Here’s how to select a lure that corresponds to the natural food source of your desired species.
By Patrick Campeau
There is an old saying that goes like this:
“The fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
As enthusiastic anglers, this idea might also apply to our quest for a delicious catch of freshly caught fish. Over the years, as a professional angler, I have discovered that various species of game fish exhibit predictable behaviors when exposed to the right lure. Experienced anglers have understood for years that to be successful, it is crucial to closely mimic the food that your target fish species desires… as well as alternative offerings that a hungry fish will consume when their preferred delicacies are unavailable.
Speckled Trout
It’s a matter of attitude..
Picture a man who is absolutely starving. Now, imagine that he hasn’t eaten in a few days. Suddenly, he spots a steak on the kitchen table. Even though the meat looks slightly stale, it isn’t his favorite cut, and it’s not cooked to his liking, he leaps at the steak and quickly devours it.
This reaction can be observed in every ecosystem, across all levels of the food chain. When gamefish are highly active, they generally display an aggressive feeding pattern. Despite not being overly hungry, they seize the lure instead of missing the chance for a meal. In reality, most fish species will consume a variety of food sources without much discretion.
Twin Vee 260 CC.
When gamefish species are less active, they become harder to catch. They are more relaxed and significantly more selective about their food choices.
Returning to our earlier example, consider how our starving man would react when he’s not as hungry. He would scrutinize his potential meal a bit longer before eating.
To be a successful angler, it is critical that your lure imitates the available bait for predatory fish – if the bait is genuinely appealing, they will strike the lure, even when not overly hungry.
When conditions change and predators become less vocal or active, catching lunch turns into a challenge. Gamefish can become extremely picky and will only strike at lures that meet their preferences or teases them into attacking. This is akin to the man who will only eat a filet mignon cooked medium rare and presented perfectly – nothing else could capture his interest.
As you might guess, when gamefish are active and hungry, anyone can lure them into striking – it requires minimal effort. However, when conditions become trickier, anglers must employ more strategic techniques. When the targeted species are simply lounging in their aquatic environment, only the most skilled anglers will succeed in getting the fish to strike a lure. These fishermen understand which lures to use to provoke a reaction from the fish.
Lake Trout
In certain scenarios, lake trout can be planktivorous. Put simply, if they lack access to a significant protein source, they must subsist on plankton. Their growth is noticeably slower in these conditions.
Fortunately, many lake trout feast on terrestrial and aquatic insects, a variety of crustaceans, worms washed in during spring runoff, and a range of small fish like perch, suckers, sculpins, sticklebacks, whitefish, rainbow smelts, lake herring, and others. The dietary options for these large predators can differ from one water body to another, depending on the local species present. For instance, if perch are abundant, it becomes essential to present a lure that naturally mimics this species’ color and/or movements.
The Quick Silver is a versatile magnet for Trout, Salmon, Pike, and Walleye!
Today, several manufacturers have become true artists in crafting artificial lures. Companies like Cotton Cordell, Bandit, Bomber, Norman, Rebel, and Smithwick aim to produce accurate representations of the various types of baitfish. For instance, when offering a lake trout a Wally Diver in crankbait form, it perfectly mimics this species. Consequently, it becomes considerably easier to entice these magnificent fish, even if they are somewhat finicky. Returning to our steak analogy, the Wally Diver truly resembles a top-quality filet mignon. You can then choose from numerous offerings that match the local hatch, such as the Big O, Bandit B-Rotan, Smithwick Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue, Rebel Tracdown Minnow, Rebel Jointed Minnow, Syclops Firetiger, Dartee, Sassy Shad, Williams HQ, Whitefish C80, Savant Crusher Spoon, YUM Scottsboro Swim Bait, or The Quick Silver.
Williams Dartee D3 in electric blue.
The proven slender design and tight movements of the Wally Diver make it a reliable choice for all types of fish.
Walleye
No other crankbait replicates a fleeing crawfish as effectively as a Rebel Craw. Its super-realistic body and paint job, combined with the unique pulsating action, make it irresistible to fish.
Walleye are social creatures, meaning they hunt and live in groups. They can also coordinate a sustainable and efficient group attack. These gamefish enjoy sticklebacks, perch, rainbow smelt, sculpins, lake herring, frogs, leeches, crawfish, and all sorts of flying insects, both terrestrial and aquatic. To successfully catch these gamefish, your tackle box should include lures such as the Bandit Walleye Shallow, Bomber Long A, Bandit Walleye Deep in perch color, Mepps Aglia no. 3, Sassy Shad, Mister Twister Meeny, Mepps Bucktail Jig, Savant Crusher Spoon, Double Tail and Mister Twister Split Double Tail, Yum FF Sonar Minnow, Cotton Cordell Super Spot, and 4” Swim Bait Sassy Swimmer.
Walleye
Speckled Trout
The Williams Flasher’s slow, wide side-to-side wobble, paired with a baited snelled hook or fly, makes it hard for trout or other game fish to resist – it’s a highly effective lure.
Speckled trout will choose from terrestrial and aquatic insects, minnows, crawfish, amphibians, garden worms, small snakes, field mice, leeches, etc., depending on their size. A variety of flies are recommended to entice these beautiful trout, alongside baits like the Rebel Crickhopper Popper, Wee Frog, Rebel Bumble Bug, Tracdown Minnow TD47, Twister Tri-Colour Mini Tube, Mooselook, Williams Wabler, Sassy Stingum, Bobby Garland 2.5” Stroll’R, and Lindy Fuzz-E Grub Jigs.
Smallmouth Bass
This bass is somewhat more predictable, as 60 percent of its diet consists of crawfish. This hard-fighting gamefish will appreciate a lure like the Rebel Middle Wee Crawfish that perfectly mimics a fleeing crawfish. It will also consume various small fish types, including suckers, chubs, insects, tadpoles, frogs, and salamanders. To match the hatch, offer lures like the Rebel Super Teeny Wee-R, Booyah XCS Series, Pop-R, Booyah Prank, Mister Twister Double Tail, and War Eagle Copper Eagle Double Willow Spinnerbait for success.
Final Cast
The next time you head out to fish for these predators and encounter a tough day, ensure you select lures that closely imitate the food preferences in that body of water. This should significantly enhance your chances of success.
FOOD CHAIN BASICS
The food chain represents the sequence in which smaller food sources get consumed by predators, while those predators may in turn be eaten by larger predators. For aquatic species with gill respiration system (commonly known as fish), the main food source comprises plankton. This term comes from the Greek word “planktos,” meaning wandering. These organic creatures cannot control their position in the water. Small fish can easily consume them while passing through a collection of plankton.
Next is phytoplankton (from the Greek “phyton” or “plant”), which consists of plant-like plankton, or a group of plant organisms suspended in the water. At the next level up in the food chain, we have zooplankton, which is derived from animal sources and feeds on living matter.
Note that some species are herbivorous, while others are carnivorous. In their first year, lake trout, speckled trout, bass, and walleye consume these floating microorganisms. After that, their diet changes drastically.
Patrick Campeau is a professional fisherman, a three-time provincial champion, and a member of the Canadian Pantheon of Fishing.
To learn more about Patrick Campeau, visit www.pcampeau.com or www.facebook.com/lapassiondepatrickcampeau