5 things NOT to do when fishing

Five simple things NOT to do when Fishing

This article was written by Fishbrain user, Anthony Williams

There are a million guides out there that will tell you what to do when fishing, but I seldom see any that tell you what not to do. There are many common mistakes people make when fishing. In fact, some anglers don't even what they’ve done wrong. This guide will address a few of those.

#1 - Don't wear bright colors

Many anglers don't consider color outside of lure selection or aren't aware that many gamefish, including Bass, can perceive color as well, if not better than humans can. I can't even count how many times I’ve spooked a fish and attributed it to my rod floaters being bright orange or yellow.

Some of the best colors to wear are ones that match your surroundings, such as camo, muted and dull colors, or even ones that match the sky or the color of the water if you are fishing far enough from shore.

Anglers should avoid bright colors like Chartreuse, Orange, or Pink.

As a side note, there is also a misconception that fish can't see red, or that red line is invisible to them. This is not true.

#2 - Don't make the wrong sounds

Ever heard someone say, "Shh! You will scare away the fish,"? Fish do not have ears. They do, however, have a strip that runs horizontally down the side of their body. This strip is called a lateral line, and it can detect the smallest vibration. They use it primarily to hunt in conditions when the water isn't clear or at night. So the most significant thing you need to watch out for is making lower-pitched noises and vibrations. The lateral lines won't pick up sounds like talking at normal levels, but they can feel you walking on the boat or shore from a reasonable distance away.

#3 - Don't use the wrong line

Many novice anglers mistake the line poundage that they are supposed to be using with the weight of the fish they are targeting. This applies only if you are boat-flipping the fish, if you are lifting it up out of the water, or for any reason hoisting the fish by its own body weight.

This isn't true IN the water because of the buoyancy of the water counteracting gravity. Even if the fish is fighting hard against you, many huge fish are caught on light line. Just be sure to set your drag below the point where the line will break and use a net or otherwise remove the fish from the water without hanging it by the line.

Lighter line is harder for fish to see when using Braid or Mono and puts out less vibration than the bigger stuff does. Light line is especially important when fishing clear water.

#4 - Don't use the wrong rod and reel

I don't know how often I see anglers using giant, medium-heavy rods and reels when panfishing, or using big lures and heavy hooks on a light or an ultra-light setup when fishing for Bass or other big freshwater game.

Remember this rule. The smaller your lure, or, more specifically, your hooks, generally the lighter power your rod should be. This is an oversimplification, but light hooks and line, light rod.

Reel size is also one of those common mistakes. You don't want a reel that is too big for the rod it's attached to either, because this will throw the balance of the rod off and make casting more difficult and less accurate. 

#5 - Don't ignore the local’s advice

This may not be the bit of advice you were expecting. "Don't use the wrong lures" was a contender for #5, but that's such a loaded topic that I figured I'd give a bit of sage advice that many Pro anglers do before a big tournament on new water, but seldom weekend warriors do:

Ask the locals. Simply find the closest Mom and Pop bait shop to where you're fishing and just ask. They have probably been fishing that water for years and know every nook and cranny of every spot there. They often know what works during what time of year and where. They know what fish are biting and where they are. There is no shortage of information to be found from the locals and many anglers could save years worth of time and effort by just simply asking someone who already has.

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