Do You Throw Lures In A Specific Order?

[Master Bait'r]

Depends more on the cover or structure type, and how much time I've got to work with.

[scbassin]

No. I wait until I get to were I am going to start fishing, then I look at the conditions(ex: which way the wind is blowing,etc.) Then I'll make my choice.

[FinCulture]

There's a couple factors involved for me, including time of day, location, and whether I'm on a boat or going offshore. I'll start out with baits that I've been successful at a given location with before. But the time of day is important too. If I have success at spot "A" with a topwater in the morning and a jerkbait in the afternoon, I obviously will be throwing the jerkbait in the afternoon, not in the morning. As far as order goes, just start with the baits you are most confident with and work your way down, unless they're biting of course.

[Cgolf]

Yes, but it depends on the time of year. Speaking to what I do most, bank fishing on the river, I start with what I expect them to be on and then progress to one of two options depending on what the fish are doing (learned this from trout fishing). Right now I start with a shallow crank and if that is off I will switch to a top water or a Ned rig. Which depends on the fish activity, 9 times out of 10 it is the Ned, but if fish are busting the surface the top water is next up.

Other times of the year I will start with a Crawbug and switch to a crank. My progression though has been built based on time on the water over many years, and learning what the fish like under certain conditions. While I don't always hit it big, I can usually dredge up something and don't get skunked too often.

[Balshy Fishing]

So let's say, based on these few scenarios, as a bank fishermen.

1. Its very sunny and about 88. There's a slight breeze and it's about 130 pm. You're fishing with a rocky bottom and the water is clear.

2. Its an overcast sky and about 90. No breeze at all and it's about 3pm. You're fishing with into moderate vegetation below the surface

3. It's sunny but pretty windy, 15mph winds and it's about 90. Its about 3pm and the water is clear.

What do you throw in these situation from beginning to end?!

[Cgolf]

So let's say, based on these few scenarios, as a bank fishermen.

1. Its very sunny and about 88. There's a slight breeze and it's about 130 pm. You're fishing with a rocky bottom and the water is clear.

2. Its an overcast sky and about 90. No breeze at all and it's about 3pm. You're fishing with into moderate vegetation below the surface

3. It's sunny but pretty windy, 15mph winds and it's about 90. Its about 3pm and the water is clear.

What do you throw in these situation from beginning to end?!

1. Start with a Crankbait grinding over the rocks. Varying the retrieved speed until you figure out what they want. Second bait would be a tube, Ned, or Crawbug crawled across the rocks. I have had good luck with all three and have the confidence to throw any of them as a 2nd bait.

2. Tube would be my starting bait here. Varying the retrieves to imitate a craw one cast and a baitfish next cast till the fish tell me what they want. 2nd bait would be a spinner bait which should come through moderate vegetation just fine. Depending on the vegetation 3rd bait might be a Crankbait of some kind.

3. Same as 1

I really like using Crankbaits to cover water efficiently.

[ClackerBuzz]

i struggled with this over the years.  it's evolved to the point where there are only a few variables for me:

1 big water and/or unknown water

2 little water

3 known water.

4 day vs night fishing

5 summer vs spring/fall

 

1 big water is different for everyone but for me it's 1000+ acres. it requires a chuck and wind approach with fast moving horizontal baits to locate a bass.  you're not looking for giants here. ur just looking for aggressive dinks to give away the location of the school.  KVD has made an amazing career at it.  you can slow down and fish vertical once you've found fish and try to catch big mama. most of the time i'm also looking for weeds to come back on my hooks b/c they hold the quantity and quality bass.

a good article was just posted on it: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/catching-fall-bass.html

 

2 little water is much easier b/c it's like fishing in a barrel. you can start vertical or with a slow n low approach b/c the bass will come to you. i'd rather slow soak a lure right off the bat at a pond or small lake b/c it's easier to catch big mama if the water has been undisturbed.  however if slow soaking isn't working i'm quick to work fast and furious.

 

3 known water is a combination of the two.  i'll use past knowledge to incorporate a big and little water approach. i usually already know where the weeds are.  it just a matter of finding out what needs to be done to trigger the bass on that particular day.  and it easier to anticipate their seasonal movement when you know the body of water.

 

4 LMB definitely hold under cover during daylight hours.  for the most part they will be hiding during blue bird skies when most of us are fishing on the weekends. of course there are exceptions when an 8lb giant will be sitting in 6" of open water but it's rare so don't spend all day casting open shallow water. why not go straight to the cover holding them. weeds are my number one priority.  your lake's cover will dictate what else to target. being in a boat/kayak helps a ton here b/c you have much better access to cover. if ur on the bank make sure to target the banks that have deep water access.

from dusk till dawn the bass move shallow b/c there are no longer threats from above like bears and birds.  night time is the best time to be a bank angler b/c the fish literally come to you.

 

5  spring and fall are harder times to be a bank angler b/c the bass are still holding deeper.  the water temps are better plus the weeds haven't grown in shallow areas. this time sucks to be a bank angler so make sure ur fishing near deep water. otherwise target deeper water from a boat/kayak.  an easy way to remember it is in winter the bass are shallow during the day but deep at night.  and during the summer they are deep during the day and shallow at night.  these concepts literally changed how I fish.

 

to answer ur questions:  #1 and 3 i'm definitely looking for weeds b/c LMB bass will take cover during the day.  the bright sun will have them holding closer to cover so the strike zone will be smaller.  the exception is if there are smallies in the water.  they have a huge strike zone even in blue bird skies. if the weed area's are small i'll start slow and vertical.  but if you have 300+yd of weeds to cover I'm going to use fast reaction baits to find where a school is hiding in the weeds.

#2 the strike zone will be much larger b/c of the clouds.  i'd start with reaction lures over the weeds and on edges to find a school and pitch it vertical once located; chatterbaits, spooks, crankbaits etc. .

 

i don't think you mentioned if ur fishing rivers or lakes.  rivers are a whole different ball game but with lakes you can quickly eliminate 90% of the water w/ a topo map.  only fish the bank areas that have deep water access.  however at night you can fish even shallow water areas b/c the bass will move up.

 

ps skip ur next few rods/reels and buy a kayak. getting off the bank will be the greatest decision you make in a season!

Edited October 1, 2015 by ClackerBuzz