150 Fishing Tips and Tricks
1. Live bait usually beats a lure. You don’t need anything more expensive than a worm to catch a great fish.
2. Bring long-sleeve clothing even if it’s warm out. It’s always cooler by the water, and you’ll want to cover up when the mosquitos come out.
3. Colorful lures are only useful near the surface. Once you go deep the fish only see by contrast, so go white/dark.
4. Fluorocarbon leaders should be swapped after each fight with a fish.
5. Avoid shipwrecks and large reefs if you don’t want to catch any sharks or barracuda. Rock bottoms are best.
6. Fish avoid human smell just like deer. So clean your lures with scent-free soap, and attach wearing gloves.
7. Some fish are stubborn. You might have to toss your lure out there 100 times before they bite. Keep at it.
8. Fish are more likely to bite before a storm than after. It’s because the pressure build up makes them more active.
9. Keep your hooks sharp with a sharpening stone. (Not expensive.) Sharp hooks catch a lot more fish.
10. In the spring you’ll have better luck fishing in shallow or cove areas. These are prime for spawning beds.
11. Most fish swim with the current, so cast your line into the wind. You get less distance, but more bites.
12. Once your fish is in the livewell, it might barf up its lunch. Check out what it’s been eating, and adjust your lures/baits to that type of food.
13. Fish will bite on different baits throughout the year. Ex: Bass prefer crawfish early in the year, so pink/cream lures are more effective.
14. Red hooks are better than grey because the fish might think your bait is injured/bleeding.
15. Plastic worms that have become damaged/shredded are great for catching bass in shallow areas.
16. Bring binoculars and scan the area for big birds. Take your boat there. Where’s there’s heron, there’s fish.
17. More fish strike near the bottom, so make sure to let your bait sink.
18. If you’re afraid of losing lures, then you’re using too expensive products, or fishing in areas beyond your skill.
19. When on a lake, use a lure that mimics the color of the local frogs.
20. Be careful when handling fish. Use gloves so you don’t get your hand sliced. Try not to wipe their slime off if you’re tossing it back. That slime protects the fish from disease.
21. A grub is a great all-purpose lure. Try mixing it into your rotation and see what happens. Most fish will bite.
22. To not scare fish, lures should run strait when you’re reeling them in. If they drift/cut in the water, you need to tweak them with a pair of pliers.
23. Use sharpies/colored markers to draw details on your crank baits to make them more realistic. Eyes, blood trails, skin colors, etc. It all helps.
24. Unspool your line and drag behind the boat to get all the kinks out.
25. If the fish aren’t biting, then maybe your bait is too big. Drop down a size and see what happens. You don’t need a huge bait to catch a whopper.
26. Dab some superglue onto a hook before sliding a worm on it. It’ll be harder for the fish to rip it off.
27. Kill the motor before you get to the fishing hole, and keep quiet when fishing. Noise will spook a school of fish, just as it would a herd of deer.
28. Keep your rod tip angled as though a strike will come any second.
29. If new to an area, hire a one-time guide to show you all the great spots. They’ve maybe been the fishing area for years. Their knowledge is priceless.
30. To win at fishing (and life) you must be patient and humble. Never think you know everything. Always be willing to learn new skills.
31. In the ocean, peak tidal flows generally see the most action. Fish are hungrier. More likely to bite.
32. Clean your fly line every day to maximize its performance.
33. Proper casting technique gets you farther than an expensive rod/reel.
34. Don’t reel a fish all the way to the tip of your rod. Leave about a rods worth of line, then grab it with the net.
35. Fish finders are a solid investment. You’ll waste less time looking for schools. And where there’s schools, there’s whoppers.
36. Try/hold a rod before you buy it. Don’t just get it because it’s expensive or highly-rated. You must test it to see if it’s right for you.
37. Get a nice pair of polarized sunglasses. Not having to squint all day will reduce tension in the shoulders.
38. Don’t dip your rod, and never point the tip at the fish. They might dart and snap your line.
39. If you’re new to fishing, or trying to teach someone to fish, use a simple casting spoon like Al’s Goldfish. They are easy to use, and you learn a lot.
40. Once your bait hits the floor, use your rod to bounce it up and down. Bouncing is often better than reeling.
41. Be patient and don’t just rush to the next spot if the fish aren’t biting. Better to swap lures/baits.
42. The more you change fishing spots, the more noise you’ll make. More noise means more spooked fish.
43. Ask the locals what type of live bait gets the best results. Make sure to ask lots of people. Use the average bait.
44. If you want to add excitement to your fishing experience, go with a top-water lure and watch the fish crash into it on the surface.
45. An improved clinch knot is the best knot for most rod/reel combos, the exception being with braided line. Then you should use a palomar knot.
46. Improve your fishing skills by studying rivers, lakes, and similar ecosystems. Learn how the fish spawn, move, eat, etc. Study their habitat.
47. Every fishing area in the world has their own local laws. Make sure you know the rules before you cast.
48. Bring a wide variety of bait when testing a new spot. Learn what works.
49. No time to find live bait? Grab a frozen chicken breast from your freezer and throw it in the cooler. Slice chunks off as it thaws. Great bait!
