Searchbaits

<h2>Searching for Perch</h2><p>The word <em>searchbait</em> comes from the verb <em>to search</em> - meaning exactly what you do with these lures: <strong>search for fish, primarily perch</strong>. In summer especially, when perch are spread across a water and moving around constantly, finding them is the first order of business. That works best with lures you can fish fast, covering ground quickly. Often the goal at this stage is not even to catch fish right away, but simply to locate them. Once you know where they are, you can switch to slower, more thorough approaches to work each spot properly. <strong>Finesse techniques</strong> and classic jigging with soft lures are particularly well suited to that follow-up stage.</p><h2>How to Go About It</h2><p>When you are out with searchbaits, the aim is to <strong>cover as much water as possible in as little time as possible</strong>. At spots you move between, it works well to <strong>fan cast the entire reachable area</strong> from each position. Along straight stretches - canals or lakes with a sandy bank, for example - it can make sense to cast straight out towards the middle, retrieve, take 3 to 4 steps along the bank, cast again, and repeat. Whichever approach you choose, make sure you also <strong>cover different depth levels</strong>. On shallow water this matters less, but on deeper water it is worth starting in the upper part of the water column and then working a level deeper - a shallow-running spinnerbait up top and a heavier jig spinner down below, for instance.</p><h2>Not Just Metal Lures</h2><p>Searchbaits are by no means limited to metal lures. Another very popular option for locating perch is the crankbait, which we carry in its own category. These plugs, typically retrieved with a steady wind-in, are also excellent for <strong>covering water quickly and finding active fish</strong>.</p>