One could talk about fishing bait for days, given how vast and diverse the range is, at least when it comes to artificial baits. However, since I don't intend to do that, I'll limit myself to the essentials here. In principle, there are two main distinctions: natural bait and artificial bait.
Natural bait
The most important aspect of natural bait is environmental protection. Natural baits are living creatures that must be treated accordingly. At least in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, fishing with live bait is prohibited. Humane killing of the bait is a basic requirement. Depending on the size and target fish, whole bait or scrap bait is used. If you want to present a whole bait on the bottom, it is important to puncture the swim bladder beforehand, as otherwise it will not sink to the bottom. A bait needle is ideal for this. There are also numerous rigs available for optimal bait presentation.
Other natural baits are, of course, worms. There's no need to say much about them. They're always a good choice. Since so many fish bite on them, almost every little boy or girl gets their first fishing experience with them. Dad may have to help with the initial hook-up, but this quickly develops the necessary dexterity, which is absolutely essential for fishing, not just for rigging worms.
The best worms, and also the most well-known, are the earthworm and the dungworm. With the larger earthworm, one specimen is often sufficient, but with dungworms, a bundle is recommended. As the name suggests, dungworms can be found in almost every manure or compost heap. Earthworms are best caught at night in damp weather. They rise to the surface of the soil, but always remain with their tails in the burrow. Catching these creatures is almost as much fun as fishing itself. They are not so easy to outsmart. If you shine a flashlight on them or don't grab them quickly, you will soon notice how quickly they disappear into the soil. If you have succeeded, don't press or pull too hard, as you risk crushing or tearing the worm. If you don't want to go to the trouble of searching, you can buy worms at almost any fishing shop.
Artificial bait
Artificial lures, primarily developed for predatory fish, are imitations of natural baits. They have a very good underwater action and are designed to mimic sick, easily prey fish, thus luring predators to bite. Furthermore, almost all artificial lures stimulate the lateral line organ, as their movements create pressure waves that are perceived by the predator. A third point to mention is the color aspect. The lures are also a feast for the eyes. They are available in a wide variety of colors. Signal colors are more promising in murky water and at dusk, because they are more noticeable. In clear water and sunny weather, dark colors and natural tones are recommended.
The most common artificial lures are:
Blinker
The shiny metal spoons usually feature the contours of fish scales engraved on them. They are also curved to varying degrees, causing them to lurch in the water. They therefore resemble small, injured whitefish, making them easy prey. Combining them with red imitation fins made of plastic or wool can make the lure even more attractive. One of the most common and popular spoons is the Effzett spoon from DAM.
Spinner
Spinners, like spoons, are made of metal, but are not as heavy. Therefore, they cannot be cast as far. The rotating blade in the water creates pressure waves and noise, which predators perceive. Otherwise, they move straight through the water. This requires constantly varying the lure's presentation. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes left or right, etc. Spinners come in a wide variety of designs. Some models have two spinning blades, others have red wool, fins, or imitation flies on the end. Spinners are suitable for smaller predators such as bass.
Wobbler
Wobblers look like small fish. There are two types: floating and sinking wobblers. Floating wobblers have a scoop on their head. This pushes the bait downwards toward the bottom when pulled. Sinking wobblers do the exact opposite. They sink to the bottom after being cast and rise when pulled toward the bottom. You're more or less tugging, unlike spoons or spinners. With a little practice, they're a very promising pike lure.
Rubber fish
In addition to the compact, front part, soft plastic lures have a wobbly, thinner tail that moves vigorously underwater, thus attracting a lot of attention. They are often offered without a weight or hook. There is a reason for this, because the so-called jig heads vary greatly in terms of weight, head shape, and hook size. This allows you to mount the right jig head for every body of water. Jig heads are threaded onto the soft plastic lure in a similar way to a worm. To guide the soft plastic lure, you always let the bait fall to the bottom and then pluck it up. Especially in waters with a current, it is very important that the bait actually reaches the bottom. Therefore, you should always have several jig heads ready in your fishing tackle box. For example, when fishing for cod in the Baltic Sea, the weather can change quickly. In strong winds, a 60g head will no longer be sufficient. The situation is similar when fishing in rivers, only not in the same dimensions. As already mentioned, soft plastic lures are very suitable for cod fishing. A red model is especially worth trying here. This lure is also considered the first choice for zander fishing. Pike are also quick to attract.
Twister
Twisters are also soft plastic lures. However, they resemble a worm more than a fish. They have a long, thin rear end that rotates when pulled toward them, thus appealing to the predator's lateral line. As with soft plastic lures, the appropriate jig head must be threaded on depending on the current and size. Perch and zander respond particularly well to twisters.
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