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panfish lure action , as usual, key

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senkosam View Drop Down
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    Posted: 07 Apr 2016 at 11:44pm
Late last year I discovered by accident a bullet shaped soft plastic grub that caught fish the first
time I cast it. Besides the yellow perch (below) that hit it, 30 more fish of five species were also caught.


For the life of me I couldn't understand the attraction until I lowered the lure into the water and worked it with the rod tip to see how it moved.  It demonstrated two actions: a subtle body-waddle or tail quiver depending on action imparted.

History: Most pan fish lures sold starting with Mr. Twister came with curl tails or shad tails (the boot).


  All of the above tail styles have accounted for millions of fish caught  of most freshwater species, including cat fish and carp. The only other non-action-tail grub made was Johnson's Beetle Spin with its stiff, straight double tails.  Not too many innovations appeared until Bass Assassin and others came out with the rat tail or prong tail design.


This post isn't meant to suggest that any particular tail design is superior to another, but what is it that attracts and provokes fish?  Action-tails speak for themselves: curl tails have a snake-like slither action; shad tails thump and wag the body; prong tails quiver at the slowest retrieve speed. This is not to suggest one action is superior to all others, but that at times one action can be better because of retrieve speeds near zero.

I fished a week after Dec. 25 in water near 40 degrees. Things that must be considered when fishing cold water fish is location and lure speed/action.  Fish still hit a lures, but the strike is usually lighter. In order to get the strike to happen, finesse is key - the more the better.  Included in the list of requirements are thin diameter lines, light jig heads (1/32 oz. or lighter), very slow retrieves and subdued lure action - either by design or angler imparted.

A few year ago I accidentally discovered a tail design that is perfect for slow retrieves - the thin straight tail minnow/grub.



Being wider, the tail exhibits more of a profile than prong tails and also flutters with the least action imparted - especially under a float. And since variety is the spice of fishing, having more of the same type of lure but in different colors and designs, may make a difference.  But before going on, let me make a point about lure tail types: curl and boot tails must be retrieved at a certain speed to make them move; straight prong tails, straight thin wide tails and no-tail grubs will still have action in one location without any forward action.

When fish are finicky, finesse IMO is key. Noisy crankbaits, topwater lures and in-line spinners are out along with rapid retrieves essential for many lure designs. Once fish are found, those lures may be tried, but in order to find fish locations, I must use lures and presentations I have confidence in.  The bullet shaped bait pictured at the beginning is one, a lure segment cut from a plastic worm minus tail is similar yet different:


The design allows for a slight body quiver when rigged on a light jig and angler manipulated on a slow retrieve. Speed of retrieve combined with lure action can make or break an outing if wrong.  The nice thing about either are the choices that will work on any given day, though more limited on some. Even the hybrid lure shown below that I made joining two lure parts with a candle flame, can be outstanding, but I wouldn't cast it in 40 degree water.



Fishing at times is all about nuance - subtle differences taken into account that annoy fish into striking better than other less nuanced lures and presentations.  They work any time of year, not just in cold water and once one fish bites, the others in a school or nearby are sure to follow.

Just a thought before I go out.

 



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