No one has developed a surefire method for catching fish nor has the magical lure been invented guaranteed to produce a strike on every cast. If you walk the aisles of the massive Fishing Tackle Trade Show held each summer in a major city’s convention center, the number of exhibitors touting new lures is staggering. I always wondered what happened to last year’s favorite lures promised to outfish anything marketed before.
The age old question posed to manufacturers every year is what’s new. In a reverse of this, lure makers will insist you stop by their booths to eyeball the latest and the greatest. For some reason, buyers at the trade show are always looking for something different so that they have new products to entice their customers. It’s worth considering that there are store action lures that look pretty, but fool fewer fish and then there are artificials that make you happy you have them in your tackle box. Producing and marketing any lure is expensive. All artificials eventually catch fish. Some just do it better than others.
Confidence and concentration hold the keys to catching fish routinely on artificial lures. You must have total confidence in the bait you are using. If you begin to lose it, switch to a different offering. Peek in the tackle box of an experienced fishermen and you will discover he only carries a few different lures, but several of each one. Time on the water has taught him that these artificials work in most waters of the world. He’s comfortable using them because he knows that they will catch fish.
At the same time, the veteran angler practices total concentration. It starts with a short cast in relatively clear water where he can monitor the action of the lure. In the process, he learns what each twitch will do as well as every crank of the handle. These leading anglers in any type of fishing tend to follow the same approach. They have convinced themselves that their lures are over fish all the time and all they have to do is find the right retrieve to get a strike.
An extra benefit of concentration enables you to duplicate the retrieve when you do hook a fish. In a trolling situation, serious fishermen know the distance astern each bait was fished, the boat’s speed, and the exact pattern it was tracing through the water. Nothing is done randomly. Each cast is made to a specific target. Trolling is done with a purpose. The key lies in covering the water as effectively as possible. In the process, you are attempting to eliminate the variables. Sometimes, just a slightly different retrieve or trolling pattern will make a major difference.
There are always variables. Working the right depth ranks high in importance. If the fish are hugging the bottom, topwater may not be a wise choice. The size of the offering is another major decision. At times, you need to match the bait in the area, particularly if you know a particular bait is plentiful. I’ve seen times when a 100 pound fish wants a bait smaller than your little finger.
Once you recognize that successful lure fishing demands confidence in the baits you select and total concentration on where and how you work them, your catch rate will skyrocket and you can call yourself an expert.
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