5 Essential Lures Every Saltwater Angler Can Use Year Round

For saltwater anglers, choosing which lures to use can be even tougher than freshwater anglers. The vast oceans and diversity of species swimming throughout those salty waters give you ENDLESS options. With that being said, there are a few presentations that can catch any species of fish, in any conditions, and in any body of saltwater. Here are 5 essential lures every saltwater angler should have:

1. Shrimp

Shrimp like the Salt Native Skelly Shirmp are deadly on saltwater predators. Live shrimp are one of the most common forage for predatory fish, so naturally they should be one of your most commonly used baits. The beauty of shrimp fishing is the simplicity. Just cast and retrieve with a few lifts of the rod, and your shrimp will swim through the column rising and falling like live bait!

2. Hair Jigs

Tied jigs and flies may not come to mind immediately when you think of saltwater fishing, but they are just as diverse and effective as the rest of your arsenal. The Buggs Fishing Ratic! Shad is a hand tied jig you can dart, dash, and jerk across the water. The jigs are tied with rabbit strips, flas, lead weights and other fly-tying materials that give off a lethally lifelike look. The unique erratic action on these hand-tied jigs gives you the option to fish it with a vertical jig, a jerk, or a steady retrieve!

3. Poppers

The River2Sea Bubble Popper is a walking/popping combination perfect for targeting salty predators. The more disturbance the better when trying to draw out topwater strikes, and this bait causes a ruckus. Fish any popper or walker with a few twitches of the rod on your retrieve, and you’ll have a day full of heart-stopping blowups!

4. Spoons

Spoons do the best job of "annoying" a fish into a bite. They obviously don't resemble a fish, but by reflecting more light than a carnival funhouse mirror, casting spoons like the demands attention from any fish nearby. The feathery bottom adds to the flair, and encourages predators to take a bite of the flashy body. Every saltwater angler should have their favorite spoon at the ready.

5. Swimbaits

With all the open water and less cover than fresh water, covering ground with a swimbait is always a great option. You can cast and retrieve quickly and simply, and swimbaits like the Z-Man Grass KickerZ are lifelike enough to draw strikes from any species. Rig them up on a swimming jig head, cast them a mile, and bring them back through the column steadily.

Any saltwater angler worth their weight has built a collection of baits, and surely they all have their favorites. When the bite gets tough or you are fishing new waters, though, you'll want to have some versatile, confident baits you can rely on year round. Hard baits, soft baits, topwater or soft plastic, we've got you covered. Keep these 5 baits at the front of your tackle box and handy on your boat, and you'll be prepared for any situation you come across.