The lures we use to catch fish can tell us a lot about the mood of our quarry and the adjustments we might make to improve our fortunes.

Two recent fishing trips underscore my point.

One trip resulted in numerous missed opportunities. The other was a slugfest during which nearly every strike resulted in a boated bass.

Careful inspection of the wear and tear on the soft-plastic, boot-tail swimbait bodies I used to add bulk, color and action to my bladed jig revealed the tendencies of the fish during both outings.

During the first trip, the bass seemed to be sneaking up on the bladed jig as I retrieved it through the shallow weeds in two feet of water. I went through half of a pack of swimbaits thanks to the bass tearing off the boot tails, which make the lures appear to be alive and kicking.

The next trip was completed with just one swimbait used on my bladed jig. I boated a dozen largemouths and the swimbait’s boot tail survived the day intact.

The wear and tear on each day’s lures provided clues about our experiences with each day’s bass.

The first day’s used lures featured missing tails. The flanks of the bodies were relatively smooth, almost as pristine as when they were removed from the mold. Most of the bass apparently were only mildly interested in the baits, just enough to swim up from behind and grab just the flapping tail. Many missed the hook.

Day two’s lure, on the other hand, survived the entire day without losing its tail. The sides and top of the soft-plastic swimbait were tattered and torn by the raspy “teeth” on the jaws of the attacking largemouths. Much of the wear-and-tear was in front of the bladed jig’s big hook, indicating the fish were either very hungry or highly irritated by the lure’s presence.

Either way, the fish during the second trip were truly motivated to attack.

To me, understanding how and why the fish are responding to my lures is almost as much fun as hooking and fighting the fish.

The first day’s lures apparently were not exactly what the fish wanted – or they simply lacked the enthusiasm necessary to get more of them to commit to eating the lure.

The second day’s lure obviously was exactly what the fish wanted. The lure either matched the food they were eating that day – or they were offended by its presence and elected to run it out of its territory.

Fish give us clues every time we go to the water. When the crappies are pulling our floats down, but not getting the hook, we know we must experiment with the set-up. When the walleyes are stealing the nightcrawler from the jig but not getting hooked, we know it’s time to perhaps add a minnow instead. When bass are just getting one tine of the back treble on a crankbait, it’s a good idea to try another color.

Paying attention to how the fish are reacting to our lures really can pay dividends by the time we pack up and drive home.

Jack Wollitz’s book, “The Common Angler,” explores the fun stuff that makes fishing a passion for so many people. He appreciates emails from readers. Send a note to jackbbaass@gmail.com.