If you're already a well seasoned PRO angler that competes in tournaments or derbies and are already catching 30 or 40 bass a day, catching more fish will become a compilation of many, many small details.
BUT, if you're a well seasoned weekend angler with limited time and budgets, catching more fish can be as simple as following a single strategy. Aside from live bait fishing, lets focus on the casting fraternity using mainly hard and artificial lures.
Getting the fish's attention may be the hardest part of your outing. Drawing attention to your lure may come easy at times while there are days that want you to take up golfing...why? I don't know. I always figure that if I'm not catching fish, I can fall down and at least get wet. On the number six fairway I can only eat grass!
Whatever species of fish you're after, it's a fair bet that you can "flash 'em and dance 'em" I say. Flash 'em meaning a lure that gives off plenty of flash! Spinning lures are great. Fish seem to relate to spinners more than any other hard cranking bait. Spinnerbaits, the type used for bass fishing catch walleye, pike, bass, muskie, even panfish. They come in many sizes, shapes and colors.
When initially hitting the waterways, I'll try casting a big bladed spinnerbait preferably a colorado blade, number 6 or 8. Plenty of flash that attracts fish...all fish! Color may be important later but at first I'll use something bright like chartreuse, lime, white or even hot pink. It just so happens that whites and variations of yellows are good colors at all times.
Spoons are great lures that also catch all species of gamefish. Begin with a spoon that may seem a bit oversized for the type of fish you are after. Remember....lots of flash at first!
The hard baits as I call them, are the crank-baits or body baits. Bagleys, Rapalas, Cotton Cordell and Lewis crankbaits catch every species of fish in the water. Start casting with large lures and change as the situations dictate.
"Dance 'em" with speed! The average angler has no idea how fast a fish can swim! If you have a pike, walleye or muskie intent on your lure, you cannot reel in fast enough to keep him away!
Dancing your lures through new unknown waters will create a commotion from below. You will certainly get the fish's attention and even a neutral fish, one that may not be interested in eating even a fat live minnow, will rise to take a look at what is speeding through his watery domain.
"Flash 'em and dance 'em" may be referred to as many other things such as "burning the baits", "blazing wakes", or "rippin". Remember, this is a technique that will assist you in finding fish on any given lake or in any given area. It's a technique used for casting from a boat or from shore.
"Flashin' and Dancin'" may or may not put the fish in the boat for you. Many times it will not but it is the necessary start of the day upon which you will determine how you will catch your days limit of fish. Let me explain.
Many times while I'm rippin' a Bomber through the water, a bass or pike will take a run at it and quickly turn and retreat without even touching the lure. This tells me that there are fish here that I want to catch because I seen them, in the case of pre-fishing for a big dollars tournament, I may even determine whether these fish are big enough to place me in the money. When fun fish though I simply determine their presence.
Because of their initial negative contact I will carry on as I was "Flashin' and Dancin". If another fish rises to the offering without making contact, then it's time to change. At first I will simply slow down my retrieve and maybe even let the lure run bit deeper in the water. Many times, the next response from a fish will be met with a thundering jolt at the end of the line!
If it should happen that I still cannot put a fish on the hook, it's time to start scaling down your offering and even changing to more subtle colors like yellow instead of chartreuse or almond instead of white. Because of my initial action, I know the fish are in the area. I have seen them! The rest is just in determining what exact combination they require to make them strike.
Consider the time factor for changing you lures. If while "Flashin' and Dancin'" for 30 minutes you had a response from 2 fish but did not connect, try slowing down your retrieve and casting for an additional 30 minutes. Under theory if the change in lure speed was a productive change, you should have 2 fish in the boat after half an hour. If not, its time to scale down you lure for 30 minutes and if no fish are in the boat yet it's time to start tinkering with colors for 30 minutes at a time.
Considering that you are still fishing in the same general that you "Flashed and Danced" two fish from and you have gone through the changes unproductively, start "Flashin' and Dancin' 'em" with a different lure group.
