6. How to Get That Fish on Your Hook

In Chapter 1, I stated that there are three methods of angling—still fishing, casting, and trolling. Up to this point we have concerned ourselves with various types of tackle and the basic casting techniques. Now let's see how these three fishing methods can bring about our ultimate goal—a fish on the hook.

One question that I am often asked by beginners is why fish take a lure. There are only three reasons that I know of: hunger, anger, and curiosity. Some fish are natural fighters and will strike viciously at any moving object. A few, such as the sunfish and bluegill, are insatiably curious and will crowd around a strange bait. But hunger is the main reason fish strike. Therefore, in most cases, if you wish to get a fish on your hook, you must present him with a tasty looking morsel of food.

HOW TO FIND FISH

To any accomplished angler knowledge of the "hot spots" where fish may be lurking is of primary importance. It is, of course, impossible to predict their whereabouts with one hundred per cent accuracy, but certain general areas can be defined as preferable to open water. It is best in most cases to try these first.

Depending on the time of day, the season, and on at­mospheric conditions, living areas are usually around sunken logs, stumps and snags, weed beds, lily pads, deep holes, entrances of cold feeder streams, boulders, gravel bars, slate ledges, undercut banks, waterfalls, backwaters beside fast currents, eddies and coves off the main part of a stream or lake, and so on. At these locations, fish find the necessities of life: shelter, food, security, comfortable temperatures. Fish rarely wander far from these natural homes except when there is extreme fluctuation of water brought about by storms and drought. These are the spots that experienced anglers search for as they travel a stream or lake shores. It's here where the expert pauses to fish, passing up all the unproductive or "dead" water between. By finding these locations, then wading or boating care­fully into casting position, you're going to have fun, and catch fish.

Fish generally inhabit shallow water in spring and in fall, and swim deeper in summer and winter months.' In extremely cold water fish are inclined to lie dormant, and they are equally sluggish when the water temperatures are extremely high. While each species has a favorite water temperature, most game fish feed more readily in water temperatures ranging from 50° to 65° F. and, except in very shallow lakes, they are able to find this comfortable zone without difficulty.

In most waters the temperature layer varies during the course of the day, luring the fish to the shallows in the early morning, shifting to deep water during midday, and pulling them back to the shallows at dusk and during the night. The angler who is consistently successful is the one who takes the trouble to determine the depth of the com­fortable zone as it varies during the day and with the sea­sons.

There are several ways of determining the zone where the fish are staying, either by still fishing with live bait or by slow trolling (see page 114). Or, if you are willing to make the effort, by using a thermometer. Your local tackle dealer has fishing thermometers available and will be glad to tell you how to use them.

Getting down to specific cases, panfish are usually shallow-water species, although extreme temperatures will force them deeper in the water. Bluegills and sunfish move around the edges of weed beds feeding on bugs and hell-grammites; crappies prefer their homes around snags and brush piles; while rock bass, as their name implies, prefer rocky reefs. Yellow perch, on the other hand, wander in schools across sections of lake bottom that have no dis­tinguishing characteristics. But even they, in springtime, gather around docks, piers, abutments, and similar struc­tures.

Largemouth bass, pickerel, and northern pike usually like shallow water when feeding and prefer to lurk near weed beds and lily pads. They feed in the early morning and late evening hours on hellgrammites, bugs, frogs, min­nows, crayfish, and mice. During midday they rest in the holes in the weeds, under logs, in the shade of overhanging bushes, or in deep holes near boulders and rocky shores.

Muskellunge and walleye also like weeds and may be found near sand bars and around sunken logs in medium to shallow water. But this is usually only in the spring and fall, or at night during the heat of summer. During the day in the summertime, these fish go to the deeper waters near the middle of the lake. Trolling a spoon or plug just off the bottom is the best method for taking muskie or walleye during this time.

Smallmouth bass prefer colder water and like rocky shores. At times they will be found in the moving water where a stream enters. Usually there's a deep hole at that spot. The fish know that the fresh water is bringing food, and they congregate there. Minnows trolled slowly through the deep hole, or artificial lures that will dive into the deep water, are both good bets for getting walleyes or even a muskie. If a small spring-fed creek pours into a lake, espe­cially when it enters through a heavy growth of weeds and reeds, the chances of getting fish at the mouth of the stream are very, very good. In hot midsummer weather when the water becomes warm, the brook trout will usually migrate to the mouth of a cool feeder creek flowing into the main part of the trout stream.

Plateaus, or bars in the lake, are usually big producers, especially in hot weather. There are two kinds of plateaus. One is the island type from which a rock bar slopes off into deep water. The other is the sand, gravel, or mud-bar type which usually grows beds of weeds. In the hot days of midsummer when the fish retreat from shallow shoreline waters, these bars are the place to fish. You may have to ask a native to locate these choice spots, but by all means find them.

In most of the artificial reservoirs or man-made lakes across the land, vast sections of woods were cleared before flooding began. Never fail to fish the stumpy areas re­maining. These may be visible above or just under the surface. Many state fish and game commissions provide maps of these areas. Some states even prepare underwater shelters of logs and brush for fish. Make it your business to know the locations of these—especially if you are seek­ing panfish and bass. Also fish small coves where logs and driftwood have backed up into jams. Fish under the jam with such natural baits as worms and minnows.

Streams and creeks have personalities too, with "hot spots" and "dead water." A waterfall is a natural home for trout. The tumbling water is aerated and charged with fresh oxygen which trout require. Patches of foam floating overhead in the pool provide shadows on the bottom and obscure vision into the pool, giving the fish a feeling of security. Look for trout at the edge and to each side of the white water. If the pool is deep, the trout will probably be close to the bottom unless they're surface feeding. A bit of split shot attached to the line will sink the lure into position.

