Match The Hatch

The LMM EDITORIALS

CONTENTS

The Lure Makers

Point 6

Match The Hatch

Point 6

The Rusty Bottom

Point 6

My New Bellyboat

Point 6

Match The Hatch

The notion of matching the hatch is not new, and it certainly was not invented by The Lure Makers Magazine. However; Matching the Hatch is the single most important factor a lure designer should take into consideration. Second is where the bait is used. Third is what for.

The idea of matching the hatch is so important to lure design; the LMM Editor decided to put this article up front for this week’s feature.

If you took all the fishing lure designs being manufactured, and sold; then multiplied that times there different colors, sizes and weights; you would have thousands of fishing lures to choose from.....So; Why make one of your own?

We have all heard the term: “Match the Hatch”. What does that mean? “match the hatch.” To me; it means don’t use a frog as bait if there aren’t any frogs in the pond. To me; it means do your home work. Find out what your game fish of choice is feeding on, and make your bait presentation match what-ever-it-is as closely as possible.

Here is how matching the hatch can make the diference between being skunked, and having a best fishing day.

I once saw a truly amazing example of "match the hatch" unfold right before my eyes...........

After walking, and fishing two miles of shallow grassy shore line from daybreak to noon, for LMB's; I didn’t get so mach as a sneeze at my bait. I couldn’t figure out why; so I quit, put my gear away, and figured it was time to do some home work.

I had started the day using a top water popper, switched to shallow running cranks, and so-on. All the bait I tossed at ‘em usually worked at this time of the year, in this water. I set out looking for clues by walking the shore line again. It wasn’t long before I came across a shallow Blue Gill nest about two feet deep with a steep drop-off about five feet away. What caught my attention; was a mother Blue Gill frantically fighting off a swarm of small minnows from her egg nest. I stood motionless, and watched for a few minutes. Just at the moment I decided to walk away; two log sized images rose up slowly, out of the darkened water, at the edge of the drop-of. One came up at the right side, and one three feet to the left. Both were at least ten pounders. Suddenly, the bass on the left charged the nest, but did not hit the mother blue gill. It turned and chased the school of minnows directly towards the other bass who stayed still, and snapped up a half dozen of the passing minnows. I could not believe my eyes. The two bass were hunting in unisen together, like a pair of African Lyons, and using the blue gill nest as a trap in a well planned feeding strategy. No wonder the bucket mouths wouldn’t bother to chase a crank bait. A noisy popper only scared off the schools of small minnows.

Sometimes feeding conditions like this only last a few days, and we know that a ten pound Large Mouth Bass wouldn’t hesitate to take a half pound blue gill, given such an easy opportunity. But; on that day the bass were feeding on small schools of very small minnows, and using egg laying Blue Gill as bait.......What do you suppose I did next?

I went straight home and broke out my TF 1.5 mold, and fired up my hand held PVA injector. I shot-up a dozen TF 1.5 bodies, with no ballast lead so they would almost float, and sink ever so slowly. I matched the silver, and pail lime green colors of the minnows as close as memory would allow.

The next morning I had caught and released a limit of hogs before I had to put on my sun glasses. That day was one of the best fishing days of my life.

I guess the point in this fishing story is that because of my ability to create a custom, and one of a kind bait almost instantly; I was able to cash in on a very special, and unique feeding condition that lasted for a very short time. I think being able to "match the hatch" is one very good reason for making your own fishing lures.

Secondly; there is money to be made designing, and manufacturing fishing lures that truly do well at catching fish of all species. Unfortunately; there is where you will run into the stiffest competition; especially where it applies to popular freshwater fishing; Bass, Trout, Walleye, etc. There are already thousands of such fishing lures. Just buy one. Take your chances with the guy willing to sell it to you. The same goes with saltwater fishing lures................

Then; there is specializing.......I have a little saying, I say to myself every time I set out to make a new kind of fishing lure: “First you do it; then you do it better; then you do it faster; then you do it cheaper.”

Specializing can also mean making lures that are specific, in some way, to a certain geographic location. This usually pertains to color variations that work best in a particular lake or stream, ocean etc. due to the natural food source.

My best advice to lure makers is to do your homework. Then specialize. Learn how to fine tune a specific lure, behavior and color for the fishermen in your area. If you do that you will have fun, catch more fish, and make money at it. When you, and your product are whorthy of being a lure making, and marketing company; be prepared to work hard at it.

Respectfully submitted;

John P. Hamon

Imagineer, Author & Illustrator,

The LMDFG.

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