So many times as we approach and spend a day on the
water we get stuck in tunnel
vision. For example, we might say "I'm going to fish a Texas rigged plastic worm
all day." Then when we get off of the water we feel we didn't have as successful
of a day as we could have.
Thinking if only I would have fished a different area
of the lake maybe I would have caught more fish crosses your mind when maybe
all you really needed to do was analyze the situation and adapt while you
were on the water.
How many times have we had a fish hit a spinnerbait
4 or 5 times
and not take it? Had a fish slap a buzzbait 2 or 3 times and not commit?
Had a fish knock a crankbait sideways and not take it completely? These
are situations
that we as anglers need to adapt to as we are on the water. There are times
when if you had just changed a presentation or color you would have
had a more successful
day.
So often we hear "they took my jig all day but I missed over half of the bites
I got." Maybe if you would have downsized or changed color your percentage
of hook ups would have been better. Below are a few situations that may enable
your
day on the water to be more successful if you were to adapt.
For example:
Spinnerbaits - When you
are fishing very shallow grass and your double willow leaf blades
are doing a good job but you seem
to keep
getting hung in the hydrilla why not try to add a pork chunk trailer
to keep the spinnerbait up by making it more buoyant? This is also
beneficial
if
your reel is a lower gear ratio than a 6:3:1. If after a cold front
the bass are short
striking the bait try downsizing to a 1/8th ounce spinnerbait. Gold
blades not working? Go to silver blades as another
option.
Crankbaits - You are getting hook ups but the fish
keep throwing your rattle traps and/or crankbaits. What you might
do is put the next
size larger hook on the front ring of the bait. Maybe even go to
a single hook instead of trebles. This is a very good way to adapt
especially
with a rattle
trap type bait.
Jigs - Let's say the jig you're using is
catching fish but half the time your working through cover, the
hook keeps getting
hung on wood. Take your pliers and bend the hook slightly in. If
you're fishing the
rocks and you keep getting hung up and losing your baits but you
are catching fish go to a 3/4 ounce jig and drag instead of hopping
it
along the rocks
and you will not lose as many jigs.
If you're Carolina rigging
a soft plastic bait
and all you catch are dinks try putting on an 1/8th or 1/4 ounce
jig and using it as your bait. [This is mainly a technique used
in a fairly
open
area. i.e.
roadbeds and flats] You might also try a suspending hard jerkbait.
Maybe you've only got one deep diving crankbait and
you are catching fish and
your buddy isn't.
Why not put a 1/4 ounce weight on, add a swivel, put on a 12
inch leader and add a medium diving crankbait. Result: you now have
a deep diver.
Basically, have a game plan before you go but contrary
to popular belief don't always
stick
to it. Take the time to assess the situations and adapt to
them if needed and you will most likely have a more successful day
on
the
water.
Mark
McManaway
Local Anglers Guide Service
Local
Anglers
