# Decided to go finesse



## senkosam (Aug 13, 2019)

I've used bass tackle for most of my life but decided to go ultra light to catch all species. Jig head max weight rarely exceeds 1/16 oz and most lures used are soft plastic that are less than 3" in length. Nice is being able to pour my own lures or modify many of the soft plastic lures already owned (hybrids). I've caught panfish and bass smaller than 3" all the way up to 7.5 lb catfish and 3 lb bass. I rarely catch less than 30 fish per outing and in late spring the number was over 60. Here are a few examples:












Kut Tail worm on a 1/32 jig with #2 hook:








This little guy must have really been hungry:





Clear stubby tail:

















Wacky rigged hybrid with stubby tails:


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## -CN- (Sep 10, 2019)

This is good fishing!

I like using a drop shot for panfish. A No. 4 hook with a 1/8 oz sinker and use half of a senko, or sometimes a Gulp! minnow or other smaller thin plastic worm, wacky rigged. Bluegill, crappie, and bass in abundance with this rig. Had northern bite me off fishing this way too.


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## JNG (Sep 15, 2019)

I prefer finesse/life like presentations. Produce better for me than swimbaits or other giant sized lures.


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## LDUBS (Sep 16, 2019)

JNG said:


> I prefer finesse/life like presentations. Produce better for me than swimbaits or other giant sized lures.



I have to agree. Been a while since I targeted pan fish with light tackle. Last time was maybe 4 years ago and I knocked them dead using tiny trout magnet jigs. Many moons ago when I used to target large mouth bass, it was rubber worms fished slowly that were hands down most productive. At the time we wouldn't have known that it was called a Texas rig. There is a learning curve. It is hard to explain the method to someone new but once it works a couple of times it is like a light bulb goes off and it becomes second nature. This was long before drop shot or wacky rigs were part of the vocabulary. haha.


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## senkosam (Sep 16, 2019)

Not so sure about _lifelike_ as a reason fish bite lures. Many lures look _mechanical_ in action and get bit anyway. Guess it's in _the eye of the beholder_ what's considered natural and lifelike. 

When I design soft plastic lures, I'm strictly after lure actions that _irritate_ fish to strike. Some would say fish bite to eat whatever they strike; I say lures composed of plastic, wood, wire, rubber/ silicone, paint, metal, bronze and other unnatural materials are an _unknown_ to fish and yet they strike anyway. 

Not all crankbaits catch fish yet many move in a similar way depending on design, but design matters - *ALWAYS !* Fish may be stupid but they are extremely sensitive and aware. I go from there and search for various lure actions fish are more than likely to attack if for no other reasons than - _why not?_ and _trespassers not welcome - especially those that flaunt their stuff !_

If believing something increases your chances of catching fish, by all means develop a system based on those beliefs of what lures to use and when. The above is my _system_.


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## LDUBS (Sep 17, 2019)

*"Not so sure about lifelike as a reason fish bite lures."*

Maybe not, but could be a big reason fisherman buy them! Haha

Actually, I think something that seems like prey or wounded prey is going to be effective.


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## senkosam (Sep 17, 2019)

LDUBS said:


> *"Not so sure about lifelike as a reason fish bite lures."*
> 
> Maybe not, but could be a big reason fisherman buy them! Haha
> 
> Actually, I think something that seems like prey or wounded prey is going to be effective.



As a one who tinkers with soft plastic designs and catches fish with many, I'd have to say that fish _can't_ know what a lure represents. In other words, they are incapable of even guessing what a lure supposedly imitates. One thing anglers want to believe is that lures are like _duck decoys_ - animal look alikes that fool them into believing something is a real animal and attract them because of it. Maybe so, but how to prove it is the problem. Much easier to know what lure actions catch the most fish coupled with size and shape. The rest is up to the angler using the lure the best way.


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## LDUBS (Sep 18, 2019)

I don't know. I think I might disagree. I mean, sure the fish isn't having a conscience thought process like "Gee, does that look like a shad minnow over there?". Instead, through action, noise, scent, vibration, color or a combination of those things the lure is representing something that is triggering the instinct to strike at the lure. Or, maybe another way to think about it. If the instinct to chase after a food source wasn't strong fish wouldn't even exist. A lure has to represent something that is triggering that instinct, meaning prey and/or something threatening, or something violating territory.


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## senkosam (Sep 18, 2019)

> through action, noise, scent, vibration, color or a combination of those things the lure is representing something that is triggering the instinct to strike at the lure.


A bird is not a part of it's diet yet bass will attack them on the surface or any mammal swimming near it.



