One of the biggest mistakes anglers make when switching to circle hooks… is still trying to strike.

With circle hooks, striking works against you.

1. How Circle Hooks Work

Unlike J-hooks, circle hooks are designed to:

• Slide into the fish’s mouth
• Rotate naturally
• Set perfectly in the corner of the jaw

This happens with steady pressure — not a strike.

2. What Happens If You Strike?

When you strike with a circle hook:

• You pull the hook away before it can turn
• You miss the hookup
• You rip the bait out

That’s why anglers often say, “I’m missing bites” — when it’s actually technique.

3. The Correct Way to Fish a Circle Hook

Instead of striking:

• Let the fish pick up the bait
• Allow it to move off
• Slowly lift the rod and apply pressure

The hook will set itself.

4. Better Hook-Up & Landing Rate

Because of how they work:

• More solid hook-ups
• Less deep hooking
• Higher landing ratio

5. Perfect for Bigger Fish

Circle hooks shine when:

• Fish pick up and move with bait
• There’s steady tension on the line

Big fish + patience = perfect hook set.

Takeaway

Don’t strike… just lift and let the hook do the work.

Once you trust the process, your hookup rate will skyrocket

A spoon lure is a type of artificial fishing lure made of metal, shaped like a spoon. When retrieved through the water, it wobbles and reflects light—mimicking an injured baitfish and triggering strikes from predatory fish.

Key Characteristics

• Curved (concave) shape
• Made from metal (stainless steel or brass)
• Shiny or brightly colored finishes
• Produces a wobbling action in the water

Types of Spoon Lures

• Casting spoon → designed for long-distance casting from shore or boat
• Trolling spoon → pulled behind a moving boat
• Weedless spoon → features a guard, ideal for fishing in weedy or snag-prone areas

Tips for Using Spoon Lures

• Use varied retrieve techniques (fast–slow–pause)
• Choose colors based on water clarity:
• Clear water → silver/metallic
• Murky water → gold or bright colors
• Use a leader (wire or fluorocarbon) to prevent line cuts from sharp teeth

It’s one of the most overlooked factors in fishing…

Your line thickness can make or break how natural your bait looks in the water.

You can have the best bait, perfect spot, and right timing — but if your presentation is off, fish will ignore it.

Here’s why

1. Thicker Line Creates More Water Resistance

The thicker your line:

• The more drag it creates in the current
• The less naturally your bait moves

Instead of drifting naturally, your bait can:

• Lift unnaturally
• Spin or drag
• Look “wrong” to fish

2. Natural Movement Is Everything

Fish are extremely tuned to how prey behaves.

Bait on thin line:

• Moves freely
• Drifts with the current
• Looks natural

Bait on thick line:

• Looks restricted
• Moves stiffly
• Can appear unnatural

That slight difference is often enough to stop a bite.

3. Visibility Matters

Thicker line is:

• Easier for fish to see
• More noticeable in clear water

In pressured areas or clean water:

Fish become cautious and may refuse the bait entirely.

4. Sink Rate & Positioning

Line thickness affects how your bait sits:

• Thinner line = sinks easier, stays where it should
• Thicker line = more resistance, bait can lift or drift away

This is critical when:

• Fishing gullies
• Targeting bottom feeders
• Presenting bait in working water

5. Bite Detection & Sensitivity

Thicker line:

• Reduces sensitivity
• Dampens subtle bites

Thinner line:

Transfers movement better

Lets you feel those light pickups

Especially important when fish are feeding cautiously.

6. The Balance You Need

It’s not about always going as thin as possible.

You need to balance:

• Strength
• Abrasion resistance
• Presentation

Example:

• Scratching for edibles → go lighter
• Fishing heavy structure → go thicker but adjust presentation

Takeaway

Your bait only works if it looks natural.

And your line plays a massive role in that.

The best anglers don’t just think about bait…

they think about how that bait is being presented in the water.

When anglers talk about a “balanced setup,” they’re not just throwing around fancy terminology…

They’re talking about one of the biggest performance advantages you can have.

A properly balanced rod and reel setup can be the difference between an average session… and an exceptional one.

