The sardinata is a fish with good eyesight. So it's best to go for lures with a real look to them and bank on their appearance.
The jerkbait minnow
Jerkbait minnows, between ten and fifteen centimetres, give good results for sardinata fishing. The models can be sinking, floating or suspending, but this doesn't really matter. The main thing is that they must be able to be brought close to the surface quickly enough, while taking the current.
Several colors work, like white and neon yellow, but one color really seems to stand out: blue!
The popper
Small poppers are often used for sardinata fishing, with models ranging from 8 to 12 centimetres. As with jerkbait minnows, poppers come in a variety of colors, but blue is once again the color of choice.
A detail that seems to be very important is to have feathers on the hooks, which makes a difference and provides more bites!
The metal lure
This is a fish that appreciates shiny things. Metal lures, such as spinners, wobblers or blades, are good lures for sardinata.
A small, hard mouth
This fish has a hard mouth, so be sure to use sharp hooks, and not too strong iron, to improve the strike. A particular feature of this fish is that it is very thin, which is surprising the first time you catch one. Its mouth is equally fine, so small to medium-sized lures are most likely to be gobbled up easily by the sardinata.
There are other lures that I think should also work, such as bucktail jigs and metal jigs, but I haven't tested them, so I can't comment on them.
