Retrieve Speed Advisor
Wind it at the pace the fish want. Choose your lure and the water temperature to get a recommended retrieve speed and a cadence to work from.
Speed is a presentation, not an afterthought
How fast you move a lure is as important as what you tie on. The same crankbait can be ignored on a slow winter crawl and crushed on a summer burn — the difference is reading the water temperature and matching the fish's mood. Cold means slow and patient; warm means fast and reactive.
Pair the pace with the right colour from the Lure Color Selector, and make sure your jig or lure is the right weight with the Jig Head Weight Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does water temperature change my retrieve?
Water temperature drives a fish's metabolism, which sets how hard it will chase. In cold water a fish is sluggish and wants a slow, deliberate presentation with long pauses; as the water warms it becomes aggressive and will run down a fast, erratic lure. The advisor maps temperature to a 0–100 speed index and translates it into a plain-language pace for the lure you've chosen.
Why does the lure type matter too?
Each lure has a natural cadence. A jig is worked slowly along the bottom with hops and pauses; a topwater is walked or buzzed across the surface; a crankbait is wound steadily so it deflects off cover. The tool starts from the temperature-driven speed, then nudges it for the lure — slowing bottom baits and speeding surface baits — so the recommendation fits how that lure is meant to be fished.
What is 'dead-sticking' and when should I do it?
Dead-sticking means letting the lure sit dead-still for several seconds, often on the bottom or suspended. It shines in cold water and on pressured or finicky fish, where a long pause gives a follower time to commit. As water temperature climbs, shorten the pauses and add speed and erratic movement to trigger reaction strikes instead.
Should I always fish at the recommended speed?
Use it as a starting cadence, then let the fish edit it. If you're getting follows but no takes, change the speed — often slowing down or adding a pause. If nothing's looking, speed up and cover water to find active fish. The right retrieve on any given day is the one that gets bit, and it can change hour to hour.
A practical starting cadence, not an exact prescription. Fish mood, forage, and pressure all change the ideal speed day to day.