When to put it down

[Steve81]

My "Learning New Things" thread got my mind going I started to think about times when I had to learn when to stop using this bait or technique in which I have so much confidence. Sometimes (or most of the time) conditions do not favor the tactic that we WANT to use and we have to adapt. That's what this thread is about.

When the shaky head rage came about, I was pretty late to the party. If I'm being honest, I'm typically always the last person to start using whatever is the current popular thing. Anyways, when I finally learned to use a shaky head, I wouldn't use anything else. I'd start my day with it no matter the conditions. I truly felt like if I kept that thing in my hands all day, I could catch every single bass in the lake!

Now, to be clear, this mentality is fine if you just want to go fishing. However, I was also fishing tournaments. In that case, this an awful way of trying to go about winning tournaments. Because I was completely disregarding the current conditions, I was getting my teeth kicked in by the other guys that were using the correct presentations for that particular day. I remember one day in the prespawn where it was warm yet windy. If you are reading this and thinking that it sounds like power fishing shallow, wind blown banks would be the ticket, you would be correct! But that's not what I did. In my infinite wisdom, I chose to hunker down out of the wind and soak that little shaky head worm around points. I definitely caught fish but I had to struggle to just to make it to an 11 pound limit. The top 5 finishers all had between 27-23 pounds and each of them were burning windy banks with spinnerbaits and squarebill crankbaits. This wasn't the first time that I had my butt kicked due to my stubbornness with sticking with that shaky head. However, this particular event is the one that made me change my ways. The fact that I got beat so bad by guys using techniques that are really not that difficult just hurt.

Fast forward 10 years or so and I feel like I'm a fairly versatile angler. A buddy and I are fishing a lake in southern Iowa in August. Past experience has taught me that the quality bass in this lake tend to be on the offshore brush piles this time of year. However, we start the morning off by fishing shallow and trying to make something happen on topwater. There had also been a storm that had just passed through so anything that involved an overhanging branch was nearly a sure thing to get a bite. I had caught a few on a frog but my buddy would choose to fish a wacky rig. And not just every now and then. I'm taking about the whole time. He and I had fished together a few times before and he had always been all about that wacky rig on those trips too. Anyhow, I mentioned that he might want to switch to some sort of a moving bait but he wasn't all that interested. As the day went on, I adjusted with the conditions and eventually found them schooled up on a single brush pile. I was catching them on a swimbait and it was definitely a "call your shot" moment. However, it took me catching a bass on three straight casts to get him to put that wacky rig down and try a swimbait. Once he did, he was ecstatic! He had never fished a swimbait before and now he gets to start out on one heck of a swimbait bite!

I asked him after the day was over about why he stuck with that wacky rig while I consistently caught fish all day while making adjustments every couple of hours or so. His response was that every time I adjusted and caught fish, I was using something that he wasn't familiar with and, therefore, had no confidence in. Initially, that struck me as so crazy. After thinking on it for awhile, I started thinking about my experience with the shaky head so many years ago and it all made a lot more sense. Sometimes we are just so confident in this one thing that we just can't get out of our own way.

[FD]

Great topic Steve.  I am guilty almost every trip for fishing the way I want to fish more than fishing the way they want to bite.

[Princeton_Man]

I'm guilty of this too. More so based on what worked last time I sometimes have a difficult time accepting the fact that they want something different,  even though they tore that bait up yesterday.

[Steve81]

I'm guilty of this too. More so based on what worked last time I sometimes have a difficult time accepting the fact that they want something different,  even though they tore that bait up yesterday.

Fishing "history" is probably one of the most common downfalls for all of us. I really got my passion for bass fishing growing up on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma. I fished that place so much as a young kid and through high school that I just knew how to catch them there most any day. After high school, I joined the Air Force and moved away. That was 17 years ago. Whenever I go back to that lake now, it's like I have no idea how to catch a bass in the first place. Yet each time, I go to places that I caught them in the past instead of treating the lake like its a new-to-me lake. Which I should because I absolutely have no idea where the bass should be on that lake anymore! The place has changed so much since I was a kid. Not to mention that I have changed a ton as an angler since then.

