Super User WRB Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Doesn't matter how long you have been bass fishing or what your skill levels is, we all make the same mistake. We start of the day or night by fishing memories, using lures, presentations and locations that worked the last time we caught bass. If nothing on the lake has changed, this may work, however lakes tend to change by the hour and expecting the bass to be where they were and eat what you offered the last time you fished, you are making a mistake......if you continue to fish memories without success. I am no different and pre plan my next fishing outing, tie on lures that I believe will work. What I have learned over decades of bass fishing is; don't fire up the engine and run to where I fished the previous outing. My routine to prevent fishing memories is check the lakes conditions at the moment as the boat is launched. Look at the water color, clarity, temperature, meter around the marina for sights of baitfish and bass. Put a starting plan together based on what you know at that moment and make changes based on your instinctive feelings from what you learn during the day or night. Make new memories each outing and put the past behind you. Good fishing. Tom 14 Quote
Super User Shane J Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Whatever spices you put on it, is up to you, but it simply isn't true. To say that we "all" make that mistake when we hit the water, is pretty ignorant. Maybe you all in Cali do, or something else, but I know and fish with plenty of people, including myself, who do not have any pre-conceived notions as to where the fish are, or what they'll be eating from outing to outing, even if it's the same lake, same day. Not saying it's not a common mistake, because it is, but a vast generalization like that,is just wrong. Also, sometimes, based on knowledge of fish behavior, Starting on a certain proven point or whatever, is part of that game plan, but it's not just because we caught 'em there before, it's because time of day, baitfish activity, time of year, weather conditions, water clarity, etc, etc, all came into play, and that's what I came up with. 4 Quote
jeremyryanwebb Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 My wifes uncle refuses to tie baits on until he is in his boat looking at the current conditions. He said it makes him think through location and presentation before he is sucked in by fishing memories. Might take a couple minutes longer, but he's retired and on the lake 5 days a week....he's in no hurry ha 1 Quote
shimmy Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 Doesn't matter how long you have been bass fishing or what your skill levels is, we all make the same mistake. We start of the day or night by fishing memories, using lures, presentations and locations that worked the last time we caught bass. If nothing on the lake has changed, this may work, however lakes tend to change by the hour and expecting the bass to be where they were and eat what you offered the last time you fished, you are making a mistake......if you continue to fish memories without success. I am no different and pre plan my next fishing outing, tie on lures that I believe will work. What I have learned over decades of bass fishing is; don't fire up the engine and run to where I fished the previous outing. My routine to prevent fishing memories is check the lakes conditions at the moment as the boat is launched. Look at the water color, clarity, temperature, meter around the marina for sights of baitfish and bass. Put a starting plan together based on what you know at that moment and make changes based on your instinctive feelings from what you learn during the day or night. Make new memories each outing and put the past behind you. Good fishing. Tom Solid advice Quote
Mainebass1984 Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 I make my game plan for the day depending on the conditions that are forecast for the day. I might have to fine tune this a bit when I get to the lake but based on previous experiences given for the condition, time of year and lake I am fishing I always have a game plan before I make my first cast. I adjust as the day goes on. Every time I go fishing I try and build on my previous experiences, to a point from memory, on what has worked for me under specific conditions before. From memory and experience when I find water temps around 43-47 degrees in the spring I know from memory that on a specific body of water crawfish will be coming out of their winter burrows along clay banks and that a select few lures in specific colors will produce extremely well. It took a long time to figure it out for that lake but I will certainly remember it when given the same conditions. Fishing to the conditions is important. Based on the conditions presented to you, you then you can use your previous experiences to determine what to use. Conditions can chance very quickly. Adjusting to those conditions separates the average fisherman from extremely good fisherman. 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Eliminate your history you've eliminated your experience! All I have to plan my next trip is present weather conditions, present seasonal patterns, and my past experiences! I've said before, I fish some of same structure I found 42 yrs ago, the structure (bottom contour) does not change, the available timber does not change (wood does not rot under water). What does change is the vegetation, which changes the contor of the outer weed line, these changes happen every year but the bass are still there. I do this on every body if water I fish. Oh yea I'm also throwing the same techniques and lure! 6 Quote
bassguytom Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 Good advice. I fish from memory sometimes and it does not always pay off. Your post reminds me to read the conditions and make changes if need be. I use my experience to choose what technique and lure to use. Quote
Super User Ratherbfishing Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 I don't think there's anything wrong from fishing from memory IF you don't persist once it is proven incorrect (for that particular day). I'd waste a lot of time trying to relearn everything if I ignored everything I'd already experienced. 1 Quote
