BREAK FISHING MYTHS TO BE A MORE SUCCESSFUL ANGLER
NOVEMBER 2020
Fishing Myths
As with most myths, fishing related myths often have a slight basis in truth. At times following even a far out theory can yield success. Most legacy fishing myths are not aligned to fishing success. Here are some of the most prevalent fishing myths and where you can ignore them to be a more successful angler.
Bigger baits equal bigger fish
This myth has a basis in truth, but it needs to be tempered with realities from the water. You will not catch a 3 pound trout on an 8” minnow. It is correct the smaller fish will not take larger baits, but the other way around is often true and can lead to great catches.
In 1992, the world record brown trout, weighing 40 pounds and 4 ounces was caught using a 1/32-ounce olive marabou jig and 4-pound line on a river in Arkansas. That type of lure is more typically used for panfish or small bass. That record has since been broken in 2009 in Michigan by a fisherman using a relatively small Rapala lure. Large trout and salmon are caught in the Great Lakes tributaries with small egg sacks.
It is good to experiment with smaller, lighter baits and presentations especially when there is clear water or high fishing pressure. Ultralight fishing gear is easier and more fun to use. It requires more skill and care as light lines will break easier than more heavy equipment. Try small jigs, plastics, or spinners/spoons. You can use tactics for finesse fishing from our article here.
Matching the hatch is always better
Fly fisherman often use the term “match the hatch”. This refers to having anglers using an equivalent size, color, type of fly to what is hatching naturally in the stream. The myth is that if you match the hatch you are sure to catch the most fish. While this can be true, it is not always the case.
Here is how you can be more successful by NOT matching the hatch.
- If your bait looks exactly like the others in an area, there is no trigger for a fish to take your bait vs. the others in the water.
- It is best to try a lure or fly that is slightly larger than what is happening naturally in the environment, so your presentation will get noticed.
- If your bait or lure can look and act differently in a big school of bait, it will get noticed. A wounded bunker in a big school of bait or one that flutters below the larger school will often get taken by large predators. You can use a slight weight on the bait to have it sink to the fish.
- While size, color, shape and action are important it is also just as important to either match or vary the presentation and the speed of movement to elicit strikes.
There are Lucky Lures and Colors
Even though anglers typically have 10s or 100s of lures in their collections, there are only a few lures that produce fish on a regular basis. Fishing gear manufacturers have been making lures for decades and they come out with new colors, names, sizes of lures every year to keep the sales cycle going. Here are a few points on not always buying the new lucky lure and keeping your angling success high.
- Lure action can be more important than the specific lure size and color especially on fast fishing retrieves and presentations.
- You do not need to have lures that match the rainbow to be successful. Here are basic guidelines for lure colors.
- Local natural bait fish or prey colors are the best to start
- Light-colored lures = clear water or sunny weather. (white, chartreuse, chrome)
- Bright or dark lures = stained water/cloudy weather. (black, gold, greys)
- If the above do not produce on a particular day, try the inverse.
- On waters with heavy fishing pressure, it is possible that the “lucky” lure is used so often that fish learn to not hit them. Use something else.
Bananas
The ancient fishing myth of the adverse effect of bananas on fishing is covered in our article here.
SUMMARY
Tight lines … Captain P.
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