose.

Berkley Frittside: the flat side crankbait for cold, clear water

Why a flat side produces a tight, fast flash instead of heavy vibration, and how to use that discreet signal on bass and perch.

Booyah XCS1: the silent squarebill that backs out of cover

No rattle chamber, a square lip and strong buoyancy: how to fish Booyah's XCS1 squarebill through the cluttered first metre of water.

Berkley Clickin' Frittside 5: the flat side that clicks in dirty water

Ceramic ball, flat sides and a FlashDisc: why this 5.7 cm crankbait holds its line at any speed between 0.6 and 1.5 m of running depth.

SPRO Little John 50: the silent crank with a circuit-board lip

Circuit-board lip, silent tungsten weight transfer, a confirmed floating class: the facts from SPRO's table and how to fish this 6.3 cm crankbait.

Bomber Next Gen Fat Free Fingerling: the compact 8-10 ft crankbait

6 cm, 10.6 g, a tight wiggle and a rounded bill — how this small Bomber crankbait covers the 8-10 ft band most lures simply skip over.

Evergreen Wild Hunch 5: the compact crank that works 1.2-1.5 m down

5.1 cm for 8.9 g, floating, rated 4 to 5 ft: what the Wild Hunch 5 actually does, where to run it and why its name tells you neither size nor depth.

Bill Lewis Hammer Flat Crank: the flat-sided bait for cold water

6.1 cm / 2.4 in, 10.6 g / 3/8 oz and 1.5 m running depth. Why a flat-sided crank with a circuit-board lip beats a round body under 12 degrees.

6th Sense Crush Mini 25X: the small crank for educated fish

2 in, 1/4 oz, an erratic hunting action and a near-mute rattle — why the Crush Mini 25X unlocks over-fished banks between 2 and 4 ft.

6th Sense Cloud 9 C6: the crankbait that dives fast and holds its line

Bent bill, weight transfer and loud rattles let the Cloud 9 C6 reach 1.2 to 2.4 m within a few cranks and stay there for the whole retrieve.

Rapala OG Slim 06: the flat-sided balsa crankbait for cold water

Flat sides, a paper-thin circuit board lip, 7 cm for 14 g: why the OG Slim 06 draws bites when a round-bodied crank has stopped producing.

Rapala OG Tiny 4: the small balsa crankbait with a very tight wobble

A finesse balsa crankbait with a circuit board bill, 5.7 cm running around 1.2 m. Real specs, bottom feel, retrieve and limits explained.

Norman Deep Tiny N: the micro crankbait that still reaches 1.8 m

3.8 cm for 3.5 g and a stated 1.8 m: why this tiny rattling crankbait catches perch and bass that turn their nose up at full-size models.

Megabass Knuckle LD: the floating crankbait that makes no noise at all

Circuit-board lip, ballast locked down to kill every rattle, a swivel under the chin: what the Knuckle LD actually brings to pressured fish.

Imakatsu Bebikira: the 7 cm finesse wakebait with a belly blade

70 mm for 3.9 g, floating, single-jointed, soft tail and an underspin blade: how to fish this tiny wakebait on pressured, lure-shy fish.

Bandit 300 Series: the small body that reaches 3.7 m

A 5 cm crankbait that dives 2.4 to 3.7 m on an extended bill: real running depth, speed, rigging and the limits of the Bandit 300 Series.

6th Sense Crush Flat 75X: the flat side built for bigger fish

Flat sides, fast rolling action, a body bulkier than a standard squarebill — how and when to throw the Crush Flat 75X in five feet of water.

Strike King Gravel Dawg 8: the medium crankbait built to ricochet off rock

A floating 6.4 cm / 2.5 in crankbait at 14 g / 1/2 oz rated 1.5-2.1 m, with a bill shaped to deflect. Specs, retrieve, tackle and colours explained.

Rapala OG Rocco 5: the silent balsa squarebill from Ott DeFoe

Why a 6.4 cm balsa crankbait with no rattle clears laydowns better than a plastic squarebill, and how to work it on contact with cover.

Bill Lewis SB-57: the squarebill built to deflect, not snag

5.7 cm, 11 g, 0.9-1.8 m: honeycomb shell, coffin circuit-board lip and a single knocker — how to work the SB-57 deflections off wood and rock.

Bill Lewis Gnat: the 3.8 cm micro squarebill that actually casts

A 3.8 cm / 1.5 in squarebill weighing 3.5 g / 1/8 oz and running to 1.2 m. Weight transfer, BFS tackle, retrieves and colors for perch, trout and bass.

SPRO Hunter 65 Squarebill: the crank built to deflect off wood

Real dimensions, hunting action, Gamakatsu size 4 trebles and retrieve rhythms for the SPRO Essential Hunter 65 squarebill, including what the maker never states.

6th Sense PD4 Pressure Series: the 2-1/4 in flat-sided squarebill

A compact flat-sided squarebill with a muted rattle for clear shallow banks, with the detail on deflecting off cover and getting the leader right.

DUO Realis Shad 62DR: the tiny Japanese crankbait that casts a mile

Weight transfer system, running depth and rigging for the DUO Realis Shad 62DR, the finesse crankbait for zander, bass and perch.

Bandit 100 Series: the stubby crankbait that works the top metre

Size, weight, running depth, deflection off cover and rigging: what you need to know about the floating Bandit 100 Series before you tie one on.

6th Sense Crush Squarebill 50X: the compact crank for flooded timber

Why a 5.7 cm squarebill that floats high deflects better in stumps, how to work it at three different speeds and which color to pick by water clarity.

Berkley Flicker Shad: the crankbait whose model number tells you the depth

Sizes, running depth and long-line trolling with the Berkley Flicker Shad, the suspending crankbait born from American walleye fishing.

Smith D-Contact: the heavy crankbait that casts far and accurately for trout

Sizing, inertial glide and pinpoint casting under branches with the Smith D-Contact, a cult Japanese crankbait for trout and perch.

Illex Diving Chubby 38: the mini crankbait for tight perch and trout spots

Depth, swim and retrieve for the Illex Diving Chubby 38, a 3.8 cm compact crankbait for perch and trout in canals, ponds and small rivers.

Rapala Shad Rap: the crankbait that never went out of style

SR05, SR07, SR09 — the Shad Rap has fooled zander and bass since 1982. Sizes, running depth, tying knot and colors, no marketing fluff.

Jerkbait & minnow 53

Googan Scout Jerkbait 3.5 in: the small jerkbait for tiny baitfish

8.9 cm for 10.6 g, a belly rattle chamber and a 0.9-1.5 m running depth: how to work this downsized jerkbait when fish are eating very small shad.

Strike King Bitsy Jerkbait: the 6.4 cm micro jerkbait for finesse

A 6.4 cm / 2.5 in jerkbait weighing 3.5 g, armed with size 10 trebles. Contradictory buoyancy in the spec sheet, missing depth, retrieve and light tackle.

Yum FF Sonar Minnow: the soft minnow built for live sonar

Solid body, blunt nose, tiny forked tail: how Yum's FF Sonar Minnow is designed for forward-facing sonar fishing, and how to work it properly.

Rapala PXR Mavrik 110: the suspending jerkbait that stops nose down

11 cm, 14 g, rated suspending at 1.5-1.8 m: how to use the Mavrik 110 nose-down pause and why its weight transfer changes the cast.

