Tidelines Fall 2017

E ven when we're trying to catch the same fish type if fish in the same location at the same time it's amazing how different we fishermen can sometimes be in our tackle and tactics. This diversity among fishermen might be just a matter of personal preferences to do things "this way" rather than "that way" and very often the different approach still has the desired result of catching fish. But many times the differences come not so much by design as by a lack of experience, and along the way anglers sometimes pick up bad habits that just don't go away even after they've made the transition from rank beginner to somewhat experienced fisherman. Mistakes made by anglers are many, but after more than 30-years of running a charter boat and fishing alongside of how-ever-many- thousands of different anglers, I've definitely noticed a few bad habits that frequently seem to pop up among our ranks. One of the most common mistakes I see anglers making is the use of terminal tackle (everything from the end of the line to the hook) that is too big and bulky. Either fish these days are getting smarter, or we've caught all the dummies and only the clever ones are left - whatever the case may be, on the average I'd say that it's more difficult these days to fool a fish into hitting a bait or lure than it was a bunch of years ago. That's why so many anglers are switching to the use of less visible terminal tackle such as fluorocarbon leaders and thin braided lines. Unfortunately, making a stealthy presentation to their quarry is, obviously, not something every fisherman is overly concerned about as there are still a lot of anglers who insist on using much more terminal gear than they need. Perhaps the best example of this is when folks are bottom fishing. Sure there are times when anglers can tie on a big-old wire top-and-bottom rig adorned with two snelled hooks and a pyramid sinker and still catch a seabass or flounder, but all that extra "jewelry" at the end of the line is not only a waste of money, it's also not going to do the angler any favors on the all too common days when the fish are being persnickety. Both offshore and inshore anglers should strive to keep things simple by showing the fish no more terminal tackle than they must to get the job done. And the "job" is simply to put a bait or lure in front of the fish that it will eat and that then will hold up to the struggle until the fish is to

the boat. If wire leader is needed then use as light a wire as possible, if sinkers are needed then use no more weight than necessary, and if some kind of two hook bottom rig is required - then learn how to tie one up using dropper loops and as light a monofilament line as possible. Fishermen spend a lot of money buying pre-made rigs featuring unnecessary beads, crimps, swivels and snaps that they can make themselves using simple leader material they probably already have and end up with a rig that will catch more fish. Anglers will always catch more fish if they KEEP TERMINAL TACKLE LIGHT AND SIMPLE! Speaking of terminal tackle, regardless of what type of fishing they're doing, some anglers will always have a snap swivel tied to the end of their line to which they then snap whatever kind of rig or leader they'll be using. In many cases this practice is 100% necessary as it allows anglers to quickly and easily make changes to what's on the end of their line without having to cut and retie and the swivel is often necessary to prevent line twist. However, swivels themselves can be quite visible to fish, and particularly when anglers are casting lures or jigging - having an ugly inch-long snap swivel bouncing around at the end of the leader and in front of the lure can sometimes prove to be too much for a fish to accept. Anglers will have a better chance for success if they tie their leaders directly to lines and lures straight to their leaders. Another way to avoid swivels is to tie a loop at the end of the line and/or leader and then do a loop-to-loop connection rather then a loop to snap swivel connection. Without a snap at the end of their line anglers no longer need to worry about damaging their rod guides or possibly losing a fish because they cranked in too far and jammed the swivel into the rod tip. ONLY USE SWIVELS WHEN NECESSARY! By the way, when swivels are needed, anglers should opt for a good quality black swivel that is no larger than necessary. Way too often I see anglers with great big shiny gold color swivels tied to the end of their line. I don't wish to hurt anyone's feeling here, but those gold snap swivels are usually the cheapest ones in the tackle shop and only someone who doesn't know what they're doing would consider tying one on the end of their line and having it be a link between them and whatever fish they hope to catch! Unless they are

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