Picking the Right Retrieve Anyone who has browsed through a tackle shop or flipped through the pages of a fishing catalog can attest to the massive amounts of lures on the market today. And, anyone with a few bucks in their pocket can buy the lure of their choosing. However, despite what the ad may say, few, if any, of these lures guarantee an angler success. Sure, it's your job to find the fish. But, even once they're found, it's up to you to make that lure look as good to them in the water as it did to you on the store shelf. To do that, you have to know how to properly retrieve the bait under the prevailing conditions. TOPWATER PLUGS Anglers spend more time mastering retrieves for topwater plugs than any other type of artificial lure and for good reason. With few exceptions, surface plugs have little inherent action. If they are simply cranked back to the rod tip, most plugs track straight and cause little commotion. Two notable exceptions to this generalization are chuggers, like Rebel Pop Rs, and prop-style baits, such as the Smithwick Devil's Horse. While each of these baits can be worked in a variety of manners, they will cause enough commotion during a steady retrieve to draw the attention of nearby fish. Varying the speed of the retrieve will dictate the amount of noise and commotion these baits create - a fast retrieve will result in a lot of noise, whereas a slow retrieve will cause minimal disturbance. When a steady retrieve does not work on either of these two plugs, a simple “stop and go” retrieve is an easy variation. This, as the name implies, simply requires the angler to reel a short distance, then pause. Again, speed will dictate the amount of commotion created. If even more disturbance is required to get the fish's attention - such as would be the case on a windy day with a choppy bay surface - a sharp “jerk” of the rod tip will cause the plug to lurch forward, spewing suds as it goes. However, for the very reason it is effective under choppy conditions, this technique should be avoided when the surface is calm, as it is more likely to spook nearby fish than attract them. Since they can be effective with a minimal amount of manipulation, chugger and prop-style plugs are good choices for novice topwater fishermen. A notch up on the skill level scale are floater/divers, like the Cordell Redfin. If retrieved with a steady crank, floater/divers will run 1 to 2 feet below the surface, imparting a “wobbling” action as they go. This retrieve can be effective when fish are hanging in shallow grass, but reluctant to come all the way to the surface to eat. The more common way to retrieve a floater/diver is a “twitch and pause” retrieve. This simply retrieve consists of a sharp twitch of the rod tip, which causes the plug to dive, followed by a pause, which allows the plug to float back to the surface. During the “pause,” the slack created by the “twitch” should be reeled up. Most often, fish will strike the bait as it is floating back to the surface. This is a very effective retrieve under calm to moderate conditions, but it loses its effectiveness is the surface becomes too choppy. The most popular type of plug - and the most difficult to retrieve - is the “walking”-type plug. Examples of this type of plug include Zara Spooks, Top Dogs, She Dogs, Ghosts, Jumpin' Minnows and Skitterwalks. These plugs get their name from the type of retrieve employed with them, which is known as “walking the dog.” This retrieve, which involves continuous reeling in conjunction with wrist movement, takes some time to master and is physically tiring, but necessary when using these baits. Unlike the other types of topwater plugs, these baits have no inherent action and, therefore, are unproductive on a straight retrieve. Despite the fact the “walk the dog” technique involves constant reeling, these baits can still be worked at a variety of speeds by altering - or even pausing - the cadence of the reel. Most everyone agrees that a slow pace is necessary to attract finicky or lethargic fish, while an aggressive, speedy, splashy retrieve is necessary to get the attention of aggressively feeding fish. SUBSURFACE PLUGS Most anglers know slow-sinking, subsurface plugs can be dynamite for big trout. However, as a rule, this type of lure has little or no inherent action. In order for them to fool wary sow specks, it is up to the fisherman to give them life. Despite their ultra-effective reputation, slow-sinking subsurface plugs are actually fairly basic in their retrieve. A basic “twitch and pause” retrieve is about all an angler needs to add life to these barely negatively buoyant baits. This retrieve consists of allowing the bait to fall a few beats after casting it, so that it gets down to the required depth. After that, a quick “twitch” of the rod tip will cause the bait to careen sideways and upwards. The ensuing pause allows the bait to fall back to the target depth. This is perhaps the only type of bait which is retrieve basically the same way all the time. The key to a successful retrieve with a slow-sinking plug is patience. These baits are meant to be worked slowly. But, that is exactly what makes them so irresistible to finicky fish. SPOONS Spoons are some of the most basic, yet essential saltwater baits on the market. Most folks think of spoons as “simple” baits, in that they can catch fish by simple being cast out and reeled in. While this is true, there are a couple of “tweaks” that can be made to the basic retrieve to help these time-tested baits be even more productive. When fish are aggressively feeding on a shallow flat, try “waking” a spoon across the surface. This is accomplished by reeling fast and keeping the rod tip held high. The result is the spoon breaches the surface erratically and pushes a lot of water, causing a rather large, fish-attracting wake. If a fish pursues a “waking” spoon, don't slow it down. Keep it moving at the same speed it was when it caught the fish's attention, as a sudden reduction of speed will often spook even aggressive fish. When fish are a bit less aggressive, the same “twitch and pause” retrieve that is employed on slow-sinking plugs can be effective with spoons. In order to make this retrieve as efficient as possible, choose a spoon which has a wide profile for its weight. This extra width will catch more water as the bait falls and result in a more erratic descent. JIGS & SOFT-PLASTICS Probably no other baits account for more fish than jigs. Whether they are affixed with a bucktail or any one of the numerous soft-plastic tails available, jigs are responsible for the majority of fish caught on the coast each year. The reason for this is simple - jigs are perhaps the most versatile type of artificial lure available to coastal anglers. The basic retrieve most often employed by anglers throwing jigs is the basic “twitch and pause.” A standard variation to this retrieve is to use two quick twitches followed by a pause. Again, the fish's behavior will dictate the speed of the retrieve. Aggressive fish dictate a quick retrieve, while lethargic or finicky fish require a slower retrieve with more subtle twitches. The speed of the retrieve will also dictate the depth the bait falls to - slower the retrieve, the deeper the bait falls. Another popular retrieve, especially for flounder or bottom hugging trout and reds, is to simply drag the bait across the bottom. If the fish are a bit more aggressive, “hopping” or “bouncing” the bait off the bottom by lifting the rod tip can also be effective. On the other hand, the new breed of “swim bait” gives a whole new meaning to the “simple retrieve.” These latest “dummy baits” are productive with a simple “cast and reel” retrieve. However, although the retrieve method is unsophisticated, these baits are absolutely deadly on fish under all types of conditions. The only variable is the speed of the retrieve. A final twist on the retrieval of jigs and soft-plastic baits is the “do nothing retrieve.” As the name implies, this retrieve requires the angler to “do nothing,” except keep a semi-taut line. This retrieve is especially effective when fishing areas with a generous amount of current - particularly if there is structure nearby. Simply cast the bait upcurrent and allow it to drift down, while keeping the line tight enough to feel a strike, which often times will be nothing more than a subtle “bump.” Again, today's lure selection is boundless. And, pretty much all of them will catch fish under the right circumstances. The key is to pair the right bait with the right retrieve under the proper conditions. texas bass fishing, texas fishing, texas fishing reports, texas catfish, texas lakes, texas rivers, fishing in texas lakes, fishing in texas rivers