The Structure Cafe

The inexperienced Spoonplugger has to keep his priorities straight.

1) Water color: Select dark water lakes and/or reservoirs to fish. Good water color will be the inexperienced Spoonpluggers greatest [asset].

2) Develop mapping and interpretation skills.

3) Lure presentation on the troll.

4) The casting position and presentation of Spoonplugs on the cast.

Take the learning process one step at a time.

Buck Sez: First learn to troll the shallows then learn how to cast the shallows. After that, learn how to troll the deeper water ("breaks and breaklines") then learn how to cast the deep water. If you follow this advice from Buck, you will become a better Spoonplugger over a period of time. You will have mastered the "basic" skills needed to be a successful fisherman. You have to learn to walk before you can run!

Many have reduced their thinking down to simple fishing facts...When they get on the water, regardless of the season, type of lake, species of fish, weather or water condition, etc., they will state the simple fishing fact as, "IF I AM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, I MUST USE STRUCTURE (BREAKS, BREAKLINES) AS MY GUIDE, THEN I MUST USE 'TOOLS' TO CONTROL MY DEPTH AND SPEED."

It is difficult to make fishermen understand the control of depth and speed (on structure, breaks and breaklines). This is the main consideration in the presentation of lures.

We should realize that a fish can be caught on most anything with hooks. We should also know that a fish can be caught by most ANYONE at one time or another - using most any technique. Our purpose is to become better fishermen, and our goal is to catch fish consistently, regardless of conditions present. We certainly have no desire for a different plan on each fishing trip.