Disecting lure action and qualities that entice strikes

[SenkoSam]

Still recovering from hand and wrist surgery and shouldn't be using the right hand to type, but I just can't help myself! So, I was looking at the many lures I normally love to catch fish on and began to wonder what unique characteristics each had that may push a bass out of its reverie to take notice and trigger aggression. Here are a few thoughts.

Like most optical illusions humans and animals find fascinating, rarely do we know or care what makes them appear uniquely different and unusual to the eye and brain. Bass, according to Keith Jones in Knowing Bass, have the ability to see those differences far better underwater than humans do above water, but because of water clarity and light variations, mostly see the whole illusion taking place when and object is in motion.

The first illusion projected is that of life. What the organism being represented is usually not as important as the fact that the object appears vulnerable, interesting, sometimes daringly obvious and easy to test-bite without consequence (such as being stabbed in the lip and being forced to stay in a small container of water (livewell)).

Motion detection in fish is highly sensitive, visually and physically, and fine tuned 24/7. The eye and body combined allow a fish to see the whole picture humans underwater can not. Here are a few illusions based on lure design:

1. the strobe effect
Stare at a strobe light long enough and ever object illuminated appears to move in a segmental rhythmic motion - almost hypnotic. I believe bass are drawn to those objects even if only to investigate something totally unnatural. The strobe effect is obvious in a large number of lure designs we use: crankbaits, surface plugs, spinnerbait blades, multi-colored sticks, curl tails (like the one shown in LOZ's post on grub colors). Regardless of water quality within five feet of the surface and a bass, the strobe effect gets a fish's attention. When asked by Russ Bassdozer the reason some Senkos were laminated, Gary Y. simply replied, "the stobe effect" or in other words, the fluctuation of colors bass see as the stick rolls back and forth to the bottom. Russ tried to include the natural coloration of prey as a reason, but Gary would not confirm that as being the attraction.

Johnson Silver Minnow Spoons and Hopkin spoons also demonstrate strobe effects.

2. Flap, flutter and flare
Just about everyone I know uses skirted baits such as spinnerbaits and jigs. One of the reasons I think they work as well as they do year round is because of skirt action coupled with other supplementals such as blades and trailers. Skirts flare at rest and pulsate in motion. Some would say that the motion simulates a prey fish, specifically a shad or alewife, but like Gary Y., I simplify the reason to lure design attractors. (Besides the fact that most waters I fish have neither species.)

Curl tails flap and flutter some to a greater, some to a lesser degree. The minnow I pour with its super thin tail flutters with the least amount of action, which I know drives most species absolutely nuts! Sometimes less is best but at times more is better and if you've ever seen the tail action of Ditto's Gator Tail worms, you know what I mean. That thick sickle tail shakes the entire worm all the way to the bottom sending out pressure waves no bass can ignore!

The other action in the same category as flap, is slither. Water snakes slither and most anglers who sees that surface action coming towards them prefer to vacate the area fast! The action is extreme and also rhythmic, but a combination bass are well aware of and feel the need to attack. A straight tail worm attached to Berkley's Blade Dancer has the most slither of any lure I've ever seen and bass attack it with a human-like passion!

3. Zig & zag
Zara Spook anyone? Who hasn't seen the back and forth swish swish of a Spook get clobbered by a pissed off bass? The surface wake and unique commotion are different than that of any topwater bait.
The internal rattle and hook slap may augment the action, but the zig zag action is what seals the deal! To a lesser degree, Rapalas with small lips exhibit the same motion while in motion and shares the characteristic strobe effect of other on/off/on/off lures with alternating sides.

4. Wobble
Wobbling crankbaits come to mind, especially crankbaits with wide lips vs. lipless lures like the Rat L Trap that have a tight flutter. The action is extreme and along with the clacking of hooks and internal ball bearings, sends out the most pressure waves of any lure. Sometimes more is better but less is best which is why narrower lips are more preferred when bass aren't as aggressive and stop & pause retrieves utilize the narrower wobble. The wobbling/strobe effect is also displayed by some spoons, IE Johnson Silver Minnow.


5. Swish swish
Buzz baits and plastic frogs with action legs and feet come to mind and like the commotion made by zig zaggers, splash, bubble and sputter rhythmically. Nothing I known of in the wild does that except maybe a fisherman who can't swim (). A pulsating skirt provides the target area, but the noise and surface wake are a challenge to come and get me!

I'm sure there are others and later I will post photos for you to pick and chose which action category each belongs in.



not done, got to elevate the right hand that was operated on to reduce swelling

[Wizard]

That's the why. Now we need the when and the where.