Finesse Fishing

What is finesse fishing? This seems to be a new term (for me at least) as I've been hearing & reading more about it. While the saltwater anglers are constantly going up the ante with thicker lines, larger reels & tougher tackles to handle brutes in the ocean, the freshwater anglers seems to be going stealthier than ever. Yes, Finesse fishing as it's called, is about using tackles, especially terminal tackles that are smaller, tinier & more discreet than ever. After being told to go finesse in order to catch some shy fishes in highly pressure waters for several years, I finally could understand what 'finesse' is to fishing.

While some other anglers still insist on using thicker & tougher terminal tackles to 'make sure' they don't loose a fish from a tackle failure, such anglers seldom get a bite to begin with. I'm going to delve a little into what I perceive as Finesse fishing.

Why Finesse?

You can catch a 1kg fish with 80lb line but would you? Why not? You are guarantee the fish won't have a chance to escape due to line snapping. How about using 120lb swivels & clips? That's for sure the fish will be dragged back to the banks like a crane on turbo mode. How about fishing with size 8 hooks, yeah! that will guarantee I could rig a big piece of burger as bait to catch a huge fish! Aha...the reality is far from that.

Fishes have eyesight. They can taste. They feel by touch. They also have a special sensory organ called "lateral lines" which we humans do not have. To survive, fishes must use ALL of their sensory organs to see, taste, feel & pick up faint vibrations in the water. Once you acknowledge these facts, you will come to understand that, like all creatures, they experience fear & anxiety just like we do. A fish won't simply bite your bait just because you've added, like how Uncle Sanders likes to say, "original recipe of 11 hearbs and spices" to make your bait so good & appealing. I have personally seen fishes, for example, Tilapia and Pacu purposely avoiding floating rigs because they were too bulky or imposing. In lure fishing, this applies to Snakeheads too as I've seen Giant Snakeheads (Tomans) avoiding or completely ignoring my lure when it has proven it's effectiveness in other waters. So what is the solution? Finesse Fishing of course.

Line Size & Quality

The first thing you should consider is downsizing your mainline & leader. Try switching from 20lb down to 15 or even 10lb mainline. Thinner lines is also easier to cast & gives you more distance. For most general paypond fishing, I regularly employ 15lb braided mainline. Thinner lines is also less imposing. You may want to also consider using clear color mono lines in the 6 to 10lb rating. Mono lines is less visible compared to braid. For best discreet presentation, you could even use 100% fluorocarbon for your leaders, which is almost invisible underwater. This applies to both coarse fishing as well as lure casting.


Terminal Tackles

Your swivel & clips needs to be replaced with smaller ones. Those that are rated for 20 to 30lb test are ideal size tackles suitable for finesse fishing. In fact, in highly pressured waters such as wild ponds & lakes, just tying the mainline/leader directly onto the hook would yield better results especially in clear waters. For even more discreet presentation, if you are fishing for species that are easily spooked by flashing, try those that has been carbon coated in grey or black to minimize flashing. This applies to both coarse fishing as well as lure casting.





Hooks

In coarse fishing, the way we present the bait is very important. If the fishes are hungry & you have what they like, it doesn't really matter how you rig the bait onto the hook. But! When they are shy & weary, finesse fishing calls for hooks to be concealed or rigged in a very discreet manner. Again, it's better to use carbon coated hooks in grey coloring to minimize flashing. If you are fishing with groundbaits (dedak), wrap the entire hook into a ball to completely conceal it. From hook point to the eye, totally cover it up. You may also want to replace with a smaller hook as you would need to reduce the size of your bait.


Rigs

Keep it simple. I've had many times tried catching some shy fishes at EAK, especially those Red Tilapia there that has a reputation of being cautious & weary to take baits. My favorite rig to use there is the floating umbrella rig but on some days, they refuse to take my bait & stays at the bottom for some reasons. So I switch to a traditional floating rig with just 1 tiny hook & a small bobber adjusted long enough so the bait is presented near or off the bottom. Some times it works but when it doesn't, I even employ thinner lines like 10lb mono or even 100% fluorocarbon leaders which ultimately fools the fish enough for them to take the bait. Do employ simple rigs like the Basic Bottom Rig.











Bait & Lures

Bait size does matter when it comes to finesse fishing. This is especially true in lure casting whereby, the predatory fishes prefers to go after smaller lures. Take soft plastics for example. When I go casting for Stripped snakeheads (Haruan), when my favorite Inline Spinner doesn't work, I switch to plastic frog or Texas rig 3" grub with a small lead sinker. Enough to cast some distance but not too large to cause a major splash in the water when it is cast out. Finesse fishing with lures calls for slow, stealthy approach. In some scenarios, as I recall, I had to cast multiple times in a body of water hidden behind a bush. After some 15mins of slow presentation, the Haruan finally mouth the bait. Even Rapala is acknowledging the need for smaller lures hence the introduction of smaller models of their popular lures.


One more thing, if coarse fishing, when you are on the banks. Try to use a low profile rod stand or better, find some way to keep the rod on the floor. I have seen fishes avoid my bait because my rod was being held high on a Y-stand. The moment I place the rod on the floor & walk a few meters behind it, the fishes begins to peck on the floating bait.

Finesse float fishing

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