Gary Yamamoto Scope Shad: the soft minnow built for sonar fishing

Three sizes, a minimal quiver and a level attitude at rest: the Scope Shad is made for fish you watch on screen. Rigging, dimensions and colours.

Biwaa Scorpitail: the soft jerkbait that quivers on the fall

Diamond tail, belly slit and a dorsal hook channel: how to rig and work the Scorpitail in 10.2 or 12.7 cm, Texas weedless or on a light jighead.

Baitsanity Micro BFS Glide Crank: the floater that dives to 40 cm

Two grams, 5 cm, a 40 cm dive and two tungsten dots in the pack: how to tune this tiny floating minnow when you need it to run deeper.

Strike King Caffeine Shad 5: the soft jerkbait that also fishes on top

12.7 cm / 5 in, weightless for the surface or Carolina for the bottom: how to get both faces out of this coffee-scented Perfect Plastic soft jerkbait.

Northland Smeltinator Elite: the jighead shaped like a slender baitfish

3.5 to 28.3 g, a Gamakatsu hook, a ribbed cone keeper: what a minnow-profile head actually does and how to pair it with a slender soft shad.

Damiki Slim Jack: the jerkbait that only runs 20-40 cm down

An 11 cm jerkbait that barely dips under the surface and rises slowly on the pause: the answer to spooky post-spawn fish and heavily pressured lakes.

Berkley Powerbait Power Switch: the bait built for forward-facing sonar

A weight-forward soft minnow from 4.4 to 12.7 cm, designed to hover in front of a marked fish: sizes, weights, the hover technique and the Damiki rig.

Basstrix Flash Trix: the small hollow body that shows up on sonar

Two real lengths of 6.5 and 9 cm, a hand-poured hollow body and broad flanks: what the Flash Trix is actually for, and how to rig it.

ZipBaits Rigge 70: the size that opens up zander without losing the perch

What 14 millimetres more change compared with the Rigge 56 — casting distance, depth, species within reach — and how to work it.

ZipBaits Orbit 80: the small jerkbait that casts like a big one

Why the ZipBaits Orbit 80 carries as far as a much heavier lure, and how to work it in short darts for perch and bass in clear water.

SPRO Iris Twitchy: the jerkbait you fish without pauses

Why the Iris Twitchy calls for a fast cadence rather than dead stops, and how to use it on feeding perch and shallow margin zander.

Smith Niakis: the minnow for cluttered streams

How to fish Smith's Niakis upstream in a narrow stream, cast backhanded under branches, and cover a pool in three casts.

Shimano Bantam World Minnow: holding the current seam without leaving it

How to fish the Bantam World Minnow against the current in a river, set the length of your twitches and change the rhythm between holding trout and perch.

Sakura Trinis: letting the current work the minnow for you

How to fish the little Sakura Trinis minnow across the current in rivers, for trout and perch, and let the flow provide the whole retrieve.

Sakura Majikara Minnow: the minnow that lets the current do the work

How to fish the Majikara Minnow across the current for river zander and perch, and why its tight action holds where a wide-swimming minnow rolls over.

Rapala BX Minnow: the balsa that finally accepts hitting rock

The BX Minnow wraps a balsa core in a plastic shell: what that compromise changes for the action, the casting and the lifespan on a trout river.

Megabass X-Nanahan +2: a 7.6 cm minnow that reaches 3 m

A small Japanese jerkbait rated to 10 ft, slow-floating, that rolls on a straight retrieve and darts on the twitch. Swim, cadence, rigging and colors.

Megabass X-80 Trick Darter: the jerkbait that never darts the same way twice

Why the X-80 Trick Darter's unpredictable action decides educated fish, how to use its slow sink, and what depth to work it at.

Megabass Vision 95: casting a small jerkbait a long way

The Vision 95 owes its distance to a moving weight system that stabilises it in flight. How to use it on perch and bass from the bank.

Lucky Craft Slender Pointer: a minnow to wind in, not to jerk

The Slender Pointer carries the Lucky Craft jerkbait name but is fished on a straight retrieve. Tight rolling action, settings and uses on perch and river trout.

Lucky Craft Pointer 78: the short format you fish fast and twitchy

What the Pointer 78 changes compared to the 100: quicker cadence, tighter spots, lighter tackle and a real door into perch fishing.

Lucky Craft Bevy Shad: a deep profile where everyone else fishes a torpedo

Why the Bevy Shad's short, deep-bodied silhouette imitates a young roach better than a slim minnow, and how to work it with tight twitches for perch and bass.

Jackson Qu-On Verita: the jerkbait that makes a following perch commit

How to fish Jackson's Qu-On Verita to turn following perch into bites, using short jerks and pauses timed to the water temperature.

Illex Tricoroll: the pocket minnow for tight, overgrown rivers

How to use the sinking versions of the Tricoroll to fish under branches and in narrow seams, for river trout and margin perch.

Illex Tiny Fry 50: the micro minnow for perch that refuse everything

Why the Tiny Fry imitates a lone fry, how to work it with ultra-fine twitching, and when it unlocks a blank day.

Illex Arnaud 60: dropping a size without losing the edge

What really changes when you move from the Arnaud 100 to the 60: tackle, casting distance, perch and trout targets, and the mistakes specific to small jerkbaits.

Gunki Whiff: the margin jerkbait for the quiet hours

Why a small slim jerkbait catches zander and perch right in the margins at dusk, and how to fish it along quay walls and canals.

DUO Tetra Works Toto: three grams that cast far and count down

Why a sinking micro minnow opens up the whole water column in ultralight, how to count it down, how to work it, and when it beats a suspending micro minnow.

DUO Realis Rozante 63: the minnow you fish on the handle

Why the Rozante 63 works on a pure straight retrieve where other minnows demand twitching, and how to set your speed and depth.

Duel Aile Magnet: reaching the far bank with 5 grams

How the Aile Magnet's magnetic weight system buys you ten extra metres on ultralight gear, and how to use it on a wide river or a windy lake.

Bassday Mogul Minnow: in a river, reel speed is not what matters

How to fish a sinking minnow in moving water: upstream casts, speed relative to the current, counting down pools, and a second use on perch.

Strike King KVD Blade Minnow: the soft minnow with a kicking forked tail

11.4 cm / 4.5 in, a thinned body and a forked tail: how to rig and work this Perfect Plastic soft minnow, and why its weight is published nowhere.

O.S.P Bent Minnow: the lure that fishes best when you do nothing

Why the bent-bodied Bent Minnow drifts flat at the surface, how to work the dead sticking and when it beats every animated lure.

6th Sense HyperJerk 70: the top-mounted line tie changes everything

A 2.76 in slow-sinking twitch bait with its line tie on the skull: what that does to the action, and how to use it on pressured fish.

Lunker City Fin-S Shad: a shad body grafted onto a fluke tail

How the split belly and recessed back groove make the Fin-S Shad genuinely weedless, and which of the 4.4, 8.3 and 12.7 cm sizes to pick.

Bill Lewis Scope-Stik 100 SP: the jerkbait drawn for the sonar

Flattened sides to show up on forward-facing sonar, a hard side-to-side dart and a clean suspend — what a 3.8 in jerkbait built around the scope changes.

Megabass X-70 BFS: the 7 cm jerkbait that suspends in the top 2 ft

Why this 7 cm / 4.7 g suspending jerkbait holds between 30 and 60 cm, how to twitch it on BFS or light spinning tackle, and which leader suits it.

