Three things are critical in fishing. Think of them as PPO: preparation, presentation, and observation. It has been said fish are hooked and landed the night before you are on the water. That’s when tackle should be rigged carefully. Reels should have a full capacity of the line. If any part of the line has been chafed or weakened in any way on a previous outing, make sure you put new line on the reel.
Existing knots should be tested to make sure there is no slippage and they are tied well. There is no such thing as a knot that is “good enough.” If you have doubts, re-tie the knot. Make sure you use knots you can tie effectively rather than trying knots that may be stronger, but you have trouble tying. Anything I rig has a Bimini twist at the end of the fishing line to which I will attach the leader.
Fluorocarbon abrasion leaders are superior to monofilament. If you need wire for toothy critters, use the shortest length necessary and attach it to the abrasion leader. Use the lowest breaking strength abrasion leader that’s practical. Sometimes, dropping down a single breaking strength means fish when the standard leader won’t produce. With the same thought in mind, take along a lighter outfit than you would normally use just in case the fish get fussy.
Whether you prefer natural bait or opt for artificial lures, the presentation must look natural to the fish. There has to be a trigger mechanism that makes a fish strike. If you see a fish following your offering without striking, something is wrong and the trigger mechanism is absent.
If you’re trolling or blind casting, it’s critical to cover an area thoroughly. Speed can be a critical variable whether trolling or casting. The colder the water, the slower your retrieve should be. Remember that fish usually face into the current. Trollers need to work with the current, against the current and across it, moving from shallow to deep and then from deep to shallow.
Let me point out that anyone on the water during daylight hours should be wearing a pair of quality polarized sunglasses. They enable you to spot fish and other critical things that you won’t be able to see without them. Mine hang around my neck constantly.
Sight casting requires that you spot the fish first and then make the presentation. Try not to cast at maximum range, but wait until you can make the first cast really count. It’s a game of inches. Too close and the fish spooks. You want bait or lure to look like an escaping meal rather than some unknown critter trying to attack the predator.
Above all, you need to be observant on the water. Birds diving means bait, and bait usually means fish. Even if a flock of birds is sitting on the water, something was there and it’s worth investigating. Look for color changes plus anything on the surface bait can hide under. Check water temperature. It is the most important factor in determining where fish will be. If you’re trolling, keep watching the baits. Periodically, scout the surface from close aboard to the horizon for signs that could mean fish. It’s been said that eternal vigilance is the key to catching fish.
Catching fish is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one. If you concentrate on preparation, presentation, and observation (PPO), the results should bring a smile to your face.
Award-winning writer, photographer, radio personality and television producer Mark Sosin is a leading educator and journalist. More than 3,000 of his articles have been published, and he is currently working on his 31st book.