How Trying New Lures Can Help You Catch More Fish

Every angler has that one special lure in their tackle box that they trust to catch fish with every time.

This is especially true on smaller lakes, where options are limited and fish seem to be keyed on a certain color, size or action more narrowly than on other bodies of water with more foraging options. Getting the right bait figured out on these kinds of lakes and rivers is a real joy.

Tournament anglers often fall in the trap of being confident in just a few lures, refusing to ?waste time? trying something out of their comfort zone.

The problem with that line of thinking is that there are always days when even your go-to lure or technique won?t do the trick. When this happens, it?s easy to feel like packing up and going home, believing the fish just aren?t biting today.

When fishing times are hard, it?s the perfect time to break out of your routine and try out new lures, techniques, and colors.

Prefer to only catch fish at or near the surface, but find they don't always bite? Tie on a crankbait and see if they?re in deeper waters suspended somewhere. Trolling for trout not doing the trick? Throw out the anchor and try jigging off the bottom. Sometimes even the most unorthodox techniques can help land you fish.

Another problem is that fish get accustomed to certain lures. If everyone on a lake uses perch-colored jerkbaits, it won?t take long before fish learn not to strike those baits so vigorously. Go against the grain when this happens and try something they may not have seen in a while.

Weather also plays a major role in determining what lures you should be using. Bass may be up for chasing a noisy buzzbait one day, but if a cold front moves in, you?ll likely have to really slow things down to get them to bite, like dropshotting or tossing out a small football jig.

Sure, you may think dropshotting is boring and refuse to give it a try, but isn?t it more fun catching fish, regardless of how you do it, than not getting any at all?

The lesson here is that to catch more fish consistently, you need to learn to switch things up, even if it means you don?t get to fish with your favorite lure. Remember, it?s about what the fish wants, not what you want to give them.

With all that in mind, how do you know what lures to try when you do decide to branch out? Go to any tackle store and you?re greeted by walls upon walls of lures that at first appearance all look the same. Buying new gear can be overwhelming for anglers of any expertise, and no one wants to spend a lot of money on tackle that won?t catch fish.

If you?re looking to try new lures, and want to get the most bang for your buck, then take advantage of a service called Mystery Tackle Box, a monthly subscription program that introduces you to new lures and tackle.

Every month you?ll get sent a whole batch of new gear, filled with lures you may never have even seen before, let alone think to pick up for yourself. Don?t worry if you get something unfamiliar to you: ?bait cards? are included that not only give you an overview of each piece of bait, but include links to an in-depth online video review.

Mystery Tackle Box is only $15 a month, and you always get at least $15 worth of product. Best of all, shipping is free, and you can cancel the subscription at any time. All products have been tested by specialists to ensure quality.

At such a bargain price, you may think you?d be getting some cheap knock-offs, but Mystery Tackle Box has partnered with dozens of lure companies, from the big names to some smaller up and coming manufacturers. You?ll be getting quality fishing products from real brands, the kinds of lures you?d go and get at any bait and tackle store yourself.

For a better idea about what?s included in a monthly Mystery Tackle Box, check out the package that was shipped out in August.

Those who sign up are also entitled to huge discounts from the online store. If you missed out on a product from a previous month, or really want more of something you already got in a package, just log onto the online store and take your pick.

And for all those WFN subscribers out there, there?s an even better deal: use the promo WFN499 and you can get your first box for just $4.99!

Becoming a better angler depends entirely on your own desire to get out of your comfort zone and master new techniques and lures. Mystery Tackle Box is your gateway to a larger fishing world.

Mystery Tackle Box Contest

Enter WFN's Mystery Tackle Box Gear Giveaways Sweepstakes and you could find yourself being one of three lucky anglers to walk away with a FREE 6-month subscription to Mystery Tackle Box. Three prize packages for the months of August, September and October are to be given away to one lucky winner each month. Winners will be picked on the last day of each month and contacted within a week.