One of these days, I would love to just have the time to go spend a few days in a row there to just to prove that I can figure my home lake out again.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Another great topic Steve, you're on a roll!! 

I actually made a comment about this very topic on my last video. You brought up a great point about fishing history. I fish a particular location a few times a month, and the fishing changes from week to week. Similar to what you just mentioned, we need to adapt to the bass not the other way around.

Good stuff, keep it up. 

[Steve81]

Another great topic Steve, you're on a roll!! 

What can I say? I've got all this free time to think about fishing. I've got a mountain of topics to talk about. The problem is figuring how to take it from all these jumbled thoughts in my head and put them into words on this forum.

[Capt. BassinLou]

Another great topic Steve, you're on a roll!! 

What can I say? I've got all this free time to think about fishing. I've got a mountain of topics to talk about. The problem is figuring how to take it from all these jumbled thoughts in my head and put them into words on this forum.

You're off to great start!! Keep them coming. 

[Oldfart9999]

Good thread Steve. Sometimes it's not the bait but how we are using it. I've pulled into spots and started throwing a dropshot without catching anything, smart move was to experiment with the setup, many times the changing the leader length made the change from not catching to loading the boat, other times a change in bait, technique, or area was called for. It can be a tough choice to make.
Rodney

[BassmanRudy]

Yep, you are correct! 2020 season I caught tons of tourney fish on a chatterbait. Too the point where my club guys didn't even have to ask what I caught them on. 2021 season I tried to force the chatterbait down their throat so bad I didn't weigh a 5 fish limit until late in the year where I finally started fishing the "conditions".

Def taught me a lesson! I still have 1(or 2) tied on but I quickly go to something else if it's not productive.

Keep up your posts!

[Wizard]

We are ALL guilty of staying with a bait too long. Memory tells us we used a certain lure on a certain spot and it taints our thinking of what is happening at the moment. I believe the majority of anglers go fishing with their brain on standby. They talk to their buddy or stare with fixation on their line without noticing their surroundings. They haven't looked at the electronics in 15 minutes and don't realize the lack of baitfish around them. Everyone on UB should read my book on tournament fishing. You can find it at Barnes & Nobel in the Sports Section for $24.95. It is titled, "Wizard's 1001 Reasons I Didn't Win the Tournament".

Wizard

[stevemyoung]

I feel like I've got the opposite problem.  This past year, I got a little obsessed with teaching myself to fish.  I ended up winning some tackle giveaways from YouTube and Facebook, picked up a couple "mystery" subscription boxes, and picked up what felt like nearly every lure that had a decent reputation and was on sale.  Then, every time I wanted to go out, I'd spend too much time worrying about what to tie on.  I'd try something, get nowhere after 15 - 20 minutes, and switch to something else until I was out of time.

The thing is, none of it produced a bite.  I was mostly bank fishing, I suspect the fishable spots on the shoreline were heavily pressured, the season was getting late, and I didn't have the technique or experience.  There were just too many variables.

Changes I'm making:

• Make more of an effort to keep my kayak more handy.  Getting on the water should open up so many more good spots, particularly since my local lakes and ponds are largely private property on the banks.
  
• Pack just a couple of baits and stick to them.  I don't want to be obsessive on a technique, but too much switching means I'm not gaining any confidence or skill, and less time with lures in the water
• Get a fishing buddy!  I've connected with a couple of local anglers, and although everyone's doing different things until spring, I'm optimistic about getting together and hopefully learning some things.  As much as I loved getting out, it was a bit lonesome.

[Capt. BassinLou]

I feel like I've got the opposite problem.  This past year, I got a little obsessed with teaching myself to fish.  I ended up winning some tackle giveaways from YouTube and Facebook, picked up a couple "mystery" subscription boxes, and picked up what felt like nearly every lure that had a decent reputation and was on sale.  Then, every time I wanted to go out, I'd spend too much time worrying about what to tie on.  I'd try something, get nowhere after 15 - 20 minutes, and switch to something else until I was out of time.

