When I used to fish tournaments years ago, one of the most common things I heard for not bringing in fish was " my pattern fell apart". I read an article by Larry Nixon. When asked about his tournament success he stated " have a solid back up plan". Never expect one pattern to last. This is not only imperative in tournament fishing, but for all casual fishing as well. Being able to quickly realize that one bite shuts off, and find another is a huge part of bass fishing. It's not easy. The next spot could be a completely different type of fishing- and one that your not 100% comfortable with. Now, even on a 4hr trip, I try to have another 2 more options planned out before hand. Do you make a milk run of some different spots before you go? It can mean the difference between success and failure.
