We always hear people say "It's all about presentation" but what does that actually mean?
Below we'll cover the common factors that make up overall lure presentation in hopes to make you more aware of everything that goes into getting a fish to bite.
Size
A good starting point when choosing which lure to use is the size of the lure.
Bass are more prone to strike a lure that imitates the similar size and shape of whatever forage they are feeding on.
If you're unsure, the safe bet is to start off with a smaller lure (2 to 3 inches).
Color
Lure color is largely determined by two things...
Matching the color of whatever the bass are feeding on in your local fishery (baitfish, bluegill, crawfish).
Using natural colors (green pumpkin, watermelon, pearl) in clear water and choosing higher contrast colors (black, junebug, chartreuse) in stained/muddy water.
Fall Rate
Fall rate can be a make or break on getting bit or not.
Fall rate is largely attributed to the weight of your setup (1/4oz, 3/8oz, 1/2oz, 1oz, etc.)
Too fast of a fall rate could spook fish whereas too slow of a fall rate could give fish too good of a look at your lure.
For summer conditions when fish are more active or for times where you want to generate reaction strikes, opt for a lure with a faster fall rate.
For finesse and cold weather situations it may be best to start with something more subtle that has a slower fall rate.
If interested, one of our previous articles "Easily Find Your Lure Fall Rate with this Trick" covers how to quickly find your lure fall rate.
Sound/Vibration
Be mindful of the amount of noise and vibration produced by your lure.
Noise makers in lures are anything from wire bait blades, rattles in hard baits and jigs, and beads used for Carolina and Texas rig applications.
A noisy lure can be enough to spook finicky bass, especially in clear water, so take this into consideration when the bite is tough.
On the flip side, the noise or vibration produced by a lure, especially in stained or muddy water, can be the key to triggering the lateral line sense of a bass to go after your lure.
Line
The fishing line you choose for each setup is another one of those "make or breaks" for how well your lure is presented to the fish.
Monofilament is best used in topwater applications and situations where you prefer a little bit of "give" in your line (shallow water cranking).
Fluorocarbon sinks and is nearly invisible underwater which makes it a great choice for subsurface applications.
Braided line is best in heavy cover situations. It also acts as a great backing for spinning applications when used with a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader.
We cover the pros and cons of each line type in a bit more detail in "5 Common Bass Fishing Mistakes".
Retrieval
This one is important.
This includes...
The speed of your retrieve
The type of retrieve (stop-n-go, yoyo, steady, dragging, hopping)
The depth that you work your lure.
Rig
This one is especially true when fishing soft plastics.
Popular rigs to consider the next time you're on the water are...
Texas rig
Carolina rig
Wacky rig
Ned rig
Damiki rig
Dropshot
Position
Your position in relation to your target is a biggie that many anglers overlook.
A general rule of thumb is to make casts into the wind and/or up current.
By doing so you give your lure a more natural presentation by moving with the wind (general tendency of baitfish) or with the current (a key factor when river fishing) during the retrieve.
If you're able to fish from a boat and tend to use waypoints also consider making target casts at different angles.
Many refer to this as the "around the clock" approach.
Think of a clock.
If your casting target is the center of a clock and you represent the hour marks, make casts from the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions before moving on to your next spot.
Depending on how fish are positioned it may be the case that they are only interested in a lure coming from a specific direction.
Conclusion
It all boils down to listening to the fish and trusting your gut on when to switch things up.
So many times we as anglers get caught up in the mindset of "Dang, that lure looks good in the water - the fish should be biting that all day" when reality tells a different story.
Don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and experiment with different combinations from the above list to ensure your presentation is in line with what the fish want.
Time to go catch em'!
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