Damiki Abyss 90: the suspending jerkbait that works at 2.4 m

Why the Abyss 90 gets down to 2.4 m fast and hangs dead level on the pause, and how to work it in the cold water of late winter and early spring.

Berkley Finisher 5 FFS: the small sinking bait built for forward sonar

A 5 cm, 9.5 g glide-and-jerk hybrid that sinks: how to work it on a located fish, vertically or on the cast, and what it simply cannot do.

ZipBaits Rigge 56: the tiny minnow that unlocks difficult perch

Why the ZipBaits Rigge 56 swims with such a tight roll, how to work it with fine twitching and when it beats a soft plastic on perch.

Rapala RipStop 09: the jerkbait with a rigid tail that stops dead

9 cm, 7 g, 0.9 to 1.2 m: how the RipStop rear lip stops the lure on the spot, and why its slow rise changes the cadences you should use.

Lucky Craft Wander 80: the sinking pencil that works below the surface

Why the Wander 80 is not a walking bait, how to use its horizontal fall and sharp darts on a twitch, and what count-down to run for each water layer.

Berkley Powerbait Pro Twitchtail Minnow: the soft minnow built for drop shot

A 7.6 cm soft minnow with a hair-thin tail, designed around drop shotting and infused with the PowerBait formula. Rigs, cadence, colors and honest limits.

6th Sense Clobber Minnow: the small minnow built to show on live sonar

Tall body, split belly and a forked tail make the 2 inch Clobber Minnow a bait designed for scoping fish and hooking soft, cautious bites.

Strike King KVD 200 Jerkbait: the all-round size that reaches two metres

11.4 cm / 4.5 in, about 10.5 g, 1.20-2.10 m / 4-7 ft and a suspending class: specs, cadence, tackle and the real limits of this weight-transfer jerkbait.

Megabass Karashi Twitch Bait: walking the dog below the surface

A lipless pencil Megabass rates slow sink, made to zigzag a foot under the surface. Specs from the maker's table, retrieve cadence and real limits.

Illex Squirrel 61: the little jerkbait that unlocks difficult perch

61 mm, suspending and worked with the rod tip: how to fish the Illex Squirrel 61 on educated perch in clear water, and why the pause does everything.

Rapala Crush City Mooch Minnow: the soft minnow that stays up

Why a floating TPE soft minnow holds horizontal on a drop shot, how to work it shaking, slow-rolling or dragging, and which of the three sizes to pick.

Strike King KVD 100 Jerkbait: the small suspender for pressured fish

A suspending jerkbait rated 8.9 cm / 3.5 in and 0.60-1.20 m / 2-4 ft: real specs, slack-line cadence, tackle and colours, without recycling the brand pitch.

Lipless & vibration 20

Bill Lewis Hammer Trap: the lipless with a three-tone sound chamber

Two sinking sizes, 6.4 cm / 10.6 g and 7.6 cm / 17.7 g. Tri-tone chamber, erratic flutter on the pause and the yo-yo retrieve that catches on it.

Ima Suspending Vibration: the lipless crank that stops without sinking

A 7 cm, 10.5 g lipless that suspends between 0.9 and 1.2 m: what that pause, impossible on a conventional vibrating bait, is actually good for.

Lucky Craft Bevy Vibration: the small lipless you fish on a straight retrieve

Why a compact lipless fishes better on a grazing straight retrieve than on a yo-yo, and how to use snagging the weed as your trigger.

Illex Dunkle: the compact lipless for working the bottom on the yo-yo

How to use the Dunkle's small profile and flat fall to fish zander and perch on the yo-yo over hard bottoms, without oversizing the signal.

Gunki Chocho: the compact lipless you fish vertically

Why the Chocho's small size lets you yo-yo a lipless under the boat, and how to use it on zander and perch in cold water.

DUO Tetra Works Bivi: the micro vib that sinks fast and small

A lipless of under 5 g that reaches the bottom in seconds and fishes vertically or on the cast for winter perch in harbours and canals.

DUO Realis Vibration 62: find the fish, then make them bite

A compact lipless does two opposite jobs: covering water fast to locate fish, then yo-yoing over the zone you found. The full method for zander and perch.

Damiki Vault: the blade bait with three line-tie holes

42 to 65 mm, 7 to 21 g, all sinking - how to pick the right tie hole on the Damiki Vault to tune its vibration and fish the bottom in cold water.

6th Sense Snatch 70X: the high-pitch lipless that shimmies down

High-frequency rattle, calibrated weighting and long casts into wind: how to fish the 6th Sense Snatch 70X in grass, over rock and on schooling fish.

Savage Gear Fat Vibes: the lipless that searches fastest

How to fish the Fat Vibes on a yo-yo to trigger zander, which weight to choose for the depth, and why it excels in cold water.

6th Sense Slice: the blade bait with three line ties

Three line ties for three different swimming actions: how to set up and work the 6th Sense Slice blade bait vertically, on the retrieve or deep.

Berkley Thin Fisher: the blade bait with three tow points

Three eyes, three vibrations: how to pick the tow point, the size and the rhythm of the Thin Fisher blade for perch and zander in cold water.

Booyah One Knocker: the lipless that thuds instead of rattling

One oversized tungsten knocker, a low thud instead of the usual high-pitched rattle: sizes, retrieves, rigging and colors for Booyah's sinking lipless.

Strike King Bitsy Shad: the 3.5 g lipless that sinks flat

A 1/8 oz sinking lipless on size 8 trebles: what the downsized profile actually changes, how to work it on a yo-yo retrieve, and where to throw it.

DUO Apex Vibe: the lipless that thumps low instead of buzzing fast

Four sizes from 62 to 100 mm, all sinking: low-frequency vibration, an upright rest on the bottom, and the horizontal and vertical retrieves that suit it.

Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap: the sinking lipless that rips grass

Four sizes from 6.4 to 10.2 cm, every one of them sinking: how to set the Rat-L-Trap depth by countdown and rip it free of winter grass beds.

6th Sense Duke: the compact lipless heavy enough to rip grass

Duke 55 and Duke 65 real weights, running depth, ripping speed, rigging and hooks on a compact rattle-chamber lipless crankbait built for bass over submerged grass.

Rapala Rippin' Rap: the lipless crank that casts far and sounds deep fast

Sizes, yo-yo technique and rigging for the Rapala Rippin' Rap, the lipless crankbait that casts long and covers depth fast for zander and perch.

Heddon Sonar: three tie-holes, three lures in one

The Heddon Sonar blade bait changes its swim depending on which tie-hole you use. How to work all three settings for zander and perch.

Illex Chubby Vib 40: the mini vibration bait for tough zander and perch

40mm, 4.7g, sinking — how to fish the Illex Chubby Vib 40 finesse-style for zander and perch, direct rigging and the lift-and-fall retrieve.

Swimbait 10

Megabass Dark Sleeper: the weighted goby that crawls without snagging

A soft fin moulded around the hook, a low weight and a bottom-hugging swim: how to fish the Dark Sleeper, and what the maker never states about its sizes.

Strike King Homing Minnow: the small pre-rigged swimbait built for scoping

Flat sides, a 90-degree line tie, a single hook already rigged: why this swimbait is designed for forward-facing sonar, and how to work it.

Bucca Baby Bull Shad 3.75: the jointed swimbait that holds at any speed

Four sections, double joints and a stated slow sink at 14 g: why the Baby Bull Shad keeps its action from a dead crawl to a search-speed retrieve.

