Know Your Water...let That Determine Your Gear/tackle

[imagine29028]

I find it very interesting how people all across the country kind of copycat or model their gear and tackle as other people. Truth of the matter is not everyone is fishing the same kind of water, structure, etc. Knowing your water type will really allow you to hone in on tactics that work in your areas and others that wont.

Live in Maryland...75% of all of our water is shallow, mainly stained, tidal rivers, where grass is super important. We have a few big lakes/reservoirs. So if Im fishing these shallow (relatively) rivers with grass and tides, I can limit the baits I throw and the gear I use. I know if Im working a shoreline in 4-8 feet of water, I dont need a Football Head jig tied on; Im better off with a squarebill, Spinnerbait, jig etc. Also since the water tends to be stained, I can leave those translucent natural colors at home; instead focusing on my black& blue, junebugs, reds etc.

Vice versa there is a rather large reservoir bout 20 minutes from me, that gets very deep, very quick; almost no flats, you can be 3 yards off shore and be in 15 feet of water. So there Ive eliminated 5 or 6 techniques just off of that; Jigs, 10 inch worms, deep cranks, shakeyheads are what I turn to, and not a squarebill that maxes out in 5 feet of water.

So just some advice as you buy tackle and stuff this winter...just cause you see Greg Hackney punching mats on Toldeo Bend, doesnt mean you have to do the same thing if you dont have matted vegetation. No reason to go out and buy a 1.5 Tungsten weight and such if youre pitching to laydowns. If you tend to have muddy water...no reason to buy smoke colored grubs.

K.I.S.S Keep it simple stupid