In rapids and riffles, there are nearly always trout hiding in the calmer pockets by the rocks that cause the white water. Here they stay, ever alert for passing food, ready to dart out and grab it as it slides by in the current. Careful scrutiny of these pockets, together with a quiet approach and the use of a short line, can produce some great fishing. In such a stretch, allow the current to carry your lure down­stream past the rocks. If you're using a dry fly upstream, drop the fly in front of the boulders and permit it to float with the current.

In fast streams, the V at the lower end of small islands is often a good location for a fish or two. Cast your lure into the fast water a little above where it swirls into the eddy. This will bring the lure to the waiting fish in the same manner as his food usually comes to him. If you fail to get a strike from one leg of the V, cross the stream and try the other side.

Trout often prefer to lurk in the shadows and remain hidden during the day. Undercuts in banks and under bridges are among their favorite spots. Here the fish wait during the sunshine hours, darting out of their lairs for food—or for your lure—that is drifting past. These are choice spots for lunker (lunker means "big" to the accom­plished angler) trout, the kind that will really bend your rod in his fight to dislodge a hook.

Snags, brush piles, beaver dams, and fallen trees attract bass and big trout. The branches cast shadows on the bot­tom, breaking up the outline of the fish, providing a natural camouflage. Insects fall from the limbs, minnows hide among the submerged snags; a tree is a gourmet's delight to a fish feeding there. Wade into position care­fully, without too much disturbance, and drop your lure near the snags. Of course, fishing among snags can be hazardous and often costly, with the loss of some tackle— leaders, lures, and lengths of lines. Many times a fly headed for an obstacle can be kept from entangling its barb by letting it go rather than trying to stop it with a jerk. If you don't tighten up, the hackles of the fly will sometimes brush over the branch or the limb and hold the hook clear. An attempt to snatch the fly away is likely to sink the barb in a branch. But to catch fish you must condition yourself to the fact that some tackle will be lost from time to time.

When you find a feeding area that pays off, stay with it. Try it each time you pass the spot, for when one lunker is caught another will soon move in. If it's attractive enough for the first, it is doubtless equally attractive to the next big fellow that passes that way.

STILL FISHING

In still fishing a baited hook is dropped into the water and left there until a fish strikes. This branch of the fish­ing pastime is the most commonly practiced of all forms of fishing in that it demands the least knowledge and the least expensive outfit. You can still fish from a boat, from docks, piers, banks, even by wading out into the water.

1. Take aim; place as thumb on spool. Use first guide of rod as a "sight."
2. Bring rod back fast,  with snappy wrist action. Let rod do the work.
3. Stop rod abruptly as it reaches this point; begin forward cast at once.
                       
HOW TO BAIT CAST

4. Forward cast should be twice as fast as back cast, in one continuous motion.
5. Release thumb from spool as rod points to tree tops. Don't push rod forward.
6. Stop forward motion of rod just before  it is parallel to water surface.                

CASTING WITH A FREE-SPOOL REEL

1. Push button located in center of crank assembly on free-spool reel. Keep thumb on line spool.
2. Reel handles should be up for smoother wrist motion. Bring rod back fast, then make snappy forward cast. Release thumb pressure on line spool as rod points to tree tops. Keep light thumb pressure on line spool throughout cast.
3. As you turn crank handles forward, free-spool element of reel will automatically kick into gear with line spool.

CASTING WITH A PUSH-BUTTON REEL

1. Turn reel on side with crank handle up. Keep elbow close to body. Take aim; rod should bisect area you wish to cast into. Press button down am hold firmly.
2. Bring rod back fast. Keep arm close to body. Raise forearm slightly am snap wrist back. Maintain pressure on button.
3. When rod reaches 12 o'clock position, snap it forward with a lot o wrist action in one continuous motion. Don't let arm swing away from body. Forward cast should be twice as fast as back cast.
4. When rod tip reaches 1 o'clock on forward cast, take thumb off button. Change reel to left hand as lure hits water to begin retrieve.

WHERE TO FIND FISH IN STREAMS

1. Snags and sunken trees are fine spots for bass and lunker trout
2. Undercuts in banks along a stream often shelter trout.

1. The white water at the base of a small waterfall is a good place to drop your lure.
2. Hidden rocks in a fast current are excellent places to look for fish.

WHERE TO FIND FISH IN LAKES

1. Work small coves that dot shorelines, casting from boat to edge of weed beds or at point of deep drop-offs.
2. fish find natural food where streams enter lakes. Weed beds at such locations are excellent spots for bass, pickerel, and pike.

1. Lily pads and weed beds in 4 to 10 feet of water are favorite spots for largemouth bass, and you may even catch pickerel or pike there.
2. Rocks, ledges, and deep holes are number one hot spots for small-mouth bass.

CARE OF YOUR REEL

1. To disassemble a bait-casting reel, remove crank nut and head plate screws.
2. Remove carriage pawl screw and take carriage and part: from frame.
3. Wash all parts carefully, using gasoline or other grease solvents.
4. Replace worn parts. Grease gears with a good light grease
5. Keep reel well oiled. Use a good grade reel oil and apply according to manufacturer's directions.

6. Lubricate level-wind mechanism. This part receives much wear; be sure to keep it clean still-fishing tackle The tackle is simple, consisting of a long cane pole, a length of line, a nylon leader, a float, and an assortment of hooks and sinkers. In recent years, the telescopic pole of tubular fiber glass has re­placed the old familiar cane pole. These new poles, avail­able in lengths from 12 to 16 feet, are convenient for carrying and home storage. They usually have a plastic butt section, a snap-on retaining cap (for telescope stor­age) , and are equipped with a tip-top for line tie-on.

While almost any of the casting tackle described in pre­vious chapters can be substituted for the pole, I believe the push-button outfits detailed in Chapter 4 are best suited for the beginning still-fisherman. This tackle is easy to use, is ideal for the fish generally taken in still fishing. With the addition of a reel to your still-fishing tackle, you can play the fish by giving and taking in the line. This adds a greater element of sport and provides a great deal more fun.

