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 Fishing Baits

Article: February, 2002
Lake Fork Pro Jim ReaneauThis month's article will cover fishing baits. Too many times we get caught up in the tackle buying frenzy. Don’t get me wrong we need the different baits and colors at times. How many people resort to their favorite bait no matter what some one else is doing? This is normal. Another man's pattern may not suit your fishing style. I have many people who want to throw a spinner bait when I am throwing a lipless crank bait or a Texas rig when I am throwing a Carolina.

The key thing is work the baits you have confidence in. I had a place on Lake Livingston many years ago. One year I took everything but spinner baits out of my boat and threw it year round. I caught fish in the deep and shallow water. I caught fish in deep winter and the hottest parts of the summer. I had to change colors sometimes to get bit but the bait worked year round. This is also true of any bait you have confidence in. Some days it may not work as well as another bait but you have the confidence to work it. This is something to dwell on when times are the hardest to fish and the catching is slow.

Don’t get me wrong, I would not get one bait and live by it. Sometimes the fish you are catching get use to a bait. This is a time we then need to change color or bait. I have been catching fish and switched colors after several fish just to keep them biting. Some days it doesn’t matter what you throw.

Baits are like fishing spots. When you arrive at the lake you go to your favorite spot.”WHY” Confidence. You start where you have had success before. This stands true with baits. Colors are very important as size. Certain times of the year you will or should I say better have a certain color and size bait.

Sometimes we spend to much time with one bait that the fish are not going to hit. When a small adjustment in the presentation will change every thing. I remember once when a friend of mine was showing me a spot where they had caught a lot of fish the day before and today we couldn’t get a bite. He Had used a Texas rig the day before. I pegged my weight about 8” up the line and put a smaller bait on and caught 9 fish in nine cast. The light carolina rig changed the presentation and all was well. There are times the fish will not hit a Texas rig but most days they will hit a carolina rig. So if you hit the lake and your favorite spot seams dead try changing your presentation from the normal bait.
Thanks and Good Fishing,
Jim


Fishing Tip by EX Lake Fork Guide Jim Reaneau

 

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