Ten seconds to catch bass, worth it? Many bass anglers do not utilize the concept of specific conversation enough when fishing. Do bass anglers give any thought to how much can be said in 10 seconds? Probably not, but from the fishing perspective, a 10-second conversation could be the most valuable thing on the boat during a tournament. Quick, crisp exchanges between partners or between the captain and co-angler could mean the difference between capitalizing or missing out on the opportunity to catch the next bass.
Ten Seconds To Catch Bass Sonar Information
Most boats are set up with two sonar units, one on the console and one up front on the trolling motor. Multiple units give both anglers the opportunity to see maps, bottom structure, cover, and fish activity. Since all of us look at these sonar units and take away information from them differently, it’s important for anglers to share what they’re seeing. As one angler focuses on contours and structure, the other might focus on fish activity. “Hey, there’s a small pod of baitfish holding just off the channel edge,” the guy up front says. “Yep, and there’s a small submerged point on the ledge right there with a couple of fish on it.” It takes about 6-7 seconds to say each of these two statements. A 12-14 second exchange just helped two anglers figure out, bait and bass, might be holding on special places along channel ledges. Not earth-shattering by any means, as bass will always travel along channel ledges. However, in this case, the two anglers were able to discern, during a quick conversation, what exactly they need to look for to solidify their observations as a pattern.
Ten Seconds To Catch Bass Baits and Presentations
This kind of exchange could also be critical to lure choice and presentation. Both anglers might be throwing the same soft plastic creature bait. One is getting bites while the other is struggling. “Try dragging it instead of hopping it,” one says to the other in an attempt to help dial him in. “I saw the line jump a little on my last bite, but didn’t feel anything. Just saw the line move,” helps the struggling angler understand the bite isn’t very aggressive. Maybe it’s something a little more obvious on a moving bait bite – “The last fish was on a stump. He nailed the bait as it deflected off.” A 5 or 6-second reminder might help the struggling angler make the necessary adjustments.
Sometimes the exchange is more of a correction or reminder. “Hey, the last three fish came off of wood. We’ve been fishing rock for the past 30 minutes without a bite. Maybe we should go back to wood.” If fishing tidal waters where timing is everything, the reminder might be some like, “We’ve got about 60 minutes before the tide turns. We wanted to be in position at X then, so we need to keep track of time.” A little 5-second nudge can be a game changer.
Finally, every outing is flush with lessons and observations. Many of us keep journals to help us retain these lessons. When updating a journal be sure to include comments from the team or co-angler perspective. Having a quick conversation after an outing helps capture these experiences and will go a long way to helping a team or co-anglers better prepare for the next outing. Reviewing things like lure selection, presentation speed, color choice, structure and cover options, use of electronics and charts, and time spent in specific spots can help a team be more efficient and effective. An open, continuous, critical dialogue can be a powerful enabler to learning – for individuals and teams.
B. Lindamood
