Instinct - a fish's best friend or worst enemy

[bigtattoo79]

I’ve always wondered if fish attack lures based on food/hunger OR based on it being a reaction/threat.

I had aquariums for years and when I’d open the top all the fish would swim up towards me, I assumed it was because normally the top opens at feeding time and they were hungry.

[Spoonminnow]

Today I fished a lake that has been let down for home owner dock repairs. Fish have relocated to open water from pad areas that are too low. The bite was phenomenal. I limited my lure choice to a few - using the ones that proved reactionary.
Fish pounded the soft plastic collection cast rigged on 1/32 or 1/24 oz ball head jigs in water less than 4' and with no cover. All were modified in the past.
One example: a Sassy Shad that had the belly cut off to allow for more shimmy. I caught crappie from 9"-11" that slammed it!:


Would an unaltered lure have worked? Did the lure fool the fish into thinking it was a fish. Don't know, don't care, same for this spike tail that caught a bunch. (Note the one on the right was a mod using a grub body and a spike tail):

Many of the lures were hit 5x on the first retrieve and then caught on the 2nd. The fish were that excited!

Number 1: location fish were found in
Number 2: proper jig weight matched to depth fish found in.
Number 3. lure shapes that fish are prone to attack in the depth range found

Maybe they thought the lures were snacks. Never entered my mind or my choice of lures. Lure size and action, matched to the retrieve used resulted in 97 fish caught/ 5 species.
Even a tube worked:

[CrappiePappy]

I see all those lures as being "minnow shaped" (long, thin, w/tail action). In other words, they look like what the fish normally consider as "food" ... not a "threat" or "intruder" into their space.

Wonder how many fish you would have caught with a piece of plastic that was "square" or "rectangle" shaped ??

Under those particular conditions, you'd likely have caught as many or more using a 1/16 or 1/32oz marabou Road Runner

[Spoonminnow]

I see all those lures as being "minnow shaped"

Now that's what I call an imagination - but not the fish's!

Regardless, there are a slew of minnow-shaped and other-shaped lures that would not have caught fish or at least gotten smacked as hard or as often. But if you want to think bon appetit when choosing lures, hey, whatever works for you!

IMHO a fish's brain is like a combination lock; a lure - the combination that includes: overall shape: how long and how big around the body; tail size and action; colors that may enhance shape and action, jig and hook size, rate and type retrieve, etc.

Labeling a lure doesn't mean anything to a fish whereas having the right combinations in my tackle box - does. I will cast a Mann's Shadow Minnow imitation today and see how it compares to spike tails. If it does well, it isn't because it's shaped like a fish though it may have a similar action. But as many of us know, lure action matters most - either inherent and/or applied.

[Spoonminnow]

Wonder how many fish you would have caught with a piece of plastic that was "square" or "rectangle" shaped ??

Here are a few more that most definitely don't look like any animal that ever lived yet have caught a bunch:



The Joker (below) has also proven itself along with the bulb, whiskers wacky-rigged and 5 1/2" Softie Worm rigged on a 1/24 oz jig. The actions and shapes of each lure are unique and unnatural.

[DWILL]

Here are a few more that most definitely don't look like any animal that ever lived yet have caught a bunch:



The Joker (below) has also proven itself along with the bulb, whiskers wacky-rigged and 5 1/2" Softie Worm rigged on a 1/24 oz jig. The actions and shapes of each lure are unique and unnatural.

Looks kinda like worms and grubs to me. lol I am a firm believer like most here including yourself, presentation is everything. I also believe shape and color doesn't matter... until it does. We all have changed bait shapes and colors until we trigger strikes. Whether it is instinct, getting smarter, or just pressure I'm not sure, but i do try to make my bait look like food and it seems to work most days.

[Spoonminnow]

try to make my bait look like food and it seems to work most days.

Would like to see examples.

Advice to anyone that want to see what makes a lure superior or sets it apart from others:
Notice a lures action in the water at the usual retrieve rate including imparted action. Note anything that may contribute to why it gets reaction strikes such as a tail quiver, wobble, action when darted throu gh the water, pulsation of a skirt or anything else that sets it apart. Fish are detail oriented when it comes to subtle actions and vibrations so common in nature shown by prey. Less subtle actions less so but at times rewarding. (i.e. Pop R)

ALL good past and present lures have design attributes that were intentionally aimed for by the designers with no intention of making fish believe the lure was a prey animal.

My mods are intended to look and move a certain way regardless of what a fish thinks. The proof is in the catching - not in convincing a dumb creature of anything.

[CrappiePappy]

"ALL good past and present lures have design attributes that were intentionally aimed for by the designers with no intention of making fish believe the lure was a prey animal."

OoooooKAY ... so why do mfg's name their lures .... "minnow", "Shad", "craw", "worm", etc. ?? And why do they make them near spittin images of said creatures, in size, shape, color, and even scent ??

But, you are correct that a fish's brain isn't in the Einstein category, and they act/react by instinct & curiosity, and maybe even sometimes from downright "meanness". We attribute their actions & reactions to what "we" think they're thinking, as we have no way of knowing exactly why they do what they do at times. All we can do is experiment & document, rinse & repeat, until we get the results we want. I'd say the lure mfg's follow the same principal during the R&D phase before presenting a "new" lure to the angling public.

[keeferfish]

[COLOR=#333333]
OoooooKAY ... so why do mfg's name their lures .... "minnow", "Shad", "craw", "worm", etc. ?? ]

Well since I don't think fish can read the names of lures - I highly doubt a lure named Fish Repellant or Fish Deterrent would sell like hotcakes?

[DWILL]

"ALL good past and present lures have design attributes that were intentionally aimed for by the designers with no intention of making fish believe the lure was a prey animal."

OoooooKAY ... so why do mfg's name their lures .... "minnow", "Shad", "craw", "worm", etc. ?? And why do they make them near spittin images of said creatures, in size, shape, color, and even scent ??

But, you are correct that a fish's brain isn't in the Einstein category, and they act/react by instinct & curiosity, and maybe even sometimes from downright "meanness". We attribute their actions & reactions to what "we" think they're thinking, as we have no way of knowing exactly why they do what they do at times. All we can do is experiment & document, rinse & repeat, until we get the results we want. I'd say the lure mfg's follow the same principal during the R&D phase before presenting a "new" lure to the angling public.

Thank you CP you were able to say it better than I.

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