Berkley Powerbait Gilly: the tall-profile swimbait for clear water

Sunfish profile, scale-shaped ribs on the tail and a sideways weightless rig: how to fish the Gilly in clear water, in 9, 11 or 13 cm.

Lake Fork Live Magic Shad: one soft swimbait, six rigs

Three lengths, six listed rigs and a super soft garlic plastic: what the Live Magic Shad spec sheet actually says, and how to work it without tearing it.

Illex Tiny Magallon: the jointed swimbait you fish on the drift

How to use the Tiny Magallon on a controlled drift behind obstacles, for perch and bass that refuse anything pulled through the water.

Z-Man Gobius Swimbait: the pre-rigged goby that sits tail-up

A pre-rigged Elaztech goby in three head weights with a built-in brush guard: posture, retrieves and real use on zander, perch and bass.

Shimano BT Bait 99SS: the jointed swimbait that fishes at 1/4 oz

Three hard segments, a replaceable soft tail and only 7.1 g: how to fish this small slow-sinking swimbait on a BFS reel or a light spinning outfit.

Bucca Brand BFS Trick Shad 2.5: the glide bait built to fry size

A jointed glide bait of 6.35 cm and 5.3 g rated slow sink: BFS retrieve, matching tackle, rigging details and colour choices for bass and big perch.

Berkley PowerBait Minnotator Swimbait: pre-rigged, ready to cast

A small pre-rigged swimbait on a Fusion 19 hook: real sizes, retrieve speeds, the limits of a fixed rig and which colours to run in which water.

Topwater stickbait 15

Z-Man Kingpin Worm Sinking Formula: the Elaztech stick that finally sinks

A symmetrical ringed stick bait in sinking Elaztech: why its fall wobbles so much, and how to rig it wacky, neko or Texas without wrecking it.

Yum Dinger: the salted stick bait that sinks flat and quivers

Four sizes, a dense ribbed body and a moulded hook slot: how to use the Yum Dinger's horizontal fall on a wacky, neko, Texas or drop shot rig.

Megabass Grand Siglett: the 4 cm cicada that crawls instead of walking

4.2 cm, 7.1 g, wings that open on the first pull and a tungsten rattle chamber. Why this isn't a walking bait despite the name it is sold under.

Strike King Bitsy Dawg: the 7.6 cm walking bait for small forage

A 7.6 cm / 3 in topwater stickbait of about 4.5 g that walks like a scaled-down Sexy Dawg. The stroke, light tackle, wind limits and colors.

Imakatsu Aventa Crawler Vazelle: the small crawler that casts a long way

The smallest and fastest Aventa Crawler: 7.9 cm for 7 g, wings that fold on the cast, and a way of churning the surface that is all its own.

Cotton Cordell Crazy Shad: the 3 in propbait that casts a mile

Specs, hooks and two retrieve cadences for the Cotton Cordell Crazy Shad, a small twin-prop topwater bait for bass and perch feeding on the surface.

Big Bite Baits Trick Stick: the ribbed stick that falls flat

Ribbed body, built-in scent and a horizontal rolling fall. How to fish the Trick Stick Texas-rigged, wacky or on a Neko rig, weighted or completely bare.

Rapala Crush City Pig Stick: the salt-loaded stick that sinks fast

A 12.7 cm stick worm loaded with salt that falls fast even weightless, with a moulded groove for a wacky ring. Rigs, rhythm and honest limits.

Berkley Spin Rocket: the slim propbait for clear, flat water

Gliding profile, clear props that spin at crawl speed, three trebles: what the Spin Rocket actually does on top and when it beats a walking bait.

Heddon Spook Stick: a 3.5 in walking bait for fussy topwater bass

Shad profile, 3.5 in for 1/4 oz, internal rattles and size 6 hooks — what the Spook Stick changes against a big walker, and how to make it walk.

Berkley Spin Bomb: the short propbait that sprays at crawling speed

Why a stubby body and two cupped props change shallow topwater fishing, and how to pick between twitch-and-pause and a steady retrieve with this propbait.

Rapala Claptail: the topwater that makes two sounds at once

Metal prop and trailing blade colliding, three sizes, hardware: what the Claptail really adds next to a popper or a walking bait.

6th Sense Ned Fry Worm: the Ned bait that stands up on the bottom

Why the Ned Fry Worm's floating plastic holds it upright on the bottom, and how to rig it Ned, Neko, shaky head or on a lightened Texas rig.

Heddon Zara Puppy: walk-the-dog scaled down to 7.6 cm

Why a 7.6 cm topwater stick hooks the fish a full-size Spook only escorts, and how to set up the rod, the line and the cadence that make it walk.

Evergreen JXJ Minnow: 4.5 cm of jointed body darting under the surface

A Japanese micro-jointed minnow, 4.5 cm for 4.4 g, slow-floating: what it really does below the surface, how to work it and what its stock hooks imply.

Popper 6

SPRO Essential Series E Pop: the rattling popper in two sizes

Two sizes, an internal rattle and a feathered rear treble. Converted specs, cadence, rigging and the limits of SPRO's value-priced popper.

Googan Blooper Popper: 7 cm of calibrated noise to pull fish up

Cupped mouth, belly rumble strips and a feathered treble — how to work the Googan Blooper Popper fast or slow, and which colours to pick when.

Damiki Umpa 40 BFS: the 4 cm popper that blows up the surface

4 cm, 2.8 g and a generously cupped mouth - how to cast and work the Damiki Umpa 40 on BFS gear to draw topwater blowups from bass and perch.

Strike King Bitsy Splash: the 5 cm popper that spits and walks

A floating 2 in popper weighing 3.7 g with a feathered rear treble: how to meter the pop, when to walk it instead, and why this size works where big baits fail.

Yo-Zuri 3DR-X Popper: 6.7 cm that move a lot of water

A deep cupped face on a pencil body, a single knock rattle and a Mylar tail treble: how to get the most out of this compact and versatile popper.

Rebel Pop-R: the popper that changed topwater bass fishing

Swim, retrieve and colours for the Rebel Pop-R, the legendary popper for bass and perch. How to work its signature "pop" correctly.

Spinnerbait 9

War Eagle Finesse Spinnerbait: the compact size for hard days

Tandem Colorado and willow blades, a dual length skirt and Sampo swivels: why downsizing a spinnerbait brings bites back when conditions shut down.

Johnson Beetle Spin: the little grub spinner that outlived 50 years

A nickel Colorado blade, a split-tail grub and a float rig almost nobody tries: everything worth knowing about the Johnson Beetle Spin and how to fish it.

Geecrack G Blade Spinnerbait: twin hammered willows for shallow water

Flexible stainless wire, double hammered willow blades, wire bait keeper. What the G Blade really does on the shallows, and the weight Geecrack never lists.

Z-Man Sling Bladez Double Willow: the head that refuses to roll

StabilTrack keel, twin willow blades and a 5/0 hook — what Luke Clausen's spinnerbait is really worth, and how fast you need to reel it.

Strike King Rocket Shad: the compact spinnerbait built to burn

Colorado blade, ball-bearing swivel and a shaped head: what the Rocket Shad really brings on a fast retrieve, and what the manufacturer does not publish.

War Eagle Nickel Spinnerbait Double Willow: flash over thump

Two willow blades, a polished nickel head and a mixed-length skirt: why this spinnerbait wants speed, and when to pick it over a Colorado blade.

