Facts About Fishing Baits

Anglers enjoy a range of choices, from writhing leeches to high-tech lures, when it comes to fishing baits. Live bait has an excellent record of accomplishment when it comes to catching fish, such that it still produces more than 50 percent of freshwater fish caught in North America, while artificial lures and plastic baits also do the job.

Types

Anglers use live baits, including earthworms, crayfish, leeches and insects. Artificial baits include fly-fishing flies, spinners, spoons and plastic baits that imitate many of the live baits.

Function

The function of any fishing bait is to attract fish to bite when an angler presents it to them. Live baits are often part of a fish's diet, making fish eager to gulp them down. Artificial baits have specific designs to fool fish into thinking that they are live creatures.

Features

Live baits move on a fishing hook. Anglers typically take care to present them so they look natural once they hit the water. Artificial baits often depend upon their features to get the attention of fish. For example, spinners have small shiny blades that create vibrations as they pass through the water; fish will see or hear this type of bait.