HOOK MEASURING CHART          HOOK WIRE SIZES

5/0       -2 INCHES     SIZE WIRE DIAMETER
4/0            ……1-7/8 INCHES       NUMBER IN 1000THS INCH
3/0       1-3/4 INCHES 5/0      .051
2/o       1-5/8 INCHES 4/0      .049
1/0       1-1/2 INCHES 3/0      .047
11/2          l·3/8 INCHES 2/0        .045
1          1-1/4 INCHES 1/0      .043
2          1-1/8 INCHES 11/2    .041
4          15/16 INCH    1          .039
6          13/16 INCH    2          .037
8          11/16 INCH    4          .033
10        9/16 INCH     6          *          .030
12        _-         7/16 INCH     8          .027
14        ………,,. 11/32 INCH 10       .024
16        1          9/32 INCH      12        .021
18        7/32 INCH      14        .018 ·
20        5/32 INCH      16        .016
22        3/32 INCH 18 .014
*          20        .012
,22       .010

In buying hooks, always get the very best; they will cost but a few cents more than poor ones which may straighten or break while you are bringing in a fish. Your sporting-goods dealer will be glad to recommend the proper size for the type of fishing you will be doing. Many manufacturers provide charts with their hooks. Remember that the eye of a hook is never included in measurements. A "3X short" is a hook with a shank three sizes shorter than standard; a "2X stout" is made from wire generally used for a hook two sizes larger; a "1X fine" means that the wire is that commonly used for a hook one size smaller, and so on.

In still fishing for panfish, the most common sizes em­ployed are 6 and 8. Very often you can be far more suc­cessful in taking panfish on smaller hooks, so it's advisable to have some in sizes 10, 12, and even 14. It's a good idea to carry a few of these in both regular and long lengths up to "6X long." In fishing for bass, walleye, and pike, the most commonly used hooks are 4 to 1/0. For muskies and lake trout, a few consider it necessary to use hooks larger than 1/0 to 2/0. When you're fishing waters in which a large percentage of the fish taken are undersized, use a barbless hook. It makes fishing more sporting and saves a lot of fish for the future. To tie the hook to the leader, use a clinch knot.

A float and a sinker are both used in still fishing with live bait. The float, or bobber, is to keep the live bait from hiding on the bottom and to indicate bites, and the sinker is to keep it from floating near the surface where it won't be seen by a fish. Since panfish prefer shallows, the bait should be presented at a level at which fish are moving—on the bottom or a few inches to several feet above. A sandy bottom calls for bottom-lying bait. On a mossy bottom it should be held a few inches above the moss so that the fish can see it. If the bottom is weedy the bait must rest higher still. But these are generalizations; the best location for your bait is usually found by trial and error. The height of the bait can be changed by adjusting the float. In some types of still fishing you will not use a bobber—when you are fishing for catfish, for example.

Sinkers may or may not be necessary. In most instances, the weight of the bait itself is sufficient to make it sink to the shallow depths where you are most likely to encounter fish. But where a sinker is needed, use split-shot in the smallest possible size. Add just enough of these to carry the line and bait down to the required depth. Place the first shot no less than 18 inches above the lure, the next 8 inches above that, another at 18 inches, and another at 8 inches above it. At no time should the sinker-shot be ap­plied in such numbers as to carry the bobber under the water surface. By distributing the shot over a length of the line, you will reduce to a minimum any possible resistance of the bobber to the water.

SINKERS USED IN FRESH-WATER FISHING
SPLIT SHOT SINKERS       KEEL SWIVEL SINKER

Lines used in common, everyday cane-pole fishing are almost invariably too heavy. For most still fishing, a 4- to 6-pound test is sufficient. If you use monofilament, you will not need a leader. But for other lines, a 4- to 6-foot OX or 8/5 nylon leader is ideal. For big, sharp-toothed game fish, it is best to use a wire-snelled hook or a short wire leader to save your fish.

still-fishing technique The baits used in still fishing are natural ones and usually include worms, minnows, grubs, crickets, grasshoppers, crayfish, hellgrammites, dragon nymphs, small frogs, caddis larvae, and various other insects. Catfish and bullheads, both of which are generally caught by still fishing, prefer any bait with a strong odor—old ripe meat, chicken entrails, etc. To entice a fish to take natural baits, you must present them prop­erly. When using live bait, remember that its big advantage is its life. The bait's effectiveness in attracting fish drops markedly when it dies. For this reason, you should exercise care in placing the bait on your hook, a procedure which can kill it almost immediately. A worm, for ex­ample, should be impaled through its posterior position, where it is the thinnest. There are no vital organs here and the worm will stay alive and wriggling if the hook is thrust through only a couple of times. The drawing here illustrates the proper methods of baiting a hook with the more common baits employed in still fishing.

BAITING A HOOK

Good still-fishing spots lie around docks and piers, over submerged stumps, logs, and brush piles, near water drop-offs, deep holes, spring holes and channel cuts, close to big rocks and off rocky shore points, and by lily pads and weed beds. Fish in shallow water near the shore in early morn­ing or early evening and at night; in deep water, or at the mouth of a stream or near cold springs during the heat of the day. Approach each fishing spot quietly to avoid rip­ples that will warn the fish of your presence. Noise doesn't bother fish, but sudden movement frightens them. When using a boat, drop your anchor about twenty-five feet from where you expect to try your luck, Allow the boat to rest for several minutes before dropping your line.

In seizing a baited hook, most panfish generally test the bait before taking it. This accounts for the nibbling that will cause a slight, continuous dipping of the float or bobber. It's a good idea to let the fish take the bait (indi­cated by the float going under the water) since this deliber­ation gives him time to get the hook back far enough in his mouth. Then "set" the hook by a slight upward twitch of the tip of the pole or rod. Don't try to jerk the fish all the way out of the water. You may break your line or the rod tip, or jerk the bait right out of the fish's mouth. A short, sharp twitch will do the trick, and if you miss the fish, he may follow the bait and hit again. Play the fish with the give of the pole and hold him on a tight line in the water until he is tired. The fish can be reeled in and netted if you are still fishing with a rod and reel, or pulled out of the water if you are using a pole. Further details on holding and landing fish can be found in the next chapter.