1. What Does “Balanced” Actually Mean?

A balanced setup is when your rod and reel:

• Work together as one unit
• Feel comfortable in your hand
• Don’t tip heavily forward or backward

Ideally, the setup should feel “neutral” — not fighting against you.

2. Reduced Fatigue = More Effective Fishing

An unbalanced setup:

• Feels heavy in the tip or handle
• Strains your wrist and forearm
• Tires you out quickly

A balanced setup:

• Feels lighter than it actually is
• Allows longer sessions
• Keeps you sharp when the bite comes

3. Better Casting Performance

Balance directly affects your casting:

• Smoother casting motion
• Better timing and control
• Increased distance and accuracy

When everything flows naturally, your casts become effortless.

4. Improved Bite Detection

A balanced setup enhances sensitivity:

• You feel subtle taps and movement
• Better connection to your bait or lure
• Faster reaction times

This is critical for species like Sheepshead where bites can be soft and hesitant.

5. More Control During the Fight

Once you hook up:

• Balanced gear gives you leverage
• Better control over powerful runs
• Less strain on your body

You fight the fish — not your setup.

6. Confidence = Consistency

When your setup feels right:

• You cast better
• You fish more effectively
• You make better decisions

Confidence builds consistency — and consistency catches fish.

Takeaway

The best setups don’t just look good — they feel right.

A balanced rod and reel setup:

• Improves performance
• Reduces fatigue
• Increases your chances of success

Once you fish with a perfectly balanced setup…

You’ll never go back.

One of the biggest differences between average anglers and top anglers?

The ability to read the water.

It’s not luck. It’s not just bait.

It’s understanding where fish are… before you even cast.

1. Fish Don’t Swim Everywhere

The ocean might look the same across the surface… but underneath:

• Structure changes
• Depth varies
• Food gathers in specific zones

Fish position themselves where feeding is easiest.

If you’re casting blindly:

• You’re guessing
• You’re wasting time

2. Finding the “Working Water”

Key areas to look for:

• Gullies – deeper channels between sandbanks
• White water – oxygen-rich, hides predators
• Sandbanks – hunting grounds
• Drop-offs – ambush points

These are high-percentage zones.

3. It Tells You Where Fish Will Feed

Reading the water helps you predict:

• Where baitfish will be
• Where predators will patrol
• How current is moving food

Fish follow food — always.

4. Better Presentation = More Bites

When you understand the water:

• You place your bait correctly
• You let it drift naturally
• You avoid dead zones

Same bait… completely different result.

5. Saves You Time

Instead of:

• Casting randomly
• Waiting in the wrong spot

You:

• Target key areas immediately
• Adjust based on conditions

More efficient = more fish.

6. Conditions Change Everything

Wind, tide, and swell all affect structure:

• A gully today might disappear tomorrow
• A sandbank might shift
• Clean water vs dirty water changes feeding zones

Reading water is a skill you constantly refine.

7. It Separates Good from Great

Anyone can cast.

But not everyone can:

• Identify a feeding zone
• Understand water movement
• Adjust on the fly

That’s what separates consistent anglers from lucky ones.

Key takeaway

Don’t just fish the ocean… understand it.

The best anglers don’t wait for fish to find them — they find the fish first.

Learn to read the water, and everything changes.

Anyone who spends enough time fishing eventually asks the same question — is fishing mostly luck, or does skill really make the difference?

The truth is that fishing is a combination of both luck and skill, but the more experienced you become, the more skill begins to outweigh luck.

Where Luck Comes In

Fishing will always have an element of luck. Even the best anglers cannot control everything happening beneath the water.

Factors that can influence your success include:

• Fish simply being in the area
• Sudden changes in weather or water conditions
• Baitfish movement
• Timing of feeding windows

Sometimes you can do everything right and still not get a bite, while another angler nearby hooks a great fish on their first cast.

That’s where luck plays its part.

The Role of Skill

While luck exists, experienced anglers consistently catch more fish because of skill and knowledge.

