Jack Of All Trades Or A Specialist ?

[ColdSVT]

Im a jack of all trades

If i did have a specialty it would be the jerkbait

[stepchild]

Like others mentioned, everyone's a specialist in some way, shape or form. I have my confidence baits and techniques, but I'm also not afraid to tie on something I think could work if my go-to baits and techniques aren't yielding what I expect to get.

[plumworm]

I have enjoyed trying to learn all aspects of bass fishing. My favorite is TR plastics and least favorite is jig and pig so, I try to spend at least a little time each trip with a jig. That being said, trying to be a well rounded bass fisherman allows me to do what I do best,which is to keep the bait monkey well fed and my boat slowly sinking with the weight of my must have new lures. What's new this year you all think I need to try ?

[everythingthatswims]

Jack Of All Trades. I love catching fish on big swimbaits, but I'm not a member of the cult that won't think outside of the box 

[gardnerjigman]

Jack of all trades. As bluebasser said, love to target bass, but sometimes you have a dozen rods out and catch a fish on a dozen different baits. Name of the game in these parts. Fish have nightmares about us when we dial in on the pattern though!

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Im a JOAT ,,but back in the day i had enough patience and confidence to really dissect any pond within 30 miles with a 6 inch manns purple jelly worm t rigged.then i got my drivers license and found girls then lost my touch and had more money for lures and gurls .now im sitting here thinking ,,,i aint done it all but i sure want to go back to keeping it simple .as i ponder my 200lbs of tackle that i never use haaaaaa cabin fever is takin a toll my tooth hurts my cough wont leave

[geo g]

Because of the type of waters I fish, 90% of my day is spent throwing a variety of plastics.  Our lakes are shallow and full of heavy weeds.  Most bass are associated with the weeds and pads and there location to deeper water.  You need to target peculiarities and once you find a fish you have the gear to get it's head up quick and power it out of the junk.  Texas rigging is a must most of the time, and at least 15 pound floro or mono.  When in the jungle 65 pound braid is a good option.  Long M/H or Heavy rods and strong baitcaster reels are the norm.  Fishing South Florida day in and day out is not for light weight stuff.

[FishTank]

I think I would call myself an opportunist.  If it bites, I am reeling it in.

[J Francho]

To me the term junk fishing just means you are less concerned about a magic bait, rig, or style and more concerned with location and getting a bait in the fishes' faces. There's always at least three our four baits that will work with that one cast that could get bit. Sometimes the terrain is so varied, as you move about s spot, that list of baits changes. You keep trying until you discover a pattern. Then, maybe you can specialize. Sometimes you get good bites, but never find that special bite. I'd rather cast a wide net and see what happens.

[Jd_Phillips_Fishin]

I consider myself to be a junk fishermen... the only bait I don't have much confidence in is a really deep crankbait, I'd much rather throw a C-rig 

[RSM789]

I start out every outing as a jack of all trades and most of the time, the bass on my home lake turn me into a specialist.

 

As someone else mentioned, even though I have a multitude of rods set up with different styles of baits, usually by the end of the day I am throwing the same two baits.  Nearly 70% of the bass I caught last year on my home lake were on Texas rigged plastics and wacky rigged Senkos.  The nature of the cover & structure on this lake lends these two baits to be most effective.  I still will keep trying topwater baits, squarebills, lipless cranks, dropshots, but on my lake, they aren't as consistent.  I will have 1 trip every 5 outings or so where one of those other methods will be the ticket, but usually it gets back to working the T-rig over deeper cover & skipping the Senko under the docks.

 

I have found that the continued effort to try other methods pays off when I have travelled & fished other lakes.

[Gundog]

To me its just no fun to only throw a few lures. Yea sure, I do it on occasions but trying new lures or techniques is what makes fishing exciting and new. I can still remember the first fish I caught on a jerkbait. I don't know how many fish I wouldn't have caught had I never learned to pitch a jig. This year I plan on using flourocarbon line and trying some finesse fishing. I know over the years I've missed fish by not fishing lighter lines and smaller baits in clear water. After looking at some of the videos and posts on this forum I've got plenty of ideas on baits, gear and techniques to use. Can't wait till the ice comes of the lakes.

