1 HYBRID Lee Sisson’s Hybrid is a spinnerbait with a crankbait’s lip. Drag resistance on the line causes most spinnerbaits to lift as they are retrieved unless they’re cranked in very slowly. The Hybrid dives 8 to 10 feet and stays there. ($6.98; 863-967-4036; www.sissonlures.com)
2 SOFT SHAD Storm’s WildEye Soft Shad has a hard holographic body, like a normal crankbait, but is covered with soft-plastic skin. When fish bite, they might hold on longer because of the more realistic feel. Available in eight finishes. ($3.99; www.stormlures.com)
3 LIVE POINTER 95SP Lucky Craft’s Live Pointer 95SP was the hardbait winner at the American Sportfishing Association’s last trade show. The lure’s multisegmented body allows the Live Pointer to undulate like a real baitfish. This multispecies bait comes in 11 finishes. ($16.99; 800-270-3117; www.luckycraft.com)
4 PERCH 8SDR Salmo’s line of lures now has new colors and patterns to cover everything from minnow to perch. Salmo also has introduced an oversized lipless, deep-bodied creation called the Slider that has a tantalizing, left-to-right gliding action designed to make pike ravenous. (From $9.99; 952-224-3649; www.salmofishing.com)
5 POPA DOG The Popa Dog from MirrOlure is a true surface buster. It has a concave lip and a head shape and an internal rattle designed to call fish from a distance. The lure’s unique concave mouth gives it a side-to-side motion. Available in 10 finishes. ($5.99; 727-584-7691; www.mirrolure.com)
6 TAIL DRAGGER Mann’s Tidewater Series Tail Dragger looks like the familiar topwater “dog-walking” design, except that its tail is bent down like a rudder. This modification makes it easier than ever to do the side-to-side walk-the-dog technique. ($6.43; 334-687-5716; www.mannsbait.com)
7 GLASS SHAD Rapala’s popular Shad Rap is now available in a prismatic design that allows light to pass through its clear plastic body. Called the Glass Shad, it draws in light and reflects it back in the color spectrum of the surrounding environment. The lure comes in shad and perch patterns in three sizes. ($5.99; www.rapala.com)
8 RATTLIN’ GLADIATOR The Rattlin’ Gladiator from A.B.T. Lure Co. is a three-piece hard lure with internal hinges that make it undulate like a rigged minnow. The lure comes in suspending, slow-sinking and fast-sinking versions. ($14.95; 877-228-5873, www.abtlures.com)
9 LAZER EYE XPS Bass Pro’s Lazer Eye XPS Lures has expanded to include soft, hollow-bodied frog, mouse and fish designs. These lures are weighted so you can cast them far and their weedless design makes it easy to fish them right through heavy cover. (From $1.49; 800-227-7776, www.basspro.com)
10 FEATHER SHAD Mann’s Feather Shad has a soft jerkbait body that transitions into a real feather tail to give it extra action. The lure is designed for shallow-water bass fishing and inshore saltwater species such as redfish. ($3.50 for a bag of three; 334-687-5716, www.mannsbait.com)
Edible Softbaits
Berkley’s Gulp! products (right) don’t use oil for a base; as a result, they’re water-soluble and release scent continuously. These softbaits are available in corn, maggots, night crawlers and other designs. ($2.95-$5.49; 800-237-5539; www.berkley-fishing.com)
FoodSource Lure Corporation’s softbaits (left) are made from real food. Fish can safely digest them, and if you forget your lunch, you can too. Available in everything from grubs to lizards. (About $5.49 per bag; 205-995-9055; www.fslures.com)