The thing is, none of it produced a bite.  I was mostly bank fishing, I suspect the fishable spots on the shoreline were heavily pressured, the season was getting late, and I didn't have the technique or experience.  There were just too many variables.

Changes I'm making:

• Make more of an effort to keep my kayak more handy.  Getting on the water should open up so many more good spots, particularly since my local lakes and ponds are largely private property on the banks.
  
• Pack just a couple of baits and stick to them.  I don't want to be obsessive on a technique, but too much switching means I'm not gaining any confidence or skill, and less time with lures in the water
• Get a fishing buddy!  I've connected with a couple of local anglers, and although everyone's doing different things until spring, I'm optimistic about getting together and hopefully learning some things.  As much as I loved getting out, it was a bit lonesome.

Welcome to UB. Your situation makes perfect sense Stevemyoung. You're very new to the sport of bass fishing and it will be some time before you find "your" way. The great news is, your part of our UB family now, and your bass fishing knowledge will skyrocket from this point forward. 

[TNDiver]

Good article.  I have done this often, figuring "this bait should work".  The worst is when I get one bite and I assume all the bass will like it everywhere that day.  When I would go fishing with my son, I would set him up with a simple purple worm with a pink tail and he always out fished me.  I would be using a lure and trying others every 15-20 minutes and catching nothing and he would always get at least 1 with that worm 

I have tried to start off going the fish finding baits, such as a spinnerbait or chatterbait, expecting them to work because they are known fish catchers in many conditions, and getting mad when they don't 

[Donald Garner]

Steve, Excellent article.  Like everyone here I tend to fish History and on some occasions I do well enough and other times I bomb out.

Tks for sharing the posting with us.

[Steve81]

I feel like I've got the opposite problem.  This past year, I got a little obsessed with teaching myself to fish.  I ended up winning some tackle giveaways from YouTube and Facebook, picked up a couple "mystery" subscription boxes, and picked up what felt like nearly every lure that had a decent reputation and was on sale.  Then, every time I wanted to go out, I'd spend too much time worrying about what to tie on.  I'd try something, get nowhere after 15 - 20 minutes, and switch to something else until I was out of time.

The thing is, none of it produced a bite.  I was mostly bank fishing, I suspect the fishable spots on the shoreline were heavily pressured, the season was getting late, and I didn't have the technique or experience.  There were just too many variables.

Changes I'm making:

• Make more of an effort to keep my kayak more handy.  Getting on the water should open up so many more good spots, particularly since my local lakes and ponds are largely private property on the banks.
  
• Pack just a couple of baits and stick to them.  I don't want to be obsessive on a technique, but too much switching means I'm not gaining any confidence or skill, and less time with lures in the water
• Get a fishing buddy!  I've connected with a couple of local anglers, and although everyone's doing different things until spring, I'm optimistic about getting together and hopefully learning some things.  As much as I loved getting out, it was a bit lonesome.

Theses are great ideas! Typically, I would tell someone that is fishing pressured waters to downsize their line/weight/lure size and to be persistent. However, I believe there is also something to be said about a spot not being worth your time when you have already convinced yourself that there are no fish there in the first place.

My only bit of advice that I would give to someone that is just starting out is that once you have done your research and decided that a certain lure is best based on the conditions, stick with that lure for as long as possible. As long as the conditions haven't changed, stick with it. This is all in an effort to get you to have a complete feel for the lure and to gain max confidence in it as well. One day down the road, when you have confidence in a number of different lures/techniques, you will recognize when certain conditions favor each of these and will adjust accordingly.

[stevemyoung]

I feel like I've got the opposite problem.  This past year, I got a little obsessed with teaching myself to fish.  I ended up winning some tackle giveaways from YouTube and Facebook, picked up a couple "mystery" subscription boxes, and picked up what felt like nearly every lure that had a decent reputation and was on sale.  Then, every time I wanted to go out, I'd spend too much time worrying about what to tie on.  I'd try something, get nowhere after 15 - 20 minutes, and switch to something else until I was out of time.

