De-Mystifying The Wiggle Wart

[Champ188]

59 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

In hindsight I can say with 100% certainty that following my gut instincts and my totally unfounded hunches has paid off way more than any of the "science" I have ever tried to apply to fishing.  

Wrench said a mouthful right there. Now I'm not about to say a guy shouldn't attempt to learn as much about his prey as he can, but there comes a time when you gotta go with what your gut is telling you.

I remember a Central Pro-Am fall event on Table Rock quite a few years back where I had a decent first day and landed somewhere in the top 10. The second day, the wind died and I figured my best bet was to lay down my blade and go to a jig. I dragged that thing for hours without so much as a bite, and finally just the smallest puff of a breeze started blowing. My gut was screaming get your blade back out, so I did and within 50 minutes (what I had left to fish before having to head back to the weigh-in), I had a small limit and cashed a check.

You're just gonna fish better when you believe in what you're doing. If you're going against your gut, it's an uphill climb.

[Champ188]

13 minutes ago, abkeenan said:

The A-Rig deal forever ruined me giving two rips about fish being able to see the line. Before that I was still cognizant of line size/diameter and color/transparency. Only thing that matters to me now is how the line affects the bait I am using. So line type (mono, co-poly or fluoro) and diameter as it relates to breaking strength, amount of stretch, rate of fall and cranking depth is all I care about these days.

I know our friendship is over () but you might ought to rethink that. We can go shaky head or Ned fishing down on your end of the lake ... me using 4-pound line and you using 8 ... and I will get a LOT more bites and catch a LOT more fish than you. Guaranteed.

[merc1997 Bo]

27 minutes ago, Champ188 said:

I know our friendship is over () but you might ought to rethink that. We can go shaky head or Ned fishing down on your end of the lake ... me using 4-pound line and you using 8 ... and I will get a LOT more bites and catch a LOT more fish than you. Guaranteed.

given that you both use the same weight head, that may or may not be true depending on what the bass are wanting in fall rate and action from the lure.  your line type and diameter directly affects sink rate and action.

bo

[Champ188]

With 4-pound line, I use a 1/8-ounce head 70 percent of the time and a 1/16 the rest of the time (for shaky heads). With the Ned, I use a 1/16 nearly all of the time except when the wind forces me to go up to 1/8.

I agree, rate of fall comes into play sometimes, especially with suspended fish. But the line diameter issue runs deeper than that. I'm convinced of it.

[abkeenan]

45 minutes ago, Quillback said:

Yep, that's my view on it.  But, that being said, no way I'm fishing red line.  Or that bight yellow stuff. 

Hahahaha. Exactly. But, I mean, Wally "Mr. Crappie" Marshall uses yellow line and he is the master of that finicky fish. So again, line color I don't believe matters much, if at all. But yeah....I wouldn't be caught dead using it.

[abkeenan]

40 minutes ago, Champ188 said:

I know our friendship is over () but you might ought to rethink that. We can go shaky head or Ned fishing down on your end of the lake ... me using 4-pound line and you using 8 ... and I will get a LOT more bites and catch a LOT more fish than you. Guaranteed.

I thought I told you to stay upstream River Rat. You come down stream and I'll give you the paddle alright. 

You and I are agreeing in different a round about way. The 4 or 6lb test is going to be better for the small baits due to casting distance and not inhibiting the action of the bait. All I am saying is that I USED to believe the fish would have a better chance of seeing the 8 or 10lb over the 4 or 6lb line and thus spook the fish. I don't believe that to be true anymore after the umbrella rig ordeal.

[Champ188]

13 minutes ago, abkeenan said:

I thought I told you to stay upstream River Rat. You come down stream and I'll give you the paddle alright. 

You and I are agreeing in different a round about way. The 4 or 6lb test is going to be better for the small baits due to casting distance and not inhibiting the action of the bait. All I am saying is that I USED to believe the fish would have a better chance of seeing the 8 or 10lb over the 4 or 6lb line and thus spook the fish. I don't believe that to be true anymore after the umbrella rig ordeal.

I'm still of the opinion that line visibility can be an issue when fishing slow-moving finesse lures in ultra-clear water.

I see the A-rig as a reaction lure. Kinda like a Plopper or even a spinnerbait. It's chugging thru the water clanging and flashing and vibrating and the fish says, WTH???? Then he attacks the dadgum thing for invading his territory.

Conversely, a Ned or shaky head bite is a feeding bite. He sees it, goes over to investigate, may pause a few seconds, and then eats it. I just think there's more chance for line visibility to tip him off that something ain't right. Not that he/she has the mental capacity to know it's fishing line, but I think we all agree that fish often are reluctant to take something that isn't realistic, especially with a slow feeding bite.

[merc1997 Bo]

the a- rig is far from a reaction bite.  there are videos where a camera has been mounted on the line and bass follow that rig a long time before finally deciding to bite.  also, that rig is normally fished at a very slow pace.  so, when a bass follows any lure for 20 to 50 ft., that is hardly a reaction bite.

and the debate still goes one.

bottom line, fish with what got you there right?

bo

[Quillback]

2 hours ago, abkeenan said:

Hahahaha. Exactly. But, I mean, Wally "Mr. Crappie" Marshall uses yellow line and he is the master of that finicky fish. So again, line color I don't believe matters much, if at all. But yeah....I wouldn't be caught dead using it.

I fish once a year with my uncle over at Sardis lake in Mississippi, well except this year.  We troll for crappie using Bandit 300's.  We use his tackle and he has his reels spooled up with that yellow line.  We always catch a good number of nice crappie. 

[Old plug]

4 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

 

The guys that used to consistently kick our butts in tournaments were the furthest thing from scientific.  Hell they didn't even read the fishing magazines, probably because they couldn't READ very well.....and in THIS GAME the inability to read and comprehend benefitted them.    Just something to think about.  But wait, maybe you shouldn't even think about THAT.  Because most of the problem boils down to too much thinking.    

I agree and they are still that way. I know the Hibdons are still that way and I am about sure Brian is  as well. Also as I recall your one of those guys did more than his share kicking butts in those tournaments. Matter of fact I do not know one good fsherman on LOZ who is not that way.