How Long Do You Fish A Spot Before Moving?

[s freud]

I bought a jon boat last year and wonder how long people fish a spot before moving. I have a tendency to hit an inlet and basically stay there for several hours, bites or no bites. I have a trolling motor but mostly use it at its slowest setting to keep me away from the bank. When do you all say enough and drop the motor and try another spot.

[Glenn]

Until I don't have any confidence in that spot.  The moment I make a cast and feel I'm wasting my time, I pick up and move.

[Fishes in trees]

Gear is a factor in making that decision.  Back in the day when I was fishing out of a 10'Buster ( a pond boat similar to a 10'Pelican)  I would sometimes stick to an area longer because of power issues.  I had electric only power, and only had so much of it.   Also moving from spot to spot took up valuable fishing time.

 

These days, in my Lowe, I have enough battery power that it isn't as much of a concern and if I decide to move a ways, I can start up the big motor and move faster from place to place..

[Bladesmith,]

It largely depends upon how large an area you're calling a spot, how many different types of cover and structure are available within this spot, different water depths, and ( I know this is subjective) how I "feel" about the spot. If I have established a "pattern", I'll fish the areas corresponding to that pattern and move on (knowing there can be more than one pattern active on any lake on any given day). If I have a good "feeling" about the spot, I may sit on it all day trying to solve the riddle (I love the challenge). I can't remember ever sitting on a spot all day without catching anything but it is entirely within the realm of possibility. Some of our creek mouths are a mile or more wide, so that is a lot of area to cover, and if there were fish there before, they probably are still in the same vicinity.

[Marty]

Like Glenn said, confidence that the spot holds fish is huge.

 

I tend to spend little time in a spot and move around, covering a lot of water. That's just me, based on my own thoughts and opinions. But I do the same as Glenn, I leave when I have no confidence. However, I might lose confidence much more quickly than some others. There's no one right way, you have to follow your own instincts.

[Fishing Rhino]

Rule number one:  Never leave biting fish.  The sole exception being if the biting fish are dinks.

 

If you aren't getting bites, do something different.  It may be a different bait, or a different spot.

 

How long to work one spot?  It depends on your patience, determination, endurance, or wisdom.

[HeavyDluxe]

1. Does the spot look fishy? (Confidence)

Have the fish shown any interest in anything I've thrown - appealing to both active and passive fish? (Presentation / Pattern)

How long do I have on the water today?  Can I keep waiting here for them to turn on or to find something that gets them hungry?  (Convenience)

[slonezp]

An age old question. Unless I'm trying new water or presentations, I'm with Glenn. If it's new water, and I'm not pressed for time, I'll give it as much time as I feel it takes to thoroughly work the area.

[jhoffman]

Totally depends on sign of life for me. If I am seeing baitfish or bass themselves I will give it a good solid try. If I pull up and I dont mark anything or see anything to say... FISH... im moving.

[Bankbeater]

I leave after I have picked the area apart with my confidence baits.

[Ratherbfishing]

Generally I stay in one spot or fish the same method for only about an hour before I move or switch.  UNLESS i think the weather is going to change or the water is going to warm up sufficiently to remain.  I generally feel that if the fish are there and they're going to bite, they will.  I'm not going to consume my time casting to non-existent or inactive fish.

[Siebert Outdoors]

This really depends on the spot.  If its open water.  Not long at all.  I pretty much stay moving after each cast.  If its grass, brush, points, etc I'll give it approx 10-15 casts.  If I catch fish I'll stay.  If not I move.  

[ColdSVT]

depends on if I know for a fact that fish are in that spot...

[patbfishing123]

A few people have already said it, but confidence is the biggest factor.  If you don't have confidence in what you are doing you are not going to fish the lure exactly as you should or make the right casts. Try a couple different lures that you are confident in, if they don't work head on to the next spot.  If you think that spot may be holding fish, come back to it after you have caught a couple fish somewhere else and pinpointed a pattern. CONFIDENCE IS KEY! Good Luck.

[smallieking]

every time I fish I have a game plan. so if I decided to fish a certain spot I already have an idea of what ill throw. usually a crankbait and a jig..... so if im not in a tournament. when I get to the spot I already have an idea what im going to use to catch them. if I get nothing. I go to my secondary bait usually a jig or texas rig plastic. something slow..... still nothing and starting to run out of confidence I will always try something completely out of the ordinary or a bait im trying to get to learn. right now that's the umbrella rig for me..... always be random and choose a bait that u typically wouldn't use. two reasons. it could turn a bad day into a great day and if it does work itll give you more experience with a bait your not really confident in and that will make a much better angler in the long run.

[Traveler2586]

I leave after I have picked the area apart with my confidence baits.

 

X2,  If the area has the structure, cover, temperature, tide, and depth (access between shallow and deep water)  I'm looking for I'll sweep the area using one bait per sweep. I run through my confidence baits in a fast bait (spinner bait), slow bait (jig & pig) , fast bait (crank bait), slow bait (TX rig), order until I feel I've covered the area throughly.  I try to remain focused on the idea the fish are there and I just need to find out what they want for dinner.  Other factors such as the time of day come into play when selecting baits, if it early or late in the day and the sun is low I'll use something like a buzz bait for a fast bait and a jitterbug as a slow bait.  I think you get the idea.

[s freud]

These responses are great guys. Hopefully they will lead to more fish. I know my "pick a spot and fish it for the day" needed a tweak, now have an idea how. Thanks! I especially like the ideas of using my confidence baits and then moving.