By Joe Sheaffer
There are days when we can’t figure out how to get a fish to bite or commit to our lure presentation. The fish may slap at the lure, short strike the lure or just turn away from the lure altogether. Sometimes it may be the lure itself, or the color, possibly the size of lure isn’t quite right. Over the years in my experience, it usually has more to do with the weight of the lure. The fish don’t like how the lure is presented in their feeding zone. I primarily use a jig with some type of paddle tail or plastic trailer. I feel like 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 bit lazy and we continue fishing with the same lure presentation. Simply changing to a heavier or lighter jig/ lure can be the difference between a tough day or a successful day. I firmly believe the way the lure is presented in the water column is what attracts the interest of a fish. Recently, I was fishing a stretch along some mangroves using a 3/16 oz jig and a 4-inch paddle taiI. The fish would slap at my lure or short strike it, but they wouldn’t commit to eating the lure. I changed to an ⅛ oz jig with the same paddle tail, 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. Another fishing trip along the surf on Manasota Key, I was using a ¼ oz jig and a paddle tail. Most of the morning the only fish that was hitting my lure were 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 switching the weight 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 of fishing. Keep casting and have a great time fishing!