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What are the Best Lures for Saltwater Inshore Fishing?

Saltwater Inshore lure fishing is fun!. Tossing inshore lures is a great way to fish. It’s fun because it’s a very active technique. There’s no standing around, waiting for a fish to bite. So, what lures should you use, and how do you use them? Read on to find the best Saltwater Inshore Lures, and how to use them.

6 Essential Lures for Inshore Fishing:

1- Paddletail Swimbait

Paddletail lures consistently get strikes, and are effective in most inshore fishing situations. They are the best all-around lures for inshore saltwater fishing. If I had to choose just one type of lure to bring along, the Paddletail would be it.

2- Spoon

Spoon lures have been around forever for a reason. They work! Their action and flash attract hungry fish to strike. Gold or Silver are good color choices.

3- Jerkbait

Hard Plastic Lipped Type: Often referred to as “slashbait”. The lip on these plugs give them an erratic action that attracts fish. Good to use if there is structure on the bottom that is causing snags.

Soft Plastic Type: Similar to a paddletail, but fished a bit differently. Jerkbaits work well when fish are lethargic, as these lures can be fished very slowly.

4- Twitchbait

Twitchbaits are great to use in the hottest summer days, or cold winter days when the fish are less active.

5- White Bucktail Jig

Bucktail jigs are very versatile, and can be fished in a variety of ways: fast retrieve, bumped along the bottom, trolled, etc.

6- Artificial Shrimp Soft Lure

If you’re fishing an area with a shrimp population, soft artificial shrimp lures can really bring in the fish.

Paddletail Swimbait

Paddletail lures are probably the most effective lure for inshore saltwater fishing. They’re made of soft plastic. Paddletails can draw strikes from pretty much any inshore predator fish. The soft tail has an enticing action when retrieved which gets strikes. It is effective even when retrieved straight, but is also deadly when bumped along the bottom, too. They come in many colors, but white consistently gets the most strikes.

How to Fish with a Paddletail Lure:

Paddle tail swimbaits are extremely versatile, and work well with a variety of retrieves. You can hop the lure along bottom, twitch as you reel either quickly or slowly, or use a straight retrieve . A paddle tail swimbait is very versatile, but works best when hopped along the bottom.

How to Fish with a Paddletail
Getting More Strikes With The SLAM SHADY Paddletail
Joe and Luke from Salt Strong

Best Paddletail Lures for Inshore Fishing

Salt Strong Slam Shady

Salt Strong Slam Shady lure

Probably the most popular swimbait around. These lures really bring in the fish.

Bass Assassin Saltwater Sea Shad

The Bass Assassin Saltwater Sea Shad will catch every fish that’s looking to eat a smaller bait fish. These are only around 4 inches long and you can find them in over 10 colors.

Spoons

Fishing spoons have a simple design, an oblong shape, concave on one side that produces a wobble that reflects light which makes the lure flash, imitating a fleeing or crippled bait fish. They’re easy to cast, and the retrieve is simple. Spoon lures like the Acme Kastmaster can be cast very far, even when it’s windy.

How to Fish with a Spoon Lure:

Spoons are easy to use. Just cast them out, and retrieve at a medium speed. Pausing to let the lure flutter as it sinks a bit often gets a strike.

How to Fish with a Spoon Inshore
DO THIS If You Want To Catch More Redfish On Spoons
Wyatt from Salt Strong

Best Spoons for Inshore Fishing

Berkeley Johnson Silver Minnow Gold Spoon

Berkeley Johnson Silver Minnow Gold Spoons are traditionally shaped spoons that have stood the test of time. Silver color is also a good choice.

Acme Kastmaster

Due to their aerodynamic shape Acme Kastmaster Lures can be cast much further than other lures. Great for windy days, or when the fish are just out of reach of other lures.

Hard Plastic Jerkbait / Slashbait Lures

Hard plastic jerkbait lures, often referred to as “slashbait”, are generally shaped like a baitfish, often with a plastic “lip” protruding from the front that causes the lure to dive, and/or wobble side to side. Some are floating types for topwater fishing, some sink, and some suspend in the water.

