Thursday, April 25, 2024
Michael Acosta
HOOD OUTDOORS
As a licensed professional fishing guide, Michael Acosta shows you how to find them. A Granbury resident of more than 35 years, he has been fishing all of his life, and has been a licensed guide since 1998.
On occasion, fish of all species may not be in a feeding mode as we all know. After a passing cold front, it may take a day or two to stabilize their environment. Maybe they fed the previous night, or you just missed their feeding times. Whatever the case, you may be able to coax a bite on these tougher days by slightly changing your presentation.
One of the methods that can be successful in this situation is to use a smaller presentation. Downsize the presentation whether you are using live or artificial baits. Smaller baits are more easily engulfed by the predators, which should allow for an easier hookset. When the bite is real finicky, live bait may be a good option.
Some fish will bite due to their aggressive nature. Most predator species have this trait at one time or another. For instance, the large mouth on the bed will hit if anything comes close. The striped bass will aggressively attack a bait at times just to kill it, then it may decide to eat it.
If you do fish live bait, you may miss more fish especially when rods are left in the rod holder. There are, however, some little details that can improve your bite to catch ratio when using live bait.
On occasion, as I mentioned above, striped bass and/or sand bass will kill the bait or short strike the live bait and will not get hooked at times. When you inspect the bait, you will typically pull up the bait dead and shredded by the predator. The first rule is to be patient. Wait until the fish actually takes the bait. You may want to leave the reel out of gear and let the fish run for a couple of seconds before trying to set the hook.
Other methods to get finicky fish in the boat is to use light leaders, small hooks and small baits as I alluded to above. Many use fluorocarbon leaders for the added stealth in the presentation. One advantage with fluorocarbon line is that is has virtually no memory and allows for a more natural presentation. The downside of fluorocarbon is that it can get brittle and worn quick. Replace these leaders often and always moisten the knot before you cinch it so as not to stress the knot area. That is your weakest point in the rig.
Many times the fish in this finicky pattern will be easily spooked by most anything, especially when they are shallow. They may be reluctant to hit a bait right at or near the boat. The key here is to get the bait away from the boat. The use of floats/balloons for live bait down lines is effective. Long casts may be appropriate.
Another option I have used is a treble hook on a live bait presentation. If the fish takes the bait, you have a much better chance of a hook-up. I like to run one of the barbs of the treble through the bait’s nose. For a really large shad presentation, I may use a standard hook through the nose and use a treble hook as a stinger. The stinger hook can just hang below the bait or you can attach to the back end of the bait.
Another artificial method that has been deadly in the spring is the use of a slab/spoon. Many times the fish will not be hungry, but they cannot resist the opportunity to attack the movement/flash of the slab/spoon. If you keep working it, eventually they cannot help themselves, hungry or not. Most slabs have treble hooks and when you catch a large percentage of the fish on the outside of the mouth this should clue you in that it was a reactionary bite.
If the fish are not cooperating, you might give some of these methods a try. Better to be out trying than sitting at home wondering.
See you on the water.
HOOD COUNTY
FISHING REPORT
The water cooled down to the low 50s this last weekend, but the warmer weather this past week has temperatures rising. Crappies are being caught on tube jigs and small minnows in the back of creeks especially on those warmer days. White bass have been good on spinners and small rattle traps trolled in the river near Tin Top. Striped bass catches are fair to good on soft plastics and live bait fished from Indian Harbor to Blue Water Shores. Largemouth bass to seven pounds are being caught on soft plastics and spinner baits near creek entrances and in the backs of the creeks on those warmer days. Blue catfish are good to 40-plus pounds on cut shad fished on feeding flats adjacent to channels on the upper ends.
OTHER AREAS
On other reservoirs, Lake Whitney striped bass limits are good near the state park and north of the Katy Bridge. Possum Kingdom Lake blue cats are good to 30 pounds in the river above Costello Island. Striped bass are good to 12 pounds on soft plastics fished near the Peanut Patch to Broadway. Several huge 13-plus pound largemouth have been caught on Possum Kingdom from South D&D to the state park.
michael.acosta@att.net | 254-396-4855
