Sensitivity: The Right Touch

Whether you're fishing a plastic worm for bass or drifting a nymph for trout, you're connected to an unseen lure by your fishing line. If the line is slightly taut and the moving lure hits a rock or a stump, you will feel a slight bump. That "feeling" is sensitivity, and it's most dependent on at least slight line tension between you and your lure. If there's a pile of slack line on the surface above your lure or bait, obviously you won't feel a thing. In spite of claims made by most tackle companies, even the most expensive rods, reels, and lines are not inherently sensitive. You are. And all you basically have to do is concentrate as you fish, paying attention to those bumps and thumps that are transmitted to your fingers as you retrieve a lure or fly. Understanding the need for concentrating - that mental fingertip fishing - and actually doing so will immediately boost your catch. Beyond some basic understanding and attitude adjustment, there are also some tackle tricks you can use to enhance your sensitivity.

THE RIGHT LINE: Some kinds of line transmit vibrations better than others. Common nylon monofilament is the worst because it's stretchy, like a rubber band. That stretch dampens and diminishes the degree to which bumps, thumps, or subtle pulls at your lure are carried by the line to your fingers.

THE RIGHT ROD: Other things being equal, a rod that's light in weight will enhance your sensitivity better than a heavier rod. Keep in mind that this means overall rod weight, not light or heavy action. This is largely why some guys will pay $300 or more for the latest in high-tech graphite baitcasting rods, for example, even though a chain store brand $50 special will cast just as far. That high-tech design weighs less - even if only by an ounce or so - and the weight advantage gives you a definite edge in sensitivity. Remember that concentration in fishing is far more important that pricey tackle - and it's free.

THE RIGHT REEL: Reel makers in recent years have started what could be called the ball-bearing wars, and the inevitable surge in marketing hype has led to ever escalating prices. However, there is a valid reason to buying a premium baitcaster or spinning reel. Smoothness of reel operation enhances your sensitivity, and that usually means ball bearings to the max. A reel that clunks, grinds, hitches, or vibrates during a retrieve tends to mask and distorts those bumps and thumps you're trying to feel as they come up the line. Buy the best reel you can afford. If possible, crank it before you buy it to make sure it's as smooth as a baby's bottom. Then when you're fishing, you'll know those bumps and thumps you're feeling can be coming from nowhere else but you lure.

THE FINAL TOUCH: Remember that underwater clacks and whacks at your lure are transmitted to your fingertips by the the line under tension. So all you really have to do with any tackle - regardless of the price - is to tune in. Concentrate and be aware of the little bumps and thumps at your fingertips as you retrieve and underwater lure. The battle for sensitivity in fishing is mostly mental, and it's a battle you can win.