Learning a different language can be fun, entertaining and hard all at the same time. Sometimes learning another language in speaking form only is the most rewarding. However, when it comes to fishing, these common words take on a whole new meaning!
Toad, lunker, hawg, pig: A big fish, a term used to describe a very big fish after a long period of getting the fish out of the water.
Hooked up: When a fish bites your bait, lure, offering and a good solid fight.
Boil: When the surrounding water appears to be “boiling” from all the action. This happens when the larger predator fish chase the larger schools of bait fish into a certain area and a very aggressive feeding frenzy occurs.
Dinks: Very small fish that are seemingly caught on every single cast. “It was nonstop with all these dinks.”
Drag: The action that occurs on the fishing reel to either tighten or loosen the resistance on the line. “My drag was way too loose and he ended up wrapping me around some trees.”
Farmed: The act of losing a fish after the fish has taken your bait or lure, unhooked itself from the lure and sending it back to “the farm” to grow bigger.
Slammed!: The act of a big fish aggressively attacking the lure, bait or other on the end of your line. “All of a sudden my lure got slammed by this pig out of nowhere.”
Spooked: The act of alarming the fish that you are there, chasing them away from your area, scaring away your quarry. “We were doing really good until this boat came zipping by and spooked all the fish.”
Wide open: The description from an angler or anglers experiencing the nonstop action of catching fish after fish. “Man, you should have seen it! It was wide open!”
ZZZZZZZZZ!: The sound your fishing reel makes when a big fish has just taken your bait and is running away with it causing the drag on the reel to make this sound. This is always a very good thing to hear!
Pitching: The act of simply casually tossing your lure bait or other into an area mainly congested with underwater obstacles such as trees, rocks, boulders, floating docks or boat launch ramps.
Finesse: The act of gently using the fishing rod to impose a softer, slower approach when trying to attract the attention of big fish.
Punching: This is when the angler uses a heavier weight on the line to aid in the force of “punching” the lure or bait through a surface overgrown with vegetation. “I had to punch my way through the lily pads.”
Split shot: The small piece of weight attached to the fishing line in various locations to aid in the sinking or retrieval action of the bait or lure.
Knowing these terms and how they are used can add to any angler’s success. Speak the lingo, get the results you are seeking. Tight lines!