Dirty Jigs Compact Double Willow: the spinnerbait for educated fish

Why a small-profile spinnerbait on twin willow blades gets bites a standard model cannot, and how to rig it with a small finesse swimbait trailer.

Berkley Power Blade Double Willow: the spinnerbait that bets on flash

Two willow blades, a hand-tied skirt and a moulded bait keeper - what the double willow really brings, and why Berkley publishes no weights at all.

Bizz Baits Fall Fry: three willow blades that imitate a fry ball

Blades in #2.5, #3 and #3.5, 0.035 in wire, a thin hand-tied skirt — why the Fall Fry reads as a whole school and how to work it in clear water.

Chatterbait 4

Z-Man Chatterbait WillowVibe: the narrow blade that vibrates tighter

A willow leaf blade on an aspirin head, sold in twos and bare: why this high-frequency vibration stands in for an underspin around schooling fish.

Z-Man Chatterbait Flashback Mini: the bladed jig with no skirt

A miniature chatterbait stripped of its skirt and sold with a minnow body already rigged: what that format is actually for on pressured fish.

Z-Man Original Chatterbait: the blade that created a family

Vibration, snag resistance and trailers: what the original Chatterbait actually does on the water, and the specs Z-Man never publishes for it.

6th Sense Fixed Jig Saw: the bladed jig that vibrates from turn one

Thin blade, tapered head, O'Shaughnessy hook and twin-wire keeper, everything you need to fish this bladed jig from 7 to 21 g on bass and pike.

Inline spinner 19

DUO Spin: the compact tail spinner that drops fast and flashes

Three sizes from 3.5 to 4.1 cm, 7.1 to 14.2 g, all sinking: rear Colorado blade, a fast drop and the vertical retrieves that suit perch and bass.

Molix Trago Spin Tail: the compact tail spinner for cold months

Four versions from 7 to 21.3 g, a Colorado blade on a ball bearing swivel, a zinc alloy body: steady retrieve, yo-yo or vertical, the full working manual.

Zoom Fat Albert Grub: the chunky trailer that bulks a jig up

A 3 in grub with an oversized curl tail, built as a jig, spinnerbait and buzzbait trailer. Rigging, the cost of soft salted plastic, and uses in Europe.

Smith AR-S Spinner: the inline spinner that starts in ten centimetres of water

Why the AR-S blade spins instantly, how to fish it in a cluttered stream, and why the loose lead shot inside the body changes everything.

Savage Gear Fat Tail Spin: the blade that keeps spinning on the drop

How to fish the Savage Gear Fat Tail Spin tail spinner on a short yo-yo for perch and zander glued to the bottom, and why the lift length decides everything.

Rublex Ondex: the inline spinner you fish on a countdown

Why the Ondex's heavy body keeps the blade turning on the drop, and how to reach perch holding three or four metres down.

Rublex Celta: the inline spinner for narrow streams

Why the Celta starts turning in thirty centimetres of water and holds current better than a round blade, and how to fish it upstream on a small river.

Mepps Aglia TW: the inline spinner you reconfigure at the water's edge

What the Aglia TW's removable hook changes, how to add a blade or a soft plastic depending on activity, and which setup to stick with for trout and perch.

Mepps Aglia Long: the inline spinner that holds in current

What the Aglia Long's elongated blade changes against the round Aglia, how it holds in strong current, its rotation speed and which size to pick per spot.

Illex Deracoup: the blade that spins all the way down

Why a tail spinner mostly fishes on the drop, how to work the Deracoup on the yo-yo for perch and zander, and which weight to pick for each water layer.

Blue Fox Super Vibrax Bullet: the bullet body that cuts through fast current

What the brass bullet body changes compared with the standard Vibrax, why it holds in heavy current and how to fish it in fast rivers.

Abu Garcia Reflex: the spinner that reaches the far bank

Why the Reflex's compact, heavy body gives flat, accurate casts into the wind, and how to make the first three metres of the retrieve count.

Damiki Axe Blade: the tail spinner with a double hook for short bites

Four sizes from 7 to 28 g, all sinking, and a double hook under the blade to pin the swipes you miss: how to count it down and fish suspended fish.

Zoom Curly Tail Worm: the thin worm whose tail turns on nothing

A 4 in curly tail worm sold twenty to a bag. Light Texas, darter head, drop shot and shaky head rigs, and what Zoom leaves out of its spec line.

Mepps Black Fury: the polka-dot spinner that fishes trout and perch

Sizing, dressing and colour choice for the Mepps Black Fury, an iconic inline spinner for river trout and canal perch.

Lunkerhunt Big Eye Tail Spin Jig: the blade that thumps on the vertical

A 5 cm tail spinner for suspended fish: what the ball bearing swivel really changes, and how to choose between 7.1, 10.6 and 14.2 g.

Savage Gear Caviar Spinner: the compact spinner that won't twist your line

Design, weight and retrieve for the Savage Gear Caviar Spinner, the anti-twist compact spinner for trout and perch. The complete guide.

Blue Fox Vibrax: the spinner that thumps more than it flashes

Weight, speed and colours for the Blue Fox Vibrax, the Finnish inline spinner built for stained water and current. Trout, perch, pike guide.

Mepps Aglia #3: the spinner that invented modern lure fishing

Weight, retrieve speed and colours for the Mepps Aglia #3, the historic inline spinner for trout, perch and pike. The complete guide.

Casting spoon 7

Acme Kastmaster: the machined spoon that simply casts further

Why a bevel-cut bar of solid metal outcasts a stamped sheet-metal spoon, which weights to pick and how to work it for trout, perch and mackerel.

Smith Pure: the river spoon you fish upstream

Why the Pure keeps rolling when you bring it back with the current, and how to use this Japanese spoon for trout and perch in rivers.

Smith Camion Magnum: the thick spoon that holds in hard current

How to fish Smith's Camion Magnum in a fast river, why its thickness stops it losing its action in current, and which weights to choose.

Molix Nano Spoon: the micro spoon for moving water, not stocked ponds

How to fish a two-gram spoon in a flowing river: casting angles, controlling the swing, the tackle that makes it possible, and a second use on perch.

Luhr-Jensen Krocodile: the thick spoon that reaches the deep layer

Why the thickness of the Krocodile's metal lets it sink fast and hold its layer, and how to fish it on the cast as well as on the vertical drop.

Illex Native Spoon: the light wobbler that rescues tiny streams

Weight, swim and colours of the Illex Native Spoon, the light casting spoon built for trout and perch in small streams. The full guide.

Abu Garcia Toby: the wobbling spoon that fishes trout, perch and bass

Weight selection and S-shaped action for trout, perch and sea bass with the Abu Garcia Toby, the cult wobbling spoon since 1956.

Paddle tail 35

Googan Saucy Swimmer: the ribbed paddle tail that rigs three ways

Four sizes, a deeply ribbed body, no published weight: how to pick and rig the Googan Saucy Swimmer without getting the jighead wrong.

6th Sense Panorama: the flat shad you fish like a spoon

Six sizes from 5 to 23 cm and a very thin profile between swimbait and spoon: how to rig the Panorama Shad on a drop shot, a power shot or a heavy Texas rig.

Rapala Crush City The Mayor: the flat-sided shad that goes anywhere

A flat-sided boot tail shad moulded with top and bottom hook slots for a genuinely clean weedless rig. Four sizes, rigs and retrieves explained.