50. If you want to be a successful fly fisher, then you should spend a lot of time studying proper casting methods. Expensive gear will not save you.
51. Clean out your tackle box before fishing and spray everything with field spray. Remove all human scents.
52. Most expensive gear is a rip off. Stick to the basics. They work fine.
53. Fish like to hang out where the water enters or drains from a lake. Try casting there.
54. Weed beds are great for Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass. They hide in the weeds and ambush their dinner.
55. The windier it is, the closer to shore you’ll probably find the fish. They get blown in just like the flotsam.
56. Fish like to hide around structures like sunken trees, or man-made habitats. You could build one yourself. Just sink an old piece of machinery.
57. Make sure to invest in a nice wader belt if you’re going to be wading in streams or ponds.
58. If you’ll be fishing the same lake a lot, get a topographical map of the area. Then you’ll know where the deep parts of the lake are.
59. The hotter it is outside, the deeper you’ll need to go. Fish don’t like super warm water. They like it cool.
60. Frogs make great bait if you’re fishing for bass. Insert the hook through their lips.
61. No action? Try mixing some soft shell crayfish into your bait rotation.
62. Wash your hands with scent-free soap before handling any of your fishing gear. If fish smell humans they won’t bite.
63. Keep a nice pair of needle-nosed pliers in your tackle box. They’re invaluable for fixing lures and removing hooks from a stubborn fish.
64. Bring food and water in the boat so you don’t get hungry or dehydrated. Stay positive, and be patient.
65. Don’t have a boat but want to get out on the water? Try fishing from a kayak. It’s better exercise, and you can get into tighter areas. Also, cheaper.
66. It can take some practice to become adept with a new lure. Don’t give up.
67. Never use a lure you’re afraid of losing. Gain confidence by using cheap lures. If you lose a few, so what? That’s the game. We trade lures for fish.
68. Top-water lures are great in the early morning, and late afternoon.
69. Fish where it’s green. Avoid the brown/dead grass and reeds. You wouldn’t eat rotten salad would you?
70. Leaving the boat unanchored and just drifting across the water is a fun way to find new spots.
71. If you’re not gonna eat it/mount it, then toss it back. Don’t waste fish. Treat the lake as though you owned it.
72. Many fish migrate differently. Just because the pike are hiding in deeper waters, doesn’t mean the bass are.
73. The closer to winter you get, the less distance the fish will swim to strike at your lure. So when it’s colder out, use more bait, and less dragging lures.
74. Lower the anchor slowly into the water instead of dropping it. Make less noise and you’ll be rewarded.
75. Take your spool of the reel each season and run it under hot water for a few minutes. This lessens tangles.
76. Keep your trolling motor under 40% power or you’ll spook the fish.
77. Just because a hook is new, doesn’t mean it’s sharp.
78. Great lures will make a bit of noise in the water. If it’s missing noise features you can always add some. Customizing lures is fun.
79. When boating to your fishing spot, shut down the motor at least 50 meters before you get there. Row yourself in. Be silent as a ninja.
80. An underhand cast with a low trajectory makes less noise when the lure hits the water.
81. Add a carpeted floor to your aluminum boat to prevent noise. Now you can drop anything you want.
82. If the fish suddenly stop biting, then you should change your lure/bait instead of moving spots. They might just have gotten wise to the lure.
83. If it’s too windy out, then consider just sticking to the shoreline. No sense in taking risks out on the water, especially if the fish are near shore!
84. Widen the hooks on your flipping jigs to hook bigger bass.
85. When taking photos of fish in the boat, have the cameraman’s back face the sun. Use burst mode to capture a ton of shots. One will be great.
86. When treading down the shoreline to your fishing hole, try to step quietly. Large vibrations in the ground can spook the fish.
87. Use sonar to look for underwater structures. The fish are hiding there.
88. If you haven’t done so already, switch to braided fishing line. It’s much better. Easier to feel strikes.
89. If your lure looks like bait, then you need to reel/jerk it like bait. Make fish think your tube jig is a real crawfish.
90. Keep a journal (you can use your phone) of where/what/when the fish were biting. Will be valuable next year.
91. Don’t cheap out on your rain gear. If you get damp/wet then you’ll call it quits, and you can’t catch fish at home.
92. Learn to read the weather radar. Storms can move fast over water, so you better stay on top of the situation.
93. When tying line to a lure, make sure the part you tie it to isn’t even remotely sharp/edged. If it is, then your line will snap under pressure.
94. Match the lure/bait to the darkness of the water. It’s fine to use a lure that looks like weeds, when you’re in the weeds. Fish look for movement/sound.
95. Tube bait looks tastier the more it’s been bit on by other fish. You can replicate this with your fingernails.
96. Add cotton to your tube bait before the jig so the scent lasts longer.
97. The size of the hook should be relative to the size of the bait. The smaller the bait, the smaller the hook.
98. Adding some feathers or colored plastic wisps to your treble hooks will increase the amount of bites you get.
99. Using brightly-colored line while jigging for walleyes is fine. It won’t scare the fish away.
100. Make sure to wipe your gear down after using salted baits. Don’t let your rod or reel be corroded.
101. When drifting in shallow water, don’t plow through the branches or debris from shore. That’s where the fish are hiding. Don’t scare them.
