Go ahead and laugh if you're so inclined. Wayne and I both get a kick out it, too. I don't repeat the spectacle every cast, but I have to admit that it happens a lot more regularly than I would like.
I bring up this matter because of a Wired2Fish article I was reading the other day...one that addressed a number of lessons everyone who fishes would do well to learn from the pro anglers. The second item on that list was this: Be a more proficient caster. It went on to note that "anglers know that casting matters. You have to be able to land close to targets, but it's often not good enough to just land near targets. Quietly putting your baits into places other anglers cannot is the ultimate goal.
"The shallower the fish go, the better and quieter your casts must be. Sometimes you have to keep a lot of distance between you and your targets, and you have to be able to skip, roll cast, flip, pitch, and present your targets quietly, with minimal splash to get the bites that everyone else misses. A very accurate, quiet cast in shallow water catches a lot more fish."
I agree with everything stated above...but p-l-e-a-s-e don't expect ME, of all people...to be able to demonstrate, especially when it comes to things like being able "to skip, roll cast, flip, pitch, and present your targets quietly, with minimal splash." Look at it this way: I'd have better luck trying to drive a boat blindfolded.
That being said, let me now share some of the other lessons discussed in that Wired2Fish article.
Stick to your strengths in tough conditions. When it seems like you can't buy a bite, how often do you find yourself digging through your tacklebox looking for the magic lure? Common logic tempts us to assume that a simple process of elimination would be enough to eventually remedy even the toughest bite.
Mark Davis stresses the importance of sticking with your strengths on slow days of fishing. Experimenting is great, but if you're looking to gain confidence in a new technique, why try it when the bite stinks? Davis argues this will do more harm than good in the long run. You'll be better served just putting a few baits on the front deck that you have confidence in and hunkering down.
Timing is everything when you're targeting big bass. According to bass pro Bryan Thrift, "Big bass don't stay in specific, shallow-water areas for very long. They'll be somewhere in the surrounding area, but they're most accessible and predictable during very short feeding periods throughout the day. The window of opportunity is sometimes just a few minutes."
His advice is to find multiple big-fish areas and fish them in a systematic rotation. They'll let you know if they're there. If you don't get any bites, move to the next area and repeat the process throughout the day.
Hookset mechanics are critical. Problems with fish getting off more often than not have more to do with the act of hooking the fish than it does the equipment being used.
Muddy-water bass are like humans in a dark room. In the words of Dion Hibdon, "If someone cuts the lights off in your house at night, the first thing you're to do is get to a hard wall and feel your way around. When rain dumps a bunch of mud into an otherwise clear fishery, the bass will do the same thing."
They can't see very well, so they cruise tight to the bank in order to counteract the low-visibility conditions. The importance of making repeated casts...perhaps as many as 20 or more...in these situations can't be overstated.
Hard-color contrasts can result in more reaction strikes. Throughout the manufacturing process, some lures will get different amounts of colors than others. It thus pays to sift through dozens of the same crankbait models to find one with a hard-line color contrast between the back and sides of the lure. The quick flash of that stark color contrast may just prove to be a major triggering mechanism for otherwise lethargic bass.
Fish deep earlier than other anglers. Looking for them deep earlier than usual in the post-spawn period can lead to some really big catches.
Fall rate is often the determining factor. Fish can get really picky, especially in the winter, and the difference between a 1/4-ounce jig and a 3/8-ounce jig can be huge. Never write off a good flipping bite until you make sure to change your weight size and give it a fair shot.
Land your jig on top of something when fishing laydowns. Dave Lefebre has a little secret when it comes to fishing laydowns. Instead of aiming for the water right next to the limbs or trunk, he lightly lands his jig on top of the actual laydown and slides it into the water. You also can use this technique when frog fishing. Cast the frog on top of a seawall or onto dry land and slowly pull it into the water. This does two things: It virtually eliminates any splash and also makes it seem as if a frog is jumping into the water from dry land.
The next time you find yourself struggling for a bite...or as in my case, just trying to stay out of the trees, think back on some of these memorable fishing tips from some of the world's best pro anglers. Their ideas may just open up a whole new dimension to your fishing game.
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