6th Sense Masterclass Panorama: the flat-sided shad in five sizes

Solid body from 2.3 to 3.5 in, split belly in 4.3 and 6 in: why that distinction changes the rig, and how to pick your Panorama size.

Z-Man Graph Shadz: the pre-rigged shad built for live sonar

Air cavity, alloy head and line-through rigging: what the Graph Shadz really changes on screen, and why the two most useful numbers are missing.

Westin ShadTeez Slim: the lure you tie on to fish the spot a second time

How to use a slim-profile shad on a second pass over water you've already fished, what head weight to use, and why silhouette counts more than colour.

Timon Tricoroll Shad: the ultra-light soft plastic that fishes at a standstill

What a micro soft shad does that a hard minnow cannot: a settled pause on the bottom, a texture fish hold on to, and rigs on light jig heads and drop shot.

Savage Gear Craft Shad: the shad you dare to throw into the branches

A soft shad with a slim tail, cheap enough to genuinely fish the snags: rigging, slow retrieves and settings for zander and perch.

Savage Gear Craft Cannibal: the soft shad that buys you an extra second

Why the softness of the Craft Cannibal makes perch and zander hold on longer, how to weight it and when it beats a firmer conventional shad.

Megabass Spark Shad: the shad that keeps swimming when you slow down

Why the Spark Shad's tail starts working at very low speed, how to pick the jig head, and how to fish it on a slow straight retrieve for zander and perch.

Gunki Grubby Shad: the shad for fishing the drift from the bank

In a river, the current does all the work if you let it. How to fish the Grubby Shad on a controlled drift for zander and perch, spot by spot.

Gunki G Bump: the creature bait that works while you do nothing

How to use the appendages of the Gunki G Bump on a dead-stick and drop shot presentation, to convert perch and bass that refuse a straight retrieve.

Fox Rage Pro Shad Firetails: the fluo tail that puts the bite in the right place

What the Pro Shad Firetails' fluo tail is really for in stained water, how to weight it for zander and why it changes your hook-up rate.

Fox Rage Micro Fry: the micro soft plastic that forgives soft bites

Why a micro soft plastic hooks better than a micro hard lure on difficult perch, and how to weight the Micro Fry to keep its tail kicking.

Delalande Swat Shad: the zander shad you fish on the reel handle

Why the Swat Shad gives its best on a slow bottom-hugging retrieve rather than on lifts, which weight to choose, and how to read a zander bite.

Damiki Armor Shad: the shad that stays horizontal on a vertical drop

The shad that gave the Damiki rig its name: a motionless horizontal presentation in front of a zander or perch marked on the sounder, and the settings that go with it.

Daiwa Prorex Duckfin Shad: the tail that vibrates at snail's pace

Why the Prorex Duckfin Shad's webbed-foot paddle starts up lower than the rest, and how to use it on a slow straight retrieve for cold-water zander.

Fox Rage Spikey Shad: the ribs that vibrate where a smooth shad says nothing

Why the side ribbing of the Spikey Shad strengthens its signal in stained water, what jig head weight to use and how to work it for perch and zander.

Bass Assassin Split Tail Shad: the forked tail that does not vibrate

Why a split tail trades vibration for realism, and how to rig the 10 cm / 4 in Split Tail Shad on a scrounger head, a bladed jig or a drop shot.

Keitech Little Spider: the finesse spider jig for pressured water

Three sizes, a PVC compound that adds stretch and buoyancy, and a very specific window after the crawdad spawn: what the Little Spider actually does.

Geecrack Bellows Vibe 4.2: the ribbed soft plastic that is not a blade

Despite the name, the Bellows Vibe is a forked-tail soft plastic, not a vibrating blade. Rigs, strolling, the dimensions actually published, and colours.

Rapala Crush City Bronco Bug: the creature bait that actually swims

Two large flat appendages, six legs, hook slots on both faces: what the Bronco Bug brings on a Texas rig, as a jig trailer and on a shakey head.

Zoom Shimmer Shad: the forked trailer that settles a bladed jig

Forked tail, ribbed flank, 10.8 cm / 4.25 in - what the Shimmer Shad really adds behind a bladed jig, a spinnerbait or on a plain jighead.

Hog Farmer Spunk Shad: the thread tail that rewrites the swim

Five sizes from 7.6 to 16.5 cm and a very fine pintail: how to rig the Spunk Shad on a scrounger, a bladed jig or weightless, and what the specs leave out.

Missile Baits Spunk Shad: the ribbed trailer with a pintail

Ribbed body, tapered pintail, soft plastic: why the Spunk Shad wakes up a bladed jig and how to fish it weightless like a soft jerkbait.

Fiiish Black Minnow N°2: the saltwater system that won over zander

How the Fiiish Black Minnow N°2's soft body and interchangeable jighead system works for perch and zander. Rigging and retrieve, fully explained.

Illex RV Bug 1.5: the soft creature bait for perch that barely moves

Drop shot rigging, sight fishing and colour choice for the Illex RV Bug 1.5, the finesse creature bait that triggers perch while staying nearly still.

Z-Man Minnowz: the small Elaztech paddle tail that survives teeth

Why the 3 in Z-Man Minnowz floats, lasts and swims at crawling speeds, and how to rig it on a jighead, a weedless Texas hook or a drop shot.

Reins Ring Shrimp: the soft shrimp bait that unlocks perch on drop shot

How to rig and work the Reins Ring Shrimp on a drop shot for perch. Size, claw action, colours — the full guide, no fluff.

Missile Baits Shockwave: the soft shad that kicks on the slightest move

Two sizes, a very thin paddle tail and a deep hook pocket: how to rig and work the Shockwave as a bladed-jig trailer, Texas-rigged or on a jig head.

Reins Fat Rockvibe Shad: the chunky shad that pushes more water

Sizes, salt and shrimp scent, and rigging for the Reins Fat Rockvibe Shad, the thickened version of the Rockvibe Shad for zander and perch in stained water.

Sakura Xprat Shad: French realism built for zander and perch

Sizes, Texas rigging and retrieves for the Sakura Xprat Shad, the hyper-realistic shad designed with angler Nicolas Bianchini for zander and perch.

Storm 360GT Searchbait: the rattling shad built to cover water fast

Sizes, internal rattle and retrieve for the Storm 360GT Searchbait, the shad designed to quickly locate zander and perch on an unfamiliar spot.

Berkley Gulp! Alive! Minnow: when scent does the work swimming can't

How to fish the Berkley Gulp! Alive! Minnow, the scent-infused soft plastic, to trigger strikes from tough zander and perch.

Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ: the ElaZtech swimbait that won't tear

How the Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ swims, rigs and holds up for zander, perch and bass — running depth, jighead weight, colour. No fluff.

Worm & finesse 44

Z-Man Trick Shotz: the ElaZtech finesse bait built for drop shotting

Ribbed body, spade tail, buoyant and near-indestructible plastic: why the Trick Shotz survives nose hooking and how to work it without moving the weight.

Roboworm Ned Worms: a short ned worm that glides on the fall

Short fat profile, flat belly, two lengths: how to rig and work Roboworm's Ned Worm on a ned rig, wacky, drop shot or Carolina rig.

Rapala Crush City Janitor Worm: the finesse worm that quivers on its own

Tapered tail, slot for a Crossover Ring, 15.2 cm: how to rig and work the Janitor Worm wacky and neko when the bites dry up.

