Start big, then scale down – how to find the bigger fish🇬🇧

When you arrive at a water you do not know, start with a bigger lure than you think you need. Three reasons: First, bigger lures filter out the small fish. You do not want to waste time catching 100-gram perch when you could be targeting the 1-kilo fish behind them. Big lures filter out the small ones and attract the attention of the real targets. Second, bigger lures are easier for fish to find. In the first few casts, you are searching. A large spinnerbait, jerkbait, or swimbait moves more water, creates more vibration, and is visible from further away. It is the fastest way to determine if there are active predators in the area. Third, big fish eat big meals. A 5-kilo pike does not want to waste energy chasing a 5-cm lure when it could swallow a 15-cm baitfish in one strike. Oversized meals are more energy-efficient for large predators. The scaling-down part: if you are getting follows but no strikes on the big lure, scale down one size. If that does not work, scale down again and slow your retrieve. Often the fish are there but need a less intimidating presentation to commit. The exception is zander. Zander often prefer smaller lures (8–12 cm) even when they are big fish. They have smaller mouths relative to their body size and tend to be more cautious than pike.