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| How important is the first heartbeat of the cast. When you bait hits the water with a "splash" and you begin to start your presentation.
Is your cast location most important?
Your first twitch or downstroke?
The speed at which you start your bait? |
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| I have always felt that cast location is number one for muskies. Placing the lure as close as possible to the fish just plain makes it more likely the fish will strike. I like to toss past where I think the fish may be, and move the bait through it's supposed 'strike zone'.
Another important factor to me is consistent lure speed, especially with a Spinnerbait or Bucktail. Usually, if I am catching lots of fish and another angler in the boat is not, I can get them to keep the lure up, start it BEFORE it hits the water, keep the speed constant, and BOOM! If anyone out there is casting with the right arm and switching the rod in mid-cast to the left, LEARN to cast with your left hand!! Two things happen--you will be able to get the bait moving before it hits the water--you will not get tired as quickly--those are critical issues during a full day on the water.[:bigsmile:] |
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| I think the initial "splash" of the lure can be important...but here is a little story to consider also:
My dad was fishing with Harvey Brown near Eagle River on Boot Lake around 1972. He threw out his Suick and got a bird's nest. He worked picking the line out and finally got the mess taken care of. The Suick has been sitting on top of the water for approx. 1 minute. When my dad reeled in the slack, the instant the suick moved, a big girl swirl and the fight was on.
Actually, my dad says the fish didn't even fight....swam right to the boat. There it was with the suick cross ways in it's mouth, right beside the boat. As Harvey leaned over to bonk the fish (that's what they did back then I guess), it let go of the suick and swam away. Never had a hook in it. Harvey said, "It was a 49", 50", or 51"..." Needless to say, the liquor store made out that night anyhow.
What does this all mean....heck, I don't know. But it's something that I wanted to share about an ol' timer that passed away not too long ago. |
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| Location in my mind is by far the most important. I saw two fish hit this year as the lure hit the water. I thought it was a joke how fast he said "fish!". If the cast wasnt made to that location, there may not have been a fish caught. |
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| For fishing a weedline, or a specific piece of structure, I think cast placement is important. Like Steve said, casting past where you think the fish is and bringing it past him. However, don't assume that all people fish the same structure. For instance, open water or say a river where you are fishing a current break. In open water there isn't a specific target to cast to therefore making the cast placement pretty much irrelevant. Retrieve technique becomes much more important here.
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| Although placement is important and very high on the list, the placement is not going to get the fish unless you give him something to TRIGGER on.
A bucktail cracking the surface and coming back at mach II can be a trigger.
A Spinnerbait fluttering down to start out with, then retrieved can be a trigger.
A Suick poped quickly down and left to hang for a second can be a trigger.
A glide bait going side to side and then quickly stopping and left to hang for a second in the pocket is a trigger.
A topwater bait bumping the structure can trigger.
Without the correct presentation on impact and the first two feet of the retrieve the placement can be just that...placement.
I have fished with guys that will continue to pitch at structure, right side, left side and all over.. Bryan Schaeffer is one that does this the best I have seen. He will pitch the bait in, give it two quick presentations and stop. I have seen him pitch 5 times at a stump and eventually his presentation pays off with a strike.
My $0.02 |
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| Hey Worrall....ever get a fish to eat a jig on impact? |
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| sometimes 1 cast some times 20 casts in one spot sometimes fish sometimes no fish,the question cant be anseared right cause of to many influences. |
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| E,
What influences....is not your first presentation important. Please explain?
[:)] Good discusion! |
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| I can help answer the bite on the jig impact. Not very many strikes on the landing........but many, many fish on that initial drop. Muskies like that falling bait just as much as other spieces.[:bigsmile:] |
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