This week, Wesley Strader discusses dock patterns, how to target larger fish and the general health of Florida fisheries after the hurricane.
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Q & A with WESLEY STRADER
Q: Just the other day I pulled up on a spot where the largemouth were chasing baitfish and busting them on the surface. The problem was, no matter what I threw at them, they wouldn't touch anything. I threw top-water plugs, jerkbaits, soft plastic jerkbaits, spinner baits, crankbaits, swimming jigs and everything else I had. After two hours, I just gave up on them and left. By the way, the only thing the fish were chasing at the time was threadfin shad about 1 inch long. In the end, I guessed that because the bait was so small and the fish were so zeroed in on that size of bait that nothing else was going to work. This has happened to me once before. Has this ever happened to you? If so, what are some of the different tactics you tried? Thanks.
- Derek Schlotterback, Simpsonville, S.C.
A: A lot of times fish really get keyed on a certain type of bait and it’s hard to get them to eat something artificial. Here is what I do in this situation – try to go the exact opposite way with your lure choice. For example, if the bass are feeding on threadfin shad, try throwing a double chartreuse bladed spinner bait. Or you could try an oversized lure such as a large crankbait. If that doesn’t work, you can even try throwing a finesse worm. Make sure to explore every angle. However, if you can see exactly what the bait looks like, try throwing some type of swim bait that matches the size, shape and color of the actual forage. If that doesn't work, you might just be in a situation where it is almost impossible to catch those fish. Try not to get discouraged because it happens to the best of us.
Q: Some of the nicest fish that I have caught have been when fishing docks. So why isn't a dock pattern used more by the pros? Thanks.
- Chris Chinn, St Paul, Minn.
A: These type of patterns really depend on the type of tournament lake we’re fishing as there may not be a lot of docks on that particular body of water, if any at all. A dock pattern seems to work best if the main source of cover is docks. It’s also hard to put together a four-day pattern fishing only docks. The reason is that a lot of times you simply run out of fish. The time of year also plays a big roll in dock fishing. Personally, I like to fish docks during the late spring, summer, and fall months.
Q: I recently fished a two-day club tournament on Lake Erie. Because the weather was bad, we were forced to fish the bays. Although I caught a lot of fish, the real problem was that none of them qualified for the 14-inch limit. It seemed as if all the small fish had schooled together that day. So, what do you do when you run in to this situation? Do you leave, or stay and hope you weed out the little ones in hopes of catching bigger fish. Thanks for the help.
- John Terry , Perrysville, Ohio
A: Usually when I fish the Great Lakes or that type of water, I will take one or two days looking for a backup pattern just for the reason you mentioned above. One of the things that really gets overlooked on the Great Lakes is that they tend to be great largemouth fisheries as well. If you’re having trouble netting large fish, put down the light line and break out your flipping stick. Just treat each bay like an individual lake and look for feeder creeks, canals and docks. Then try using larger baits to catch the larger fish.
Q: I was going to plan a trip to Florida next February. But I’m worried about the effect that the hurricanes have had on the fishing there. Do you have any suggestions? Or would it be better to plan a trip somewhere else?
- Mike Alger, Moline, Ill.
A: I have been to Florida recently and the lakes are just fine. Things look a bit different but the fishing is fine as well. So, I wouldn't change your plans just because of the hurricanes. However, if you do go to Florida, make sure and take along a Fuji camera so you can take plenty of pictures.
2012 will mark Strader’s 15th season on the FLW Tour. Strader’s seventh-place showing in the 2011 Angler of the Year race was his best showing to date. His lone top-10 tournament finish came at Beaver Lake. He made his 11th Forrest Wood Cup appearance in 2011 and finished in 22nd place. Strader’s sole Tour victory came at Lake Ouachita in 2002.
