Freshwater Fishing Tips

In general, the avid angler is always on the hunt for freshwater fishing tips. Any new information can help give a fisherman the added advantage necessary to get fish in the boat. And while trial and error does produce limited success over a long enough time span, useful knowledge does a lot to catalyze the process and make the learning curve smaller. Here are a few freshwater fishing tips that should make you more effective on the water.

1. Find a comfortable setup and fishing method. This is especially true for those targeting bass, but all freshwater fishermen should heed the principle. Whether it’s a spincast, spinning, or baitcasting reel, try to use one of them more prominently than others, depending on the situation you’re in. You’ve heard the old saying “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Well, in freshwater fishing, it’s sometimes better to be a “master” of one specific type of fishing than “jack” of them all.
2. Learn the best all around baits. This freshwater fishing tip applies to every fisherman out there. In North America, just about every common game fish has some sort of overlap with other species in their diet. Take advantage of this overlap in your bait selection. Just about all fish snack on worms and other smaller fish. So, when you’re fishing with artificial lures, use plastic worms, crankbaits, and spoons when in doubt or in unfamiliar territory.
3. Give your tackle and equipment regular maintenance. Every year, countless freshwater fish are lost because of decrepit old rods and rusty, dull hooks. Too many anglers stock their tackle box and equipment rack too infrequently. If you want to optimize your chance of landing a hooked freshwater fish, you’ve got to keep up with the tools you need to do the task.
4. If you’re not sure how to fish a given lure or area, slow it down. While so called “power fishing” is a common tactic in freshwater fishing, it often only works well only when you know exactly where the fish are holding. The best way to tackle an unfamiliar area with success is to fan cast (space casts out to all areas around you in a fan shape) and slow down the presentation. Burning a spinnerait, soft plastic, or spoon by fish a moderate distance away won’t get you anywhere.
5. Always fish by a structure. Whether you’re fishing for crappie, bass, catfish, or walleye, always stick to this freshwater fishing tip. Fish, in general, tend to hold close to submerged structure. It can be timber, docks, or even deformations in the bottom of the lake. In any case, fishing near something is almost always better than randomly casting into open water.