AQUA VELVA Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 You can make adjustments for a number of variables but if you have been fishing long enough and have a fair memory , you will generally find fish where you would expect them to be on any given day and set of conditions. 1 Quote
Super User Sam Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Tom, I agree with you to a point. What Catt added sums up my thoughts. However, I am so old that I can hide my Easter eggs so it really does not matter. 3 Quote
Super User WRB Posted March 21, 2014 Author Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Fishing memories doesn't mean loosing your memory or forgetting what you know about bass behavior. Fishing memories is tying on that black/blue jig and pounding the bank when the bass are on a A-rig bite or a swimbait bite, lures few anglers try, until the lures become well known. It took over 20 years before lures like swimbaits and presentations like drop shot found there way east, the A-rig was an adaption of salt water spreader rigs that went from east to west. The anglers that innovated the "new" presentations didn't fish memories, they tried something new. If you always tie on the same lures and fish the same structure or cover you are missing a lot bass, I know becuase my old forgotton hair jigs with pork trailers are my go to lure. When I said all bass anglers make this mistake, it's true. Be honest with yourself, learning is a intellectual process. I also fish the same lakes for over 50 years and still manage to keep up to date and still catch giant bass each year. Tom 1 Quote
Super User Shane J Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 K, dude. Kinda sounds like you're back tracking a little bit, probably because 15 people in a row didn't say "oh, that's so true", or "Wow, such great insight! What would I do without that infinite piece of knowledge?" Oh, and, What giant bass, by the way? Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 All these innovations you mentioned are nothing new, someone remembered it worked before. The original draw to swim baits is its "swimming tail", H&H Cocahoe Minnows have had that basic tail design for 50 years. (Saltwater lure) The A-Rig is nothing more than an umbrilla rig also used in salt water for years. The Drop Shot is nothing more than a Catfish Rig, Choaker Rig used in saltwater. All I see is someone's memory of saltwater rigs being tried with success in fresh water. One would be foolish to make decisions not based on memories! 1 Quote
Super User rippin-lips Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 I'm just laughing at the Shane J comment towards Tom about "what gaint bass?" Popcorn anyone? 4 Quote
mjseverson24 Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 i try to avoid fishing memories, but sometimes the old spots work pretty well... i think this has a lot to do with why it is hard for a local to win on his home waters on a top level circuit like the FLW or the elite series... Mitch Quote
Super User WRB Posted March 21, 2014 Author Super User Posted March 21, 2014 All these innovations you mentioned are nothing new, someone remembered it worked before. The original draw to swim baits is its "swimming tail", H&H Cocahoe Minnows have had that basic tail design for 50 years. (Saltwater lure) The A-Rig is nothing more than an umbrilla rig also used in salt water for years. The Drop Shot is nothing more than a Catfish Rig, Choaker Rig used in saltwater. All I see is someone's memory of saltwater rigs being tried with success in fresh water. One would be foolish to make decisions not based on memories! Catt, I have a lot of respect for your knowledge, you and I fish in a similar manner and we both tend to fish memories, we are set in our way of doing things. Fishing memories isn't forgetting what you know where the fish should be located, it's using the wrong lure at the right time because we had success at a prior time, under similar conditions and refused to make a change.Swimbaits date back to the early 30's with the Creek Chub Wiggle Fish, drop shot was also a dropper rig or stacking rig or ganion rig in salt water, the Japanese introduced today's drop shot rig using light tackle, give them credit where it's due. The west coast swimbaits started with Worm King, then Ken Huddleston's dad with the wooden Trout, Basstrix with the hollow body swimbait, that bass anglers use today The first boot tail may have been the Sassy Shad as a bass lure. Being a salt water angler I have trolled spreader rigs for tuna over 30 years, you could've cast a spreader or umbrella rig until the A-rig was designed by a fresh water Alabama striper angler. The point is fishing memories eliminates using new lures until someone kicks arsh winning tournaments while you and I are jig fishing because that is what we comfortable with. Tom Quote
Mainebass1984 Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 Without a doubt trying a new spot or fishing a new lure can pay off big time. I try and look for new spots every time I go fishing. Quote
Super User deaknh03 Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 If you hit the water and use the same lure, in the same spots and expect the same results, your wasting your time. I think the majority of anglers, and I'm talking about most of the guys here, guys who fish as much as they can, and want to learn and catch more fish, don't fish like robots. Most guys develop a plan for the day, bring appropriate rods and tackle, and fish the spots that weather and temp dictate should be holding fish, then work from there. Saying most guys fish with their memory stuck on previous success is just plain incorrect. 1 Quote
Super User Catt Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Dude I'll give credit where it's due! Even your beloved Dee Thomas admits his idea for flipping was nothing more than Tule Dipping! (His own words) He asked what he needed to do to make this technique tournament legal, the answer add a reel! Quote
AQUA VELVA Posted March 21, 2014 Posted March 21, 2014 Kinda looks like that bass Tom is holding would qualify as a giant bass ,at least here in MI. Dude. Quote
Super User Shane J Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Ask him where he caught it. Actually, ask him if he even caught it (that's a better question). Quote
Super User Darren. Posted March 21, 2014 Super User Posted March 21, 2014 Clash of the Titans! Good info all around! Quote
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