ALTERED STATES
Fish behaviour varies widely. Anglers encounter situations ranging from feeding-frenzies to shut-downs. Some cannot tell what is happening. Others can read the signs but accept things as they are. Far fewer anglers have the knowledge, skills, and tools to change the situation.
Fishermen do far better by developing an understanding of their target species. Knowledge increases as you spend time on the water chasing a particular species. The ability to recognise what mood they are in is an important feature of this process. In this article, we examine fish behaviour and then describe ways to alter a fish’s state or mood to get a bite.
The ratio of rest to activity will vary between species. Some predatory fish spend much of their existence conserving energy and digesting their last meal. Murray cod are a good example. It spends much of its day hovering under a snag. Jew, mangrove jacks and many other highly desirable species also spend lengthy periods lurking in the shadows.
Regardless of species, this state or mood is characterised by calm, passive behaviour. Worse for anglers, they often rest in some snaggy dark cavern or snag pile where they feel safe from predators. Fish in this mood are probably the most challenging to catch. Often just presenting a lure or bait to them is hard enough! The accepted strategy for these species is to predict
