Picking The Right Luer

By Mark Sherburn, Fish and Game Officer. Eastern Region   New Zealand
 There is a saying in the tackle industry that lures are made to catch the  anglers first! 
I am sure that, like me, you have enjoyed staring Goggle-eyed in fishing stores over the vast array of fishing lures in every shape and colour imaginable. " But, which one do I buy, and which one do I put on?"
Lure choice is one of those often debated topics within groups of fishers. During opening day surveys on Lake Tarawera I enjoy asking successful anglers what they were using. Some don't like to tell me- I assume because they are using some hot super secret  new lure that they've 'invented', but I doubt it. while others are only too keen to tell me " orange number 56, swear by it, "only lure I ever use..."
Not surprisingly, there are old rules of the thumb too; dark lure on a dark day, bright lure on a bright days, reds and orange in the winter, etc.
No matter which lure is your favourite, there features can be grouped in certain categories. We can break the lure selection down to size, shape, colour and action, no matter whether it's for trolling lures, flies for jigging or lures for fishing streams and rivers. In my opinion, that's a good order in which to consider them. My personal rule of thumb is to closely represent what the fish might be feeding on firstly, perhaps a throwback to my fly fishing days. In order to this successfully you'll need to learn a little about what the trout are feeding on, at what time of year. Then, and assuming you hadn't had success, try something radically different. I've seen this work on numerous occasions when fly fishing to sighted trout within pools on small streams like the Ngongataha; after natural imitations are repeatedly ignored a radical colour size or shape, hot  pink as an example, might be a hit instantly.
While colour might be the most prominent feature to us as humans, size remains one of the most critical aspects to trout. In many situations where a single food source becomes the single focus, trout will become more picky or selective. We see this on the lakes where huge shoals of young smelt are preyed upon by trout, and you need flies of just the right size to catch fish. Additionally, it might be worth remembering that research shows Lake trout like their bait fish prey to be about 10% of their own length, so a 50cm trout will want to eat 5cm bait fish. This also supports the theory that big lures appeal to big fish!
At other times shape becomes a trigger to trout, especially when feeding on food items like  Koura or fat bullies. Fly fishers, fishing after dark are aware of this and will use bulky lures made of marabou which pulsate, creating action and movement. This is also something worth considering for the bottom fly on a jigging rig. Movement or action is imparted into the lures as they swim through the water and by the anglers retrieve, and dropping or raising lures vertically are sure fire-ways of inducing a strike.
So next time you go out, think about the size, shape, colour and action--or just whack on the old faithful and go to.

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