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My lure selection is completely random. The first thing I look for is what kind of bait is around. If the bait are sandeels or spearing, I'll go with a thin profile lure like fin-s or sluggos. Even Yo-zuris work well. This is where the needlefish come into play.
If the main bait is mullet, which are coming into my waters more and more, I'll go with a finnish style minnow like a redfin or a windcheater.
If the bait is baby bunker, my go to lures are rattle traps. Mister Bunker by Gags or just the Bill Lewis ones. The freshwater ones work too. If they are being schooled on top, a normal popper.
Big bunker, shad and alewives are hard to mimic. Keeping with the profile theory, large wooden plugs like a Dani plug, casting swimmer, or a darter would be good. Of course we don't get many big bunker where I am so I wouldn't know. I just figure go with the line of succession. I do carry a few just in case a pod comes around.
I've heard that fish strike by silhouette during the day but then at night, rods in the eyes come forward and color becomes primary and silhouette becomes secondary. This is according to Doc Muller. I know, don't believe everything you read but just look at the man's credentials! He either knows his stuff or he is really lucky. I try to keep the bait natural looking. Two toned dark over light. I figure even if Muller is wrong, one of the colors will contrast.
What I look for in a lure beside profile, is a natural look. I watch a lot of underwater footage on Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and TLC. I've also seen some video done by Bob Popovics. One thing that is predominant in all the fish I've seen on video was the eyes. Bob has a theory that he explained to us at a CCA meeting. Fish focus in on key features of bait. Things he includes in his flies are eyes, the right profile for the bait, and then he looks at key features of bait. For example, spearing have the silver strip so he'll add mylar to his flies. Rainfish are clear so he'll use transluscent materials. I believe this theory can be adapted to plugging as well. Crystal minnows by yo-zuri have that silver side to them. You can get bombers in translucent colors to match rainfish.
Now, if fish have bait schooled tight. I'll use a lure that will stick out like a sore thumb. Poppers of course, krocodiles have constant flash to them.
So here is how I do it. Profile, eyes, colors, key features. The best lures, IMHO, are ones with no built in action or at least ones that are adaptable to the action of the bait.
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