3 Steps To Becoming a Better Finesse Angler

If you’ve been fishing long enough, you’ve certainly had one of those days on the water where you could do no wrong. Every bait you throw and every place you try is just loaded with willing bass – it almost seems surreal, and they’re what keep us coming back. Unfortunately though, for every day like that you’ve certainly had several days that were quite the opposite – days where you felt like you couldn’t catch one if you hit it in the head and you doubt there are any bass in the lake.The good news is, days like the latter become significantly less frequent if you know when and how to switch to finesse tactics. Drop shotting, shakey heading, and other finesse techniques are the best way to turn a bad day around, and have bailed out countless anglers in recent years. Here are 3 tips on how to become a better finesse angler.

1. Actually try it

You can’t catch them finesse fishing if you’re not doing it, and all too often the finesse rods never leave the rod locker, even when it’s tough. I get it; it’s tough to try something new when you’ve got so much history with technique “X”. To combat that, try leaving the dock with nothing but finesse rods on your deck, or dedicating the last few hours of a trip to a specific finesse technique. Once you get a couple bites you’ll get some confidence, which is the name of the game.

2. Use braid

Another gripe anglers have when learning to finesse fish is that they can’t feel strikes with wimpy rods and light line. This can be easily remedied by using 10 – 15 pound braid as a main line with a short (4-6 foot) mono or fluorocarbon leader. Braid has no stretch, so it allows anglers maximum feel with finesse techniques.

3. Mix it up

All finesse techniques aren’t for everyone, so if you find yourself bored out of your mind with one, don’t give up on finesse as a whole – try a different one. If you dread drop shotting, try a shakey head. It’s also a myth that all finesse fishing is slow and tedious. There are many finesse patterns for moving baits, like spy-baiting or swimming a grub that can keep you engaged while appealing to finicky fish.