Think Like a Fish: Why Fish Use Structure and Cover

(Blake Russell photo)

Fish use structures for a large variety of reasons. For starters, some structures are used by fish like we use rest-stops on a long road trip. Fish are going to travel to where the food is, and many of them will make pit-stops along the way. Fish also use structures because current will accelerate over and around them causing eddies. Finally, the most common reason fish relate to a structure is because their food source is relating to it.

Fish relate to cover for different reasons. The primary reason fish relate to cover is because it provides them with a sense of protection. Fish start their lives as small fry and hide in cover to avoid predators. Even though a 10-pound bass would be considered at the top of the food chain, it will still relate to cover for protection. Another reason fish relate to cover is because it gives them a place to hide and ambush prey.

There are a myriad of other reasons why fish relate or don't relate to particular structure and cover at a given time, but I think it'd take a book to cover them all. These basics will at least help you think like a fish, which will help you catch them.

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