The thing is, none of it produced a bite.  I was mostly bank fishing, I suspect the fishable spots on the shoreline were heavily pressured, the season was getting late, and I didn't have the technique or experience.  There were just too many variables.

Changes I'm making:

• Make more of an effort to keep my kayak more handy.  Getting on the water should open up so many more good spots, particularly since my local lakes and ponds are largely private property on the banks.
  
• Pack just a couple of baits and stick to them.  I don't want to be obsessive on a technique, but too much switching means I'm not gaining any confidence or skill, and less time with lures in the water
• Get a fishing buddy!  I've connected with a couple of local anglers, and although everyone's doing different things until spring, I'm optimistic about getting together and hopefully learning some things.  As much as I loved getting out, it was a bit lonesome.

Theses are great ideas! Typically, I would tell someone that is fishing pressured waters to downsize their line/weight/lure size and to be persistent. However, I believe there is also something to be said about a spot not being worth your time when you have already convinced yourself that there are no fish there in the first place.

My only bit of advice that I would give to someone that is just starting out is that once you have done your research and decided that a certain lure is best based on the conditions, stick with that lure for as long as possible. As long as the conditions haven't changed, stick with it. This is all in an effort to get you to have a complete feel for the lure and to gain max confidence in it as well. One day down the road, when you have confidence in a number of different lures/techniques, you will recognize when certain conditions favor each of these and will adjust accordingly.

I appreciate that!  I've probably watched more fishing on YouTube than I've actually done at this point, one of the things I've heard a bunch of times is to have a "fish finding" setup and a "cleanup" setup.  So - under the theory that where there's one bass, there will be more - you start off with something that can cover a lot of water quickly, like a crankbait.  Once you've gotten a strike, switch it up to something like a ned rig or shaky head targeted to the spot where you think they're hanging out.

Do I have that right?  Would you agree?

[D.W. Verts]

I feel like I've got the opposite problem.  This past year, I got a little obsessed with teaching myself to fish.  I ended up winning some tackle giveaways from YouTube and Facebook, picked up a couple "mystery" subscription boxes, and picked up what felt like nearly every lure that had a decent reputation and was on sale.  Then, every time I wanted to go out, I'd spend too much time worrying about what to tie on.  I'd try something, get nowhere after 15 - 20 minutes, and switch to something else until I was out of time.

The thing is, none of it produced a bite.  I was mostly bank fishing, I suspect the fishable spots on the shoreline were heavily pressured, the season was getting late, and I didn't have the technique or experience.  There were just too many variables.

Changes I'm making:

• Make more of an effort to keep my kayak more handy.  Getting on the water should open up so many more good spots, particularly since my local lakes and ponds are largely private property on the banks.
  
• Pack just a couple of baits and stick to them.  I don't want to be obsessive on a technique, but too much switching means I'm not gaining any confidence or skill, and less time with lures in the water
• Get a fishing buddy!  I've connected with a couple of local anglers, and although everyone's doing different things until spring, I'm optimistic about getting together and hopefully learning some things.  As much as I loved getting out, it was a bit lonesome.

Theses are great ideas! Typically, I would tell someone that is fishing pressured waters to downsize their line/weight/lure size and to be persistent. However, I believe there is also something to be said about a spot not being worth your time when you have already convinced yourself that there are no fish there in the first place.

My only bit of advice that I would give to someone that is just starting out is that once you have done your research and decided that a certain lure is best based on the conditions, stick with that lure for as long as possible. As long as the conditions haven't changed, stick with it. This is all in an effort to get you to have a complete feel for the lure and to gain max confidence in it as well. One day down the road, when you have confidence in a number of different lures/techniques, you will recognize when certain conditions favor each of these and will adjust accordingly.

I appreciate that!  I've probably watched more fishing on YouTube than I've actually done at this point, one of the things I've heard a bunch of times is to have a "fish finding" setup and a "cleanup" setup.  So - under the theory that where there's one bass, there will be more - you start off with something that can cover a lot of water quickly, like a crankbait.  Once you've gotten a strike, switch it up to something like a ned rig or shaky head targeted to the spot where you think they're hanging out.

