Besides preying on bait fish, most game fish are cannibalistic. Since they eat their own fry all sizes of swimbaits work well on all sizes of game fish. The trick is to match the size of the bait to the forage. This will maximize the number of strikes. An example of this is tuna prefer anchovies over sardines then small swimbaits usually out perform larger ones. Of course there are exceptions.

RIGGING
The general rule is to use the lightest rigging possible conducive to the conditions being fished. This allows for the most natural presentation possible, again increasing the number of strikes. When conditions become too extreme it may become necessary to add weight to the rigging. Avoid adding weight directly to the bait. Try using a sliding sinker or even a dropper loop to maintain that natural presentation. This will give you the added weight needed, leaving the swimbait with a lighter lead head far a natural swimming action.

COLOR SELECTION
There are as many opinions about color as there are fisherman. Confidence is a favorite color certainly is a factor but there are general rules. Contrast is important. A dark bait creates a silhouette or contrast. For the game fish, glitter can add a flash in bright and clear conditions, again this is contrast. Vibration is still the essential element of swimbait fishing. Many game fish lay in cover, ambushing their prey and never see it until the strike.

PRESENTATION
The most common mistake in fishing plastics is over fish the bait. Generally the slower the presentation the better, although varying the speed often times will induce a strike. There is no wrong way to fish plastics. Many novice fishermen as well as young children have caught “jackpot” fish while winding in to “check” their bait. The trick is to be alert as a strike can come at anytime, especially on the sink. While letting the bait out be aware if it stops when it is not near the bottom. That usually means a fish has picked it up. Wind down on the line and swing to set the hook. Many plastics bites are subtle. When in doubt, wind down and set the hook. Swings are free–you don’t want to waste any opportunity to catch a fish.

Deadsticking, a technique involving a surface swimbait, is very effective when done correctly. It is very simple but requires patience. You simply cast the bait out and let it sit motionless on the surface. When you move the bait, you only move it a few inches, so it will take a good amount of time to complete the retrieve. Another techinique is to cast the floating bait out and then let the wind drag your boat at the same time. This enables your bait to cover a greater amount of shoreline and allows all the notorious lunkers that follow the swimbait to commit to striking the bait. A technique that top anglers swear get the most strikes is slow rolling the swimbait off the bottom. Read the rest of this entry »