Skill in fishing includes understanding:

• Reading water and structure
• Choosing the right bait or lure
• Matching tackle to the conditions
• Understanding tides, currents, and weather patterns
• Presenting bait or lures correctly

These factors dramatically increase your chances of success. Over time, experienced anglers learn to put themselves in the right place at the right time.

Experience Creates “Luck”

Many anglers say that the best fishermen seem “lucky.” In reality, what often looks like luck is actually experience and preparation.

An experienced angler might:

• Fish the right tide
• Target productive structure
• Adjust bait presentation
• Move when conditions change

These decisions greatly improve their odds, which can make their success look like pure luck to others.

Fishing Is About Time on the Water

One of the biggest factors in fishing success is simply spending more time on the water. The more you fish, the more patterns you begin to recognize.

You start to notice:

• When fish tend to feed
• Which spots produce consistently
• How conditions influence behavior

With time, what once felt like random luck becomes predictable patterns.

Takeaway

Fishing will always include some luck — that’s part of what makes it exciting. You never truly know what the next cast might bring.

But the anglers who consistently catch fish usually combine skill, experience, observation, and patience.

So, in the end, fishing isn’t just luck.

It’s skill creating the opportunity — and luck deciding when the moment arrives.

Fishing has been around for thousands of years, which means anglers have also had thousands of years to create stories, traditions… and a few myths.

Some of these myths are passed down from generation to generation, and while a few contain a bit of truth, many are simply fishing folklore.

Let’s look at a few common ones.

Myth 1: Fish Only Bite During a Full Moon

Moon phases absolutely influence tides and feeding behavour, but fish don’t magically stop biting when the moon isn’t full.

Many anglers have caught great fish on new moons, half moons, and even random midweek sessions when conditions were right.

The moon can influence activity, but it’s not the only factor.

Myth 2: Big Fish Only Feed at Night

Night fishing can be extremely productive.

However, big fish are caught during the day all the time.

Often it depends more on water color, structure, tide movement, and bait presentation than the time of day.

Myth 3: You Need Expensive Gear to Catch Big Fish

Good gear helps, but it’s not everything.

Some incredible fish have been caught on basic setups and older equipment.

Skill, knowledge of conditions, bait presentation, and persistence often matter far more than the price tag on your rod or reel.

Myth 4: Wind Means Bad Fishing

Many anglers pack up when the wind starts blowing.

But certain winds can actually improve fishing conditions by pushing baitfish closer to shore, changing water color, or creating feeding opportunities.

Sometimes a bit of wind is exactly what fish are waiting for.

Myth 5: If the Fish Aren’t Biting, They Aren’t There

Fish are often present even when they aren’t feeding aggressively.

Small changes like bait size, retrieve speed, leader length, or casting angle can suddenly turn a quiet session into a productive one.

Sometimes the fish are there…

You just need to figure out what they want.

Takeaway

Fishing is part science, part experience… and sometimes a bit of luck.

The more time you spend on the water, the more you realize that many “rules” in fishing are simply guidelines, not guarantees.

And that’s part of what makes fishing so addictive.

Because the next cast might prove another fishing myth wrong.

Color matters… but not the way most anglers believe.

It’s not about choosing your favorite lure color — it’s about choosing what fish can see underwater.

• In clear water, natural colors look realistic.
• In murky water, bright and high-contrast colors help fish find your lure.
• And in deep water, colors fade — leaving contrast as the key.

Fish don’t see like humans. They rely more on contrast, movement, and visibility than perfect color.

If you want more strikes, stop guessing colors… start matching the water conditions.

Takeaway

Match the visibility, not your favorite color.

Choosing the right jig head weight makes a huge difference in how natural your paddle tail swims and how effectively you stay in the strike zone.

These are general guidelines to follow for inshore fishing in areas with minimal current:

• Up to 2' - 1/16 oz
• 2-3' - 1/8 oz
• 3-4' - 3/16 oz
• 4-6' - 1/4 oz

Remember, these are starting points, not hard rules. Factors like wind, retrieve speed, lure size, and current strength may require adjustments.

Takeaway

If your bait is dragging bottom too much, lighten up. If you're not staying down in the water column, go slightly heavier.