Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 40
Lighten Up
by Braden Eisenhower
"What will the Smallmouth Bass want today?" I thought
to myself, staring at the menagerie of tackle strewn across
the floor. In a few hours, I would meet my friend for an
afternoon wading trip on the Susquehanna River.
My heap of lures had all the good stuff. But, as the pile
grew, I began thinking less of which lures may produce
and more about carrying it all. And, with all these options,
I would waste a lot of time cycling through these lures.
I concluded it was best to select a few probable lure choices.
Overpacking increases physical and mental clutter. The
minimalist approach is mandatory when wading or shore
fishing, and when invited on another angler's boat. Here
are a few tips to help pack light, without compromising
tackle selection.
Choose the quarry
I reduce my assortment for an outing by selecting
a target species. In the example above, narrowing my
desired catch to Smallmouth Bass allowed me to eliminate
specialized tackle for other species. This strategy also
keeps me honest by the same virtue that I cannot spend
money that is not in my wallet. I am forcing myself to
commit to one species, usually leading to success.
40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2020
Plan for the season
photo-courtesy of Jeffrey Rabbitt
I can trim most of my tackle by planning based on the
season. Calendar periods provide a general measure of
water temperature, vegetation growth, river height and
discharge. Next, I make preliminary judgements on fish
location and activity level of fish. Then, it becomes easy
to set aside lures that fit within these parameters.
For early-season Smallmouth Bass, pack hair jigs
or suspending jerkbaits. These lures work well when
presented slowly to lethargic coldwater bass. My
topwater lures and spinnerbaits, staples in a Smallmouth
Bass arsenal, would not fare well under these conditions.
So, I save these lures until the waters warm, and fish
become active.
This thought process is universal. Apply it to any
species at any point of the calendar period.
Developing seasonal patterns also removes on-thewater guesswork. Once I have established a pattern, I am
successful each year with the same approach.
Evaluate the weather
My final drill-down assessment is based on perceived
fish activity. Weather patterns provide the best shortterm judge. I categorize weather patterns as pre- or postfrontal, and tailor my fishing style to suit each scenario.
The pre-frontal period is most desirable. Fish
are noticeably aggressive and may often be fooled
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 15
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 21
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - 40
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2020 - Cover4
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