Lures are basically fish baits that are artificial. They are made to look like either food for the fish or an intruder that might cause your fish to become aggressive and territorial enough to strike at it and become hooked. Since lures are based on deception, there are many ways and means that anglers use to make them more realistic. This includes the use of a tail made from animal skin, or trailing feathers. Colors are important too and some believe that smell plays an important part in attracting fish to the lure, thus we have spray-on or dip-in attractants, some of which change the color of the lure and some add scent.

Different types of lures have different names. Here are some of them:

* Spoons. These are made of metal and as their name suggests are dished, though not as much as a real spoon. Some are oval while others are longer and slender and look more like a fish or swimming frog. Small spoons are used to catch flathead salmon and pike, while the larger ones are attractive to kingfish tuna and Spanish mackerel.

* Spinners. Most spinners don't really spin, but those that do have metal or plastic blades that rotate around a central shaft. Trout, red fin, perch, sooty grunter and Murray cod can be caught on spinners. Saltwater fish include tailor, salmon, Tommy ruff and flathead.

* Slices. These are made from brass or steel rod that is chromed and then painted. They can be circular, hexagonal or squared. They are used for saltwater only and are especially used for high-speed retrieve. Tailor, salmon, kingfish and mackerel are amongst the fish that are caught on slices.

* Lead slugs. As the name suggests they are made of lead and are about the size and shape of a finger. Tuna, bonito, mackerel, kingfish and tailor and salmon can be caught on them.

* Jigs. These are the most diverse of all lures and catch most saltwater fish. They are various sizes and shapes and may have single or multiple hooks attached. They are the lures that often have tails of natural or artificial material.

* Plugs. These are chunky in shape rather than long and slender. They are made of wood or plastic and were mainly developed for the North American bass angler.

* Minnows. Made of plastic or wood, minnows are similar in shape to their namesake, a small baitfish. Smaller minnows are used for a variety of freshwater fish, while larger ones catch saltwater fish like tuna and marlin.

* Poppers. Poppers are especially used for surface fishing. Their shape causes the water to ripple and bubble, attracting those fish that feed near the water surface. They are also called bloopers, chuggers, fizzers and sliders.

* Feathers and squids. These are trolling lures made of plastic or lead heads with trailing tails made of a variety of synthetic material. The hooks are tied on behind. Many saltwater fish are interested in these lures, to their cost.

* Trolling heads. These lures are sometimes called Konaheads. They are made form fiberglass or metal and like Feathers and Squids have a central hole that the line runs through to the hook. They are used for many species of game fish.