Trying to decide what to get your dad for Father’s Day? Look no further! We have the perfect gift to land you in Dad’s good books and give him a story-worthy catch!
Maybe you don’t quite have the budget to buy him a fishing boat, but you can give him a gift that keeps on giving. Share these awesome fishing tips with him so he can fish like a pro and reel in the big one. Give Dad the gift of “bragging rights” for the day by helping him improve his fishing game.
Tune the Crankbait
Crankbait is some of the most important tools an angler can own, but it’s crucial to know how to use it properly to catch those fish. Your dad needs to know how to choose and tune crankbait.
Cast your lure, and as you reel it back in, watch to see if it comes back straight to the boat. If it seems to run to the right, tweak the eyelet to the left with needle nose pliers, and vice versa if it’s running to the left.
If your lure isn’t tuned properly, it won’t work the way it was intended, and the fish won’t find it as attractive.
Oxygen Content
Water temperature and oxygen content go hand-in-hand. Helping your dad understand these fluctuations can help him reel in more fish.
Cold water has the ability to hold more oxygen than warm water. Hot summer temperatures may heat the water so much that it isn’t able to hold enough oxygen for the fish.
Places where water drains from or enters will typically be colder in temperature and a favourable spot for fish. You will most likely find baitfish and the bigger fish that eat them in these areas.
Another tip, if the water is too warm, is to drop your lure below the warm water to the cooler water. This can be up to 15 feet deep. There will be high oxygen content just above where the cold and warm water meet.
This may be the sweet spot where you’ll have a lot of success.
Look for Sunken Structures
Fish like to hang around structures as they offer protection from other species. Plenty of structures to look out for will have fish swimming around just waiting to be caught.
Look out for downed trees, weeds, or rocks. Try using a spinner bait with a red or pink head and a crankbait with red hooks. These colours fool the fish into thinking the bait is injured and easier to eat.
Wind Plays a Factor
When the wind is strong, you can expect the fish to get pushed closer to the shore. The strong wind can confuse the movements of smaller fish.
If you venture out beyond the shores, you may be able to find larger fish that are going after the bait fish. However, casting in this type of weather can be tricky.
You will want to opt for a sidearm flick rather than the overhead toss. Keep it below the wind to better direct your bait to the spot where the fish are.
Decide on Your Target Species
Different fish species like different areas of the water and different bait.
To land the big one, your dad must first decide which species he’s fishing for. He should do preliminary research to find out what they like eating and where they like to hang out.
Then, he should adapt his fishing techniques, strategies, and bait to catch the fish he’s targeting each trip.
Pick the Right Bait Colour
As seasons change, it’s a good idea to change the colour of your bait. In autumn and winter — when the water is clear — the brighter you want your bait to be.
However, if the water is coloured, then the scent will be more important than colour. Opt for baits such as soft or hard pellets.
Find the Food to Find the Fish
Another excellent piece of advice is to find where the fish are feeding because that’s where they will be more apt to bite. It’s important to know and understand the feeding habits of your lake and the ecosystem in which you’re fishing.
If you’re in a lake or pond, look for bait fish or other prey. If the bait fish are there, the game fish shouldn’t be far behind.
In streams, search for “feeding lanes.” These are narrow, faster currents that carry insects and other food downstream. Wherever these feeding lanes pass by rocks, ledges, or structures, your dad is likely to find the fish.
Find the Right Temperature
Spend time Out on the Water
More than anything else, you will want to encourage your dad to spend time on the water where he fishes.
This is the best way for him to get better at this sport. It will help him understand the subtle changes relating to weather conditions and how they affect the fish.
Your dad will become a better fisherman if he understands their patterns when it rains or when the lake temperature drops or rises.
Give the Gift of Boater Education To Keep Dad Safe When Fishing
The best gift you can give dad this Father’s Day is to spend quality time together. But if you really want to up your game, spending that time on the water fishing will have you in dad’s good books for years to come! These tips will have dad fishing like a pro so he can land the big one for his next trip out on the water.
The last thing we recommend giving your dad is the gift of boater education. Whether he spends time alone on his fishing boat or you share time with him for an upcoming fishing adventure, safety is the most important thing to think about.
BOATsmart! provides fun, engaging online courses for boaters and anglers to get up to speed on safety best practices and regulations. So, before he takes the tips we provided today out to try for his next fishing trip, make sure he’s taken a course to get safety certified!
For boating and fishing in Canada, you both can take one of our Canada-approved courses and get your boating license. In the U.S., dads and fishing buddies can take the course that applies to the state where they fish.
Originally published in April 2020. Content most recently reviewed and updated for accuracy and relevancy September 11, 2024.
