Lure fishing for trout has always been synonymous with fishing with metal lures and crankbaits. For 5 years now, tracking trout using soft lures has really exploded in France. Soft lures have many advantages and there are many approaches.
I suggest you discover a particular type of soft lure, which very regularly makes the difference in difficult conditions and which has above all allowed me to capture many large salmonids. Let’s talk about finesse soft lures for trout fishing.
What is a soft finesse lure?
A soft finesse lure, as its name suggests, it is a fine lure, whose tail ends in a point or bifid tail. It often has a round or triangular section, a fairly hard and nervous material, a thin hydrodynamic body. It is also called a “soft jerkbait”. It does not have a vibratory appendage like shads or commas; It therefore does not emit strong vibration signals.
Finesse lures draw their strength from their atypical swimming. This swimming is called darting or among Japanese black bass fishermen, mid trolling 3d. These are broad movements from right to left and up and down, forward (or even backward!) erratic and nervous of the lure. It navigates from right to left and up and down, moving in all 3 dimensions, unlike classic LS which moves forward and only up and down. Given their shape, soft finesse lures project like darts, driven by the blows of the tip made by the fisherman. To properly exploit this stroke and to be able to easily add a lot of amplitude, you must adapt the weighting of this LS and the attachment to the line.
The jig head will be rather pointed, with the attachment at the top. In this way, when the line is tensioned and the lure rises, the water rests on the TP which accelerates and projects. To attach the TP to the line and always with the idea of allowing maximum freedom of movement, I place a fairly round clip or I tie a “rapala” knot with a large loop. For slower fishing downstream (for example) and to “break” the range of movement of the lure, you can also place a round jig head.
River approach
Where a shad will hold the vein well when fishing downstream, the tail acting as a stabilizer which places the lure's head facing the current, the finesse will pass more quickly, but also ultimately very naturally, like a fish moving along a vein. to another. It will therefore not be relevant when fishing downstream, but rather when fishing upstream, throwing the lure upstream and bringing it downstream, in the same direction as the current. Its low hold in the water makes it ideal for quickly reaching the bottom, freeing itself from the force of the current, without being “swept away”.
This type of lure, which is reeled in quite quickly by flicking the tip, triggers trout with incredible regularity. It’s reaction fishing. Whether in Norway on very large sea trout or in the Corsican rivers, I have excellent results!
The need to reel quickly and maintain contact with the lure requires a high recovery ratio reel in this exercise. A 2500 size reel is not too much for retrieving the lure and controlling big fish which sooner or later will force you to fight downstream.
If you have the slightest doubt about a position or a suspicion of a touch, do not hesitate to insist. The trout take the lure relatively poorly and by insisting, it is not uncommon to hook the coveted fish.
Lake Approach
I love using this lure in mountain lakes or reservoir lakes. These large environments are home to ichthyophagous fish (mainly feeding on other fish) which are particularly skilled and receptive to finesse lures.
Fishing with a finesse soft lure in a lake allows you to fish hollow or even very hollow, while having the possibility of bringing a lot of movement and being imitative and very encouraging. This is very relevant in these calm waters where fish can be very followy or simply not notice your lure in the large volume of water.
The darts and ample movements make the lure visible and trigger the attack phase. I take breaks every 3, 4 or 5 dart animations. During this very important pause, I maintain contact with the lure by supporting it with the banner semi-extended. The pause only lasts about a second, then I resume a series of darts. The pause, after the salmonid has spotted your lure, allows you to create a niche or a feeding opportunity. The lure is easy to grip and the trout attack very regularly during this short break.
The appropriate equipment
For fishing with finesse lures, your swimbait fishing set will be optimal. The flexibility at the tip of a rod with a full tip favors, in my opinion, healthy grips on the lure for fewer misses. A reel with a high recovery ratio will be necessary for fishing upstream in a river. In lakes, this high ratio will not really be a handicap even if an intermediate ratio will be more comfortable. It allows you not to “over-tension” the banner by reeling too quickly and to allow a little freedom and amplitude in the swimming of the lure. Since the lure does not pull at all in the line (it does not offer resistance in the water), we do not need torque and a low recovery ratio.
(Morgan Call)
