Using Bass Techniques To Target Other Species

[Broc]

Lately I've been having fun targeting other species using typical bass rigs and techniques.  I was up in Canada a few weeks back and was flipping a 1/2 oz football jig tipped with a chigger craw over rock piles for walleye.  I was killing it too, caught the biggest walleye of the trip doing it. I have also flipped Texas rigs in rivers for trout, and have caught some really nice 20+ inch cutthroats doing so.  I guess i love finding new ways to catch the same fish.  Also, i think pike spoons are a really underrated bass lure... just saying .

[SirSnookalot]

I specifically target many fish other than bass.  I fish for most of them pretty much the same way, fishing is fishing.  What varies from fish to fish are the the fish's own habits, by knowing the quarry there isn't much a good fisherman can't catch.

[HeavyDluxe]

I've long heard it said that the best rig for catching pike is to target bass with your most expensive lure.

 

Being serious, I think your post highlights something important - namely that experimentation can be a great part of this sport/hobby.  And, just like SirSnook said, a good fisherman can catch all kinds of fish with key adjustments suited to the targeted species.

[Bankbeater]

I can catch a ton of crappie on a pop-r when they are on the surface.

[Marty]

Certainly pike and pickerel will take any bass lure in your tackle bag. I don't know if walleye will hit as many lures, but I know they hit grubs on jigheads and a wide variety of crankbaits.

 

Pier fishing Lake Ontario for brown trout, coho and lakers my favorite lure is a lipless crankbait.

[Dave P]

I drop shot the hell out of some crappies and bluegill.

[Bluebasser86]

I catch way more walleyes on jerkbaits in the spring than I do actually fishing for walleye. I've had a couple times I've gotten onto the walleye really well on a shakyhead with a trick worm also. I've had times I couldn't keep my chatterbait or squarebill away from the channel cats.

[Crestliner2008]

I drop shot the hell out of some crappies and bluegill.

I started doing this last season with great success!

[Dave P]

Crazy how well it works, isn't it?

[bigbill]

I catch bigger pickerel on spooks walked the same way for bass. They like the inline spinners too. I caught catfish using a yellow with black dotted panther Martin spin fly with a shot of bass scent as it got dark the cats came up the drop off. I had a big salmon hit a Mann's crankbait.

If we ever needed food we wouldn't eat the same fish two nights in a row.

[SirSnookalot]

Most lures can and will catch just about anything.  Lures that are specifically designed for only 1 species at times still will catch other species, case in point for me are surgical tubes.  Originally made for stripers, they catch bluefish, barracuda, kingfish, jack crevalles, just not as often, never trying it there is no doubt in mind they would do well with muskie.

Reasons we catch 1 species over another with the same lure is clear vs dark water, incoming vs outgoing tide, different water depths.  IMO the 2 most prolific lures to catch just about everything are spoons and jig varieties.

[iabass8]

I catch way more walleyes on jerkbaits in the spring than I do actually fishing for walleye. I've had a couple times I've gotten onto the walleye really well on a shakyhead with a trick worm also. I've had times I couldn't keep my chatterbait or squarebill away from the channel cats.

this was basically what i was going to write. i've never figured out the whole shakey head/worm thing for walleye/sauger but they seem to pop up from time to time in the most random places i wouldn't taget them.

[bmlum415]

I've been dropshotting in the winter here during tournaments I've hooked 3 trout that break 20", you think you have won the tournament while fighting the fish only to find out its a rainbow. I guess rainbows like the jackall clone fry too.

[RyneB]

I drop shot the hell out of some crappies and bluegill

 

 Its my favorite ice fishing technique to catch bluegills. I just down size the weight, hook and bait. But its the same concept, I have even caught a lot of bass through the ice using micro plastics for gills.

[Munkin]

One of my best crankbaits for bass is actually a walleye lure. I have to agree about jerkbaits in spring everything will hit them.

 

 I was fishing a finesse jig on a point during a bass tournament at Deep Creek Lake several years ago. There was a boat about 50 yards from me fishing a walleye tournament. I nailed a nice fish that ended up being a 20"+ walleye, next cast another one just as big or bigger. Meanwhile the walleye guy caught two really nice smallmouth on a firetiger looking spoon. He looked at me and said any more and we would trade lures!

 

Allen