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Five things about presentation

1) Fishing the water column

Learn to work the water column. The biting fish can be anywhere. When casting in an open area vary the depth of your retrieve. Try mentally breaking the water column up into three zones, bottom, mid water, and surface, or what we call "up high." Work each area in sections, for the lower third make a long cast and only give the lure 12-15 cranks, then free spool it back down to the bottom then repeat this back to the boat. Pay attention for bites as your lure sinks back down. Some times you just feel a "tick", and your lure stops sinking, other times your spool speeds up real fast, in either event put the reel back in gear and wind, wind, wind! For mid water, cast and only let sink half way down and do a medium retrieve back to the boat. And for the up high area cast and only let it sink a little ways, this is especially effective when the fish are boiling on the surface. Also try varying your retrieve on mid and high parts of the water column. Bites while on the retrieve usually come as a vicious hit or might be as subtle as your lure just gets heavy, when you get a bite wind! wind!, Wind!, till your line gets tight, then swing! Remember swings are free!

2) Finesse fishing

Finesse fishing is usually used when water temps are cold (low to mid fifties), after the water temp drops dramatically, no current, or when the fish just don't wanna bite! This is when I drop down to the smaller 4 in baits, or even smaller. The presentation is SLOOOW! definitely fish that bottom part of that water column, and even try dragging the bait across the bottom, pause, drag, pause, drag most bites you will feel a tick, tick then your rod will load up, see above "when you get a bite".

3) Fishing kelp stringers

While fishing the kelp edges try to cast as close to the kelp as possible, if your not getting stuck once and while your not getting close enough! I like to give the lure a little slack by raising my rod tip to a 12 o-clock position in free spool after the lure hits the water then follow the lure down as it sinks most bites on the edge of the kelp come on the sink! Now drifting through the stringers is another story. Always cast with the stringers, do the sink thing, then do a medium to fast retrieve back to the boat. Also try to retrieve your plastic in the same direction the kelp is laying, for the fish are usually waiting in ambush that way.

4) Fishing the web

Fishing the web is a little unorthodox, but it works really well when there's decent drift and your fishing larger reefs or hard bottom areas. This requires two rods, make a long cast and put the rod in a rod holder with the reel in free spool, then take a second rod and do the same thing, I know this goes against almost everything we have been taught, but trust me on this one! Now once the first rod hits the bottom, do a medium to slow retrieve for the lower part of the water column then put the rod back in the holder in free spool. Then pick up the other rod and do the same thing till you get down to about half a spool on your reel or you get a bite! Remember what to do if you get a bite? No bites by ½ spool? ok then do a medium retrieve back to the boat and start over again.

5) Pop out fishing

This mostly applies to web fishing. A lot of the time your plastic will get stuck on the bottom while your drifting, so instead of trying to jerk it out of the snag try winding through till your line gets real tight, and if your lure "pops out" do a real slow wind for 10-20 cranks. If your successful in the pop out you will get nailed right after the lure shoots out of the rocks. My thought is the lure shooting out of the rocks represents potential prey making a break for it ! This technique can be a little costly but it works very well at times.

Anyway have fun. I am confident if you give these things a try you will catch more fish on the plastic. Just remember two things:

1) Confidence is everything! If don't think your going to catch something you wont! Make every cast with the attitude I am going to get bit!

2) Please don't use this info to be a better killer of bass! With knowledge comes responsibility! Remember catch and release of calico bass, slow to grow so let em go!

Larry

Note: I am affiliated with Big Hammer lures, Fishco lead heads, Assault lures, and Procure scents.

 
Copyright © Robert Belloni 1997-2012. All Rights Reserved.
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