Depth And Speed

[Todd2]

From the Buck Perry website...

"If you or I expect to catch more and bigger fish consistently whenever and wherever we go fishing, we must control the depth and speed of our lures (together - at the same time) on, and/or around, the bottom features (structure, breaks, breaklines, deep water) the fish use in their movements and migrations."

You will note the guideline made no mention about changing or bad weather conditions, "moods" of the fish, size, color, action, oxygen, pH, odor, casting ability, traffic, rigs, "method," "technique," or "patterns." These things are handled by the control of depth and speed of our lures. Depth control means where the fish will be. Speed control (how fast the lure moves through the water) is what makes the fish take the lure.

Now, my question. How many of you focus only on these two controls, while ignoring color, action, seasonal patterns, etc? Thanks...

[tbone1993]

The color doesn't matter if you fish the bait wrong. 

[Bankbeater]

The deeper I am fishing, the less I worry about color.  I will usually fish darker colors when I am fishing down 15+ feet.  IMO, the rest of the stuff listed falls into place when you find the fish.

[Jar11591]

Some factors may be more important than others, but every variable adds up which is what determines how man fish are caught. If you already have presentation down, why ignore things like color? That's the easy part, and combined with presentation, it might be the thing that tips the odds in your favor. Every single factor changes yours odds of success. Maybe not equally, but it changes the odds nonetheless.

[Deleted account]

From the Buck Perry website...

"If you or I expect to catch more and bigger fish consistently whenever and wherever we go fishing, we must control the depth and speed of our lures (together - at the same time) on, and/or around, the bottom features (structure, breaks, breaklines, deep water) the fish use in their movements and migrations."

You will note the guideline made no mention about changing or bad weather conditions, "moods" of the fish, size, color, action, oxygen, pH, odor, casting ability, traffic, rigs, "method," "technique," or "patterns." These things are handled by the control of depth and speed of our lures. Depth control means where the fish will be. Speed control (how fast the lure moves through the water) is what makes the fish take the lure.

Now, my question. How many of you focus only on these two controls, while ignoring color, action, seasonal patterns, etc? Thanks...

 

 

What is stronger than Motrin?

[papajoe222]

Those are the two things I concentrate on when I begin my search. The season will determine where I start, but during the search, I'll try different speeds while attempting to maintain a certain depth. Sometimes that involves changing lures. For bottom, or topwater it's a little easier as lure choice will help maintain the desired depth. Then it's just a matter of finding the right speed, or interruption of speed, that will trigger a strike.

I don't experiment much with color, even after I find the depth and speed. If activity slows, I'll search for other areas that offer the same criteria the one I'm on has rather than try to milk a couple of extra fish off the spot.  Keep in mind that if you don't have mobility, changing color, or even brands of the same style lure can increase your catch rate, but if numbers are what you're after and you have that option, move.  To me, that's what pattern fishing is all about.

As far a Buck not making mention of changing or bad weather conditions, "moods" of the fish, size, color, action, oxygen, pH, odor, casting ability, traffic, rigs, "method," "technique," or "patterns: He is refering to catching more and bigger fish, not finding them. Most pros echo him when they say that after catching a fish you'll need to replicate what you were doing if you intend to catch another.  If you aren't concentratiing on depth and speed, you'll never be able to do that. That's why whether I'm still searching, or I've caught a fish, this two parts of the equation are most important to me.

[Todd2]

As far a Buck not making mention of changing or bad weather conditions, "moods" of the fish, size, color, action, oxygen, pH, odor, casting ability, traffic, rigs, "method," "technique," or "patterns: He is refering to catching more and bigger fish

I understand depth, I get that. I just don't understand how technique, action, and to a lesser extent color are not as equally important as speed. I guess I need pay more attention to my speed and less to lure choice.

[RoLo]

I understand depth, I get that. I just don't understand how technique, action, and to a lesser extent color are not as equally important as speed.

I guess I need pay more attention to my speed and less to lure choice.

 

Well, less attention to color and more attention to depth & speed, but not at the expense of lure choice.

For instance, instead of changing the colors of a spinnerbait, it might be better to switch to a jig, which is a depth change.

 

Roger

[Catt]

Speed can be Rate Of Fall which will trigger a bite faster than color. ROF fall is very important under all weather conditions, seasonal patterns.

Depth is important because it is where the bass are, if they are holding at 15' & you're fishing at 10' or 20' you might not get bit regardless of color, speed, weather, technique, or season.

[tatertester]

You will notice that Buck would troll with his spoonplugs checking various depths, and when he started catching Bass he would switch to a jig , going back to his spoonplugs again if he didn't catch fish with the jigs, more of a depth thing than speed.

[Todd2]

You will notice that Buck would troll with his spoonplugs checking various depths, and when he started catching Bass he would switch to a jig , going back to his spoonplugs again if he didn't catch fish with the jigs, more of a depth thing than speed.

Interesting, didn't know that. I thought he only trolled.

[RoLo]

Interesting, didn't know that. I thought he only trolled.

 

There are no constants in bass fishing, but there are many rules of thumb.

As a rule of thumb (not a constant), the lion's share of suspended bass are made up of 'schoolies' of similar year-class.

In contrast, old loner sows are not into chasing bait wads, but spend the bulk of their time 'on bottom'.

When schoolies launch an attack on baitfish, the casualties that end up on the surface are eaten by gulls,

and those that settle to the bottom are devoured by grandma (enter the jig).

 

Roger

[WRB]

Reading Buck Perry takes you back into the 40's and 50's before personal sonar units were available and an era when nearly everyone trolled diving lures. If you don't know what the depth the bass are in ( no sonar) the only method to explore depth is with different diving depth lures. The problem Perry solved with his lure design was a lure that could run different speeds and maintain the same depth. What did change was the lure size and colors.

If you were trolling crankbaits where could you troll them without snagging all the time? The answer is; in open water without weeds or other cover to snag. You follow the weed break line or structure depth that allowed your lure to swim freely or occasionally bump bottom at a speed that allowed this to happen.

Put the lure where the bass are located in front of or slightly above them and they will go strike it. If your lure is running underneath the bass they rarely go down to strike a fast moving lure like a crankbait"

Depth and speed was important to Buck Perry's presentation with trolled Spoon Plugs.

Tom

[tatertester]

I found trolling spoonplugs not nearly as much fun as the so-called normal way. Youtroll at a fast clip, trying to keep the boat in a depth that allowed your plug to be at or near the bottom. Then you switched spoonplugs to the next deeper diving one , as they were designed to run at different depths , continuing to deeper depths with yet another spoonplug....Seining the water essentially.. You caught any species that got in the way of your trolling pass, northern pike, walleyes, bass , crappie, even sunfish. I'm sure most of the fish caught were reaction strikes as they sure didn't have much time to study the spoonplug as it went whizzing by.....Buck Perry's lessons to learn were his knowledge about structure and fish movements....He was well ahead of his time in that regard , thus his title ,the father of structure fishing.....He knew fish moved along a defined pathway using whatever STRUCTURE that was available to them to follow from deep to shallower water and back again.These rules of movement apply to all waters in one form or another..........RIP Buck Perry.