This in-depth glossary appeared in Fishing Facts magazine throughout the ‘70s and featured the original language of structure fishing. The number of terms has greatly expanded over the years, but these are the roots from which it grew.

• ADAPTATION: The process whereby a given fish species accommodates its basic nature to the available environment to satisfy its basic requirements for food. comfort. safety, and re-production.

• APPETITE MOODS: A term to describe a fish’s attitude for feeding. There are three basic moods: (1) Positive Mood, a fish is hungry and actively feeding. (2) Neutral Mood, a resting fish in proximity to its feeding ground which will take a bait or lure if properly presented within the immediate vicinity of the fish. He is in a non-chasing mood. (3) Negative Mood, a condition where a fish has an adverse attitude toward any sort of feeding activity. Only the presentation of a lure in such a way as to cause a Strike can put him on the stringer at this time.

• BITING: The act of actively seeking out forage, the fish are in a Positive Appetite Mood. “The fish are biting”.

• BOAT CONTROL: Utilizing a boat as an aid to or in conjunction with the act of presenting a bait or lure. This includes: (1) Drifting, (2) Back-trolling, (3) Forward Speed Trolling, (4) Forward Slow Trolling, (5) Combination of either or all. (Anchoring and casting are working positions rather than boat control.)

• BOW: Excess line, in the form of a curve, which occurs between the rod tip and lure.

• BREAK IN STRUCTURE: Where structure is no longer uniform due to dips, or a quick drop in depth; rocks, stumps, etc.

• BREAKLINE: A line on structure where there is a definite increase in depth, either sudden or gradual; weedline, brushline; edge of channels or holes; where two bodies of water meet which differ in temperature and/or color.

• BRUSHLINE: The deep-water edge of a line of brush.

• CHECKED: When an area has been thoroughly fished correctly.

• CLEAN BOTTOM: Bottoms free of debris, muck, moss, etc.

• COLD FRONT: A weather condition. (Description and position obtainable from daily weather maps and reports.)

• CONTACT POINT: The position on structure where contact is first made by fish on their migration from deep water.

• CONTROLS: Factors to be considered and used for successful fishing. Speed Control and Depth Control are the two most important controls. The other controls such as size, color, and action of lures, can more properly be considered as Aids.

• CONTROL: To present lures in an orderly and correct manner.

* CONTROL DRIFT: Utilizing an outboard motor, electric motor, or oars, on a line of drift to keep a boat moving along and on one continuous depth level.

• DEEP WATER: Water that has a depth greater than eight to ten feet.

• DIRTY BOTTOM: Bottoms covered with debris, muck, moss, etc.

• DROP-OFF: The place on structure where there is a sudden or rapid drop into the deepest water, such as a hole or channel.

• ELIMINATED WATER: Water that has been fished correctly and has produced no action.

• FAN CAST: A series of casts that covers the water in an arc.

• FREE SWIMMING LURE: A lure moving or swimming through open water.

* FRONT: More accurately the time after a Cold Front has passed through and the atmosphere has cleared of cloud cover and becomes extremely bright. This allows extreme amounts of the sun’s rays to penetrate to the earth’s surface. This condition is usually (but not always) accompanied by strong winds and a noticeable drop in temperature. (This is usually known as a cool, windy summer day with a mile high sky.) Sun penetration coupled with the cooling of the surface water is the key to the effects of a Cold Front. With variations between species and according to coloration of water, time of year, etc., the net result is that a Cold Front drives fish deep and off their feed. The effect lasts until the temperature warms and cloud cover returns, often on about the third day after a Front.

* FRONT RUNNER: A fish from a school that generally precedes the main body of the school in its movement along structure. Front runners are generally the smaller fish of the school.

• GAMEFISH: Any fish considered worthy of pursuit, either for its pugnacious disposition or for its flesh.

• HARD BOTTOM: Bottoms with a firm condition associated with sand, clay, rocks, gravel, etc.

• HOME: Deep-water areas where fish spend most of their time.

• HOT-SPOT: An area where fish are caught consistently when fish are said to be “biting.”

• JUMP LURE: Normally, weighted lures used for bottom work, whose speed and action are obtained by rod or reel movement in the form of a jump or jerk.

• MIGRATION: Movement of fish from one section of water to another. Normally used when speaking of a depth change.

• MIGRATION ROUTE: The path fish take as they move from deep water to shallow water, or vice versa.

• MOVEMENT: Closely associated with migration, but also meaning when fish become active (opposite of dormant).

• OBSTRUCTION: Any underwater object that would cause a lure to “hang up,” such as rocks, boulders, logs, stumps, trees, etc.

• OPEN WATER: Water free from vegetation growth, and away from shoreline.

• POINT: An extrusion in the shoreline that extends into and under the water.

• PRESENTATION: The combined process in which you display your bait or lure to a fish. This includes boat control, working position, lure or bait choice, choice of balanced equipment, and all the basic controls of depth, speed, size, color and action of lures.

• “READ WATER”: The ability to look at and comprehend the conditions under which you will be fishing, through observation and experience, and with or without certain mechanical aids such as depth sounders, water thermometers, etc.

• SANCTUARY: The section of water, in the home area, where fish spend most of their time.

• SCATTERPOINT: The depth, on the bottom, where fish start to separate and scatter and are no longer grouped together.

• SCHOOL OF FISH: Several fish that are grouped close together.

• SCHOOLING: A school of fish feeding on the surface, visibly tearing up the water.

* SCHOOLIES: Small bass, usually under 1 1/2 pounds, that travel in immense schools and at certain times will “herd shad” on surface. They are also called “popcorn bass.”

• SHALLOW WATER: Water less than eight to ten feet in depth.

• SIZE OF LURE: Normally, the length in inches rather than by weight.

• SOFT BOTTOM: Bottoms covered with soft silt, mud, muck marl, etc. ‘

• SPOOKED: Fish which have become alerted or have become scared. Their reaction is to drop into deeper water or to become very inactive.

• STRAGGLERS: An occasional fish, which is usually found apart from the others. (Yearlings are often in this category.)

* STRIKING: An involuntary reflex action which prompts a fish to strike at a bait or lure due to his pugnacious nature, and as triggered by the right combination of controls the fisherman can exercise over his lure, principally SPEED and DEPTH. (This is the opposite of BITING, which is a feeding process).

• STRUCTURE: The bottom of the lake extending from shallow water to deep water, with some unusual features that distinguish it from the surrounding bottom area.

* THERMOCLINE: A condition in some lakes where water will layer or stratify according to different temperatures.

• TRAFFIC: The amount of fishing pressure, or water skiers, large boats and motors, and fast boats in a given area.

• WALKING OR BUMPING: A lure moving along the bottom and actually coming into contact with it in this manner.

* WATER CHARACTERISTICS: This term defines the basic character of the water source that supplies a given body of water. (Spring-fed, seepage, river-fed, etc.) This will determine -~e clarity, oxygen content, density of fish population, fertility, aquatic weed growth, etc.

• WATER COLOR: The degree of clarity.

• WEEDLINE: The deep-water edge of a line of weeds.

• YEARLINGS: One to three year old fish.

• From Buck Perry’s Spoonplugger’s Glossary

* From Field Editor Ron Lindner

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