There’s another part to fishing like a maniac that needs to be discussed. That’s making last minute adjustments. If you have a pretty good idea of where the fish are, you can fine tune your presentation to make it more effective by employing a few tricks and by paying attention to what’s going on around you.
One thing you can do is make sure you know exactly where you are fishing. Know where your bites are coming from and where they’re happening. Present your bait in the most efficient way possible. You want your bait in the strike zone but you don’t want to waste time pulling it through empty water.
If they’re on the shady side of big rock, then get your bait into that spot but don’t fish it all the way back to the boat, and don’t throw it way past the shade of the rock. If they’re biting on the deep water side of something, don’t waste time fishing the shallow water side.
Remember, fish are usually in very specific places for very specific reasons. We might not know what those reasons are but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Make that work to your advantage.
Another thing that a lot of us miss is the detail side of our lures and plugs. I’m mostly talking about size and color here but action is also very important. Sometimes those things don’t seem to be all that important but at other times they seem to be critical. Pay attention. Learn to spot when something matters and when it doesn’t.
Make sure you know exactly what bait you’re fishing with. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that green pumpkin is the same on every lure, or that a fat bait is the same as an “almost fat” bait. One brand of lure isn’t just like another. Pay attention to subtle differences between your baits. That’s a big part of fishing the moment.
The thing is, though, that you can’t carry everything and you certainly can’t carry enough of everything. That’s why you need a place or a company that’ll take care of you. It takes time to develop such a relationship but it’s well worth it in the end. In fact, it’s critical to your fishing success.
You need an outfit that has a huge inventory — you never know what you’ll need — and that can offer you fast (overnight) service. It also helps if their employees fish. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to describe a creature bait in an offbeat color to someone who has no idea what you’re talking about.
In my case, about 70 percent of what I use is provided to me by my sponsors. Pure Fishing is really good about that, and so are all of my other sponsors. They understand the importance of having the right lure or the right piece of equipment. But 70 percent isn’t 100 percent. That’s why I also maintain a relationship with Tackle Warehouse. They’ve always treated me right.
Mike Iaconelli’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter or visit his website, MikeIaconelli.com.
