"Fishing Lure Nails" Are the Hottest Thing For Summer
:upscale()/2025/06/24/752/n/1922153/3e67572e685ada83884794.43885448_.png)
The sardine trend has exploded on social media in the past few weeks. The aesthetic captures a unique summer vibe that's reminiscent of an Amalfi Coast vacation. It transports you to a yacht in Italy, Aperol Spritz in hand, taking you away from where you actually are. We've seen clothing and accessories littered with fish iconography, but now, the trend has made its way to our fingertips with "fishing lure nails."
According to Molly Runty, a nail artist who recently crafted a set like this for her clients, this trend is "inspired by real fishing lures, featuring colorful, shiny, iridescent finishes to create an eye-catching appeal." The trend is the perfect summer accessory and a great way to get in on the fun if you don't feel like stocking up on bags and tank tops with sardines on them (though we're big supporters of doing both).
Ahead, get inspiration for your own fishing lure nails for summer, with options ranging from short natural sets to extra-long extensions. Plus, you'll find expert tips from Runty on how to achieve this look.
Cat-Eye Fishing Lure Nails
Cat-eye nails are crafted with reflective polishes that look different depending on how the light hits them. Using only holographic or reflective polishes is a fun way to add sparkle to your manicure, so it truly shines in the sunlight. "Don't be afraid to use neons," says Runty, who created this look. "Take a makeup sponge and dab your colors on each side of the nail and when dry, paint the eyes and gills." Then, end with "a thin coat of a silver cat eye polish" to get the reflective finish.
Iridescent Fishing Lure Nails
Adding different colors and finishes gives fish lure nails more dimension and helps them look like the real thing. This manicure features gold flakes, holographic polishes, and metallic polishes haphazardly.
Glittery Fishing Lure Nails
This set uses glitter polishes to create reflective stripes. It also features two tones of polish per nail as the base of the fish. There's truly no limit to how creative you can get when crafting these nails.
Pierced Fish Lure Nails
If you really want to get literal with it, pierce your nails to mimic the look of a hook. This is another creative take on fishing lure nails that incorporates some hardware elements for a rustic look.
Pastel Fish Lure Nails
Choosing a color theme is a helpful way to start your fish lure nail idea. This one features mostly pastel colors with a hint of gold thrown in here and there. This makes the lure nails look a little more dainty and wearable for everyday.
:upscale()/2025/06/18/792/n/1922153/9ef5b8acbb388508_Commerce_Mini_Bio_Slides_2_.png)
Brittany Leitner (she/her) is a New York-based contributing beauty writer at PS. She has over 10 years of experience working in beauty, health, wellness, travel, and celebrity news. Brittany holds a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously held editorial positions at Elite Daily and "The Dr. Oz Show" before working as a freelance journalist for the past three years.