Comparing power and finesse

Getting to travel across North America chasing bass means I get to fish a wide variety of waters, including everything from small rivers to manmade reservoirs, to the Great Lakes, and the large natural lakes around my Lake of the Woods home. No matter where I am, I always carry both power and finesse set-ups. In the Bassmaster Elite Series, we get only three days to pre-fish before each event — often on waterbodies we don’t know well. The ability to find fish quickly is crucial, and once we do, the next challenge is figuring out how to make them bite. On some fisheries, success comes from simply covering water and using power techniques with heavy line. Other times, we need to slow down and rely on finesse tactics. Knowing when to choose one over the other can help you put more fish in the boat, no matter where you’re fishing. Power I like to think of power baits as a full meal, like a steak or burger. Finesse baits, on the other hand, are more like an after-dinner mint. With most power techniques, we use baitcasting tackle and heavier line. We’re talking topwater baits, swimbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, frogs, and crankbaits. These lure types let us cover a lot of water, grab a fish’s attention, and trigger reaction strikes. Not all power techniques involve constantly moving baits, though. Flipping also fits this category —using heavy tackle to drop Texas-rigged baits or jigs into cover is very much a power approach. Finesse Finesse tactics involve using spinning rods with lighter line and soft plastics. Some of the most popular techniques include the drop-shot, Ned rig, wacky rig, and various soft plastics on a jig head. Small hair jigs and lures like spy baits, inline spinners, or small crankbaits and jerkbaits also fall under the finesse category. These undersized baits require light line and tackle to work properly and present a more natural look. Finding fish Given the short practice period we have for Elite Series events, we need to find fish as quickly as possible, so we rely heavily on power techniques rather than slower finesse tactics. The same is true for many weekend anglers with limited time on the water. If you’re not sure where the sweet spots are, you don’t want to be forced into fishing slow when you’re not around fish. Covering water is often the best