This article is not about Sandra Bullock; I’m not sharing!!! This article, however, is a short follow-on discussion about the speed used to present a bait, mostly things we don’t consider as speed.
With crankbaits, the bill of square and coffin bills tends to stick when they contact an object, while round bills tend to slide around or over the object. The square and coffin bills catch then spring out faster than a rounded bill, faster movement, a possible triggering device. Defection off rocky bottoms also gives this type of quick movement.
Hitting an object with a spinnerbait or buzzbait does the same thing; same as popping a bait out of grass. This concept also applies to the erratic action when anglers jerk a jerk bait or similar bait.
A ‘stop and go’ retrieve mimics deflection, which is why very few retrieves’ actions are steady; anglers trigger and catch more bass with an erratic retrieve. One retrieve which works well in the spring and is better slow and steady is the swimming grub, however, even an occasional pause can help with this retrieve.
What I’m trying to get across is speed is a consideration that is more than just bringing the bait back to the angler. How fast the angler works a spook’s walking action reflects side to side speed. Setting a crankbait to run to the right or left generates contact with dock posts on a retrieve and creates a speed change triggering bite. The pause for a Pop-R or other topwater, the depth a buzz bait runs, the blades selected for a spinnerbait to change the depth or flash will all affect the speed of the bait. The size of the line used on a jig or worm slows or increases the sink rate or speeds it up along with what trailer anglers choose.
It’s all about the speed.
Rodney
If you missed the first article please click here “Speed”
