What Trumps All?

[K_Mac]

None trump all. All are important.

If there is a simple answer, this is it! Some are more important than others on any given day, and I think that varies from day to day. I like Catt's pattern approach: Find the pattern and you now hold trump. The more you define the pattern, the more you hold.

[*Hootie]

Location is a given....I'm not shooting an elephant in my back yard.

Ironic, I just shot an elephant in my backyard this morning.

Hootie

[J Francho]

What was my ex doing in your backyard?

[reb67]

What was my ex doing in your backyard?

That is so wrong in so many ways

[Paul Roberts]

Wow. Lotsa good thoughts here.

 

Location and activity level.  Sometimes you can catch what's not really biting, but like Catt said, you can't catch what's not there.

Interesting, Catt fishes BIG water mostly and on such waters its possible to fish where there aren't any. I fish small waters and it's rare not to have any bass under my casts most of the time. Versatility is key, and can get bites where others fail, and practically speaking this is where most fishing lies. We are almost always fishing to subsets of bass across a range of activity levels. We can't rely on 80% of the fish biting, so much of the time we are working on duping the neutrals. So... I'm swayed and am changing my trump card(s): location with versatility. I know I chose two, as there isn't just one that trumps all except maybe that the bass are still breathing.

 

Location for me often pertains to a very small scale -the ambush points, the carnage zones, the strike zones, where approach, placement, angle, and timing can make all the difference.

 

That said, I spend the majority of my time looking for bass that have a pattern of their own going. Feeding bass on a specific pattern of their own is where I make a killing.

 

The aspect of my angling that falls into the trump card category and provides me a fair chance is the utilization of stealth.  The majority of the waters here sport very clear water and though not heavily pressured, when I do not alert the fish to my presence they are much more cooperative.

 

 This almost always includes a planned, slow approach and as accurate & quiet a presentation as possible; using the wind to my advantage has proven effective.  I rarely maneuver over or even close to the fish I plan on fishing.  Even a deep drop-shot bite seems better with a long distant approach.  In such clear water and on a sunny day, I’ve seen the boat’s shadow travel down quite a ways which can move fish off a spot, turn them off or at the very least, tell them something isn’t right.  

 

 Line size is routinely a consideration and there is just no sense bouncing gear around in the boat on the approach to or once you get to a spot. Using an anchor rather than bumping the trolling motor on & off and on & off is usually the way to go.  During the warmer months, night fishing helps level the playing field and I do quite a bit.  But even then it pays to maintain a stealthly posture in all aspects except the line size.

 

A-Jay

Stealth is a big factor in my waters too. I have always said, the first order of business is: "don't spook em". If you do, (and I must say many do, and are unaware of it), the rest can be moot.

[Scott F]

Ironic, I just shot an elephant in my backyard this morning.

Hootie

 

I once shot an elephant in my pajamas.....how he got in my pajamas I'll never know!

[PanhandleFishin]

Not always about location, there could be 100 there one day and none the next. I've caught little bass on a bait bigger than them, then with the same bait catch a 4 or 5 pounder. So i don't think its bait size. I would say what matters most is action, don't matter what color, if that actions gets em going your golden.

[J Francho]

With pond fishing, location plays a part for me too. If a pond isn't biting, I leave and try a different pond. Successful shore bound fishing is often about having a good stash of locations, not just one pond where the bite might be off. I try real hard think of big water this way as well. You look out at a Great Lake, and it's a sea of nothing. But once you start breaking down locations, sub locations appear, and patterns emerge.

[papajoe222]

In a word, persistance.  Ever have one of those days when you just can't figure them out, or do you just give up and attribute it to some factor that's out of your control?  This past season really tested my persistant approach as there were very few 'easy' days on the water. It would often take me the better part of my fishing time eliminating different scenarios before I came up with the right combination. Even then, results weren't anything to really get the adrenalin pumping. 

I'll admit that sometimes it was just staying out there long enough for conditions to change, but I have to believe persistance plalys a large part even in that.