> If the instinct to chase after a food source wasn't strong fish wouldn't even exist.


All this means is that fish eat to survive. The fact that they strike live animals and semi-animate objects (lures) is to me apples and oranges. The first one they instinctively _know_ what it is; the second not so much but strike it anyway - dumb animal that it is.
Animals in general strike out for many reasons - defense being one of them and as you say:



> triggering that instinct, meaning prey and/or something threatening, or something violating territory.


If you focus on lures violating territory, unlike prey animals that _don't_ violate territory, you have to wonder what it is about a lure that generates such aggression. My belief is that feeding has nothing to do with it nor defense nor anger nor anything else attributed to mammals. Looking at it another way, fish aren't _fooled_ but simply _provoked_.

Most lures don't look or move naturally so that can't be it. Tell me how these lures do:
** spinnerbait* with it's strobe-like brightly flashing blade
* *in-line spinners* with revolving blade and steady flash
* *Helin's Flat Fish* that wobbles like crazy from side to side
* *Chatterbait* that wobbles like crazy from side to side
* *broad bill, deep dive crankbait* that wobbles like crazy from side to side
* steady retrieved *buzzbait* that plop plops without pause on the surface
* *Zara Spook* - a cigar shape that zigzags with its exposed giant treble hooks ( that instinct should tell a fish to avoid)
* *Senko *- another cigar shape that basically falls flat and horizontal ( not much natural action there)
* *skirted jig and pork rind trailer* - the combination looks nor moves like nothing a fish has ever seen or will see as long as it lives.

None of the above examples can be said to represent any prey animal accept by humans that insist they do by a big stretch of the _imagination_ - the one thing fish don't possess. What fish do have though are senses that can be overloaded to the point of _making_ a fish strike - an animal that is an energy conservative to the max. How they make fish strike is key and unique to lure types. Anglers should concentrate on *aggression triggers* that are unique to the best lures and absent in lures that are generally in clearance bins.

Again JMO but one that continues to serve me and others.


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## LDUBS (Sep 19, 2019)

Interesting discussion. 

*"A bird is not a part of it's diet yet bass will attack them on the surface. . . ."
*

But birds are part of its diet. Same for swimming rodents, snakes, etc. 

*"The first one [live prey] they instinctively know what it is; the second [artificial] not so much but strike it anyway - dumb animal that it is."*
*"Most lures don't look or move naturally so that can't be it. Tell me how these lures do:"*


Because the lure mimics natural prey or, even better wounded bait fish, which trigger the instinct. Look at a healthy minnow dart around compared to a wounded one wobbling around. That is what all of those wobbling/vibrating/buzzing lures mimic. Fish don't have to "guess" what it is because it triggers the same instincts as a natural meal, or threat. And remember, fish have a sense (lateral lines) that is outside of human experience when it comes to sensing vibrations or movement through water. 

Except, I have to admit I have no idea about the Senko. I've never used that rig and kind of scratch my head how it can work so well as it must otherwise it wouldn't be so popular. 

All my (unscientific) opinion, of course.


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## senkosam (Sep 19, 2019)

Here's to a great imagination and I'll leave it at that.


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## richg99 (Sep 20, 2019)

Wait...don't stop there. I want to see one of the "aggravating" lures.

This Summer I've gone from only occasional catches....to catching more than usual (July)..back to only occasional catches.

Just above, I posted an article gleaned from another fishing site (BBC). The article contends that fish DO have memories (especially of bad experiences with lures) and they avoid those same baits that worked well for a while.

Since I am on my last weeks here on Lake WoeBeGone-Dartmoor, I'd like to figure out how to motivate the bass that I KNOW ARE THERE, into biting.

Any and all help appreciated. Thanks....


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## LDUBS (Sep 20, 2019)

senkosam said:


> Here's to a great imagination and I'll leave it at that.




??? I guess you got me with that one. :roll:


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## richg99 (Sep 20, 2019)

You know, all of my fishing life, I used to switch lures, over and over, until I found something that they liked. 

I did NOT, however, switch techniques or sizes so much. 

I have so much to learn, and so little time to learn it.


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## senkosam (Sep 20, 2019)

Rich, I've caught many fish with holes in their mouths from being caught before regardless of the lure. Fish memory if you search on-line is short term and especially within months they forget (if they ever remembered being caught at all) will bite lures that demonstrate *aggravation triggers*.

Refer to the photos in the original post as explained below.

