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More we learn, better we catch
Opportunities to watch fish react to lures are great learning experiences for anglers, regardless of their experience level or the species they pursue.
But because an angler’s perspective is almost always above the water, actually seeing a fish come nose-to-bait with the offering is not the typical occurrence.
There are options, however, so those with a keen eye and a bit of creativity can see and learn.
Last week, we reported about John Breedlove of Girard and his work with a Waterwolf in-line camera that enables him to witness steelhead and walleye as they swim up to examine the lures he’s trolling.
Many anglers have invested in underwater video they can deploy through ice-fishing holes to scout whether any perch, walleyes or crappies are eyeballing their lures.
Another option, of course, is the looking with the naked eye. No technology is necessary, unless you count quality polarized sunglasses as high-tech.
Clear-water situations provide anglers with easy-to-comprehend visual evidence about what’s working and what’s not when it comes to presenting lures to game fish.
I recently had a front-row seat as the drama of fish interacting with my lures played out on center stage just under the water’s surface. It turned out to be another valuable lesson that will pay off big time in future fishing trips.
The water I was fishing featured sporadic clumps of aquatic vegetation growing on sandy bottom. The greenery and hard bottom teamed up to keep the water clear, even in areas where the breeze was blowing in on the fish-holding cover.
Conditions were perfect for casting and dragging soft plastic baits, the kind that bass have an opportunity to scrutinize before committing to striking. As I moved along, I looked carefully for the familiar shapes of largemouth bass finning along in shallow water as they hunt for food.
When I spotted a fish, I pitched the bait into the place I thought was in the line of sight. I was surprised at how the individual bass reacted.
Several of the fish seemed to be startled by the bait and darted away, never to return. Most, however, became curious the moment the lure hit the water. Of the curious fish, some attacked aggressively, apparently convinced the bait was real food too precious to allow to escape, while some circled as though they were looking for the best angle or to authenticate the lure.
The “bites” themselves were learning experiences as well.
Even though I had a perfect view of the fish and my lure, many of the bites happened so subtly that I’d never have known the fish sipped in the bait if I hadn’t seen it. The line didn’t twitch. There was no tap or tug. But sure enough, the hook and plastic were in the bass’ mouths.
My clear-water adventure also underscored the importance of stealth. If I made a bit too much noise or made a big movement with my arms or body, the bass vanished.
The experience also clearly showed that not all bass are shut down or turned on at the same time. The fish behaved differently, likely because they were pulling from a past experience of their own with a lure similar to mine. Or perhaps the uninterested fish had full bellies and the aggressive bass were famished.
For anglers, opportunities to watch the action play out are invaluable lessons as we go to school to build our body of knowledge. The more we learn, the better we catch.
Best of all, the more we catch, the more fun we enjoy.