Damiki Stinger: the ribbed stick worm that rolls on itself

A deeply ribbed body, very soft plastic and a needle-point tail that quivers: the Stinger's four sizes, the wacky and neko rigs, and what the maker does not state.

Dirty Jigs Finesse Swim Jig: bullet head and a 50-strand half-cut skirt

A Northern-style swim jig cut slim to copy a small baitfish and slide through grass: what a half-cut skirt actually does, and how to work it properly.

Z-Man FattyZ Worm: the floating stick worm that stands its tail up

Developed with Luke Clausen, the FattyZ is a 12.7 cm / 5 in ElaZtech worm that floats, so on a shaky head its tail stays up off the bottom. Rigs and limits.

SPRO Phat Fly: the tiny hair jig for suspended fish

Two weights, two hook sizes, one horizontal posture - how to fish the SPRO Phat Fly on a float and fly rig or on its own for wary, pressured fish.

Roboworm Fat Straight Tail: the worm that holds a Texas rig

A thickened head so the hook stops tearing out: what the Fat Straight Tail changes against a standard straight worm, on Texas, drop shot and wacky.

Outkast Fighter Fly Marabou Jig: the marabou that breathes in cold water

Why a hand-tied marabou dressing keeps moving where synthetic fibre clumps up, and how to fish this small jig when the fish have stopped moving.

Keitech Easy Shaker: the worm that hangs flat under a drop shot

Ringed body, thin core and a plastic blend tuned to hold horizontal — three lengths from 8.9 to 14 cm, plus drop shot and shaky head rigging in detail.

Zoom Finesse Worm: the bait that works while you do nothing

A slim worm on a shaky head mostly asks you to accept doing nothing. Soak times, rigs and how to fish a spot all the way out for bass.

Z-Man Slim SwimZ: the little shad that refuses to lie down on the bottom

Why the Slim SwimZ holds a horizontal posture at rest on a jig head, and how to use that buoyancy on perch sat hard on the bottom.

Z-Man Finesse ShadZ: the shad that floats and stands up on the bottom

Why the ElaZtech plastic in the Finesse ShadZ lifts the tail at rest, which Ned rig weights to run, and how to fish it for perch and bass.

Gary Yamamoto Yamasenko 3-inch: the little stick that unlocks perch

Why the 3-inch Yamasenko catches perch where the 4 and the 5 get refused, how to rig it light wacky and what tackle actually casts it.

Gary Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm: the flat body that glides instead of dropping

Why the Shad Shape Worm's flattened section slows and skews its fall, and how to use it on a drop shot or split shot for difficult bass and perch.

Savage Gear Craft Bleak: the slim shad that copies a bleak

Why a bleak-profile shad catches perch when stocky shads fail, and how to weight and work it around shoals of small silver baitfish.

Roboworm Straight Tail Worm: the worm your line animates for you

Why a very soft straight worm moves without you touching the rod, and how to exploit that passive action on a drop shot for bass and perch.

Molix Sato Shad: the slim-tailed shad for zander that refuse vibration

Why the thin tail of Molix's Sato Shad produces a discreet action, and how to use it on light weights for apathetic zander and wary perch.

Megabass Hazedong Shad: knowing when to downsize, and by how much

Downsizing is not always the right answer. Diagnosis, rigs and retrieves for the Hazedong Shad on pressured perch and bass.

Keitech Shad Impact 3": when a paddle tail makes too much noise

The Shad Impact 3" swaps a paddle's thump for a quiet shimmer: rigs, retrieves and what it changes compared with the 2-inch.

Keitech Mad Wag: the segmented worm that moves without being touched

How the Mad Wag's ribbed body sustains a constant undulation on a drop shot, ned rig or wacky rig, and how to use it on difficult bass and perch.

Jackall Flick Shake Worm: the bent worm that quivers on its own

Why the curve moulded into Jackall's Flick Shake creates a vibration straight worms do not have, and how to fish it wacky or neko for wary bass.

Illex Ninja Pintail: the soft plastic that does not vibrate, and why that is an asset

A finesse pintail shad with no paddle tail: when the absence of vibration beats a paddle, and how to work it on a drop shot or a light jig head.

Fox Rage Slick Finesse: the finesse bait that walks the bottom instead of waiting

How to fish the Slick Finesse dragging on a light jig head, and why that horizontal presentation beats the drop shot on perch that are on the move.

Fox Rage Fish Snax Dropshot: working a lure without moving the weight

How the Fish Snax Dropshot's slim profile answers the smallest quiver of the rod tip, and how to set tag length and weight for perch and zander.

Evergreen Last Ace: tune the fall rate, not the retrieve

How to choose between wacky, neko, drop shot and a jig head on the Last Ace to get the fall rate that triggers bites, and how to read a bite on the drop.

Deps DeathAdder: the soft plastic that works under jetties

How the DeathAdder's flat body lets you skip it under cover and fall on a slow pendulum, and how to rig it for bass and perch.

Delalande Zick Zack: the finesse lure that works when you stop moving

How to use Delalande's Zick Zack on inactive perch and zander, fishing almost motionless on a drop shot or on a very slow drag along the bottom.

Delalande Drop Shad: the soft plastic that vibrates while your rod stays still

Why the Drop Shad's thin tail comes alive on the slightest quiver of line, which size to pick for perch or zander, and how to hook it.

Big Bite Baits Finesse Worm: the straight worm for tough days

A ribbed, ultra-soft salt-loaded worm in 15.2 and 20.3 cm: shaky head, drop shot, wacky and split shot for pressured bass that refuse speed.

Berkley MaxScent The General: the stick worm fish keep in their mouth

How MaxScent release works, why fish do not spit out The General and how to use that extra delay when you set the hook.

Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm: winning the seconds that make the hookset

Why the flat body and the MaxScent attractant make fish hold the lure longer, and how to rig this finesse worm for bass and perch.

Gary Yamamoto Senko 4-inch: the size that catches when the 5 gets refused

Why dropping down to the 4-inch Senko unlocks pressured bass, which rigs to favour and how to live with how fragile it is.

Z-Man Shroomz Micro Finesse Jig: a skirted jig on a Ned head

Mushroom head, silicone skirt and a light-wire size 1 hook — how to fish this micro finesse jig for bass and perch, and which trailer to pair with it.

Strike King Fat Baby Finesse Worm: finesse on real tackle

A finesse worm with a thickened body and a swollen tail, built for drop shot and shaky head: published specs, rigs, cadence and colour choices.

Roboworm Sculpins: the bottom-fish profile that works on the rocks

Four inches of soft plastic shaped like a bottom fish: what Roboworm actually publishes, the rigs that exploit it and the mistake that makes it ordinary.

Reins Bubbling Shaker: the slim worm that makes perch shake for real

Why the Reins Bubbling Shaker vibrates better than most drop shot worms, with the right weight and rod setup for perch.

Reaction Innovations Little Dipper: the Skinny Dipper gone finesse

A 8.9 cm paddle-tail swimbait built for low-profile rigs — underspin, light jighead and drop shot. Rigging, retrieve speed, limits and colors.

6th Sense The Judge 5.9: the swimming worm built for weighted hooks

Ribbed body, undulating tail, hook slots top and bottom — how to rig and fish The Judge 5.9 on a keel-weighted swimbait hook, as a trailer or Texas rigged.