Do I have that right?  Would you agree?

Well... To a degree that is true. But it's also a pretty advanced way to fish.

Do you have a favorite bait/technique? One that will fish many/most situations? That's where you start, where you are comfortable. One of my last YT videos I talk about learning new things and challenging yourself, but you need a foundation to start on.

It gets easier. Experience will make it easier. I promise.

Dale

[Steve81]

I feel like I've got the opposite problem.  This past year, I got a little obsessed with teaching myself to fish.  I ended up winning some tackle giveaways from YouTube and Facebook, picked up a couple "mystery" subscription boxes, and picked up what felt like nearly every lure that had a decent reputation and was on sale.  Then, every time I wanted to go out, I'd spend too much time worrying about what to tie on.  I'd try something, get nowhere after 15 - 20 minutes, and switch to something else until I was out of time.

The thing is, none of it produced a bite.  I was mostly bank fishing, I suspect the fishable spots on the shoreline were heavily pressured, the season was getting late, and I didn't have the technique or experience.  There were just too many variables.

Changes I'm making:

• Make more of an effort to keep my kayak more handy.  Getting on the water should open up so many more good spots, particularly since my local lakes and ponds are largely private property on the banks.
  
• Pack just a couple of baits and stick to them.  I don't want to be obsessive on a technique, but too much switching means I'm not gaining any confidence or skill, and less time with lures in the water
• Get a fishing buddy!  I've connected with a couple of local anglers, and although everyone's doing different things until spring, I'm optimistic about getting together and hopefully learning some things.  As much as I loved getting out, it was a bit lonesome.

Theses are great ideas! Typically, I would tell someone that is fishing pressured waters to downsize their line/weight/lure size and to be persistent. However, I believe there is also something to be said about a spot not being worth your time when you have already convinced yourself that there are no fish there in the first place.

My only bit of advice that I would give to someone that is just starting out is that once you have done your research and decided that a certain lure is best based on the conditions, stick with that lure for as long as possible. As long as the conditions haven't changed, stick with it. This is all in an effort to get you to have a complete feel for the lure and to gain max confidence in it as well. One day down the road, when you have confidence in a number of different lures/techniques, you will recognize when certain conditions favor each of these and will adjust accordingly.

I appreciate that!  I've probably watched more fishing on YouTube than I've actually done at this point, one of the things I've heard a bunch of times is to have a "fish finding" setup and a "cleanup" setup.  So - under the theory that where there's one bass, there will be more - you start off with something that can cover a lot of water quickly, like a crankbait.  Once you've gotten a strike, switch it up to something like a ned rig or shaky head targeted to the spot where you think they're hanging out.

Do I have that right?  Would you agree?

I'd say you definitely have the concept right and I do agree to an extent. Remember, we are talking about fishing, right? Nobody has learned how to "speak bass" so even the most tried and true methods are still nothing more than guesses that are hitting close to the mark. If you can keep that little tidbit in your mind when it comes to "the book says I should do this" then you will be far ahead of the game.

But back to the primary/clean up bait idea. In general, I think we all do this to some degree and it definitely works often enough. Rarely are the bass only going to bite just one lure. Most of the time, there's a host of baits that will get bites. It's just that there might be one that will outshine the others at that exact spot at that exact time. You could go down the bank 100 feet where the cover changes from pea gravel to chunk rock and an entirely different lure might be the deal.

[rb-nc]

I used to fish with a guy some that hadn't fished a great deal but really liked to go. When I would start catching fish on something he wasn't good at, he would just stop me and say I don't know how to do that help me. I would then go through everything with him. Even the mechanics of the cast. You see he was a golf pro, so he knew even the slightest details could be big. By the end of the day he was better. The next time in the boat even better. Believe it or not fishing with my Golden Retriever has made me a better angler. When I was fishing by myself I would hurry up and get the boat in park the truck get back to the boat and go. Now with her I tie the boat up and park. I walk around the bank for a while so she can do her stuff and I look at the activity around the shore. The more things I see the faster I know I can fish. If I see no birds, shad, bluegill, crawfish, I know to slow down