Anglers' Net - The UK Online Fishing Magazine: The Spin Doctor's Lure Angling Tactics - Leap Frogging

The Spin Doctor's Lure Angling Tactics - Leap Frogging
================================================================================
petewelsh on 27 March, 2006 04:00:00
 
Hello again. While some of you may be familiar with my semi-fictitious Lure
Angling Oddessey series (its still going strong!), Ive had a few requests to
look at some of the tactics and techniques in more detail. The first two
instalments of this new series are going to look at approaches to fish
location: Leap Frogging and Stalking. While most of you have an idea what I
mean by stalking, leap frogging is my own term for an effective method of being
time efficient in getting to know an unfamiliar fishery. So lets go&ribbit.
One of the great things about lure angling is the lightweight tackle you carry.
No big seat boxes or carping paraphernalia, just the basics. This lack of
clutter gives us that chance to roam and explore a water. While this type of
approach is often referred to as stalking, I make a distinction. Stalking is
when you actively target fish and only make casts when you are fairly certain
that theres a fish there. As a consequence you do more stalking than actual
fishing.
Leap frogging involves covering as much of the fishery as possible. This is
done by fishing every second available peg on the walk out, and then returning
via those you leap frogged on the way back. Easy!
While it may seem as simple as that, the purpose of this exercise is not solely
to catch fish. What?! You may ask. No Im not mad. Anything you do should be
considered as a long-term investment and by carefully leap frogging the first
time you visit a water you will gain an enormous amount of information for the
second and further visits. Putting in the legwork now will help you catch more
fish in the future.
So where do we begin? The first thing is to avoid traps of running straight to
likely looking peg and staying there for ages. Youre defeating the object. You
must discipline yourself. Limit the number of throws in each peg to an arbitrary
number. Anything between 6-12 is best. Usually with lure fishing if youve not
had a take in the first 12 casts you might as well move on. By setting yourself
a limit also forces you to concentrate and make each retrieve count rather than
being lazy and just winding the lure back. Work it! Make it come alive (or
better still, barely alive!).
The second decision to make is of course lure choice. If you have no reliable
intelligence about the water then this can be a very personal decision. I would
generally go for a gold or silver coloured spoon of about 18-25 grams. Why? The
spoon has many advantages when leap frogging a new water. First its a good all
round lure, which can be fished deep and slow or shallow with the rod tip high.
Second, spoons are fabulous for bouncing off the bottom using the countdown
method thus enabling you to get a picture of the underwater features and depth
changes. "Right, you at the back who said something about Carol Vordermans
bottom!" No, the countdown method has nothing to with tedious word games. By
counting down your lure (one esox lucius, two esox lucius, three esox lucius,
etc) you can get a good estimate of the depths youre faced with. I suppose it
does have a little to do with numbers and bottoms, but not the ones you were
thinking of!
The third reason I choose a spoon is because I have caught most predators from
small perch to double figure pike on the classic toby or similar spoons. My
friend Mark has even caught barbel on them! (thats another article  watch
this space!) This doesnt preclude you from catching whatever may be there, a
100gram jerkbait would probably stop you catching the 2 pound chub&but then
again, knowing chub! Last, but not least, theyre dirt cheap. I get them from
my local tackle shop for under £2.00, so if there are lots of snags its not
going to be a costly day. You wouldnt do that with that hand crafted wooden
plug now would you?
So youve got your lure. Now make sure you use a wire trace. Always assume that
there are pike in the water. There probably are you know. The amount of pike
Ive caught in places where Ive been assured Ive been wasting my time beggars
belief.
Now youre at the waters edge. Simply because were leap frogging, doesnt
mean were not going to read the water. So use your limited number of casts
properly. An excellent method is to fan your casts. But I prefer to do this by
switching sides until my casts meet up in the middle (casts 1-9 on the
diagram). One close to the bank on the right, one close to the bank on the
left, then alternately. I do this because so often fish are holding close in
tight to features such as rocks, tree roots, boats or pilings. Approach the
bank with care so as not to disturb any of these waters edge dwellers. Repeat
this up and down the bank until youve got a feel for the water.
By the end of your leap frogging you should know a lot more about the water
than the person whos been fishing the same two or three pegs for twenty years,
and youve maximised your chances of catching, in fact you probably have done.
If youre a general angler or match angler, this vital intelligence will serve
you well especially if get drawn in unfavoured sections in a match.
Light tines,
Pete