Psychologists call it projection — venting your frustration and/or anger on someone who has little to no connection with the initial agitator.
This applies to the spawn because anglers often strive to rile up a fish with a big, imposing bait and then close the deal with something more subtle. This tactic exists because bed fish can be moody creatures with distinctly different personalities. Some will go on the first pitch, while others test your resolve.
But let’s hit the pause button and consider an inverse premise: Start small, close big. For this notion, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Gerald Swindle makes a solid case.
“I’m the polar opposite; I’m the guy that starts out finessey to fire them up and try to trick the first bite,” Swindle said. “I’ll start small and then go big.”
How he does it
Describing his bed fish strategy, Swindle said: “A lot of times, I’ll start out backwards of other guys. I’ll start out with something small like a drop shot with a Zoom finesse worm or Z-Drop, or a 1/4-ounce VMC shaky head with a Zoom Critter Craw and see how the fish responds.
“If it seems like the fish is super aggressive and he’s going to bite right off the bat, or I finally trigger him, I’ll reach down there and get a bigger rod for the surprise. I’ll work him until I think he’ll bite, and then I’ll switch to something different.”
While the above might seem to emulate a basic bait-and-switch strategy, there is a major difference.
“I usually can make one get closer to biting faster with smaller stuff,” Swindle said. “As soon as he makes a couple of circles, and he starts snapping at it — especially if he’s a big fish — I’ll reach down there and pick up a rod with heavy line, say, 22- to 25-pound Sunline Shooter, a 3/8-ounce VMC weight, a 3/0 flipping hook and Zoom Super Craw or Z-Craw.
“Once the fish is in the mood, I want to be more in control of what I throw in there, as far as my ability to land him.”
While it may sound like a straightforward strategy, Swindle’s not underplaying his methods. For clarity, he adds these relevant points.
Don’t blow the opportunity
You can’t deny physics and when it comes to the larger bait often used to tease and taunt a bed fish, their mass can, at times, be their downfall. Sure, a fired-up fish would attack a porcupine that invaded the maternity ward, but bed fish are more often highly sensitive and downright moody creatures that don’t like big splashes.
“When you start out that first cast with a very big bait, sometimes the presentation is so hard to make — even for a highly skilled caster — that it’s hard to keep it from being obnoxious going in,” Swindle said. “With a smaller bait, you pitch past the bed, it’s a lighter splash and super finessey.
“You’ll watch the fish; he may naturally become curious and come over, versus, here comes this giant, 8-inch white lizard on a 1/2-ounce weight go KAPLOOSH right on his head. It immediately startles him, and he knows you’re there.”
Expounding on the logic, Swindle adds, “Sometimes, I think you spend more time with that (big bait) technique. You start with that big bait, you scare him, you scare him, you scare him and then you make him mad. So, you’ve wasted that time, versus just going all natural until he shows his interest in biting.
Maintain the moment
Acknowledging his strategy may seem contrary to the common big-then-small strategy, Swindle said he has consistently fared better by slow rolling a fish into the big finish.
“My theory is be super sneaky on the first couple of casts with a drop shot, a shaky head, a Ned rig or (an unweighted stick worm), to see if you can get the fish to naturally go into the protection mode,” he said. “Once that happens, you burn that out of the bed and grab something with that heavier line to close the deal. You’re 100 % guaranteed you’re going to do better landing him.”
Expounding on this strategy, Swindle warns against what he considers a backward strategy.
“Some guys say they’ll start with something big to get her in the mood to bite, but when you get her in the mood and then you switch to lighter line and a smaller bait, that’s a (backward) fishing technique,” he said. “Start small and let the fish remain in its natural state.”
Know when they’ll go
If he catches a bed fish on that initial lighter presentation, Swindle’s not complaining, but reading the fish tells him when it’s time to send in the closer.
“I know it’s time for me to reel in and say, ‘He’s ready for the bigger rod,’ when I start seeing him make those mouth actions, like if he’s popping his mouth when I get the bait close. Or, if he makes a sudden move toward the bait and starts putting his nose down on it, I know he’s ready.”
Understanding the relationship
For perspective, Swindle likens his bait-and-switch strategy to the pleasant connectivity of a Walmart greeter. (Note: If you dismiss this stuff as simple humor, you are missing the brilliance that effervesces from this man’s mind.)
“I always do this little skit for my Marshal and when I throw that little bait in there and I’m shaking that little Zoom Z-Drop, and I’m like, ‘I’m the greeter at Walmart. I just want to say hello; I’m not going to harm you.’
“When I see that fish come to me and start acknowledging me, I’m like, ‘Now he’s waving at the greeter. He knows I’m there; he’s acknowledged me and didn’t run from me.’ He shortened the distance to where my bait is by him moving, not me moving.”
Making the switch to his closing bait at this point gives Swindle high confidence in his ability to catch that fish. Conversely, if you replace that Walmart greeter with an MMA fighter, let’s just say the interaction may be less, well, “welcoming.”
Swindle explains, “You’re really just trying to make friends with the fish without running him off. So many people go in and, instead of trying to make friends, they immediately start making enemies by throwing these aggressive baits.
“It’s a really weird scenario how they’ll get comfortable with that small bait, versus slapping them in the face and going, ‘I’m here to getcha!’ You’re going to be a while getting him because he’s not going to warm up to that any time soon.”