CASTING

In Chapters 2 through 5 we discussed the proper tech­niques of the popular casting methods: bait, spinning, push­button, and fly. Now, let's have a look at getting the fish to take the bait once it has been cast to him.

casting natural baits The natural baits employed in still fishing can be cast by any of the four methods pre­viously described. One of the major problems of casting live bait is that it easily jars off the hook. To avoid this, use a soft, sweeping cast that eases the bait down into the water. Bait-holder hooks, which have a barb on the shank, are very good for holding worms, crayfish, and insects se­curely. The minnow hook-up illustrated on the following page is excellent for keeping live bait attached when casting. It is made by tying two hooks together with monafilament line and then double hooking the minnow. Small spinners are often used above the hook to attract fish to the bait.

The casting of natural baits is a very successful method of taking such game fish as bass, northern pike, lake trout, muskies, pickerel, and walleyes, in addition to pan-fish. When the spinning, fly, or push-button method of cast­ing is used, an unweighted live bait can be cast, allowed to drift down, then retrieved with a soft fluttery motion. Bait, spinning and push-button casts can all be made with weighted live bait. To cast the bait easily without "wrap-back" and to get it into the water, fix shot sinkers to your line. A keel swivel can also be used to get the bait down.

To cast out and fish at fixed depth, use the bobber rig shown in the "butcher" knot illustration on page 21. (A light keel swivel, which helps to prevent the line from twisting and sinks it deep enough to interest a fish, is gen­erally used in place of shot sinkers.) Use a slip bobber be­tween the bait and a knot made in your line at the desired depth you wish to fish. As shown in the sketch, double the line, tie two butcher knots, and clip the ends. The knot can be moved for depth changes, but is tight enough to hold the bobber up, yet small enough to be wound on the reel.

When a game fish—especially a bass or a pike—takes your bait, he grabs it without nibbling first. Frequently the bait will lie across his mouth. Nine times out of ten he swims a few yards, then pauses to move the bait so that he can swallow it. Consequently, if you try to set the hook when your float first starts to move away, you'll generally jerk your bait out of the fish's mouth. The best way to prevent this is to let the float move off until it stops, and then to wait until it starts away again before striking. Most of the big fellows that bite will be hooked if you will teach yourself to wait them out this way.

You can cast live or natural bait either while onshore or from a boat. Cover the water nearest you first. Then reach out farther gradually. This method is less likely to disturb lurking fish.

If you are on the water, you have two alternatives: you can anchor the boat, cast your bait some distance away, allow it to sink, then slowly work it back, letting it settle occasionally. Or you can "drift fish," allowing the boat to move unattended as you cast.

A bobber on your line is good for this drift fishing, if you have a sufficient area in which the water depth is ap­proximately the same. If not, the bobber can be eliminated. When drifting, first head the boat with the wind so that it will pass over the most likely fishing areas. Then, as the boat drifts along, keep casting directly ahead of it. If the boat is drifting fast, long casts are required so that the bait will sink properly. Keep watching the bobber, and take in line as it slackens from the drift of the boat. If you get a strike, keep taking in the slack line until the boat almost reaches the bobber; then—but not before—bring the line taut and set the hook. Never attempt to set the hook until your line is straight and taut between you and the fish. Should the line curve, you may have lost the biggest catch of the season.

Trout can also be taken on such bait as minnows, worms, nymphs, grasshoppers, caddis worms, crayfish tails, etc. While many experts frown on taking trout with bait, there are two good reasons for this type of fishing: (1) when water conditions, as in early spring and after a heavy rain, are so bad that no artificial lure has a chance, and (2) lack of skill and experience on the part of the angler which makes any other means impossible for him. During the early spring, when water temperature is below normal, trout tend to stay near the bottom. Thus live bait often attracts them more than flies. In addition, fishing with bait gives the beginner an understanding of trout and their habits that would be difficult to learn with flies. I strongly recommend that every beginner should try bait fishing for trout, but should learn to use flies as soon as possible so that he can get the greatest enjoyment from the sport.

When trout fishing with natural bait, use either a fly rod or a light-action spinning outfit. A 6-foot length of nylon leader is sufficient. If the water is slow-flowing, no split-shot need be fastened onto the leader, but if it is medium- or swift-flowing, the shot is a necessity. Place your split-shot at least a foot above your baited hook; if the sinker is close to the hook, it will drop the bait into the leaves and bottom debris. A small spinner will catch the eye of a trout and attract it to the bait especially if it is cast into a pool, allowed to sink to the bottom, then moved with just enough motion of the rod to make it flutter— never with a fast, continuous retrieve. Use no sinkers on this arrangement.

In all trout fishing, whether with bait or fly, observe several very important rules, upon which will depend your whole success in the game. The first of these is to use cau­tion in your fishing. Trout are able to keep in the swim by their acutely developed senses of hearing and sight. Your progress along the bank of the stream, even though you are not in sight of the water, may be heard with ease by the trout, and since the sound is alien to their surroundings, the possibility is that they will pause in their feeding and become suspicious. Move with care along the bank, even tiptoeing in, and I can assure you that your chances of making a capture are far more certain.

