I am constantly searching for fresh and intriguing methods to find fish. I usually end up hearing about some creative new way to possibly get a fish to burn, whether it’s streaming endless hours of YouTube videos, reading dusty old editions of hunting books, or speaking with professionals on my audio, Aptitude Outdoors. Everything from cut shotting for panfish to finding, caring for, and fattening your own worms before fishing them weightlessly on a 4lb test for lunker bass is something I’ve heard of. It exists online if you can wish it, and I’ve probably been stupid enough to go out and give it a try. Lately, Troy Fowler of Texas, also known as the Ranch Fairy on YouTube, gave me a new podcast episode that I’ve not heard before.
He explained to me the benefits of using a medium-weight fiberglass rod, stringing it with monofilament line, and casting big crankbaits at various depths to increase my chances of catching big bass. Everything I had read, heard, and seen up until that point— in my obsession with fishing and outdoor exploration — was based on fishing sensitive rods, which let you feel every tick, nip, or tap that came into contact with your bait. The recently described approach seemed to go against all I was aware of.
The reasoning behind this is that a hookset is frequently overlooked because the fish” feels” the guitar and moves to set the hook, but in reality, what is being felt is the wave of liquid that is coming out of the opening’s guitar lips. We’ve all been there, and when we set the rope, everything is on the other end. I’ve even seen movies that claim bass eat lures so quickly that you shouldn’t wait to set the hook as soon as you feel a bite. Zero to suggest that either option is incorrect. If you read or watch anything about fishing, there are rules and exceptions to almost all of those rules, and they all depend on a myriad of different factors that will make me ( the author ) insane the longer they are thought about.
This Aptitude Outdoors video explains the” thick rod law” in more detail.
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I just know how to determine what works best by going to the ocean and watching what happens, which is exactly what I did. I grabbed my field of crankbaits, ordered a medium-heavy wire, slapped it on my fastest baitcaster, and loaded it with some 12lb mono before diving into the water. I kayaked out to a great rough drop off that met up with good actually weedline and continued to cast despite having little time left. The worst circumstances are always present when you need to picture things or write an article, in this case a gorgeous, sunny afternoon.
I made the decision to begin wrapping it up after casting for about 2 hours and finding nothing but an amazingly extreme bluegill that completely smashed a crankbait that was roughly the size of itself. On the way up, I made a few last ditch attempts in some nine-foot waters that was on the other side of the weedline I had been fishing. I made the decision to use a jerk fish and observe what transpired. I yanked up on the perch and actually felt fisk-like weight as I repeated the same throws I’d been making for hrs. I felt opposition and thought I had been hung up in the weeds for the tenth period.
Since I had never fished with a rod that large before, I was unsure of how to determine how big the fish on the other end of the line was when I started reeling. I could tell how large a seafood was by how it felt and how much the shaft was bending on the guitar rod I used to grow up, but I was in uncharted territory at the time. After much struggle, I was able to pull the fish up to my yacht. When you first see the fish next to your boat, there is always a great flurry of pleasure. I was prepared to lip it because I had anticipated seeing a respectable bass, but instead, I found myself in the northern pike! The strategy changed very fast.
In order to keep my arms from slicing empty, I pulled its head out of the water, grabbed it under the jaw, and busted out the pliers to take the pins from its mouth. After such a fishless day, I wasn’t going to complain, even though it was not really what I had hoped for. Even if it is not the species you are aiming for, a hard-fighting seafood is unbeatable. I quickly took a photo and threw it back into the water so it could combat the next day.
This knowledge taught me that Troy’s justification was accurate. When the road bit the trap as I reeled the jerkbait, I encountered little to no weight. The single was able to bend as I kept reeling, which added to the lack of feeling. I always set the rope, and until the fish started to struggle to escape, I had no idea it was even on the line. In this case, I’ve personally tested and demonstrated that using a medium-weight fibreglass rod to catch fish will work in the unconventional manner that I was taught to consider bass fish. Although the fish’s” feel” of grabbing your bait is fundamentally gone, the fight was still fierce and the connection appeared to be excellent.
May I continue to fish in this manner? Most likely not, but it is a novel approach to fishing that is excellent if you know there are big fish nearby and want to make sure you’re using big enough gear to easily get them in your boat. I enjoy the thrill of trying out new techniques, and it prevents me from consistently tossing the exact Texas Rig or Ned Rif until the very end. Finding new fishing techniques is a great way to keep the game enjoyable and interesting, even though it’s probably not necessary most of the time. It also gives you an excuse to return to your favorite tailor and buy one more” I swear this is the last one” trap or rod.
If you’re a fan of Rick Clunn, this may be outdated information, but it’s also possible that this is your first time thinking about this approach, as it was for me. In either case, I urge you to test it. It may end up being your new go-to technique, a new tool to add to your fishing army, or just another justification for getting another pole to join your collection of fantastic rods. It’s up to you. In either case, enjoy your fish and be sure to tell someone about it!
Paul Fuzinski
