The Three Biggest Misconceptions In Fishing!

Austin NearyBy Austin Neary

There are all kinds of misconceptions when it comes to fishing! Things that grandpa told you, which never work, or something one of your best fishing buddies said…both are sometimes stupid ideas! A lot of these misconceptions can seriously affect the way you think about fish behavior and affect the success you have when you establish a game plan! I want to address and debunk the mythical misconceptions that are floating around the fishing world and I promise it will help you catch more, and bigger, fish!

1)    “That bait is too big!”
I hear people say this over and over again, especially when it comes to big swimbaits and chasing above average size fish! “They won’t eat anything that big…” I will say this, predatory fish do not have a mirror, they have no clue how big they are! When a predatory fish, like a bass, trout or musky, feeds, it is strictly trial and error! They either can eat it or they can’t eat it! Remember too, that predatory fish are territorial, aggressive and if they think they can eat it, they will!

austin-neary-fishing-misconceptions2)    “Fish won’t eat top water in the middle of the day!”
A predatory fish is instinctually programmed to eat a dying baitfish! When you are throwing a walking bait on top of the water, or a popper, you are imitating a dying baitfish and literally trying to trigger an instinctual feeding response from a fish! It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is, they are opportunistic feeders, which means if that bass is given the opportunity to eat, it will! A bass doesn’t say, “oh, that is on top of the water and I won’t eat it because it’s the middle of the day.” No, a bass thinks “that’s prey and an easy meal” and they strike it!

3)    “Live bait catches more fish!”
A predatory fish feeds on the weak, the old, the sick and the young. When you are fishing with artificial lures you are trying imitate the weak, the old, the sick and the young, you can do this better than a living healthy baitfish. I have watched bass swimming non-aggressively and feeding in schools of bream, shad and herring and watched them either strike my lure or turn from the school they were feeding on and get my lure! It has to do with the presentation!

For more in-depth information on patterning fish, specific lures and spots, visit Dream Catcher’s Fishing Supply on highway 74 in Sylva on your way to all the lakes and rivers in Western NC. Want to learn from a pro while catching GIANT bass? Book a trip with pro guide and Bassmaster’s College series Champion Austin Neary!