In wading a stream do not splash through the water or make any more sound than necessary. Push along a step at a time. Your hobnails grating on the bottom of the stream are liable to be heard a great distance; the noise may cause the pool's quarry to interrupt its feeding, to be on the lookout for danger. The mere shadow of your rod thrown across the water as you cast is likely to cause every trout in sight to quit feeding. The fisherman does well to fish with his shadow behind him.

casting artificial lures In the previous chapters I have gone into detail on the types of artificial lures, how to cast them, how they behave. As you will recall, there are only three types of lures: the surface bait; the subsurface type which floats until you begin the retrieve, then dives and wobbles; and the underwater. It's wise to have at least two types in your tackle box. For surface lures, select one with a concave head; it will make a loud gurgle when the line is jerked. Select another with a smaller indentation in the head, or none at all. For diving and wobbling lures, a light-colored one and a dark-colored one should suffice. The same color scheme holds true for the underwater types. A spinner and spoon will round out a beginner's tackle box. The weight of lure and sizes of hooks, of course, will be determined by the action of your rod and the species of fish you're after. Your local tackle dealer can advise you on this as well as to what design is most popular in the area you plan to fish.

The way the lures are fished is just as important as their selection. Try varying your retrieving speeds and tech­niques. As a general rule, bass prefer a slow retrieve; pike and pickerel, an erratic, jerky retrieve; and muskie a fast-moving lure. When casting a surface lure to a likely spot, let it lie motionless for about ten seconds, then twitch it gently; pause again; give another twitch; and so on three or four times. If nothing happens, then reel in; but when the lure is halfway to the boat let it pause for a second before giving it another twitch. A fish may have followed the lure. The long pause and twitch is likely to prove too much for his curiosity. With surface lures equipped with spinners or flap tails, a very slow retrieve—so slow that you can distinguish the individual blades of the spinner as they turn over—is often desirable. With diving and wob­bling lures, the same general rule should be followed, and this applies to the underwater minnows as well. Occasion­ally jerk the rod sharply to give the lure a darting motion.

As stated in Chapter 2 one of the newer lures developed for bass fishing is the hair or feathered jig. One of the most popular methods of using it is to bump it along the bottom. To do this from a boat, begin by casting the weighted lure to the water's edge and let the lure sink while slowly tightening the line. When the line is tight, lift the rod tip slightly, pulling the luge off its resting place. But don't reel it in; let it sink again. Take a slow turn on the reel crank to move the lure gently, letting it bounce on the bottom. Keep your line tight to maintain contact at all times. Work the lure along the bottom until it is under the boat. Then reel in the cast again. If you feel anything touch the lure while bumping it along the bottom, hold it there, then strike and set the hook hard.

When fish are feeding, the best method of presenting your lure is to cast from a boat to the shore or to weed beds, then retrieve toward the boat. Try to hit the very edge of the area and let the lure lie quietly for a few sec­onds, then move it a few inches of line, and let it lie again. Do this several times before retrieving for the next cast. When you are using a lure for bass, occasionally cast it onto a lily pad; then ease it into the open water. Re­gardless of the method you are using, cover the area thor­oughly, spacing each cast a few feet to the right or left of the previous one. During midday when the fish are resting you will work a little harder to get results. Cast into open pockets in the weeds, to logs, deep holes near rocks, or under bushes. Sometimes it requires several casts to arouse a resting bass to the striking point. Special lures have been designed for fishing weedy spots. The weedless spoon and the plug with weedless treble hooks are best for such locations. With these there's less chance of getting fouled on vegetation.
For all boat fishing the overhead cast is considered best. Few anglers can feel safe in a boat with a side-caster; he has little notion of where his lure will end on the backswing and less notion of where it will land in the water. Remember that the fisherman in the bow of the boat naturally has the choice of water, and he should place his casts so as to leave good fishing pockets for his com­panion. Positions should be changed now and then so that each will have his share of fishing from the bow.

casting ultra-light lures In Chapter 2 I stated that there has been a tendency in recent years toward lighter lures. The popularity of spinning gear has added impetus to this trend. Ultra-light lures, which are cast with balanced ultra-light action spinning outfits, weigh Qto ¼ ounce, with the majority ranging from !.!) to 8 ounce. They look much like ordinary artificials, except that they are much smaller and lighter.

Ultra-light spinning tackle is designed primarily for sport with the small fish of the larger species. In reality, that covers a lot of territory. Spin-fishermen have taken white marlin of the 100-pound class on 10-pound test line with spinning tackle, so you can see that the ultra-light when properly set up will take say on a 2-pound test line, a wide range—bass of 10 pounds, shad of 4 and 5, and snook, school tarpon, trout, pickerel, and pike of 3 pounds and up.

Casting control in ultra-light casting, as in ordinary opened-face spinning, is achieved by fingering the line as it slips from the reel spool. Become familiar with the rod's action, and the balance of lure weight to line diameter. One mistake many anglers make when first using ultra-light tackle is in using lures that are too heavy, and throwing too far without accuracy. It's necessary to get used to cast­ing without the usual feel of weight at the rod tip, and without being able to see line and lure throughout the cast. The ultra-light fan, using properly matched spinning gear, loses a few yards of range, but long casts are seldom necessary. As in all types of casting, always settle for ac­curacy, and that fish-catching magic called lure presentation.

casting flies The best way of presenting flies to fish is with a fly-casting outfit and the techniques are thoroughly covered in Chapter 5. In recent years, however, many fishermen have begun using a bubble to cast flies with spinning equipment (see page 113). Whatever method you use to shoot the fly out on the water, the method of pre­senting it to the fish is generally the same.

In fly fishing the essential thing to remember is to select flies that resemble as far as possible the natural fly found on the stream. Observe the flies on the bushes which over­hang the stream and the flies floating on the water, and match them as closely as possible. Your chance of a catch will increase considerably.

Here's a fisherman's trick: Slit open the belly of the day's first trout and empty his stomach. If the contents are too mixed for you to distinguish any one fly, dump them into a pocket of calm, shallow water. The last flies the fish ate will still be undigested, and will float to the surface. Tie on an artificial fly that closely resembles them.

