Beating the Crowds

[TRUMAN BASSER]

Everyday our waters are getting more and more pressure. Anglers are becoming more and more knowledgeable about fishing different conditions and patterns. Anglers are also becoming more versatile and capable of fishing a wide variety of baits with skill. As our lakes become more crowded one must work harder to beat the crowds.

When fishing in an area with other competitors you might try and get a glimpse of what colors they are throwing and what size baits they are using. Say you are fishing back in a creek and you notice that everyone is throwing a white or a chart spinnerbait with some good size blades on it.The best thing you can do sometimes is just give the fish something that they haven't seen before. In this situation you might pick up a black spinnerbait with black blades in order to give the fish a different look. You can also downsize or up size your bait to give the fish a different presentation.

It's also important that you pay close attention to the angle that other fisherman are approaching the cover. They might be making straight casts to the bank instead of paralleling it. It pays off sometime to position your boat differently in order to present your bait at a different angle. You want to try and give the fish something that they haven't seen over and over again. When going down the bank almost everyone I've fished with tries to make their cast as close to the cover as possible. They want to flip their jig right to the stump or the lay down. Sometimes it pays off to make your cast a little out in front or behind the stump. The fish can get conditioned to having the bait dropping right on their head. Don't forget to mix it up.

Downsizing your line is another great way to get a couple more bites than anglers fishing in front of you. Your bait will fall more natural and get a little deeper than those who are using the heavy line. I always try and use the lightest line I can get away with in any situation. It often is the difference in getting one or two more bites a day. That can be the difference in cashing a check or going home empty handed.

One last thing you want to keep in your mind is that a lot of anglers are lazy when it comes to fishing around cover and going the extra mile to get back in some of the thick stuff. They don't want to scratch up their nice boats. The fish a lot of times move back behind docks under cables or back in some of the tightest cover to get away from angling pressure. Those fish don't get as many baits dropped on their heads as the fish on the front of the docks or on the stumps that are within easy casting distance. Success in anything in life is a lot of times dependent on how hard you work. It's the same in fishing. If you can sacrifice a couple of extra scratches to your boat and if your willing to loose a couple more lures you will catch more bass. Keep these ideas in your mind the next time you find yourself fishing in the crowds and I am sure you will see the benefits.