Fishing for the Fish?

[united jigsticker]

When you go fishing, do you fish for the fish?

I mean, you probably are targeting a certain specie, or even two, in hopes of having some success, but are you fishing “for” the fish?

We all have that comfort lure. You know the one. It’s on the end of at least one, of not two of your poles right now.

It’s the one you start out with every outing, that confidence bait that you’ve had success with for years. Maybe it’s the shape, the color, or even the size that you’ve known the best luck with, trip after trip. Well, maybe with the exception of that one time…but that didn’t count because it was a cold front, in August, and you only had a couple hours, and the cell phone rang…it just wasn’t right.

But for the most part, it has been your main producer, and the one you fish most.

And for good reason.

The more familiar, comfortable, and confident we are in what we’re using, the more successful we’ll be on the water. There is no doubt about that.

When you know a lure, you know how it fishes, and most importantly, you know how to fish it. So it makes the most sense that this is, and will be, your lure of choice time and time again on the water.

This is especially true for us that fish the same body of water time and time again. Maybe we know what lure works and when it works. It makes it that much easier.

But maybe as we grow so confident in our approach, we possibly grow “too” confident.

This jig has caught me fish in heat, wind, rain, sun, and snow. It’s fished rocks, mud, break-lines, weeds, rip-rap, and lily’s. It’s fished stained water, clear water, murky water, and street puddles. It’s caught fish, period!

If it ain’t catchin’, then they ain’t bitin’!

And if this is the attitude, perhaps now we are not fishing for the fish. Maybe we are fishing for the lure.

Can you imagine, when the fish aren’t biting, everyone has a quick fix.

“Let’s change up the colors”

Well, this works. No doubt. The only problem is, we have so many color varieties now, that it can be tough to decide on what new color scheme we want to try first.

With all the options in contrast, jig heads, bodies, two tones, 3 tones, solid colors…It can get pretty confusing.

But what if there was a simpler way to get a bite?

Some might be shouting the obvious now.

“If the bite is tough, slow your approach, and size down!!!”

Hey, maybe we don’t need to change colors, or even jig styles. Maybe we just need to slow down a bit, size down, and get to the fishes speed, which, to us, right now, is zero.

So maybe you slip bobber rig it. Maybe you slow troll it. Maybe you go with a slow falling lure, and vertical jig it.

And the fish still don’t bite.

Guess it just isn’t a good day.

I mean, if they won’t touch something small, slow, and that appealing…Don’t mention how much it teased them, and it still wouldn’t produce a fish?

Maybe it’s time to concede that the bite is not on, and either head home, or try a different lake.

Or maybe not.

Imagine this, if you will.

I offer you a potato chip, maybe even two. It’s your favorite kind.

You decline, not because you’re not tempted by the chip, or that you’re not hungry, but because you know it will tease you just enough, and then you’ll crave more.

Or, perhaps I offer you the last slice of Pizza. Maybe you’re a big eater, and you love pizza. But, it is the last slice. It would just put you in the mood, but you can clearly see it is not enough to satisfy you, and there is no more.

You decline again, that one last cheesy slice of pizza. Your favorite crust too.

But what if that slice of pizza were bigger? Maybe you’d opt to take it, and gobble it down, knowing that it’d be enough to fulfill your hunger. You’d leave satisfied, and that’s what you’re after.

How many people, when the bite is slow, would put on a bigger jig?

Maybe a few? Maybe?

How many folks would go as far to jump an 1/8th oz though?

The fish weren’t biting. They aren’t hungry. Why would they want something that much BIGGER?

It doesn’t make sense…does it?

With all the options we have in colors, shapes, vertical presentations, horizontal presentations, bobbers, straight lining, vertical jigging…And the advanced lines, rods, and reels we have allowing us to be so very effective in fishing small lures with the greatest amount of sensitivity…

One may never think to go larger, or in some cases MUCH larger, with their presentation when the bite isn’t going the way they’d like.

And that is my point: When the fish aren’t biting and you’ve tried “everything” for tight lipped fish, do the opposite of what you’ve already done.

Fish for the fish. Give them what will satisfy their hunger. Try a bigger jig!

There might be a big surprise waiting for you!

[river-rat4]

I love it! Outside the BOX!

[CrappieJohn]

Darn UJ....Now what do we tell them when they don't bite? lol There are no more secrets and just when we had them convinced that they had to go smaller.

Imagination and versatility. If you don't take those two tools along, you may wish you had stayed home. As Jeff has very well pointed out here, being complacent will often-times be your own undoing when it comes to fish.

We all have heard the senario described where down-sizing is the only option for getting hits. Or where hanging a motionless bait vertically in front of the fish is the sure fire way to illicit hits. Certain times of the year will dictate using certain tactics to ensure yoyr success when on the water....this is one of the times when you really have got to be thinking. And the traditional though is not always the best direction to go.

Size is profile. As the water warms, these fish are looking for dinner that has some attitude. They are i the final stages of porking up for a rigorous spawning season along with the sunfish and everybody down there seems to have the same items on the menu. With the competition great, crappies start looking for larger foods....the ones that don't go to the gullet easy.

Some keys here are to look for stable weather, even if it is during a prolonged cold front period. It is stable none the less. Sudden water warm ups can set this activity off. Fishing pressure itself can be a biggie in leaning on baits larger than what the fish are being flogged with. Colors?...go natural, or at least tone things down a little.

Uj has done a great job here of letting everyone know that there is a flip side to the size coin. How big is big when looking to up-size? Ask the bass man who has taken crappie on the 3/4 spinnerbait. Or the walleye angler who has seen crappies nail his trolled crankbaits or dynamited his 4-6 inch ring worm being jigged on a 1/4 headwith the oversized head. Crappies can get down-right aggressive when the water is warm or warming into spawning temperatures. You need to be aware of how well up-sizing works at these times to be effective in staying on a bite. It may not be the norm or everyday tactical approach to catching crappies, but it is certainly one approach that needs to be in the mind's arsenal.

Great work here Jeff.