To some it has came to mean small lures & light line but here's my answer

The skillfulness, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations delicately & with precision.  

I couldn't agree with you more. It's not only fishing small lures on light line. Heck I power fish with that stuff. It's more of a mindset. To change to a true finesse technique you must first slow down with thought and then your presentation will slow down. You have to have the patients to sit in one spot for a long time, make precise casts and take as much time as it takes to tease that fish to bite. I've done this with a 14 inch worm.

Catt,

In theory, I agree 100%, what it actually looks like sometimes is different. I have often shifted into 'finesse' mode and immediately run my aluminum boat into a stump (sounds kind of like a hammer against the hull) I then shout #@$%^ as my pliers fall off the seat and hit the hull again making the same noise and I shout $#@!&^*again. When everything has calmed down I gently toss my jig deftly, quietly, and very accurately to the target and it hits a dead stump and sounds like a mutant woodpecker hitting a hollow tree and my line swells up like a pretty christmas bow in my reel and I again shout $#%@^. Finally after picking out the backlash and grabbing the spinning rig I cast my worm ever so perfectly and it's beautiful. As good as I think I am, this time I have out done myself. At the last second that one little twig hanging down catches my worm and I shout (you guessed it) ##$@@$$. There's nothing like "FINESSE" fishing in my book.   ;)

Ronnie

Alpster     been there done that  

I'm with y'all.  Finesse fishing is more of a presentation than a lure/tackle size.  Deadsticking soft plastics does NOT qualify as power fishing, regardless of their size.  I work finesse jigs through the water column with the speed of a trap....which is not finesse.  Of course, there are times for small baits and light tackle, but 90% of the time, I'm calling finesse a type of presentation and a retrive speed...not size.  

To me, power fishing is the speed in which you are covering water and how aggressively you're doing it.  Pitching a jig along a bankline, rolling spinnerbaits, and dragging c-rigs are powerfishing staples in my aresonal.  I'll use shakey heads, heavy drop shots in thick vegetation, and creep my jigs as finesse tactics.  Rarely do I downsize unless I can't buy a bite on my usual stuff.

I agree CATT. As FM said, you can use a 14" worm and finesse fish. To me its slowing down, picking a area apart, knowing what to use and why, and being precise in your presentation. Although, I have a lot of days Ron mentioned as well.

Good topic.  This made me take a step back and look at the way I fish.

To me...finesse fishing includes not only tackle, but also the way you cast......Flipping and pitching is a must for finesse fishing....your bait hits the water soft and your accuracy is increased....retrieval style is definatly is slower...you are controling that bait...I mostly finess Texas-Rig worm, or Tubes...I think of my bait as a crawfish and bump it a few inches at a time.....slowwwwww....use a medium heavy rod and you can "feel the cover"..be it branches or rocks etc....fish that cover thoroughly...also....I suggest braided line with a 8 ft section of mono leader....also..you want to have no drag....you need to pull that hawg out of the sticks before it ties you up.....(I mostly only finesse fish....the only crankbait im good with is a rattle trap...but thats a no brainer...)

Im a Barbarian.  Finesse isnt even in my Vocab.  

Actually,  For me it means the use of stealth to get to the fish then with as little weight and as small a bait as you can use.  I dont know why it work but it tends to do well on those passive fish.

to me, it usually means the fish ain't bitin so good.  

Catt,

In theory, I agree 100%, what it actually looks like sometimes is different. I have often shifted into 'finesse' mode and immediately run my aluminum boat into a stump (sounds kind of like a hammer against the hull) I then shout #@$%^ as my pliers fall off the seat and hit the hull again making the same noise and I shout $#@!&^*again. When everything has calmed down I gently toss my jig deftly, quietly, and very accurately to the target and it hits a dead stump and sounds like a mutant woodpecker hitting a hollow tree and my line swells up like a pretty christmas bow in my reel and I again shout $#%@^. Finally after picking out the backlash and grabbing the spinning rig I cast my worm ever so perfectly and it's beautiful. As good as I think I am, this time I have out done myself. At the last second that one little twig hanging down catches my worm and I shout (you guessed it) ##$@@$$. There's nothing like "FINESSE" fishing in my book. ;)

Ronnie

sounds like a day of fishing with me alpster  

Fishing to me is a healthy outlet to release the woes of life.  A place to think, a place to share and a place to appreciate those people in your life who really matter.  It's a FINE replacement for a bar stool.  Keeps me out of trouble, but most of all, fishing has brought Sooooo many GREAT people into my life.  All of you included.

Fishing to me is a healthy outlet to release the woes of life. A place to think, a place to share and a place to appreciate those people in your life who really matter. It's a FINE replacement for a bar stool. Keeps me out of trouble, but most of all, fishing has brought Sooooo many GREAT people into my life. All of you included.

i have to agree with lbh here. because im deffinatly not your fathers fishermen.

Re: What does Finesse Fishing mean to you?

Gezz for me it means fishing off the Southern Coast of Sicily for these guys

The Dreaded FINESSE PECE:

Re: What does Finesse Fishing mean to you?

Gezz for me it means fishing off the Southern Coast of Sicily for these guys

The Dreaded FINESSE PECE:

muddy i took one look at that pic and said OH HELL

;D ;D ;D