Okay, here are examples (before I go fishing in the next hour):
Note the *Kut Tail worm* rigged on the light jig (above photo). The action is a _*slither & dart*_ that many fish strike with glee! Whether it represents a food item - I could care less! All I know is that I've caught many species of fish with that particular design/ action in many waters. The plastic is made from a special mix of who knows what. I haven't figured out what, but it definitely is a factor and the sam mix used in Gary Y's Senko - another genius design.





The senko has a horizontal drop that drops at certain speed - very important for the body *rotating and tip flutter* all the way to the bottom. That action accounts for big strikes from different species. What I've done is make a mini-stick design that does the same exact thing: *body wobble and tip flutter* when rigged on a light ball head jig. What's more is that I can retrieve the lure horizontally to the bottom creating a vibrating lure that's attacked using a slow-medium fast retrieve. (photo of stick with clear tails)





The same design (photo) shows one clear plastic stubby tail attached to a small black body (clear plastics work as well as any color for a reason). It's trigger is * a wobble from side to side* when twitched with the top tip and then paused. One of my best designs!
Even works well with a fatter stubby tail which fish clobber!:





The claw grub (made from the parts of two lures) has *subtle flapping tips* that catches anything that swims:








The crankbait shown gets slammed by panfish and bass when* trolled*:




The above Risto Rap (discontinued by Rapala) has a special *tight vibration* fish attack better than most crankbaits. This means the fish have to chase the lure at whatever depth they're at - which really aren't prone to doing most of the time!

The prong tail and flat tail grubs (top photo) demonstrate* a tiny quiver *when fish are_ less than irritable_. They can catch fish under a float when there's a slight chop on the water. I've used them ice fishing and caught fish.

Take the Beetle Spin - please! The *combination* of the flashing blade causes a *soft plastic vibration* that really pisses fish off! The subtle flapping of the curly tail does the rest (though other tailless designs also work).





This carp attacked a Crappie Magnet double tail grub as do all species when rigged on a light ball head jig (always unpainted).




The *tiny tails quiver* with the least motion.

Okay, now you've got an idea why certain lures catch fish and most times better than thousands of similar lures. You must have excellent lures in your tackle box that excel. Most important is to watch them on one or more retrieve types and note their action.
*That is the key to choosing what works vs what doesn't!* .. meaning, *that which aggravates fish most *in the _longest or shortest period of time depending on the bite and location type._


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## richg99 (Sep 20, 2019)

Thanks, Senkosam. You cost me about $50.00 this afternoon. Ha Ha 

I decided to downsize and try a few things. Nothing as thought-out as your list, though.

I already had an Ultra-Lite rod. The matching reel wasn't with me here in TN. It probably bit the bullet a year or two ago back in Houston. Most likely it was 25 years old or older anyhow. Oh well, off to WallyWorld. 

I found a reasonably priced ($30.00) Shimano spinning reel in the 2500 size. I added some 10-lb braid (the size of 3 lb mono) and a cheap spool of 4 lb mono for leaders. A couple of small jigheads; a mini-plug and one or two other items rounded out the purchase list.

Off to the lake I went. I'd like to say that I slew them. In truth, I couldn't buy a bite. Of course, any time I go fishing on a Blue Bird day at Noon I expect to come home empty-handed. I'll give the rig a few more tries earlier and later in the day and report back my success stories!

thanks for the post. rich


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## senkosam (Sep 20, 2019)

Today we _beat the bank_ in shady area and under tree limbs. The day was super bright and sunny. We also trolled crankbaits but only caught 6 fish - some nice crappie and perch and fished from *2pm to 6pm*. 

Some of the lures posted caught most of the 30 fish I caught which also included small bass and nice sunfish . But one thing my partner didn't understand is that _*proper jig head weight and hook size*_ is critical when using soft plastic lures and since he didn't want to change to a smaller jig/hook, he only managed 7 fish - 2 of those caught trolling crankbaits, 1 on a Texas rigged Senko. 

This is just another example where the _technical aspects_ of a lure can make or break a day on the water.

Rich, do a search for Duck Commander spinning rods - 6'. The best light action rod I've ever owned for $19.95/ $12 s/h from bnmpoles.com.

One thing I forgot to mention is as important and any lure used:
angler input
A lure can only do so much and most lures need the _angler's touch_ to be successful _trigger aggravators_. If you go back and look at the lures I posted and read the actions each has, you'll note that _angler rod and reel handling_ is super important to get bring out the best action a lure can accomplish to get struck. Pause & reel a few inches of line & rod tip twitch & pause and repeat until you find that which fish observe and then causes them to strike. Some of my hits happened right at the boat!


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