James RickardGetting in the strike zone
August 21st 2008 00:18
Baseball and angling don't have a great deal in common but they do share one term—the strike zone.
"What is the strike zone?" You ask.
It's pretty simple. In baseball, the strike zone is where the pitcher throws the ball to make the batter swing. It's an imaginary box that runs from a batter's armpits to his knees and is the width of home plate.
When it comes to angling, it's an area around a fish where they're going to take your bait or bite on your lure. After saying that, things get a little harder to pin down because it becomes dependant on other factors because, unlike baseball, there are no fixed dimensions.
I subscribe to a theory I heard the fishwhisperer, Rick Clunn, voice—"Always assume the strike zone is small." If the strike zone opens up and the fish travels a little ways to get your bait or lure—so much the better. That means you can mess up, make a bad cast and still come away with a catch.
How far the fish is going to travel for your offering will depend on variables such as water temperature and clarity, wind, the fish's mood, weather, and even fishing pressure to name only a few. Here are some things that always make it tough: warm, muggy days, bright days, those days when there are umpteen other guys trying to catch the same fish as you!
Don't forget one of the best times to fish is when fish are feeding. That will definitely open up the strike zone! Another time to go out is on a cloudy day!
Some people say the ONLY time to fish is when it's sunny! They're not making the most of the sport!
"What is the strike zone?" You ask.
It's pretty simple. In baseball, the strike zone is where the pitcher throws the ball to make the batter swing. It's an imaginary box that runs from a batter's armpits to his knees and is the width of home plate.
When it comes to angling, it's an area around a fish where they're going to take your bait or bite on your lure. After saying that, things get a little harder to pin down because it becomes dependant on other factors because, unlike baseball, there are no fixed dimensions.
I subscribe to a theory I heard the fishwhisperer, Rick Clunn, voice—"Always assume the strike zone is small." If the strike zone opens up and the fish travels a little ways to get your bait or lure—so much the better. That means you can mess up, make a bad cast and still come away with a catch.
How far the fish is going to travel for your offering will depend on variables such as water temperature and clarity, wind, the fish's mood, weather, and even fishing pressure to name only a few. Here are some things that always make it tough: warm, muggy days, bright days, those days when there are umpteen other guys trying to catch the same fish as you!
Don't forget one of the best times to fish is when fish are feeding. That will definitely open up the strike zone! Another time to go out is on a cloudy day!
Some people say the ONLY time to fish is when it's sunny! They're not making the most of the sport!
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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