Gambler TZ Swimmer 3: the 7.6 cm shad for fish feeding small

The smallest size in the EZ family: 7.6 cm / 3 in, twelve per pack, for a round jig head, a small swimbait hook or a swim jig, for bass and perch.

Keitech Swing Impact 4: the finesse shad that swims without being worked

Slim body, tiny paddle and very soft material: why the 4-inch Swing Impact catches zander and perch that classic shads leave unmoved.

Keitech Shad Impact 2": the micro-shad that unlocks fussy perch

Size, rigging and retrieve for the Keitech Shad Impact 2" fished finesse-style for perch. Drop shot, micro jigheads, colours — the full guide.

Z-Man TRD (Ned Rig): the tiny lure that saves tough days

How to rig and fish the Z-Man TRD as a Ned Rig for finicky perch and bass. Jighead size, rigging steps, retrieve — the full guide.

Keitech Easy Shiner 3": the finesse shad that keeps working dead slow

Material, rigging and jighead weights for the Keitech Easy Shiner 3" — the Japanese finesse shad that keeps kicking even on a near-standstill retrieve.

Craw & creature 21

Geecrack Imo Kemushi Cue Bomb: the bristled ball of Japanese finesse

A round SAF body covered entirely in silicone hairs, built for drop shot and weightless work on pressured fish. Parachute fall, rigs and real limits.

Gary Yamamoto Covert Craw: the 6.3 cm finesse craw built for the ned rig

Ribbed body, claws that stand up and a Mega Floater formula: how to rig and work the Gary Yamamoto Covert Craw on a ned rig, finesse jig or drop shot.

Z-Man TRD Bugz: the creature bait that stands up on the bottom

Ribbed body, four appendages and a buoyant plastic: why this little creature bait stands up at rest, and how to rig it Ned rig or drop shot.

Deps Bull Flat: the creature bait that spirals down like a bluegill

Five sizes from 5.1 to 14.7 cm and a salt-free, highly buoyant plastic - how to exploit the Deps Bull Flat's spiralling fall on a free rig, weightless Texas or drop shot.

Z-Man Pro Crawz: the craw that stands up to defend itself

Buoyant claws, defensive posture, tucked tail: how the Z-Man Pro Crawz rigs on a Ned head, a Texas hook or as a jig trailer, and what the maker leaves out.

Savage Gear 4D Craw: the soft crawfish that stands up on its own

Floating PVC plastic that lifts the claws into a defensive stance: the two sizes, the rigs that use it properly and the limit you should know about.

Lunker City Karate Craw: cut-out claws that snap on the fall

Why the Karate Craw's flat, open claws kick on the drop alone, how to rig it heavy Texas or as a jig trailer, and which of the two sizes to buy.

Zoom Baby Brush Hog: the scaled-down creature for pressured water

A compact version of the Brush Hog, the Baby keeps the appendages but halves the volume, which turns follows into bites on over-fished waters.

Yum Crawbug: the hollow-bodied soft craw that scoots off the bottom

Two sizes, a hollow body and appendages that flap on the smallest twitch: how to rig and work the Yum Crawbug on a jighead or Texas rig for bass.

Savage Gear Ned Craw: the crawfish on guard on a Ned head

The Ned Craw holds its claws up when it sits still on a Ned head, a defensive posture that triggers bass and perch over hard bottom and drop-offs.

Savage Gear 3D Crayfish: the craw that wins by doing nothing

Why a highly detailed soft crayfish calls for almost no movement, how to rig it head or tail first, and what weight to fish it with on the bottom.

O.S.P DoLive Shrimp: a shrimp that flees backwards, not a craw

Why the shrimp silhouette of the O.S.P DoLive Shrimp calls for a weightless rig and a gliding fall, and how to use it on bass and perch.

Megabass Bottle Shrimp: the lure that works while you do nothing

A creature bait whose appendages keep living at a dead stop on the bottom, and how to exploit that stillness on bass and perch.

Fox Rage Critter: the creature bait you fish over one square metre

How to work the Fox Rage Critter without moving it, which rig to pick for each spot, and why that undefined profile triggers where a shad stalls.

Z-Man TRD CrawZ: the micro craw that stands up on a Ned rig

Why the TRD CrawZ floats and stands claws-up on the bottom, how to build a Ned rig properly, and when it saves a day.

Raid Japan 1Way Hybrid Dice: the micro creature that hovers, not sinks

A 1.9 cm creature bait poured in floating plastic for sight fishing: rigs, hook size, limits, and what the manufacturer's size table does not say.

Gary Yamamoto Uni: the soft urchin for educated bass, on a drop shot

A 13 mm core body bristling with appendages that quiver even on the fall — what Yamamoto actually publishes about the Uni, and how to rig it.

Keitech Crazy Flapper: the craw that stands itself up on the bottom

Why the Crazy Flapper's claws float and tip the bait into a defensive posture, and how to use that on a Texas rig, as a jig trailer or on a Carolina.

Berkley Chigger Craw: the soft craw for Texas rigs and jig trailers

Two sizes and side appendages that keep moving with no input - how to rig and work Berkley's Chigger Craw on a heavy Texas rig or behind a jig.

Big Bite Baits Craw Worm: the slender craw that slows its own fall

Two sizes, 3 and 4 inches, and a ribbed body that brakes the descent — Texas, Carolina and jig trailer rigs for the Big Bite Baits Craw Worm.

Molix Vindex Craw: the soft craw with three ways to rig it

Jig trailer, Texas rig or finesse: how to rig and fish the Molix Vindex Craw, the dual-density soft craw for bass and perch.

Grub & curly tail 5

Keitech Flapper Grub: the ribbon-tail grub that fishes the whole column

Ribbon tail with a moulded paddle section, V-Core build and nose guard — the Flapper Grub's three rigs, and why no size chart is published for it.

Big Bite Baits Double Tail Finesse Grub: two tails, three jobs

A ribbed body and twin curly tails — why this grub mimics a fleeing crawfish, and how to fish it as a jig trailer, on a drag or on a straight retrieve.

Z-Man GrubZ: the grub that survives the whole day

How the ElaZtech material in the GrubZ changes a perch-and-zander session, and why a grub that will not tear gets fished differently.

Savage Gear Cannibal Curl Tail: the curl that starts at a crawl

What the curl tail on the Cannibal Curl Tail changes against the paddle tail of the Cannibal Shad, and how to exploit it on a very slow retrieve.

Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub: the two-tailed grub

Real length, jig head and trailer rigging, retrieve speed and colour choice: what the Strike King twin-tail grub actually does in the water.

Jig & jighead 5

6th Sense Flock Hair Jig: hair, feathers and mylar to imitate a shad

A ledge fishing hair jig blending bucktail, duck feathers, silicone and mylar, plus the slow presentations that make it deadly along drop-offs.

Strike King Tour Grade Hair Jig: marabou that hovers mid-water

A 90-degree hook eye, hand-tied marabou and a very slow fall: how to fish the Strike King hair jig on fish you have already spotted on the screen.

Owner Cultiva Jig Head: you are buying the hook, not the lead

Why the point, the wire diameter and the eye angle of an Owner jig head change your hookup rate on zander and perch at long range.

Gunki Headbanger: the jig head that noses down on the drop

What the head shape and eye position of the Headbanger change about a shad's fall, and how to use it on a lift-and-drop retrieve for zander and perch.