By Joe Sheaffer
There are many days when fishing, we just can’t figure out how to get a fish to bite or commit to a certain presentation. Sometimes the fish will slap at the lure, short strike a lure or just turn away from the presentation altogether. Sometimes it may be the lure itself, maybe the color, possibly the size of the lure but from my experience it usually has more to do with the weight of the lure. I primarily use a jig with some type of paddle tail or plastic trailer and what I have found is the weight of the jig tends to be the key to getting a bite or being rejected. We tend to be stubborn or maybe a little lazy and many times we continue fishing with the same presentation. Simply going heavier or lighter can be the difference between a tough day or success. I firmly believe the way the lure is presented in the water column is what attracts most fish, more so than color or size. Recently I was fishing a stretch along some mangroves , I was using a 3/16 oz jig and a 4” paddletaiI. The fish would slap at my lure or short strike, but they wouldn’t commit all the way. I changed to an ⅛ oz jig with the same paddletail, they just couldn’t handle it; the fish just knocked the fire out of that presentation and it turned out to be a great day. A few days later fishing the surf with a ¼ oz jig and a paddletail, all that was hitting my lure was Ladyfish and a few small Jacks. Even though the surf wasn’t that rough, I switched to a ⅜ jig with the same lure and I caught 3 very nice trout! These are just a couple of examples of small changes that made a BIG DIFFERENCE. Does it always work, NO but it is always worth a try. If your fishing day is slow, don’t be afraid to make a change, it could be the key to a good day fishing. Keep Casting and have a great time fishing.
