“Don’t continue doing what isn’t working,” says CrappieNOW Senior Writer Tim Huffman. “Change your
bait, present it slower or faster, move to deeper or shallower water, or to a different area. If you’re not
catching fish, do something different.” (Photo courtesy Tim Huffman)
12 “New Year” Fishing Tips
by Tim Huffman
GET READY
Line choices can be overwhelming. Wade Mansfield, Grizzly Jig Company, says for general fishing, he recommends weekend fishermen keep things simple, like he does. “I use monofilament line. I want 4- to 6-pound-test line in clear or more open water. It’s great for handling ultralight baits and it doesn’t kill the action of a jig or minnow. However, in brush or other heavy cover, I’ll switch to 8-pound test or maybe 10-pound. I’ll be switching to a little heavier jig or sinker, too.”
LONG POLES
A longer pole guarantees more fish will see your bait before they spook. It’s not unusual for expert fishermen to use a 16- or 18-foot pole. Longer poles are difficult to handle and are tiring to use, so start with a 12-foot-long pole and work up in length until find the longest length you’re comfortable using.
FISH FAST, BUT SLOW DOWN
Anyone learning how to fish will likely make two mistakes. The first is staying too long in one spot. Fishing fast means to test a location and if fish are caught, stay with that spot for a while. However, whenever action gets slow, it’s time to move deeper, shallower or to a new spot. The second mistake is a presentation that is too fast. In general, present a bait as slowly as possible and don’t be too quick to pull the bait away. You’ll get more bites with a slow or stopped bait.
FEWER LINE TWISTS
Garry Mason, founder of Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame, says, “I love to cast, but line twists can be a problem. Here are some tips for better casting. First, put line on a spinning reel in the right direction. Start with the spool label facing you. If it goes on smoothly, great. If you get line twists, turn the label away from you. Going on correctly will reduce line twists. The second thing is to fill a reel 2/3 full instead of totally full. The reel will cast fine, and line won’t jump the edge of the spool. Three, lubricate your line. You’ll cast further and reduce line twists. I use 80 Below brand, created for firearms but is great for all sporting goods. It’s a dry film lubricant that won’t gum up.”
CAST TO BRUSHPILES
Mason says, “Brushpiles offer some of the best fishing anywhere. Depending upon the season, crappie can be pulled from relatively shallow brushpiles. For example, consider a brushpile in eight feet of water coming up to within four feet of the top of the water. I’ll use a fixed float because the jig will stay at the set depth whether I’m moving the jig slowly or letting it rest. Without a float, a jig can be casted and be kept just above the brushpile on the retrieve. Do this by counting the jig down, one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two and one-thousand-three, then retrieving. A jig will fall approximately one foot per second, so the jig will be at three feet, just over the brush. A crappie will come up out of the brush to take it.”
LEARN FORWARD-FACING SONAR
“Electronics are incredible today,” says eight-time national champ Steve Coleman. “A fisherman should learn to use LiveScope. The key is to have patience when learning. It’s best to go with someone who can show you how to use it and you’ll learn it a lot quicker. You’ve got to stay with it until you catch fish. It’s like learning to play darts or anything else, the more you practice the better you get.”
FISHING WIND
Coleman says, “You need a little wind, like a ripple on the water, to be able to control the boat. If there is no wind, a boat just wants to drift around even on spotlock. Too much wind and you need to stay home. You can’t have fun it it’s too windy. The next situation is fishing in the wind. It’s possible to drag a chain or use some method to go with the wind, but I prefer to just stick the nose of my boat into the wind. That makes boat control possible. When you have the boat under control, you can present baits, and you’ll catch more fish.”
CLEAN RODS
A quick and easy tip is to clean rods and line guides. Use soap and water, or a product like Blakemore’s Reel Magic, to clean away the dirt. Line will have less friction, so casts are smoother and longer.
PRACTICE CASTING
CrappieNOW Publisher and tournament fisherman, Dan Dannenmueller recommends a beginning or occasional fisherman practice casting before heading to the lake. “It helps to put baits where they need to go so a fisherman will catch more fish and reduce frustration by reducing hang-ups.”
SIMPLE IS BETTER
Dannenmueller recommends a young, old or novice fisherman use minnows and a float. “A slip-float can be used to set a minnow to any depth and the float is a great strike indicator to know when there is a bite. A slip-float allows long casts and can be fished around most covers. A minnow does all the work, and it will catch bonus species for lots of fun.”
Senior CrappieNow writer and recent Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame member, Tim Huffman, has several books, including Papermouth, Modern Fishing Techniques, available in Kindle or paperback at Amazon, or link from his website, www.monstercrappie.com
