Get
Out and Practice
A
few days of sun and boy do anglers get anxious, but are you ready?
As many have avoided the water the past few weeks maybe taking
some time to practice can help. Pro atheletes are asked often
to make that precise presentation when all the marbles are on
the line. You can bet that being on top of your game, caple of
making that big play is what seperates the pro from the amatuers.
So maybe it’s time to un-cover the pool or get on the lawn
and practice to make your “big play”.
Here’s
why, bass are strongly visual animals as well as sensitive to
vibration. Some feel that because of the amount of brain tissue
they devote to visual stimuli, vision may be their dominant sense.
Estimates of how far bass can see underwater vary. Most vision
experts cite about 50 feet as the maximum. Beyond that distance
all objects disappear into a "blue haze" due to light
absorption and scattering by the water.
Of course,
the size of the visual target makes a big difference. Bass probably
see large prey a lot further off than they see baby minnows.
Let’s
say on the Delta, under the best conditions, bass can see prey
up to 20 feet away. That might not seem like very far to you and
me, but to a 13 to 22 inch bass, that distance could be exhuasting,
especially for feeding. Especially when you factor in predators,
current and cover.
The
bass can’t afford too many of these long excursions, like
you and me the like the drive through not the harder energy zapping
chase and catch. Most of the time, big bass aren’t going
to come from long distances, that’s a big waste, especially
if the siloette is a stick or other object coming down the river,
wasted trip not effeciant for Mr. Bass.
In the River,
Mr.Bass has a pretty narrow strike zone wherein the bass has a
high probability of successfully capturing its prey. No the bass
don’t actually think of it this way, it’s instinctive,
it is merely playing a numbers game. Just like mountian lion who
lays off attacking outside the strike zone, bass play the odds
of positive energy intake by refusing baits that it may not be
able to catch. As with all Gods creatures, through experience,
that outside the strike zone its chances of capturing the prey
fall off rapidly. That is not to say the bass never commits beyond
that distance, or always fails in its efforts, only that the probability
is low.
Something
to remember has a tail which drives them forward, not sideways
or backwards. For that reason, the strike zone is forward most
of the time. In other words, the bass is much more likely to hammer
baits ahead in front of its face than to the sides or behind.
Of
course this zone size also varies according to prey type and,
if the prey is moving, the direction of movement. It’s important
to know, strike zones have a huge effect on your success. Bass
attack lures as they would natural prey. Simply put, if you want
a higher rate of success you have to place your lures within the
strike zone. Beyond the zone your chances drop off dramatically.
Add to the fact that if you can get them there you have to quietly
as not to “spook” the fish. This is why practicing
casting now and throughout the year can pay off, as spring approaches
the keys to success will be clear, accuracy will greatly improve
your odds. How many times have guys like Barrack, Thomas and Sapp
spoke on making the right presentation? Targeting that perfect
pocket, You see with the Delta’s best as with the big pro’s
they are more effective because they target the Strike zone and
hold the bait there for long periods at times. Example watching
Sapp fish is like watching Grass Grow, yet he gets the key bites…Enjoy!
Dan
Mathisen
FishDelta.com
- All Species, All Delta
The
Ultimate Resource For California Delta Fishing
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