Slow Down!!!

[Paul Roberts]

I carry a couple baitcasters because I like to throw a creature on a draggin' head and  because I'm a touch more accurate with one when I need to drop a senko or a topwater in a tiny shoreline pocket, and I suppose also because I just happen to have a couple nice baitcasting rigs. But probably 75-80% of my fishing is with a light to medium power spinning rod and some kind of small soft plastic on a lightweight jighead or a drop shot rig. I'm spectacularly overanalytical by nature, so even though my head tells me to simplify, I'm constantly fighting the baitmonkey, so my post was for myself as much as the OP. What I *** the most about Brewer and Kehde (read his blog on IN-Fisherman!) is the simplicity of their fishing systems. Both are/were happy to go out with 1 360 box full of baits and be not only perfectly content, but exceptionally successful. I wish I could get there myself. I'm working on it.

Sounds like we're cut from similar cloth. I'm very analytical too. With the complexity I see in nature, I'm not sure sure I'm "over-analytical" though.

 

I agree though that separating where versatility ends and obsessive consumerism begins can be a trick. I'm susceptible too, even at my age where I have a resonable handle on just how much time I actually have to make use of all those techniques.

 

I've read Ned's stuff and understand that game pretty well, if not his philosophy. The plains reservoirs where he practices his craft really lend themselves to finesse presentations. We have some similar waters here in CO too, although I only fish one close by that qualifies. I was introduced to this water by a young angler a number of years ago. Then a couple of seasons back we had an especially huge hatch year of bass and many local waters were filled with fingerlings. The big bait bite fell through the floor and I got to return the favor by introducing this young guy to finesse fishing. I gave him a handful of Slider heads and he was back in business on this water.

 

If I had to choose to simplify to one rig, it would probably be med spinning and a box of jigs/worms. Of course, there are some waters here I couldn't fish anymore, except very early in the season. Thus, I might need two rigs, adding a MH for when the vegetation grows thick in most of my waters. And then ....