Lures, explained.
Every lure type solves a different problem - depth, cover, speed, mood. Here are 43 lures, 43 of them with full guides: what each bait actually does in the water, when it beats everything else, and exactly how to fish it. Not sure where to start today? The lure selector matches conditions to a bait.
Hard bait Crankbaits and jerkbaits - lips, wobble and deflection. open page
Topwater Surface explosions - poppers, walkers, frogs. open page
Wire bait Blades, flash and thump through cover. open page
Metal Spoons - flash at any depth. open page
Jig The big-fish bottom crawlers. open page
Soft plastic Worms and swimbaits - subtle and snagless. open page
Finesse When nothing else gets bit. open page
Lures and lights for night fishing What their makers build for fishing after dark.
The Jitterbug family is the lure Arbogast itself calls a staple for night fishing; the two Thill items light up a float so you can see the bite. More surface lures are on the topwater page.
| Model | Type | From the maker | Who it suits | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbogast Jitterbug | Topwater | Double cupped lip for a loud, rhythmic surface sound; 2 in 1/4 oz (#6 trebles), 2-1/2 in 3/8 oz (#5), 3 in 5/8 oz (#1); Arbogast calls it the most respected topwater lure for night fishing | Bass, muskie, pike and panfish, by the maker's list | See on AmazonMaker's specs |
| Arbogast Jitterbug Lumoe | Glow topwater | The Jitterbug in glowing paint, 3 in; Arbogast says the glow catches predators' eyes at night and shows the angler where the lure is | Seeing your own lure in the dark | See on AmazonMaker's specs |
| Arbogast Jitterbug Clicker | Topwater with clicker | Adds a click to the Jitterbug's plop-plop-plop for more attraction | More sound on the same lure | See on AmazonMaker's specs |
| Thill Nite Brite Lighted Float | Lighted slip float | A center-slider float that Thill says makes fishing in the dark easy; 4 in for 1/8 oz, 5 in for 1/4 oz; red, green or yellow light | Live bait under a float after dark | See on AmazonMaker's specs |
| Thill Bobber Brite Glow Sticks | Glow sticks for floats | Snap-and-shake glow sticks with universal adapters that turn most floats into lighted floats; blue, green, orange or red, 2 or 3 in | Telling several floats apart at night | See on AmazonMaker's specs |
How we put this together. Only products whose own maker's page talks about night or the dark, checked on 26 October 2026; we have not tested them. There are no prices here: the Amazon link searches for the exact product, and we may earn a commission if you buy through it.
Water clarity, sky and depth decide. The lure selector takes your conditions and points at a bait, color and retrieve - then come back here for the full guide.
Stock the lure box
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