There’s nothing quite like that first cast with a new lure. Every crank of the reel handle creates anticipation as the bait hops, swims, or buzzes its way back to the boat.

Sure, it’s even better when the lure ends up in the mouth of a cold-blooded cruiser, but just casting something new is often a reward in and of itself. Below is a look at some new open-water lures that should earn a spot on your fishing roster for 2023.

Lawless Lures

The Recoil Bait is a line of patented lures using a unique recoil mechanism, duplicating the erratic movements of wounded baitfish that attract more prey than simply casting and reeling in lines with static lures. An angler can simply cast the Recoil bait to one spot where fish are and create the twitching action by a small tug on the line. The lure then bends and “dances” in the water like a dying minnow while you inch it back to the boat. Lawlesslures.com

Rapala

The next time you’re targeting walleyes or bass in crystal-clear water, the Glass Shad Rap in any of the following new color patterns will help you put more fish in the boat. They’re available in custom-like colors from Black Wonder Bread to Juicy Lucy to Voodoo Haze and more. Their translucent glass bodies “come alive” in clear water on both bright and sunny days and in low-light periods, like around dusk and dawn. Holographic foil inserts within the long-casting bait’s see-through glass body imbue it with an almost chameleon-like quality, enabling it to both absorb and bounce back the color of its surroundings with an inimitable iridescent glow.

These same new color patterns are being used on Rapala’s Husky Jerks. They skitter and swim with less side-to-side movement than many other jerkbaits, and with a bit tighter, more natural, and deliberate wobble. Hand-tuned, tank-tested, and perfectly balanced, Husky Jerk lures run true at even high trolling and retrieving speeds. Rapala.com

Kalin’s

Kalin’s Google Eye Tungsten Search Bait is designed to be fished with your electronics’ “live technology” to cover water quickly and always stay in front of the fish. The Google Eye Search Baits are “seek-and-destroy” models built on a tungsten jighead and feature a custom spinner blade that reflects light and adds additional visual dimension and action. The 2/0 size hook attached to a swivel lets your live bait or soft plastic swim wildly in the water. Acmetackle.com

Berkley

Berkley’s new Power Blade spinnerbait is available in two different technique specific styles – standard and compact – and contains several blade design styles that were built from scratch to feature maximum performance.

Also new is the Money Badger crankbait that delivers aggressive tail-thumping, balsa-like roll action tailored to walleye, bass, and crappie anglers. Designed to excel in casting and trolling, the Money Badger also boasts a clicking sound profile that helps to deliver sound and action. Berkley-fishing.com

Blue Fox

The Classic Vibrax inline spinners are now available in six new Northern Lights patterns including green chartreuse UV, orange chartreuse UV, orange pearl UV, pink pearl UV, purple and blue. It features the exclusive Vibrax bell, which emits low-frequency sonic vibrations when a free-turning gear rubs against it. Rapala.com

Storm

The Largo Shad Swimbait is a 3.5-inch model and offers a slow body roll and an exaggerated tail swing. It features boottails that produce strike-inducing action on both the retrieve and during free fall. It’s a rare combination of durability and fish-enticing action that make it the perfect addition to your bass arsenal. Rapala.com

Spro

The aim for creating the new Spro Outsider Crankbaits was to build a bait that is easier to cast and has a more responsive action. By shifting the weight to the outside, the Outsider is easier to cast with more responsive action in the water –design traits that allow anglers to cover more water and catch more fish. Available in three size options and awesome colors. Spro.com

Nomad Tackle

The patented Swimtrex is the first lipless crankbait that swims on the sink and allows it to do things no other lipless does. It doesn’t fish like normal lipless baits but instead is designed to used Yoyo style and swim on the sink and then vibrate when ripped up. It should only be fished at normal straight retrieve speeds like a normal lipless if you want a super subtle vibration. Nomadtackle.com

Bass Reaper

The Deadshot is the newest lineup for finesse fishing and is designed to mimic small baitfish and displace more water than its competitors from the Scythe Scars on its back. The subtle divot in its tail also allows this unique bait to be used as a trailer on swim jigs, bladed jigs, or even a buzzbait. Bassreaperbaitco.com

Al’s Goldfish

Al’s hook bonnets protect your tackle, fingers, and more and are available in three sizes. They are easy to attach by simply pushing the hook down until you hear (or feel) the lure snapping into place. Alsgoldfish.com

Daiwa

Bessie is available in slow-sinking (SS) and fast-sinking (FS) models that feature a reverse prop on the nose for maximum disturbance and cutlery-grade weed mincing. Floating models yield a forward-facing prop for a hearty buzz. All models have an added stainless-steel blade for extra vibration and irresistible noise. Also crucial to a muskie lure of this caliber is attention to anatomical detail. Each Bessie pattern dons a hand-carved scale pattern, as well as realistic 3D eyes and museum-quality paint jobs. Daiwa.us

Vexan

The Rattlin’ Wasp features amazing side-to-side action combined with an internal rattle that has proved to be a game-changer in murky water conditions, especially for walleyes. The Rattlin’ Wasp also rattles as it moves through the bait column mimicking a baitfish in distress to entice predators. Available in two sizes – four and five – these baits are great to use all year round casting or trolling. Vexan.com

Tackle Industries

The Regular Super D swimbait is a 100% soft plastic lure and comes in 4 or 5 ounces and use a tough body lock harness that will keep the body on during rough use (and it’s replaceable). It is balanced with a jighead, and it glides at a gentle 20-degree angle on the fall and swims horizontally when reeled in. The lure can be used as a swimbait, crankbait, jerkbait, or jig.

Tackleindustries.com