December 24, 2008
How to Have Better Success in Over Fished Waters
Fishing is certainly one of the times where bigger is not necessarily better, even though your buddy sitting next to you in the boat is convinced it's true. Sure there are many situations where big fishing equipment is appropriate and will probably lead you to more fish in the boat. However, fishing's popularity is growing and space on the water is becoming a little more cramped. The fish are starting to take notice too. Some of these fish have seen it all from us fishermen and they are not being fooled anymore. In heavily fished areas the best fishermen have developed a new technique for success; Finesse Fishing.
I can hear the screams of fishermen worldwide, "What in the heck is finesse fishing and why do I want anything to do with something that has the words finesse and fishing in the same sentence?" Well, like it or not some waters are being fished so heavily that the good fish aren't biting anymore. They have seen the tricks employed by the common fishermen and are ready for a better show. That is why we need to alter our approach a bit to fool the fish onto our lures again. Finesse fishing, in its simplest explanation, is just downsizing our equipment to throw a new look at an old fish. The easiest way to convert your game is to buy smaller and lighter versions of your current equipment. Let's start with the rod. To get started on your finesse venture try buying a light to medium light action spinning rod. Buy something inexpensive to get the feel of a lighter action rod. With a little experience you will develop a preference for something a bit lighter, heavier, or lose interest in finesse fishing altogether. This way you can avoid wasting money on your first finesse purchase. Many fishermen say they feel like they are re-learning to fish. This new style could add some excitement to a day on the water and give you an excuse to buy more fishing gear. In fact finesse fishing is catching on quick and as a result many manufacturers have devoted a portion of their production of rods just for finesse fishing.
Don't stop with just the rod; downsizing the reel in your setup will make a drastic change in how you fish and more importantly how many fish you catch. Some of the small reels available these days are set up nicely to carry a lighter line, like the one used by finesse fishermen. When shopping for a small reel, treat it just as you would be shopping for a large reel, except in a smaller format.
The most important change for a traditional fisherman trying to convert to finesse is in the line. When I first got into finesse fishing I got lost in all of the different options available on the market. Luckily a friend of mine was quite knowledgeable and one of his best pieces of advice was this, "When choosing a line stick to the traditional monofilament. Trust me." Well I did trust him and have been happy since. The reason he didn't like to use a braided line is because it floats, and floating ruins the function of a floating lure. I tried a braided line a couple times and I can add this additional word of guidance: mono lines tend to blend in underwater and help the bait look natural versus a braided line. Another consideration is line weight. Any line between six and ten pound test will work, and with a bit of experience on the water you will develop a preferred test weight. Some situations will require a six pound line to fool the most hesitant fish.
Choosing a lure is another necessity for any finesse fisherman. Fortunately there are hundreds of different lures available that fit finesse setups. The lures you choose will depend entirely on personal preference and necessity based on the waters you tend to fish. Be sure to buy a few different styles and test them out; some fish will respond better than others to particular lures. While some may still contend that bigger is in fact always better, sometimes it is worth it to mix things up. Try finesse fishing to add a new unique aspect to your fishing arsenal and increase your chances of going home a happy fisherman!
Filed under Fishing Gear by Tight Lines
Comments on How to Have Better Success in Over Fished Waters »
What's the best lure for freshwater bass in Florida, this time of year, that's easy for a beginner to learn?
I've only fished with live bait and don't know how to work the different lures but would like the option to use one now and then, if I knew how and which had the best chance of a bite. The one's I've tried in my friend's lake have come back covered in weed muck on every cast, so maybe it's not a good place for success with those??? Also, if it's a plastic worm, how do I use it, and what color is best at this time of year? Last question, is there one I can just cast and retrieve steadily - without pausing to let it fall or retrieving so slowly it collects muck instead of bites? Can anyone refer me to a good site for learning to fish with artificial baits, for bass or bream, especially in smaller Florida lakes and around weeds in shallow water?
I live in Wisconsin and do quite a bit of fishing myself. I really am not sure about Florida, but here in WI, what works is if you can find lures that are made to not get stuck in the weeds but for collecting muck, I'm not sure there are any that don't. Also, check the color of the water, the darker the water, the brighter the lure you should use, the lighter the water, the darker the lure. For bass, the only way that I've caught them, doesn't mean it always works, is by letting the lure fall some and then slowly but not too slow, reeling it back in. When you cast out the lure, count to about 5 and then start reeling in. I really don't know about a better color for different times of year. As I said, different colors are better for the different color of water. If you are interested in walleye, try using an orange lure or bait. Walleye are for some reason, attracted to the color orange. Also, for bass, I've had luck with smaller lures with silver on them. Hope I've answered your questions and good luck.
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Wow, I hope I can answer all these. First off I live in central Florida and have fished the Harris Chain of lakes for many years as well as others.
At this time of year as the water is cooling, it;s best to start slowing down your presentation. Lures to use is a good question and depends on where you're fishing and what type of water you are in, stained, clear etc.. Also depends on the bottom and structure and location ( shoreline, deep water, etc)
I myself prefer shoreline and use top water lures like the 11G - 13 G or S series Rapalas and of course the old standby plastic worms and colors very depending on water clarity but for the most part it's Red or Moccasin color work best here. You mentioned a steady retrieve, for that try the all around favorite Spinner bait in white or chartreuse
To have success at Bass fishing the first thing you have to do is know your prey inside and out. Remember the bass is a preditor and lays in ambush for his food, so you have to go to him.
To do that you have to go to the bottom for the best fish.
The Tips I'd give you and it sounds stupid I know but if you want to catch bass remember 1 a bass is a preditor 2 he can't ware sunglasses and has no eye lids, so if your in the sun with no glasses where do you go 3 he hears with his lateral line and has sight that is unparalleled and a mind equal with yours and will challenge the best of fishermen. Remember he is the King of his domain.
From a sportsman's view always remember when that big one gets away, don't get mad, it only means he was a better fish than you were a fishermen.
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If you want to learn how to use lures i would tell you to go to infishermen.com,bassmasters web site they will tell you everthing you need to know hope it helps
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The best lure of all time is the Yum Dinger. You can use them on any body for bass, and any other big game fish. The best color to use this time of year in florida are darker colors. You can hook the yum dinger wacky style or texas rigged. Here is are websites to help you…
http://www.catcherman.com/features/rigging/texasrigging030602sportmn.htm (for texas rigging)
—-you dont need the sinker at the top of the worm in this picture on this website…it messes up the way the dinger falls
http://www.insideline.net/1999/xiques-0910-99.html (for wacky rigging
getting used to these techniques take awhile but it really pays off
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if you have any bass fishing questions or just want to talk about fishing, my e-mail address is mibassjons@yahoo.com