by Simon Wright

Created on: June 22, 2009

One of the thrills of fishing is the challenge of getting fish to bite on your line. A lot of thought and preparation typically goes into deciding upon the best mark to fish from and which combinations of bait and hooks to employ. Then, it's just a waiting game; you present your baited hook or your shiny lure and wait expectantly for the first bite of the day.

What is it thought that makes a fish bite? Well, I must admit that when I first saw this article topic, the first thought that popped into my head was the glib answer of "hunger". Certainly, the need to satiate hunger pangs and sustain life is the core reason why fish (and other animals) choose to feed. However, with a variety of foodstuffs on offer, the real question is "what makes a fish bite on your hook?"

Success in angling is usually linked to how well the angler understands his or her target fish species and the environment in which they live. Without covering individual species, however, here are some general criteria that will influence your success:

The right food in the right place:

Some fish are unfussy when it comes to their diet and will snack on pretty much anything that you present to them. However, there are many other species who are more suspicious and will refuse offered titbits if they don't form part of their regular diet or are presented where the fish would not expect to find them.

Groundbait / chum:

In lake fishing, anglers often put down groundbait over a series of days in the spot that they want to fish from. This free offering of food attracts fish in and they get used to the fact that this spot offers good safe feeding. The angler then should get a good return when he or she casts out their line.

The same approach can be used by sea anglers. Additionally, the principal is extended to some boat fishing expeditions where anglers cut up bait fish and dangle it from the boat to attract fish. The practice of using chum on shark fishing trips is particularly common but anglers need a strong stomach to cope with the smell!

The irresistible lure of smelly bait:

Many fish are drawn to the scent of their prey. Some species may even have poor eyesight and will therefore rely on finding their food mainly by scent. In such cases, a baited hook will be more effective than a shiny spinning lure.

Shiny sparkly things:

Some fish are suckers for shiny things. Pelagic fish species, such as mackerel and herring, often go crazy when a spinning shiny lure flashes past them. It ignites

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