Bassic Training

Great answer!!! What is your "systematical" approach to finding the right retrieve? Sparky, I was where you are not too long ago. I have gone from where you are now to now being able to catch fish, but looking now to catch more and bigger fish. Keep reading on this website and keep fishing. Of course, the speed of the retrieve or some variation thereof could be the key issue. Just use your base line retrieve speed or presentation method as a starting point, and go from there. Sometimes "too fast" (from our previous experiences) is just right today. But whatever changes you make, do so systematically, so you'll be able to recognize the fish's response--and not have to guess.

Thanks Tom, That is one big area (one of many ) that I need to improve on. I dont have a nice sonar, but even if I did I wouldn't know what I was looking at. Do you know of any good resources that are available that can help me with sonar. How much do you rely on your sonar?

OK, So we have established that location is key and that I should fish my strengths. T-Rig and Jigs are my strengths as well. What I'm still wondering is what is the best way figure out where on structure the bass are. What is the best way to work a piece of structure? How long do you fish it until you come to the conclusion that either the bass are not there, or your timing is off? I would think that this would be an easier process if its a lake that you fish on a regular basis. You know which areas hold bass. So it would be easier to conclude that your timing is off rather than they aren't there. BTW, Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm getting a lot out of this.

Catt, Are you saying that you can always get bass to bite on your T-Rig or Jig? All you need to do is figure out where the bass are located on a piece of cover or structure. If so, what is your "method" for trying to figure out where on the structure or cover the bass are located?

Thanks for all of your responses. This was helpful. I wont waste my time trying the 5 - 10 cast method. I think I have a good idea on bait colors, but what about retrieves. How does weather and water affect your retrieve.

Maybe I'm asking the wrong question. What steps do you take to narrow down what type of bait or presentation the fish are wanting. Lets say that you know where on the lake your going to fish, either from experience on the lake or from your research. Your probably going to start with a fast moving bait to try to locate the fish. However, if you stick with the fast moving bait the entire time to try to find the fish, its possible that you hit all of your spots and not catch a single fish. Its probably not because they are not there, but because they dont want a fast moving bait. Soo.... What method do you use to find the fish and narrow down what they are going to bite on? Do you have a system in place to do this? Example: Go to deep end point. Make 10 cast with a buzzbait. Make 10 cast with a popper. Work your boat into a cove, but stay out from the bank. Make 10 cast with a crankbait. Switch to a swimjig. Make 5 cast burning you jig. 5 cast with intermittant pauses. make 5 cast with a slower retrieve. Go back toward the point, but this time closer to the bank. make 5 Pitch to laydown with a jig. Make 5 with a creature bait....and so on. Obviously, the more you catch, the more your going to narrow down what the want.

I've heard poeple talk about "methodically" working a bait, or "methodically" working a point or laydown. So, I have to assume that they have developed some type of "method" for doing this. What is your method for developing a pattern? Lets say that you understand seasonal patterns and have done your homework on the lake and have narrowed down the specific areas that you want to fish. What are the steps that you take to develope a pattern once your boat hits the water? For example, if your going to fish a main lake point, do you start at the deep end of a point using a crank bait, then move in shallow and flip laydowns? And how much time do you give yourself before you change baits, color, or location?

In a dream, I caught a mountain lion. Not sure what that's supposed to mean.

Im surprised that i havent gotten any more responses. I guess no one want to give their secrets.

Thanks for responding. That sounds like good advice. Here's another senerio: Lets say that you've found a spot where your catching alot of fish along a bank or along the weedline on the shallow part of a point, but again they are all short. Does it sound logical to try the deeper water close by? If the fish you are catching seem to be higher in the water column, would there possibly be bigger fish deeper in the water column, in which case you might try a heavier weight to get deeper? Or maybe this would be a better question: Do bass school together with other bass that are pretty much the same size as they are? I just dont know if the area I am fishing only holds small fish or maybe the small fish are shallow and the bigger fish are deeper. Maybe my thought process is completely off.

I have three questions that are all somewhat related. 1. I have seen on several threads here where someone says to find out what weight its been taking to win on a certain lake and then fish accordingly. What do you do different if it takes 10 lbs to win vs. 20 lbs? 2. If you're fishing in a tournament or prefishing and you are finding and catching fish, but they are all small, do you try to find a different area to fish? or Do you stay in the same area and change baits or presentations? 3.I fish a local lake quite a bit and my partner and I consistenly catch 30 - 40 fish, but only only weigh in 1 keeper. What can we do different? Thanks