Finesse Fishing Tips

With all the talk I’ve been hearing lately about finesse fishing I decided it was time to gain a better understanding of what the term means (other than the obvious) and learn the subtleties involved with fishing it.  It turns out I’ve already been experimenting with this tactic, I just didn’t realize it.  I was just trying to find things that looked good moving in the water.

Finesse fishing is a tactic that is basically just what it sounds like:

• Finesse Fishing – An angling technique characterized by the use of light tackle – line, rod, reel and artificial baits (often tube worms, grubs, or other small-sized soft-plastic lures); often productive in clear, fairly uncluttered water.
• Finesse Baits – Baits used when utilizing finesse fishing tactics to entice fish to strike. Typically these finesse baits are small soft plastic lures such as tube baits, grubs, short worms, and jigs.

So slower techniques, smaller tackle, kind of no-brainers in cooler temperatures since we all know fish are moving slower.  But it turns out these tactics are also highly effective in all kinds of scenarios.

I’ve used the Gamakatsu Red Finesse Wide Gap Hooks to rig soft plastic flukes, shad and wacky worms.  It’s quickly becoming one of my “go to” choices. But even more affective, is the shaky head jig.  I made the move to the shaky head as a natural progression from the slow-moving, bottom bumping action of a Carolina rig.

Here are a couple of great videos demonstrating the shaky head jig; what it looks like in the water and how to rig different baits.

If you need to look up definitions of terms and phrases you hear other anglers tossing around here are two great resources:

General Fishing Glossary

Fly Fishing Glossary

Or don’t hesitate to ask. You’ll find that most anglers love to talk about their sport and share knowledge they’ve gleaned from years of experience.