While there are hundreds of patterns of flies, it is some­times difficult to match the natural with the imitation. There is a rule—a fact of nature—that may help a little. Virtually all of the natural flies in evidence at the beginning of the trout season are dark in color. As the season progresses, they are joined by insects of lighter colors. By the end of the season, there are also insects of the very lightest colors. Therefore, you're on fairly safe ground if at the beginning of the season you use flies that are dark brown, gray, blue, or even black; at midseason, tan and bronze-blue; and at the end of the season, in addition to all of these, flies in light ginger, cream, light badger, and even white. This is of course the broadest sort of generalization. But some such rule is needed as a guide at times when there are no natural insects in evidence to give you a guide to the best patterns.

Not only is the fly-fisherman faced with the problem of selecting the proper pattern and color, he also must choose the correct type. This can often be the most baffling problem of all. I can only give you the following generalization; the specifics will come with experience. Wet flies are best when the trout are not rising, when the water is cold or riled up as it is in the spring or right after a heavy rain. When trout break the water's surface, but there are no insects on it, they are probably feeding on nymphs. An artificial nymph, at this time, is the best bet to use. As a rule, fish dry flies when the trout are taking floating insects.

As to the hook size to use, never go over the No. 8 fly for average trout, while the No. 10 and No. 12 are by far the most desirable. It is my opinion that if more of the No. 12 were used in average trout fishing, catches would be far better. In fishing the superlatively clear mountain pools in the high altitudes of the West, the No. 14 to No. 20 midget flies are employed with a great deal of success. It's hardly ever necessary to use more than two flies on a leader, and in clear waters one is best.

With wet flies and nymphs, a drifting technique similar to that used when trout fishing with natural bait can be used. In other words, you cast across the stream at almost a right angle (called quartering), dropping well above the target. Once the fly is in the current, tighten up on the line and permit the fly to swing down to the feeding area in a long arc. The current does the work.

The variation of this method is to cast as before, and as the fly starts drifting, follow its progress with your rod tip, releasing more line or retrieving line to prevent any drag due to the variations in the current. It's best at all times to have your line just short of the point where the fly makes a dart across the current.

Another way of fishing flies that is usually effective in extremely clear water is to cast upstream and slightly across the current, allowing the fly to sink and drift back to you. There are several advantages in casting upstream that the wet fly shares with the dry and live bait. Fish always lie facing the current, and you can therefore approach them closely from behind. Your fly also drifts more naturally and swims deeper. Further, the slack in your leader is less objectionable to drag-conscious fish. As the fly drifts, re­trieve the slack line. Trout will often dart out from under a log or a rock to snatch the deep-sunk fly as it passes their lair.

In working the wet fly, one should experiment to find the depth which will bring the best results. The following method will cover all levels. Let the fly go right to the bottom; then jerk the rod tip upward a short distance. Re­trieve a foot or so of line, then go through the same spas­modic jerking. Follow through with this repeated action until the line has been taken up and is ready for another cast. As with other retrieving operations, the angler should try faster and slower motions until the successful method is found.

Many wet-fly fishermen are now using weighted types during the early spring when the trout are bottom feeding. The casting techniques are the same as for the standard wet fly, but the added weight tends to keep your line straight, in a direct line between your rod tip and the fish. This enables you to react more quickly to a strike. This type of fishing allows you to search out the bottoms of pockets and eddies, which would otherwise be impossible to fish properly with anything but live bait.

The strike of a trout with a weighted fly which is near the bottom of a stream is ordinarily quite different from that of the same fish taking a wet fly closer to the surface. It usually feels as if your line has become snagged on some underwater obstruction. Trout seem to take food very slowly and deliberately when the water temperature is below normal; as a result pronounced strikes are not the rule. However, it's surprising how many trout are hooked dur­ing a day of weighted-fly fishing. They apparently take a weighted fly much deeper than they would ordinarily. I have noticed that many trout caught on such flies are hooked farther back in the mouth than trout caught on other flies.

Fishing with streamers is in many respects the same as fishing with wet flies. Most streamer-fishermen use the customary cast for quartering and allow the line to swing with the current until it is directly below them. Some start the retrieve from this point, but others feed out line to allow the fly to go farther down before beginning to bring it back. The streamer may be retrieved in any of several ways, and you should try different ones until you hit on the one that is most effective at the time you are fishing. An important thing to remember is that experienced and suc­cessful streamer-fishermen rarely, if ever, let the lure stand still. It should be moving at all times, either with the cur­rent or, on its way back.

Streamers and bass wet flies used with a fly-casting rod mean exciting sport. However, in fly fishing for bass, bear this in mind: Always drop the fly right where you think the fish lies; he won't go far after it. Get the bait into motion as soon as it hits the water, and retrieve it in a series of short jerks. With rare exceptions, a fly sinking in water without motion is as effective as a dead leaf. Don't forget the oldest of the fisherman's maxims: A short cast, well placed, is worth ten long ones in the general direction of the place where the fish lies.

When you are bass fishing, try using dark-colored flies in the daytime. For evening fishing and on dull days, light-colored flies are generally rated the best—white or yellow are the most effective—though pure black flies have often been known to take bass after dark. On cloudy days, black-and-brown flies with a touch of red are the ones most often used successfully.

Most beginners look upon dry-fly fishing as the most difficult to master; they think that only anglers of particular skill can hope to accomplish its fine points. Nothing is more untrue. In fact, in some ways, it is easier to master dry-fly fishing than wet-fly fishing. True, it is necessary to take care in placing the fly, in floating it in as natural a manner as possible, but once these techniques have been acquired, the difficult becomes easy.

It is almost imperative that dry flies be fished against the current or upstream. The reason for this is that you'll be out of sight of the fish, and both the fly and line can float back toward you with a minimum of drag. A good cast is one that's made almost straight, up and across the stream, aimed so that the fly will drift by the fish. If you will use this approach, the fish will have little chance to be frightened by the leader before seeing the fly.

