A surface lure is a fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 lure

Fishing lure

A fishing lure is an object attached to the end of a fishing line which is designed to resemble and move like the prey of a fish. The purpose of the lure is to use movement, vibration, and colour to catch the fish's attention so it bites the hook...

 designed to waddle, pop, lock, drop, pulse, twitch or fizz across the surface of the water as it is retrieved, and in doing so imitate surface prey for fish such as mice, lizards, frogs, cicadas, moths and small injured fish.
A typical surface lure has a solid body made out of wood or plastic, carries one or two treble hook

Fish hook

A fish hook is a device for catching fish either by impaling them in the mouth or, more rarely, by snagging the body of the fish. Fish hooks have been employed for centuries by fishermen to catch fresh and saltwater fish. In 2005, the fish hook was chosen by Forbes as one of the top twenty tools...

s, and has an eyelet at the front of the lure body to attach the fishing line

Fishing line

A fishing line is a cord used or made for angling. Important parameters of a fishing line are its length, material, and weight...

. Waddlers get their action from a scooped metal dish attached to the front of the lure body. Poppers

Sea Fishing Poppers

Poppers are an interesting fishing lure to add to any tackle box they come in a variety of sizes and colours. The body is hollow, which keeps it on the waters surface. As you jerk your rod the lure pops along the surface using its concave head which in turn throws up bubbles and splashes which...

 get their action from a cupped face carved or molded into the front of the lure body. Fizzers get their action both from the fisherman manipulating the lure with the fishing rod

Fishing rod

A fishing rod or a fishing pole is a tool used to catch fish, usually in conjunction with the pastime of angling, and can also be used in competition casting. . A length of fishing line is attached to a long, flexible rod or pole: one end terminates in a hook for catching the fish...

and from one or more blades attached to the lure body, that spin when the lure is pulled and create a fizzing noise said to imitate the buzzing wings of a drowning insect.

Sizeable fish can create a sudden, noisy and spectacular explosion when they take a surface lure, usually giving the fisherman a fright in the process. Catching fish on surface lures is therefore considered a fairly exciting form of fishing.