102. Reduce lure splash by pulling back on the rod right before the lure hits the water. Less splash, less scared fish.
103. Casting underhand or sidearm will also reduce splash, but cost distance.
104. Bait scent is cheap and can be dabbed on lures. Make sure to watch the lure first with scent-free soap. Handle it with gloves afterward.
105. Label the trays in your tackle box with a label maker. You don’t want to accidently use the wrong lure.
106. Rusty pliers? Dunk them in a can of cola and leave them there for 10 minutes. That should loosen them up.
107. Air out your tackle box before putting it back in storage. Don’t want any unnecessary moisture in there.
108. Build custom lures with bait glue by bonding bodies, tails, trailers, grubs, and tubes.
109. If you forgot your measuring tape, measure the fish with fishing line, cut the line and then throw the fish back. Measure the line when you get home.
110. To keep your bait from sliding off the hook, attach a plastic worm chunk on after the bait.
111. If it’s windy, fish will face the wind and let the food come to them. Take advantage of this. Let your bait drift in.
112. Cast your line in multiple spots. Five feet can make all the difference. Don’t hit the same spot over and over.
113. Use a softer/more bendable rod when using braided line.
114. Drag your lures/jigs through weeds/rocks/wood to get a feel for their natural jerkyness. Then when a fish bites you’ll know the difference.
115. In spring, right after the ice breaks up, the fish are slow-moving and lazy. So if you’re trolling, go extremely slow.
116. If you’re trolling an area back-and-forth you’ll notice more bites going in one direction. That’s because of underwater currents. Focus there.
117. Bring many rods so you can fish at different depths. If one rod gets more bites, then you can switch the others.
118. When using multiple rods at the same depth, use different colored lures to see what works best.
119. Keep your fish on ice before cleaning it. So much easier.
120. Remove your worms from the dirt before getting into the boat. Just place them in a small dish with water. Now your boat won’t get messy.
121. Don’t be afraid to repaint your lures if you fish the same area a lot, and the local bait is performing well.
122. After a recent strike, try to repeat everything you did to get it. Same cast, depth, bait, reel speed, motion, etc.
123. Don’t use too heavy a weight. You want your bait to sink, not plummet to the bottom.
124. If you want to use heavier line, and heavier bait, then you’ll need to learn house to use a baitcaster reel.
125. If you ever see a single stump sitting above the water, fish it hard. Big guys like to make those their home.
126. Save the moisture absorbing packets from beef jerky and throw a few in your tackle box. Prevents rust.
127. Don’t be sad if your rod breaks. It happens. Just get a new one. A better one! The game is trading gear for fish.
128. If you see the fish on sonar, lower your bait just above them. If they swim up to investigate they bite more often.
129. When fishing shallow waters, try a fat-bodied crankbait and drag it slowly across the rocks. Bass love it.
130. After a storm there will be fallen trees/branches in the water. Some fish might have moved in. Check it out!
131. If the area you’re fishing has a dam, try fishing right at it. It’s usually the deepest part of the water.
132. In a pond, the big fish like to hang out at mid-depth in the middle of the water. King of the hill kind of thing.
133. Lilypads are a great place to test out those floating weedless frog lures you’ve been holding on to.
134. Work the shoreline structure. Anything jagged or different is a great home for fish. They’re just like us. They want a unique/safe place to live.
135. When fishing for bass at night, try a top-water lure like a jitterbug.
136. You don’t need a fancy boat to catch fish. World record fish have been caught from shore.
137. If fishing near dead trees, or dying weed beds, use a lure/bait that looks like an insect.
138. Fish where the animals drink. Minnows are attracted when animals stir the bottom of the water. More minnows, more whoppers.
139. Bring a thermometer you can drop into the water to gauge the temperature. Too cold? Go deep.
140. In the spring when the water rises, drag a lipless crankbait through the submerged bushes/weeds.
141. Hop your baits along the floor instead of just reeling them in. More action, more noise, more bites.
142. If you’re hunting a specific type of fish, then go on YouTube and watch a ton of videos about that specific fish. Learn everything about it.
143. If you’re gonna fish from a kayak, make sure to bring an anchor.
144. Don’t bring anything in the boat you don’t want to dredge out of the water. Attach floaters to your car keys.
145. Never stay on the water if there’s a thunderstorm coming. Your boat is a lightning magnet. You are not safe, even in a fiberglass boat.
146. Rocky ledges close to deep water are a great place to fish. Fish toward shore, and reel into the deep.
147. Your tackle box should include a flashlight and first aid kit. Never go hunting/gathering without a flashlight.
148. Check the batteries on all your equipment before you leave the house. The field is for using, not for testing.
149. Want to see your lures at night? Cover their heads with glow-in-the-dark paint.
150. Don’t get tied down by any fishing rules. Always continue with what’s working. If you have great luck with worms, then stick to worms. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t use certain baits, lures, or techniques.
Fishing is all about trial and error. Refinement. Developing efficient methods over many years. And also having fun. Good luck and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.
