The Spoonpluggers Forum

Spoonpluggers,

What's your on the water approach: do you prefer to cast or to troll? These next two videos will try to answer the question: SHOULD you cast or should you troll?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiW4O0z6yH4

Jim

Jim,
These are some really great videos. They show very well on my big TV. One of the more interesting things on this video was your speed on the cast. Did you try pausing or jerking?

Was going to give you hard time - didn't think they let boats on your pond... But this is too good.
Your edits are smooth. Thanks for doing the work so we can enjoy and learn.

Fran,

Haven't tried the videos on my TV but good to know they're adaptable to the big screen. On this particular occasion, I wasn't pausing or jerking the bait. What the video doesn't show is that on the first cast after throwing the marker, the fish hit the lure on the initial crank. I actually made the cast and it almost hit the marker. So I figured if they want it that bad, I'll just reel away. There was a group of fish here and they were in competition for the bait. No need to finesse them. I've done the pause and jerk on Geneva and it's produced smallmouth and rock bass.

This finger is the contact point. I've noticed that when you anchor and cast to the contact point, they're either there or they're not; and you'll have the answer after just a few casts. Most of the time, they'll hit whatever you throw because they're up and moving. I've taken fish on the contact point with Spoonplugs, blade baits, live bait, etc.; that's why it's so important to map and find that sweet spot.

When you use a trolling motor to check the shallows of a structure, the fish are scattered and a lure that is paused or jerked may trigger a strike. Once located, you can then anchor. Sometimes they want a steady retrieve, fast/slow; sometimes they want the lure hopped/dropped. The thing is, you just have to check it out. Being able to identify productive structure is the key. Mapping allows you to identify these structures and time on the water will confirm if you're interpretation is correct.

The above video is 6 hours long. Many things have to be cut so as to not bore everyone to death. I've just included the highlights, the fish being caught.

Jim

With everything being a smart device/wireless, I have YouTube on my plasma. At 65" the video looks very good. The only way you could make it better is a HiDef camera and that's not nessacary.

I have my system worked out but I haven't been able to use it.