Welcome to my review of the best salmon lures!
I’ll be honest. It isn’t hard to catch salmon. They’re kind of dumb, to be honest. They’re not only aggressive, but they’re also extremely territorial. This means you have 2 ways to get them to bite. Your lure can be really attractive, or it can agitate them enough to get them to bite.
With that in mind, the Blue Fox Rattlin Pixee does exactly that. No lure annoys salmon like it does.
You’ll still want to have a variety of salmon fishing lures though because at times, salmon may be in deep water and you’ll need different lures to reach different depths. Let’s get started.
Our Top 9 Picks
- Blue Fox Rattlin Pixee (Best Overall)
- Bill Lewis Knock-N-Trap (Best Runner-Up)
- Acme Kastmaster (Best Versatility)
- Blue Fox Classic Vibrax (Best Inline Spinner)
- Rapala Super Shad Rap (Best Crankbait)
- Sougayilang Fishing Spoon (Best Spoon)
- Rapala Husky Jerk (Best Jerkbait)
- Goture Shrimp Lure (Best Shrimp Lure)
- Sptlimes 77 Fishing Lures Set (Best Budget)
The 9 Best Salmon Lures
Even as dumb as salmon are, you still can’t just throw a stick at it and expect it to bite. The best salmon fishing lures will give you the best results and I’ve gathered them all in this list.
Best Overall
1. Blue Fox Rattlin Pixee
This is the ultimate lure for salmon anglers. It swims in a big wide motion to catch salmons’ attentions. Once it does that, its rattle gets under their skin and pisses them off so much that they can’t resist but give the salmon lure a bite to scare it off. At this point, you can set the razor-sharp treble hooks easily. The entire lure from head to toe was designed to be irresistible to fish. Salmon in particular won’t stand a chance against this lure.
Best Runner-Up
2. Bill Lewis Knock-N-Trap
As compared to the previous lure, this lure appeals to salmon in another way. Instead of antagonizing them, this salmon lure imitates their prey. The rattle from it further gives off the impression of a distressed baitfish. It’s hard for any fish to pass up an easy meal like that, much less salmon. In terms of effectiveness in catching salmon, this one comes right behind the previous lure.
Best Versatility
3. Acme Kastmaster
One of my personal favourites, the Acme Kastmaster will work on literally any fish. The flash and action simply can’t be missed. I’m sure from the picture you can tell how shiny it is. Furthermore, it moves naturally in water, baiting any fish to take a bite of this bright and flashy meal. You can use this lure to attract salmon or any fish you like, which is why I rated it the most versatile lure.
Best Inline Spinner
4. Blue Fox Classic Vibrax
When it comes to inline spinners, the Blue Fox Classic Vibrax beats all others. Flash, action, and vibration, this lure has got it all. The picture is a bit blurry but you can roughly see the shiny surface that’ll produce bright flashes. Its spinning action mimics baitfish perfectly, and the free-turning brass gear inside the lure creates vibration when it rattles. These make it the best inline spinner you can have for salmon.
Best Crankbait
5. Rapala Super Shad Rap
There isn’t much to say. The design is so realistic that that alone would put it above many other lures out there. Next, it has the popular Rapala action that all Rapala lures have. This allows it to look just like swimming baitfish. I also like that it’s constructed with ultra-tough Abachi wood. Altogether, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better crankbait for salmon.
Best Spoon
6. Sougayilang Fishing Spoon
Next up, the Sougayilang Fishing Spoon offers unmatched flash. The genuine silver and gold plating shines brighter than any other lure underwater. Its S shape allows it to swim exactly like normal baitfish. The spiky body also makes noise while in motion. These make it the best fishing spoon for salmons.
Best Jerkbait
7. Rapala Husky Jerk
If you’re looking for a jerkbait for salmons, look no further. As you would expect, it’s a Rapala lure and has the highly-rated Rapala action. Aside from this, its rattle chamber emits sound waves that travel far and wide to beckon salmons. It also stays suspended without moving up or down unwantedly. As jerkbaits go, this is the cream of the crop for salmons.
Best Shrimp Lure
8. Goture Shrimp Lure
Studies have shown that shrimps account for more than 90% of salmons’ diet. This means when they see a shrimp lure, most of the time, they’ll go after it without hesitation as long as the lure looks realistic. The Goture Shrimp Lure is the most lifelike shrimp lure you’ll find on the market. As a bonus, it swims like shrimps do too. You should definitely have this lure in your tackle box if you’re going salmon fishing.
Best Budget
9. Sptlimes 77 Fishing Lures Set
If you’re on a budget, this option is for you. For less than $20, you’ll be getting a whopping 77 lures. You’ll have topwater lures, crankbaits, jigs, shrimp lures, and more. It goes without saying that you’ll need a variety of fishing lures to be successful on every fishing trip. The set of fishing lures will allow you to fish in any water without breaking the bank.
Salmon Rods
You won’t need to cast very far when fishing for salmon but salmon can grow to be quite big. You should get at least a medium heavy power and 7 ft rod for salmon, especially bigger species like chinook salmon or king salmon. However, if you’re exclusively targeting smaller species like coho salmon or pink salmon, a medium light power and 6 ft rod will do. Many anglers still prefer bigger species like king salmon though, and you might change your mind later on, so it is still safer to get a longer and stronger rod.
For action, a moderate action rod will do since salmon bites are relatively strong. While I would love to give you a list of the best salmon rods, we haven’t made one yet. I’ll update this article when we do, but for now, just follow the guidelines I’ve provided to find a good salmon rod.
Salmon Reels
Since salmons can grow to be pretty large, you’ll need a reel with 30 pounds of drag and at least reel size 3000. You’ll also want your reel to be corrosion-resistant since salmon can also be found in saltwater. Lastly, most salmon aren’t large enough to warrant heavy tackle, so you’ll want to get a spinning reel most of the time. Once again, we don’t have a compilation of the best salmon reels but follow those guidelines and you should be able to find a good salmon reel.
Salmon Fishing Techniques
I could list them all out for you and teach you how to do them right, but it would take an entire article. Also, it’s better if you can see them in action, so here’s a great video teaching the main techniques of salmon fishing:
My Verdict
To sum everything up, salmon are aggressive and fiercely guard their territories. This makes it easy to get them to take the bait.
Even so, you can’t get away with just any lure and you’ll need effective salmon lures. I recommend getting the Blue Fox Rattlin Pixee. It’s a lure you can’t afford not to have when fishing for salmon.