(My wife says that's being hard headed, but who listens to their wife?)

[Paul Roberts]

With pond fishing, location plays a part for me too. If a pond isn't biting, I leave and try a different pond. Successful shore bound fishing is often about having a good stash of locations, not just one pond where the bite might be off. I try real hard think of big water this way as well. You look out at a Great Lake, and it's a sea of nothing. But once you start breaking down locations, sub locations appear, and patterns emerge.

So... in pond #1 bass activity/aggressiveness ("the bite") and/or versatility trump location. But in pond #2, location trumps. But, what's the diff between #1 and #2 -bass activity? Or what the angler has (or is willing) to offer that day?

 

I do the same thing btw. If I'm not catching in one pond, I'll hit another. Some ponds I've yet to figure out, at least under certain times of year (winter in particular). Location in some ponds, or days, simply means finding water that fits the gear I have with me, or my druthers, rather than what's possible if I'd brought the whole tackle store with me. There are only so many hours in a day, and it seems the Earth always rolls over too fast. That's what's often interesting about tournament results -just how many patterns the whole field can come up with on any given day.

[SirSnookalot]

With pond fishing, location plays a part for me too. If a pond isn't biting, I leave and try a different pond. Successful shore bound fishing is often about having a good stash of locations, not just one pond where the bite might be off. I try real hard think of big water this way as well. You look out at a Great Lake, and it's a sea of nothing. But once you start breaking down locations, sub locations appear, and patterns emerge.

In my Florida ponds the fish are always there, they have no place to go.  It isn't pattern or lure, it's being there when the fish are turned on, IMO that's timing.  I also agree 1 pond when may be dead while another 500' away is producing fish, given enough time I will eventually catch fish.  I do only use lures that I feel will catch the larger fish, catching but 1 20" + fish in hour or 2 gets my interest a bit more than catching a bunch of 10 inchers.

[Paul Roberts]

In a word, persistance.  Ever have one of those days when you just can't figure them out, or do you just give up and attribute it to some factor that's out of your control?  This past season really tested my persistant approach as there were very few 'easy' days on the water. It would often take me the better part of my fishing time eliminating different scenarios before I came up with the right combination. Even then, results weren't anything to really get the adrenalin pumping. 

I'll admit that sometimes it was just staying out there long enough for conditions to change, but I have to believe persistance plalys a large part even in that.

(My wife says that's being hard headed, but who listens to their wife?)

Agreed. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy, getting dejected and coming up with all the reasons why we aren't getting bit. In persevering, I've had amazing turnarounds happen. Often it's not just the fish turning on but me finding feeding fish or a presentation that flips the switch.

[Catt]

Even in ponds if they ain't within casting distance of where your standing ya ain't gonna catch em!

I would like y'all to show me how ya catch what ain't there!

[Lund Explorer]

So many factors in catching fish. In your opinion, what one thing trumps all the rest. Color? Size? Time of day? Action? and so on

 

For me it's a well placed bait. This relates to my shallow water experience and anticipating underwater structure and/or cover based on what I see on shore or, for the sake of conversation, boat docks, which are essentially an extension of the shore . Knowing where to put the bait has probably caught me more fish than anything else. Also cost me more fish because I wasn't prepared for the bait to get engulfed the second it hit the water. Some targets just look good. I don't know what it is, they look "fishy". On my home water I like to play the law of averages. If I catch a fish on a particular spot, I will definitely hit it the next time I'm in the area.  

 

Tell us your trump card

In your opinion, what one thing trumps all the rest.

In all the years I've been actively trying to learn how to become a better bass fisherman, I've been taught that

it takes three trump cards. Same tired old story from In-Fisherman: Fish + Location + Location = Success! You

have to consider many variables such as season, lake/pond/river type, and weather just to name a few which will

all have an effect on those three trump cards.

But if you really want to be stuck with one, just fish a Senko!

