Too Busy’s Tech Tips – The 3 Rod Prospecting Method

Want to catch more fish?  Of course you do, so here is a method for finding fish and honing in on their feeding preference.   It’s called the 3 rod prospecting method.  It is what I use personally and on most of the trips that I guide.  You can prospect while drifting a shoreline, floating a creek, staked out on structure, or even fishing the open ocean.

The method is both simple and effective for determining where the fish are feeding.  All you need to do is fish three rods set at different depths, using different baits to locate the fish.  Once you find feeding fish, concentrate your energy on the most productive depth and bait.

Rod 1 is for bottom fishing.  Use a Carolina rig with just enough weight to keep the bait on the bottom.  For bait and rigging, choose the bait for the species you’re targeting and use a 2/0 or 3/0 circle hook.  The circle hook is especially important since you won’t be “actively” fishing this rod.  The circle hook will prevent gut hooking most fish.

For example, larger inshore redfish in the 21 to 30 inch range eat more bait fish in both numbers and percentage of their diet than anything else. So mud minnows, mullet, menhaden, or small spots work well.  These are also excellent baits for trout and flounder, especially big gator trout and doormat sized flounder.

Rod 2 is the popping cork rig.  Suspend bait two to four feet below the popping cork and drift this bait along grass edges, rock walls, jetties, or in a slough if you’re fishing from shore.  Again, choose baits for the targeted species and use circle hooks because once again, you won’t be actively fishing this rod.  For redfish and trout, live shrimp, mud minnows, finger mullet, and menhaden are all still very good baits.  Artificial baits work well under a popping cork too.  Gulp, DOA, Saltwater Assassin, etc. that mimic shrimp and bait fish are very effective drifted under a popping cork.

Rod 3 is for jigs, swim baits, or top water lures.  This is the rod that is in your hand most of the time.  Since this is your active, hands on rod, J hooks are fine on this setup.  Top water lures seems to work best in low light conditions, so early morning and late evening are the best times for top water action.   When the sun is bright in the sky, fish deeper, bounce a jig with a paddle tail or curly tail grub against submerged structure.

It doesn’t matter where you fish, the 3 rod prospecting method will help you bring more fish to hand.