<h2>Buying Guide for Twitchbaits</h2><p>To twitch - meaning to pull or jerk. That translation describes rather well what a twitchbait is all about. You work it with <strong>sharp tugging or tapping movements of the rod</strong>, winding on a little line after each stroke.</p><p>This distinctive retrieve style gives twitchbaits an aggressive, highly animated action. When you retrieve a plug steadily, most will produce a more or less consistent wobbling or tail-wagging movement. Twitchbaits break that predictable rhythm entirely. Each rod twitch sends the lure shooting erratically from side to side, mimicking a sick, injured or dying baitfish - and for any experienced predator, that signals easy prey.</p><h2>Which Lures Are Suitable?</h2><p>Not every hard lure lends itself to this style of fishing. <strong>Twitchbaits belong to the minnow family</strong>. They are, without exception, elongated and relatively slender hard lures. Body shape matters here because it governs the <strong>glide characteristics</strong>. A lure that is too rounded or too deep in the body will not <strong>dart</strong> properly and will not develop the enticing action you need - those shapes are better suited to a steady retrieve.</p><p>The lip also plays a major role. If it is too large or carries too much surface area, the lure will struggle to glide freely and will not perform as a twitchbait should.</p><p>What you are left with, then, are slender lures with a small or at least narrow lip.</p><p>Many twitchbaits are also laterally compressed and frequently flash their flanks during the retrieve, rocking from side to side and catching the light to produce a glinting, flickering effect.</p><h3>Internal Weight Systems</h3><p>Some twitchbaits feature an <strong>internal weight transfer system</strong>. Weights inside the lure shift position during the cast and/or the retrieve - these may be metal pins or balls, either singly or in multiples. In some designs a magnet holds them in place at rest; the force of the cast drives them to the tail end of the lure, optimising weight distribution for distance. Once the lure hits the water, the magnet draws the weight back to its resting position, which is ideal for a stable action during the retrieve.</p><p>Some twitchbaits almost demand to be fished with a twitching retrieve and track poorly on a straight, steady wind. Others run well and stably on a monotonous retrieve too. The latter are generally suitable for fishing in <strong>strong current</strong>, since they produce little water resistance and do not load the rod heavily.</p><p>Most twitchbaits run relatively shallow by design, though running depths of up to three metres and occasionally a little beyond are possible.</p><h3>Buoyancy</h3><p>Buoyancy varies between models. There are <strong>floating, sinking and suspending twitchbaits</strong>. The majority suspend during the pause, making them what are commonly called <strong>suspenders</strong>.</p>