Practice Philosophy

[Felix77]

It's the old "Jack of all trades. Master of none." debate.

 

I have limited time on the water so I'm torn between two schools of thought when it comes to practicing new lures.  Let's assume a 4 hour window to fish.

 

1 - Bring that bait and ONLY that bait.  Use it as many ways as you can.

2 - Bring several baits you want to learn.  Dedicate an equal amount of time to each.

 

There are SOO many baits and I find myself doing option 2 more often.  I think I might be doing myself a disservice.

 

Curious about your opinions about this subject.  

 

 

 

[OkobojiEagle]

Locate your fish THEN practice the technique that best accomplishes catching them.  You can be quite successful using a handful of versatile fishing techniques.

 

oe

[Texfisherman]

I like the thought of bringing only one bait.

 

If I brought several baits that I wanted to learn, but caught a couple of bass on one of them, I think I would find myself falling into the pattern of just sticking with that one bait for the rest of the day instead of learning all of them equally.

[Nitrofreak]

Locate your fish THEN practice the technique that best accomplishes catching them.  You can be quite successful using a handful of versatile fishing techniques.

 

oe

 

This is always the key to being successful, find the fish first.

 

Once you learn where the best places to look are during any given time of the year, then you can start to figure out what they are relating too, cover, structure, or both, use the right bait or the most lodgical approach first, it will not matter what bait you use if there are no fish around to strike the bait, if you are fishing a bait in an area abandoned of fish then your confidence in that bait and yourself will be zero.

[roadwarrior]

The best time to experiment with a new lure is when you are on a big bite with something similar.

For example, if you are having some luck with the RageTail Lobster, switch to the Smokin' Rooster,

Space Monkey or Rage Hawg.

 

 

 

[senile1]

Yep.  Using one bait is a good way to learn and gain confidence with it, but if it is the wrong bait to be using at that particular point in time or if there are no fish in the area, you're wasting your time and ruining your confidence. 

[Deleted account]

When I'm limited in time, I go to the A spots, and throw the A baits. I practice when I'm not in a rush...

[mtaag3]

Being a new guy I've been trying to "commit" to a particular bait(s) but I find Senile1 makes a valid point. In committing to trying to learn a bait I may inevitably have a wrong bait and do not catch a thing. (my frustration meter is pegged) Case in point yesterday I was sight fishing and found a nice little 14-15" bass. I only had jigs with me and he didn't want a part of any of them. Any color or any trailer. If I had something else with me I could have given it a try. (although in all honesty it could have just been my technique)

 

My point is as a new guy I'm finding that a small bit of variety seems to be more prudent as long as one doesn't use certain lures as a crutch. And since I'm new and don't have any established habits/preferences that may be a little easier for me. 

[Felix77]

I like the thought of bringing only one bait.

If I brought several baits that I wanted to learn, but caught a couple of bass on one of them, I think I would find myself falling into the pattern of just sticking with that one bait for the rest of the day instead of learning all of them equally.

That's what happens to me. When I force myself to try something new I end up frustrated and revert back to the lure that worked very quickly.

I guess a part of this is discipline. I gained confidence in the Sick Fish by just bringing that bait out on a trip. Other times I would drop it after a short while.

[Paul Roberts]

Yep.  Using one bait is a good way to learn and gain confidence with it, but if it is the wrong bait to be using at that particular point in time or if there are no fish in the area, you're wasting your time and ruining your confidence. 

Ditto.

 

But I'll assume you know you've got fish in front of you...

 

Trying to get a single bait to work is fun, trying to figure out how to get them to bite. Often there is a particular way they want it, and you just have to ferret that out.

 

Taking a bunch of new baits along, sounds like plumming for some magic lure -hoping the fish will come to you, do most of the work. You'll most likely be disappointed if that's what's in the back of your mind. Much of the time the onus is on you, you have to go to the fish, and make it happen. So choosing a single or just a few lures, or better, lure types, I think makes a lot more sense.

[SirSnookalot]

I agree with Paul, when the fish are on they hit about anything. I tied a hook on to my mother in law's old garter belt and landed a 6 pounder, 1 st cast....lol, j/k.  When the fish are off that's the time to try new techniques and lures, it can be more frustrating but much more rewarding.