How to Fish with a Slashbait Lure:

Slashbait lures are versatile. The most popular and productive of them are the suspending type. A variety of retrieves can be used , with the most productive being a straight retrieve with frequent “slashes” (qiuck pulls on the lure) followed by a pause. Vary the speed until you find what the fish are reacting to. When fish are active, a faster retrieve tends to work better; when the fish are lethargic, or tentative, a slower retrieve with longer pauses is the way to go.

How to Fish with a Slashbait (X-Rap)
How to use - Rapala X-Rap
Rapala

Best Hard Jerkbait Lures for Inshore Fishing

Rapala X-Rap Subwalk

Rapala’s X-Rap Jerkbait is the top of the line for hard jerkbaits. The suspend type is the most popular, and is super effective.

Yozuri Saltwater Crystal Minnow

The Yozuri Saltwater Crystal Minnow is a solid choice for a hard jerkbait. Popular worldwide. Choose the size to match the size of the baitfish where you’re fishing.

Soft Jerkbait Lures

Soft plastic jerkbait lures are a lot like paddletail lures ,with the jerkbait having a split tail as opposed to the broad tail of a paddletail. Jerkbait lures are better suited to very shallow water, or when the fish are lethagic, or skittish.

How to Fish with a Jerkbait Lure:

Jerkbaits are best fished using a slower “twitch, twitch, pause” retrieve.

How to Rig and Retrieve Jerkbait
How To Rig & Retrieve Jerk Shads (For Redfish, Snook, Trout, & Flounder)
Tony from Salt Strong
The Twitch, Twitch, Pause Retrieve
How To Retrieve A Soft Plastic Jerk Bait [Inshore Fishing Tip w/ Underwater Footage]
Luke from Salt Strong

Best Soft Jerkbait Lures for Inshore Fishing

Salt Strong Alabama Leprechaun

Alabama Leprechaun lure from Salt Strong

The Alabama Leprechaun from Salt Strong is versatile and extremely effective. It’s not sold in stores, but is available at the Salt Strong online store.

Gulp! Jerk Shad

Gulp! baits are legendary in the world of fishing. Gulp! baits are that heavily scented. In saltwater fishing, scent is important.

Twitchbait Lures

Twitchbait lures are hard bodied lures that are designed to be worked slow. They’re effective when the water is either cold in winter, or very warm in the middle of summer as the fish are less active and need the bait to be presented slowly in front of them.

How to Fish with a Twitchbait Lure:

Twitchbait lures should be fished extra slowly, nearly stationary. Just twitch the rod tip to give the lure a bit of movement. The retrieve speed is pretty close to zero.

How to Fish with a Twitchbait
How To Fish MIRROLURE Twitchbaits For Fall Redfish & Trout
Wyatt from Salt Strong

Best Twitchbait Lures for Inshore Fishing

MirrOdin Suspending Twitchbait

MirrOdine Twitchbait Lures are the top choice for twitchbait. Their suspending lures let you retrieve super slowly while keeping the lure at the right depth and position to get those lethargic fish to bite

Shrimp Swimbait

Besides paddletail swimbaits, artificial shrimp swimbaits also work extremely well inshore.

How to Fish a Shrimp Swimbait:

Shrimp swimbaits should be used where there is a shrimp population in the water. In deeper water, let the lure drop to the bottom, then pop the rod up just a foot or so, then drop the rod tip, letting the lure fall back to the bottom, over and over. In shallow water, slowly swim the lure while giving it little pops, just above the bottom. If the water is dirty, try fishing a shrimpbait under a popping cork.

How to Fish with a Power Prawn
How To Use The Power Prawn Shrimp Lure To Catch Tons Of Fish
Wyatt from Salt Strong

Best Shrimp Swimbait Lures for Inshore Fishing

Power Prawn “Brazilian Shrimp”

Power Prawn "Brazilian Shrimp" Lure

Power Prawns are one of the hottest swimbaits on the market. Their look, scent, and action attract fish like crazy.

Berkley Gulp! Artificial Shrimp

Like all Berkley Gulp! lures, their Artificial Shrimp lures are heavily scented to attract fish. The scent can be re-boosted by spraying the lure with Berkley’s Gulp! Alive Shrimp Scent Spray.

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See also Best Braided Fishing Line .