[slonezp]

 

 

Location for me often pertains to a very small scale -the ambush points, the carnage zones, the strike zones, where approach, placement, angle, and timing can make all the difference.

 

 

My point exactly

[slonezp]

I once shot an elephant in my pajamas.....how he got in my pajamas I'll never know!

What did the elephant say to the man he saw peeing on a tree?

 

How do you eat peanuts with that thing......

[J Francho]

So... in pond #1 bass activity/aggressiveness ("the bite") and/or versatility trump location. But in pond #2, location trumps. But, what's the diff between #1 and #2 -bass activity? Or what the angler has (or is willing) to offer that day?

 

I do the same thing btw. If I'm not catching in one pond, I'll hit another. Some ponds I've yet to figure out, at least under certain times of year (winter in particular). Location in some ponds, or days, simply means finding water that fits the gear I have with me, or my druthers, rather than what's possible if I'd brought the whole tackle store with me. There are only so many hours in a day, and it seems the Earth always rolls over too fast. That's what's often interesting about tournament results -just how many patterns the whole field can come up with on any given day.

 

I don't know Paul, but you basically just agreed with me, I think.  I don't fish with Trump cards, though bass fishing can get to Bridge proportions of difficulty, some days.  More often its more like Euchre.

[Catt]

Define location?

Quote: alonezp

For me it's a well placed bait

Knowing where to put the bait has probably cUght me more fish than anything else.

Quote: Paul Roberts

Location for me is often pertains to a very small scale - the ambush points, the carnage zones, the strike zones...

Location defined

[BassThumbAddict]

First Location. Second for more is structure to fish. Being stuck on the bank lots of times I fish areas where I can see laydowns, grass, and rock piles. If I go to a lake or a pond that I can't see anything structure wise I feel trumped. 

[Catt]

First Location. Second for more is structure to fish. Being stuck on the bank lots of times I fish areas where I can see laydowns, grass, and rock piles. If I go to a lake or a pond that I can't see anything structure wise I feel trumped. [/quote

Cover not structure

[J Francho]

Define location?

Quote: alonezp

For me it's a well placed bait

Knowing where to put the bait has probably cUght me more fish than anything else.

Quote: Paul Roberts

Location for me is often pertains to a very small scale - the ambush points, the carnage zones, the strike zones...

Location defined

 

I think "location" starts big, and gets fine tuned as you get results.  My first time fishing Erie, with wnybassman ("No Good"), we were fishing a huge piece of structure. Like acres huge.  Then it was a football field.  Then it was a lip on a point, probably 30 yards or so.  What was really great was, he left the breadcrumbs running on his GPS, and explained what he was doing all along, while we caught fish.  Bigger fish, smaller fish....  Finally, we were catching fish consistently over four pounds.  The days best were a six by No Good, and my PB 5-12.  What's funny, he apologized for the mediocre fishing, lol.  I got a PB, and a serious lesson that day.  The GPS looked like a scribbled grid, and then just multiple lines over the same small spot.

 

I don't know if that's a location trump card, maybe it's more of the electronics trump card, pointed out earlier.  The same tactics can be applied to any spot.

[Catt]

J...it's called a pattern...it starts with a broad location & narrows with each bass caught.

Next consideration for location would be the location of prey

[mrmacwvu1]

Love

I mean this sincerely

If you truly love the sport you will put the time and effort into being more successful.

It is like anything else in this life the more you love it the more you do it and the better you get at it.

That is what is so great about this site, thanks to Glenn and the other mods they have made a place for us ones that truly love this sport to have a place where we can interact and help each other.

For that I would like to sank you to them.

[einscodek]

100X on location

if you dont have them where you want them you may as well fish in an empty bucket

[J Francho]

J...it's called a pattern...it starts with a broad location & narrows with each bass caught.

Next consideration for location would be the location of prey

 

Pattern to me can be anything that repeats itself with multiple catches.  Not just location, though that's a big part - and why it's called the Trump Card, right?