[Nitrofreak]

If one is to force themselves to learn a new bait then the homework becomes the most important part imo, when is the right time to best learn a new technique and a new bait.

 

For example, fish are suspended in 12 feet of water, and you want to learn how to be effective with a deep diving crank bait, this ain't gonna work to your advantage, you need to match your new bait to the conditions that best match the use for the bait, using a DD crank the fish should be in an area close to the depth you are effectivly fishing, more like 20 to 25 feet of water, fish like these are not always but for the most part related to some type of structure, like a hump for example, bringing that DD crank over the hump and nicking the top of the hump or making it appear injured should get a reaction from the fish, then you know your doing something right, and if you can duplicate it then yes, you are on to a working technique, if not then you need to change up and fish it from a little different angle or pause it or both, search out the fish that match the condition for the intended use of the bait.

 

Most people who try to use a new bait or try a new technique often fail from not applying lessons, make the best of your time and use the right baits at the right times of year and conditions, this will maximise your efforts and build confidence so that the next time you run across the same condition you know in the back of your mind how you should approach an area and have a ton of confidence that this particular bait will give you the best results.

[OkobojiEagle]

I tied a hook on to my mother in law's old garter belt and landed a 6 pounder, 1 st cast....lol

 

 

In her day she might have done even better!...

 

oe

[OkobojiEagle]

Don't confuse a "bait" with a "technique"... many baits are interchangeable within the same technique.  Techniques catch fish, baits more often catch fishermen.

 

oe

[Felix77]

Thanks for all the great feedback ... 

 

Just to clarify my statements about learning a new technique.  I do try and select a technique which is appropriate for the conditions I am fishing.  I also know there are fish in the areas I fish.  On more than one occasion I catch them using one of my confidence baits after unsuccessfully catching them on my "practice" lure.

 

It sounds like it boils down to ...

 

Assumptions:  It's the right time/conditions to throw the bait and there are fish there

 

For the sake of learning a new technique/presentation focus on that one.  Maybe 2 at most.  Dedicate time to working that bait until you find the way they like it.

 

This will lighten up my "practice" bag quite a bit.  LOL

[Paul Roberts]

On more than one occasion I catch them using one of my confidence baits after unsuccessfully catching them on my "practice" lure.

It is possible that the "practice lure" is not appropriate, often for reasons we don't really know. Or the GoTo is the best in those circumstances. Guess that's why we experiment. The payoff over time is real versatility.

[Felix77]

It is possible that the "practice lure" is not appropriate, often for reasons we don't really know. Or the GoTo is the best in those circumstances. Guess that's why we experiment. The payoff over time is real versatility.

 

... or insanity ... 

[Paul Roberts]

  If you have no idea what you're doing, then yes it can feel insane. I think that's basically the definition of insanity.

[Felix77]

  If you have no idea what you're doing, then yes it can feel insane. I think that's basically the definition of insanity.

 

Doing the exact same thing over and over again is the true definition of insanity.  If I can avoid doing that I should learn!

 

That's where different presentations with the same lure comes into play.  

[Paul Roberts]

  Well good luck with it.

[derekxec]

i take only the practice bait but i dont just go out and cast everywhere...first i look at the bait and see what it closely imitates and i think if i was this where would i be at and where would the fish be looking for this

 

thats where i look on the lake for places like this to throw then i work it many many diff ways for example if i was a crawfish i probably wouldnt be blazing around the middle of the lake on the top of the water 

 

also i pay attention to the weather too if its hot and i was a bass i would be at the bottom of the lake not in the shallows burning up in the sun and if an easy meal came by while i was cooling i wouldnt have a problem chomping on it haha

 

but the way i do it i dont have a problem using the same bait for weeks and not catching anything on it just gathering info...also i try to write down the conditions and the baits i use each day and where i caught  fish with them and how i was working them when i caught the fish

 

after a while you can sort through each bait and youll be able to find some patterns that will help you even more...i might actually make a program for logging some info like this now that i think about it lol