Is Bigger Really Better?

[bim]

When I was growing up I was taught that to catch the big fish, you needed big bait. I fished successfully for years using this technique. When my father died, god bless his soul,I was left to learn on my own. I started checking stomach contents when I was cleaning fish and found that they were more often than not full of small insects and larva. With this in mind, I started fishing smaller lures with great success. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy fishing the big baits when the fish are really active, however I've found that when the fish are less active, a little finesse is required, thus the smaller lures. A friend of mine was recently fishing on lake Wabamun, and caught a 12lb Northern Pike using 6lb "black widow" line and a #3 larva "marmish" lure. I have found that these small insect, pupa and larva type lures can be extremely effective on the finicky fish. Good fishing and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
PS I was going to include a photo of the 12 pounder, but I can't figure out how to post it.
Bim the canuck

[Guest]

I agree. So many times have I switched to a smaller/lighter presentation onlt catch more and bigger fish. Especially during the hard water season. Fishing doesn't have to slow down during the winter months, although as a general rule of thumb, the fish tend to get slower and more lethargic and this calls for a finesse approach. So many times have walleyes been caught using a small size 12 jig with maggots when times call fo it. And same goes for bass, pike, and even panfish. Sometimes going all the way down to a 1/200 oz jig is what is takes to catch those finicky bluegills. When fish are reacting to your presentaion in a negative way it doen't mean they are not biting, it means that you need to change your presentation, and often times that means going smaller. Although there are those times where some fish just won't bite.

Another point that should be taken into consideration is that issue of when to go bigger. Going smaller isn't always the case. I've noticed in years past that going bigger can trigger the larger fish to bite when fishing an active school or when searching for fish. I've seen a lot of crappies come through the hole on 1/4 oz spoons and even medium swimming lures. Upsizing can sometimes be that ticket to catching larger fish, but don't assume bigger presentations means bigger fish, not the case all the time.

There is a place and time for adjusting presentation. Going smaller or bigger all depends on the mood of the fish, and sometimes the mood of the fish is determined by what you do, or what you see, whether it be from your flasher, underwater camera, sight fishing, etc. Going smaller is related to a negative mood, fish that are hesistant or cautious, light biters, fish that focus on plankton or larvae, availible forage, reaction strikes, really a lot of factors come into play. Going larger is related to aggresive fish, searching for fish, picking out larger fish from a school, larger forage, showing something new to the fish, attention getting strikes, a lot of factors come into play here as well. Water clarity is a factor in both as well.

And sometimes staying with the presentation you already have will outproduce going smaller or bigger.

I find myself going smaller more times then going bigger during the winter months. Early and late ice can bring about a bigger presentation but during most of the winter going smaller is often the answer when fish are in a negative state or seem to be not biting.

So many options out there for presentations, and each one has its place. Locate the fish, get fish under the hole, attract the fish, trigger the fish into biting...its an endless cycle.

Good Fishin,
Matt

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Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum

[Bob Horn]

Bim, looks like you did your homework. When I was in Devils Lake last year a friend of mine(who guides in the area) asked me what do you think is the stomachs of pike the most during mid winter and on, I said perch and he said wrong it`s fresh water shrimp. He said that he has cleaned fish with there stomach bulging and they were full with shrimp. Big on active fish but I down size other wise. Fish On