By Steve Chaconas
Of the hundreds of fishing lures owned by anglers, there’s always one favorite in every tackle box. It might be the first lure always tied on or one that just stays tied on every fishing trip, but confidence baits are a real thing. This could be a lure category, special color, or one lucky lure that never fails. In any case, there’s something magical about the lure that gives a fisherman confidence. And once it’s on the end of the line, it stays put until confidence is lost.
Twenty years ago, Robert Montgomery, author and long-time Senior Writer for BASS Publications whom I refer to as “O Great One”, asked for my thoughts about confidence lures. Jokingly I responded, “the one fish is biting”. However, after some thought and recounting several guided fishing trips, it was clear confidence was in the eye of the angler.
Montgomery’s first book, Better Bass Fishing–Secrets from the Headwaters published in 2009 and still in print, reveals tips from pros and guides across the country. Among the great common-sense tips, angling secrets, and fishing locations, Montgomery delved into angler psyche. “If you want to become a better angler, don’t just study bass behavior. Study your own.” Enter the concept of confidence baits.
According to Montgomery, “Confidence baits sometimes are more an accident of timing than they are truly superior lures.”
Across the deck, every pro to weekend angler has a confidence bait or two or three. Go-to baits are in the ready especially when the bite is slow. Montgomery theorizes a bait becomes an angler favorite because they grew up throwing it or because it was tried on a day when the fishing was tough and it produced.
But it’s the psychological boost a confidence bait gives you when the bite is slow that’s important. Perhaps it heightens your concentration making you more eager to fish. This confidence translates to more attentive casting and detecting subtle bites. Montgomery says, in short, throwing a confidence bait makes you a better angler.
One of my guide clients, who repeatedly mentioned how proficient he was with soft plastic lizards, was not successful with the soft plastic choice I had made. This bait was working, but not for this client. I suggested a break. I looked at the sky, looked at the water, and then suggested we switch to lizards. Immediately he began to catch fish. He had a confidence bait.
Luck for many anglers is the accidental discovery of a confidence bait. However, Montgomery says, to be a better bass angler, work on developing a couple of these baits. He advises there are many variables playing into whether a bass is going to bite your bait. “Some we understand. Some we think that we understand. And some we don’t even know about.” The environment below the surface is very different from that which we are familiar.
It’s not up to us what makes a fish bite. Occasionally, we choose the “right” bait. Montgomery finds fish will bite because they’re in an aggressive feeding mode, or because we’ve found a concentration of fish that stirs itself into a competitive frenzy when a lure passes through. In reality, just about anything in your tacklebox might work.
But, to become better at bass fishing, pay attention to the conditions when the confidence bait produces. Noting the water depth, clarity, wind direction, and weather conditions will be cues for using the bait. Also determining where bites occur in relation to cover, structure, and current can unravel angling mysteries. Montgomery says anglers should benefit from the “confidence” throwing a favorite bait provides but also be smart enough to realize that bass probably aren’t biting it because it’s your favorite or because it is vastly superior to others. He says it’s likely, “They’re biting because of a complex combination of favorable variables, of which the lure is just one.”
As a guide, it’s my job to put the right bait in the hands of my clients for them to be successful. Most times this involves me demonstrating how to use the lure while catching fish. Many times, I’ve had success on the first cast, which immediately gave them confidence in replicating my catch as I sipped my coffee. With many guide trips, my two clients and I were using identical setups, with the lure color the only variable. As I caught fish, I observed my clients noticing the color difference. Often, I would switch to give them the confidence lure. Sometimes that would work. However, often I would continue to catch fish while they were stymied. At this point, it was easy for me to drive home the presentation tips I provided, which they had ignored. Sometimes a lure is more than a confidence lure.
As for Montgomery, he continues to author fishing books as the conduit to not only improve angling success for all experience levels, but to confidently impart angling enjoyment to anglers of all ages. Cindy Sue and the Lunker Club is about family, fun, and fishing, with a tribute to BASS and some legends of bass fishing included.
Potomac River Bassing in AUGUST
Thick grass is best at higher tides when the sun is up and hot! Work hollow frogs on Gamma 50-pound test Torque braid slowly, stopping frequently. White frogs are easier to see. Punching mats with 50-pound test Gamma Torque braid is also effective. Tungsten weights ½ ounce on up with strong hooks and small soft plastic craws allow baits to punch through. Bass usually hit on the drop.
In scattered grass, try jigs and bladed jigs, black/blue, craw, and white patterns. Use markers to paint blades black, except for white baits. Swim jigs with thinner weed guards, hooks, and lead heads come through grass and hook fish easier. Use 14-20 pound test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line and a 7’ rod.
About the Author: Capt. Steve Chaconas is a Potomac bass fishing guide & freelance writer. Potomac river reports: nationalbass.com. YouTube channel NationalBassGuide.