An exemplary fishing lure includes a blade having on its rear-facing or inner surface one or more detail elements, such as an eye-shaped marking or dot, behind which is a background surface finish. Desirably, the detail element contrasts in underwater shade with the background lighting afforded by the surrounding water and the background surface finish likewise contrasts with the detail element thereby increasing that element's visual prominence per the optical principle of figure and ground to a fish just behind the lure moments prior to strike. Also, an inner surface finish behind and contrasting with the background surface finish increases the lure's visibility to a fish initially moving into alignment behind the lure while an outer surface finish contrasting with the background lighting increases the lure's visibility to a fish first noticing the lure while swimming a distance off to one side. The blade can comprise a spinner or spoon and, if a spoon, preferably the detail element includes a raised semi-transparent body, such as a bead of fluorescent plastic, backed by a highly reflective or silvered surface so as to be visible a greater percentage of time as the spoon flutters from side-to-side. Preferably, those color combinations which provide the maximum underwater contrast for given underwater lighting, water color, and maximum strike distance are objectively determined, such as by using optical filters to replicate the effects of the water, so that a clear procedure for preferentially selecting a particular lure from an assortment is identified.