The trick in dry-fly fishing, of course, is to approximate the real thing. You must be able to control the fly so that it lands lightly, stays upright, and floats naturally without being pulled under by the current drag on the line. To accomplish this, pull back slightly with the rod just at the instant the cast falls from the air and the fly is about to touch the water. This will stop the fly in the air so it will not drop to the water on a tight leader. To keep the fly drifting naturally, release extra line which will allow suffi­cient slack to avoid drag setting in and spoiling the ef­fort. As the cast drifts down, retrieve the slack, being careful not to move the end of the line itself where it joins the leader. If the end moves it will cause a surface dis­turbance and may frighten the fish. You must keep a con­stant watch on the line since varying current speeds within a pool or a run continually affect the line as it drifts, pull­ing on the fly.

An important point to remember in fishing fast water with a dry fly is that the cast made straight upstream will usually pay off with a much better float than a cast made to the side, where the current will grab the line and pull the fly sideways almost as soon as it hits the water. Fast water also calls for a short line. It's needed to keep con­trol so that you will be able to pick up the line neatly for the next cast, and for quick striking. But you must have line ready to release to keep your fly on a drag-free float. This short-cast and short-line fishing is tricky, but it pays off in heavy water.

If you don't get a trout on your first try, the pick-up for the next cast must be accomplished quietly and skill­fully. If the line is yanked roughly off the surface, it's bound to scare any nearby trout. Often a fish will be fol­lowing right under your fly and a sloppy pick-up will generally chase him away. So the line should be retrieved gently and picked up with a minimum of commotion.

A poor rod position as the fly floats down toward you can ruin its action. When the fly is floating downstream, the rod tip should be pointed right at the fly, and the rod held low. A high rod tip allows slack and permits drag to occur quickly. Furthermore, it's almost impossible to strike with a high rod tip. If a fish were to strike when the tip is high, he could snap the rod tip. The rod should prop­erly be held horizontal to the surface and pointed at the fly. From this position you are always ready for a strike or to pick up for the next cast.

As I have said, a fly rod can be used to cast bass bugs or poppers. As a rule, casting a bug or a popper calls for a much slower motion than laying out a fly. This means you must regulate your timing to the slower movement of the heavier lure as it whips through the air. But in all other respects, these lures are handled in the same manner as that used for casting dry flies.

The use of the plastic bubble makes the spinning rod perform most of the tricks of the fly rod including dry fly, streamer, nymph, and similar light lures. Before using the bubble, you must fill it through a tiny hole with water or mineral oil. To do this job, use an eye-dropper. Most anglers prefer using mineral oil because it doesn't evaporate. It's a good idea to make up a set of variously weighted bubbles at home to have them ready for the various casting conditions you will meet. For example, when you are casting into the wind, you'll want a fairly heavy one; when the wind is behind you, a light one may be better; and there are times when you will want one more than half full so that it will sink. In some instances, you may even

THREE METHODS OF RIGGING PLASTIC BUBBLES

need to add one to three BB shots when you are working a swift stream. Since the stopper used to close the hole in the bubble has a nasty habit of working free and popping out while casting, seal it with a coat or two of fingernail polish.

For dry-fly angling and near-surface wet-fly and nymph fishing, attach the bubble to the end of your regular spin­ning line. Now add a length of lighter line to the bubble, about 3 or 4 feet long. Attach a single dropper about in the middle for one fly; add the second fly to the end of the line. Actually, you tie one, two, three, or more on short leaders spaced at appropriate distances ahead of the bubble. With normal ease of casting the combination won't tangle on the cast or during the float. The use of more than one fly will help determine quickly the correct fly patterns the fish are taking. Quite often experienced spin-fishermen use a dry fly on the dropper and a wet or hatch­ing nymph pattern on the end, particularly during the spring hatching season. When you cast this kind of rig, use the side cast rather than the conventional overhead cast since you need to have the flies and the bubble out beyond the tip of your rod. Don't snap the cast, but gently swing it out over the water in one continuous motion. If the sweep isn't slow, the rig will twist and tangle. If greater distance is required or you are fighting a breeze, fill the ball with enough water or mineral oil to weigh it suffi­ciently, but not enough to make it sink out of sight.

TROLLING

Trolling offers its own brand of fishing fun; it presents a real challenge to the sportsman's angling abilities. Al­though some angling purists are inclined to place trolling in a category with still fishing, in some areas and at certain times it is the only effective way to end the day with a well-filled stringer. More and more, anglers are finding that trolling is one of the most consistently successful methods of landing the big ones.

In trolling, a boat must be used, but the kind depends on what is available and on the nature of the water to be fished. Be sure that it is big enough and sturdy enough to meet any situations you may encounter. It should be ade­quately powered but not overpowered, and it should never be overcrowded. When you are operating the boat, be sure you are careful to avoid heading for another boat, and that your course won't take you too close to swimmers, docking areas, obstructions, or across the line of other anglers.

trolling tackle Probably more people do fresh-water trolling with standard bait-casting outfits than with anything else. The modern glass fiber rod is well adapted to this work, as it will not take a set and, unless badly misused, will not break. The standard bait-casting reel, if loaded to capacity with bait-casting line, is adequate for anything but deep trolling. It is true that you have to hold the handles of your reel or keep a finger on the spool to prevent the line from running, but this is a minor inconvenience.

As in other forms of fishing, small, light lures require light tackle. Medium-size lures call for medium tackle, and heavy lures for heavy tackle. Medium and medium-heavy action spinning outfits can also be used for most freshwater trolling. Heavy fly tackle can also be used in trolling for landlocked salmon and large rainbow and brook trout.

Choosing the right lure is very important when fishing any considerable distance under the surface. You can use dif­ferent weights and sizes of the same lure to reach different depths, including bumping the bottom, or you can use an assortment of different designs in various weights.

