- Change Speeds - This is critical to determine the mood of the fish on any given day. I will start with a faster retrieve or more aggressive snaps of the rod tip. I'll usually give a retrieve about 20 minutes and if there's no interest then I'll change to a more subtle action all the way down to a very slow retrieve. Sometimes just barely moving the lure along the bottom. The main point here is to not get locked in on one retrieve style. Use short twitches, hard twitches, work quick and try to see how slow you can work it. Change up until you find out what the fish want, there is NO wrong way and every day is different.
- Focus on Casting - Practice casting your lures as close to the structure as you can without hitting it. If it's docks, you MUST learn to skip or cast your lures under the dock or mangroves. The biggest fish will usually be hanging in the shadows waiting for an easy meal to drop in their face. If you're two feet from them, they won't chase it and you're left thinking there are no fish there or they just aren't biting, when it's your presentation that's the problem. Learn to do this and you WILL catch many more fish!
- Lure Size - "Do I use an Unfair Lures Mullet 70? 90? 120?" "Should I throw the Monster 3X 3 1/2" or 4 3/4" X-Move Shrimp? What about the 2 3/4" Slimshad?" Options for anglers can be overwhelming to say the least. If you know what size bait the fish are feeding on this will help your decision tremendously. Winter though late Spring (here in Florida) we will tend to use smaller lures and during Summer through Fall, when the water is warm and the fish's metabolism is high, we like bigger lures to target the big fish looking for the biggest meal they can get! Having said that, we will downsize if we find them being spooky or not feeding heavily.
- Be Decisive - All the tips in the world are not going to help if you don't master this one. Pick a lure and presentation and commit to it, don't second guess yourself. If you think you should change lures, then DO IT! If you think you should change spots, DO IT! I first heard Kevin VanDam talk about this and it has been one of the best tips I have ever heard. His theory is that if you are thinking about other lures or spots then you are not focusing on the lure you're using or the spot you're fishing!
David Jouppi
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