In the zone

There’s a saying 'think twice and act once' which, when applied to fishing, can greatly improve catch rates and prevent unproductive time on the water.

When thinking about your fishing make sure you know where your bait or lure is in relation to the structure, depth and strike zone.

This way you will score more trophy fish like the beautiful WA Dhufish in the opening photo above.

WHEN TROLLING
Use fluoro lines when trolling offshore.

Using brightly coloured lines here will stand out against the cobalt blue ocean, making it easy for you to know where all your lines are in your spread. This allows for more effective line management and the ability to follow your line (and a fighting fish) to see how your lure is performing.

Finding fish on your sounder is an important first step and successfully presenting your lure to the fish is vital.  Try using downriggers to get trolling lures into thermoclines and strike zones at the exact depth you are seeing the fish on your sounder.

THE COUNTDOWN
Take into account the water column and how to fish it effectively. Work different water depths to ensure full coverage of an area. This can be done using different types of flies or lures that float, sink and suspend at different rates.

If you work out the sink rate of your lure you can fish the entire water column.

Determine how long it takes for your lure to sink (for example, three seconds per metre), then check the water depth you are fishing in, and count down till the lure reaches the zone. You can also fish different depths of water until you find the fish using this method.

DEEP-WATER TRICKS
When fishing deep water, use multi-coloured braided lines, which usually change colour every 10 metres. Simply count the colours and you will know how deep your lure or bait is running.

Varying your retrieval rate can also access different fishing depths. A faster retrieve will cause increased water pressure on the lure's bib causing it to dive deeper. Lowering your rod tip to the water is another way to achieve greater lure-running depth.

Use these different methods to put your lures and baits in the strike zone and enjoy more productive results.

Yous in fishing,
Paul Worsteling