Spoons of the wobbling and darting types are excellent for trolling. Some may be trolled at both slow to high speeds and maintain the desired performance. Others work in a more limited range. You must fish them at a speed best adapted to their action. One can learn these things only through experience with specific lures. There's no cut-and-dried formula to follow.

The larger spinners and spoons are often used for mus-kies, pike, and lake trout. Here I prefer a spoon that wobbles or darts to one that spins in the water. The spinners may catch as many fish, but I find them too tiring to troll. I'd rather use a lure that throbs and gives notice that it's working correctly, but doesn't put up much resistance. Spinners pull harder in relation to their size than spoons, and big, round-bladed spinners are an effort to use on light tackle.

Spinners have a tendency to twist a line, so when you are trolling with them, it is usually advisable to add extra swivels. Some spinners twist a line so badly that a rudder-shaped sinker or a plastic keel placed ahead of them will save you from much grief.

Once a line gets badly tangled, it is such a chore to un­tangle it that one is tempted to throw the line away. If a line is twisted but not tangled, take off the line-twisting lure and let the line out carefully behind a fast-moving boat or feed it into a fast current until it unwinds. If the line is tangled and knotted, you need patience, good eyes, and imagination to straighten it. A new line may be the best solution.

Some plugs make fine trolling lures; often they prove better than other artificials. For ease in handling, the plug should come through the water without offering too much resistance and at the same time show good action. Under most conditions the deep-running type is most useful, but there are times when surface plugs work well also. When trolling on the surface, use a very long line—100 to 150 feet. Go very slowly, occasionally giving the lure a series of short, fast jerks so that it pops or otherwise makes a disturbance. Then release the line to let it drift back until it is taut, at which time the jerks should be repeated. Sur­face-minded fish often respond quite favorably to this trolling technique.

In some areas, only live bait is used by trollers—frogs, minnows, shiners, crickets, hellgrammites, and even worms. Fly-fishermen who vary their routine by trolling occasion­ally find that a highly effective combination is a weighted bucktail, streamer, or a small black or white fly, with a bit of pork rind impaled on the hook. Small spoons and spinners worked with a fly rod are also very effective.

What is the best type of trolling line? I prefer to use monofilament with reels to withstand the pressure built up by this type. However, there are many experienced anglers who support the braided ones. Both will do a good job if there is a minimum of stretch, if they let the lure sink without having too much belly. Wire or metal-core lines are good for heavy-duty trolling in deep water.

trolling techniques The beginning troller is often un­certain about the proper speed to use. Experimentation is often the best idea. Some fish like a fast lure, others a slow one. And on some days they want them faster or slower than on others. If you fail to strike at one speed, try varying it. When you nit the taking speed, hold it.

There are certain restrictions on using an outboard for trolling in some areas. Here trollers must use oars or paddles—a back-breaking job, to say the least. However, even if you are willing to ignore the physical effort, it is my opinion that the outboard makes trolling far more pro­ductive. Certainly you can cover more water, maneuver your boat more effectively and fish with greater freedom in different depths of water.

When you are using an outboard motor for trolling, tune it so that it will run smoothly at low speed. Continuous operation at this speed tends to clog spark plugs with carbon deposits. A simple periodic cleaning will save you from motor trouble on the water. To be doubly safe, always carry at least one spare plug in your boat. If your plug shows signs of excessive fouling, ask your dealer for a "hotter" spark type. Cutting down on the ratio of oil to gasoline will also help to prevent fouling.

How deep to troll is another question. Obviously, you must fish where the fish are likely to be. In the summer, lake trout stick to the deep holes where the water is cold; northerns are to be found near the surface along the edges of weed beds, snags, and reefs. Generally, bass will be near land, where the level they are frequenting touches a reef or the sloping sides of the lake bottom. Landlocked salmon will be where the bait fish are, whether it is near the lake bottom or in open water.

Always avoid weeds or moss on your lure since such en­cumbrances will frighten the quarry and spoil the lure's action. When you are trolling near the bottom, you should reel in and check to see that the hooks are free of weeds each time there is a tug on your line.

When fish are in 25 feet of water or deeper it's often difficult to get the lure down near the bottom. The only answer is to put extra weight on your line. Attach a heavy sinker about 18 inches from the end of your line by means of a triangle swivel. The sinker will carry your line to the bottom, but the lure will ride about a foot higher—enough to clear most sunken logs, weeds, and other underwater obstructions, but deep enough to entice the big ones out of hiding.

Another trolling rig that is often effective is a combina­tion of a deep-running plug and a minnow. The plug, hitched to the line on one corner of a triangle swivel, car­ries the minnow and spinner into deep water. The minnow and spinner, attached to the third corner of the swivel, fishes the middle depths while the plug combs the bottom. Remember that in trolling you'll be passing over both deep and shallow water. To take advantage of both situations, keep two fishing rigs working—one that is deep-running for open areas and one for use in shallow bays, inlets and coves. A rod holder attached to the boat is an extra you will find useful. But be sure that the holder is placed where you can reach it quickly.

When two fishermen are trolling from the same boat, it's wise to start with two totally different types of lures and

POPULAR TROLLING RIGS

DIPSEY SINKERS-

troll the two lines at different lengths—75 to 100 feet on one, 125 to 150 on the other. This way you'll explore most of the possibilities more quickly. Once you find where the fish are hiding and what they prefer in lures, both rigs can be fished accordingly. Remember, too, not to turn your boat in too tight an arc when two lines are being trolled. Make a big, broad sweep to avoid fouling the lines or having to reel them in.

When you are using a motor, it is best to shut it off the instant a fish is hooked. When rowing, you'll automatically drop the oars when a fish hits. If you're handling the boat and your companion hooks a fish, shut off the motor or drop the oars and reel in your own line to avoid a tangle.

One of the big advantages of trolling is the amount of territory you can cover. You can work the shoals, edges of weed beds, the shoreline, and the deeper waters. Troll sys­tematically. That is, gradually cover all the fishing areas with lures that suit their depths.

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