[HoosierHawgs]

To me its just no fun to only throw a few lures. Yea sure, I do it on occasions but trying new lures or techniques is what makes fishing exciting and new. I can still remember the first fish I caught on a jerkbait. I don't know how many fish I wouldn't have caught had I never learned to pitch a jig. This year I plan on using flourocarbon line and trying some finesse fishing. I know over the years I've missed fish by not fishing lighter lines and smaller baits in clear water. After looking at some of the videos and posts on this forum I've got plenty of ideas on baits, gear and techniques to use. Can't wait till the ice comes of the lakes.

You don't necessarily have to wait to start learning! Break out the auger lol

[Gundog]

jakob I tried ice fishing twice. The only reason I tried it a second time was that I couldn't believe I hated something that much. I know some people like it but for me its just frustrating and boring. I still have the auger and tip-ups to remind me of my hatred. They sit in a bucket in the corner of my basement and every time I go down there I curse them. 

[bkohlman]

In this area, you almost have to be a junk fisherman. We don't have the bass populations to really be a specialist, you just have to catch fish however you can at that moment. I have my preferred ways to do it, but I'll do whatever to catch fish. 

 

Agree with Bluebasser86.... Kansas bass fisherman = junk fisherman, only a few would be a specialist, and if they are they probably are jig pitchers/flippers. 

[SirSnookalot]

Whether using 1 rod and a couple of lures or many combos with scores of lure options, they are neither jack of all trades or specialists.  What they are is successful anglers, that is if they consistently catch fish.  I don't see any reason to classify myself as this kind of fisherman or that kind of fisherman.

[buzzed bait]

i am a junk fisher supreme....  certainly not a specialist by any means.

[roadwarrior]

I like everyhing except big swimbaits. I know how effective this technique can be for

a shot at some monster fish, but I don't like the equipment or physical effort required.

Skiing big bass to the boat doesn't trip my trigger either.

 

 

 

 

[bassindon]

I like everyhing except big swimbaits. I know how effective this technique can be for

a shot at some monster fish, but I don't like the equipment or physical effort required.

Skiing big bass to the boat doesn't trip my trigger either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I LOVE IT!  I flip what you just said. Don't care for the old style I did for over 20 years. Im not burned out on holding big bass yet LOL! 

[gulfcaptain]

I am definitely not a Jack of All Trades - there are simply too many of them.

 

Some trips I feel like a "specialist" at eliminating unproductive water.

 

I will admit to being willing to learn & work hard.

 

So I'd say I'm a "Specialist" at putting the time in.

 

Seems the harder I work, the luckier I get.

 

A-Jay

This pretty much sums it up.  I specialize in what I fish no matter what I pick up.  If I fish it I have confidence in it that I'm going to catch fish.  Each year I pick a new technique and focus on learning it.  Then it gets put into my bag of tricks and pull it out when I need to. So I specialize in variety, reading the water and conditions, and captitalizing on the best approach.  Even if it's thinking outside the box.

[Chris S]

In this area, you almost have to be a junk fisherman. We don't have the bass populations to really be a specialist, you just have to catch fish however you can at that moment. I have my preferred ways to do it, but I'll do whatever to catch fish. 

We catch whites, hybrids, crappie, large mouth, small mouth, drum, catfish and walleye sometime in the same day LOL

[aavery2]

We catch whites, hybrids, crappie, large mouth, small mouth, drum, catfish and walleye sometime in the same day LOL

and all the varieties of sunfish

[Bluebasser86]

We catch whites, hybrids, crappie, large mouth, small mouth, drum, catfish and walleye sometime in the same day LOL

And on the same bait

[Turtle135]

For largemouth I pretty much exclusively throw jigs. I have been in a jig phase for the last 3 years where I will give up quantity for quality (or at least that is the plan).

[Bosco_sticks]

I grew up fishing clear water in Wisconsin, so I'm definitely more of a specialized finesse guy than a junk fisherman. I struggle with moving baits, and I'm working this season to improve my success with them.