DISCERNING BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS

Discern:

to detect with senses other than vision, the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure

How many times have you started fishing at the cottage or a tournament, in an area that two weeks ago loaded the boat but now seems empty? The best anglers have the ability to discern what has changed as well as how to adapt using the experience and knowledge they have gained in the past. I’ve had the privilege to fish with some of Canada’s top tournament fishermen, over the last four years. I’ve seen them not even return to an area because the weather conditions have changed. The angler that makes the right changes the quickest, and develops a pattern usually are the most successful that day.
While at the cottage last year, I found an area in an 8ft weed bed, outside a small marina. After throwing a spinner bait and vertically fishing a green 3/8 jig and pig, I decided to drag the jig very slowly on the bottom. After three casts I caught a 2lbs large mouth then a couple of 3.5 lbs all in about an hour and half. It was slow, but all the fish came while slow dragging a jig. When I would bump into the stems of the weeds, I would just shake it through till it was clean to get the bites. Though this pattern was working, I missed 3 more quality fish before I realized the jig needed to be sharpened and the weed guard trimmed. The next weekend I went back to that weed bed and tried the jig with no success. After a short while I lost confidence in the jig.

Normally I would have made the mistake of sticking with the same jig for a couple more hours. This time as soon as I lost confidence in it I changed to a 10” black worm. As I would move it along the bottom I would let it sit for a while to get the strikes. The lesson for me was to stick with the pattern until it stops working, and especially when you get that feeling in your gut. The worm was a slight adjustment and worked. Then next morning I went back again and started with the worm. Fifteen minutes later, I got my first bite, this time as the worm was falling. It was a slight tick, and turned out to be the biggest bass of the summer, which was a 5+lbs large mouth.

The skill of detecting a pattern is what separates the men from the boys. All of us can develop our technique. Where we excel is in our mental game. If our minds can comprehend the clues that we are given by eliminating which lures and locations the fish want to strike our baits, we can develop a behavioral pattern for the fish. Another variable to consider is when to realize the pattern has changed. This can last as little as an hour or as long as a day.

With experience this under used skill can even help you predict where the fish will move and how to catch them. My goal for 2006 is to further develop this art and share with you what I learn. The location, the lure, and the presentation all make up the pattern.

Location stayed the same, a weed ledge in 8ft of water; lure changed from a jig to a 10”worm; presentation stayed on the bottom, but changed from a steady dragging, to dragging followed by a long pause. Lure falling to bottom got the biggest fish.

Try to develop a behavioural pattern next time your out, and you just may have your best fishing trip ever. Learning to use discernment to catch fish and make better decisions will make you a more consistent fisherman.