My dad is an avid fisherman. over his life, he has accumulated tons of fancy lures-some of these are really works of art 9beautifull colors and fancy designs). Now, not knowing what goes through the brain of a fish, is there any proof that these lures actually work? In my saltawater fishing (trolling) I have found that a common mackeral hook (with a bit of white cloth) works as well as anything.
Yes, they work for the intended purpose, which is to lure fishermen into buying them.
My hunch is that most evidence is anecdotal. I do recall seeing some packaging advertisements on some lures eluding to ‘studies’ or ‘tests’.
Lures are largely if not entirely a scam. So is liquid scent-type attractant, at least in relation to trout. I can say this from extensive personal experience.
Iana fly fisherman but from what I’ve heard and read one must use the right flies (and technique) to get good results.
IANA fly fisherman either but my father is, and a very avid one at that, who makes his own flies.
Fly-tying is a pastime and an art in itself; most of the really elaborate and beautiful flies exist mostly for their own sake. For fishing purposes, it appears that flies do make a big difference. However, listening to stories, it seems to me that some of the flies that work best are often some of the ugliest.
It’s going to be hard to find some good studies or data on the subject because different fishes are going to respond differently to different flies. If I am to believe the stories, it even breaks down to individual rivers and pools. Different fishes have different feeding preferences, and in some cases, they won’t even bite to feed, but rather to defend themselves.
As they say, fish lures catch more fishermen then fish. Of course, certain lures work in certain waters better than others. But you have to talk to the local folks about what really works. I had lures that work great one day and totally useless the next.