Question for the "Power Fishers"

[DaveT63]

How often do you switch between rods/baits while fishing?  I'm a run-n-gun type fisherman, and almost always on the move.  Very little patience for sitting still.  Anyway, I usually have maybe 8-12 rods on the deck at any one time.  It's not uncommon for me to pick up one, throw it maybe a half dozen times, then switch to something else.  I know I might catch more fish if I stayed in one place long enough to try 4-5 different baits in the same area, but haven't been able to slow myself down.  Does anyone else fish like this?  And what do you do to male yourself slow down if you do?

Thanks,

Dave

[gulfcaptain]

If I'm running the bank looking for something and have mutiple rods on the deck, I normally only fish 3-4 of them depending on what kind of water I'm fishing.  But don't make 6 casts and put it down.  Then once I get on a pattern I may have the extra rods on the deck that I may use but will normally stick with one bait and run and gun to spots within the pattern I'm fishing and fish that one bait unless there's a reason such as cover to change up my bait option to something that goes though it better.

[Jaderose]

36 minutes ago, DaveT63 said:

How often do you switch between rods/baits while fishing?  I'm a run-n-gun type fisherman, and almost always on the move.  Very little patience for sitting still.  Anyway, I usually have maybe 8-12 rods on the deck at any one time.  It's not uncommon for me to pick up one, throw it maybe a half dozen times, then switch to something else.  I know I might catch more fish if I stayed in one place long enough to try 4-5 different baits in the same area, but haven't been able to slow myself down.  Does anyone else fish like this?  And what do you do to male yourself slow down if you do?

Thanks,

Dave

Note to self...never go fishing with Dave

[Fun4Me]

Generally speaking, I have a top, mid, and low water column baited up at all times. I will usually try them all in most spots until I can come up with a pattern. Then I might switch it up so that I have a couple options for the pattern. 

[A-Jay]

34 minutes ago, DaveT63 said:

How often do you switch between rods/baits while fishing?  I'm a run-n-gun type fisherman, and almost always on the move.  Very little patience for sitting still.  Anyway, I usually have maybe 8-12 rods on the deck at any one time.  It's not uncommon for me to pick up one, throw it maybe a half dozen times, then switch to something else.  I know I might catch more fish if I stayed in one place long enough to try 4-5 different baits in the same area, but haven't been able to slow myself down.  Does anyone else fish like this?  And what do you do to male yourself slow down if you do?

Thanks,

Dave

You can and should fish in a manner that you enjoy.

I have a couple of recommendations.  First, and I'm betting you're not doing it much now - fish a jig & craw or a Texas rigged plastic bait more.

Secondly every time you stop to fish, turn off the trolling motor and drop a 15 lb anchor. 

As the day progresses, you may find that you'll be spending a little more time at each spot and you may just bump into a few more (better) bass.

A-Jay

[papajoe222]

OMG, someone actually suggested using an anchor   Listen up!  Using an anchor without some instruction can be harmful to your trolling motor, not to mention the exposure to rope burns and getting the rope tangled around your ankle just prior to tossing in over into 30ft. of water.

 

[Scott F]

1 hour ago, DaveT63 said:

How often do you switch between rods/baits while fishing?  I'm a run-n-gun type fisherman, and almost always on the move.  Very little patience for sitting still.  Anyway, I usually have maybe 8-12 rods on the deck at any one time.  It's not uncommon for me to pick up one, throw it maybe a half dozen times, then switch to something else.  I know I might catch more fish if I stayed in one place long enough to try 4-5 different baits in the same area, but haven't been able to slow myself down.  Does anyone else fish like this?  And what do you do to male yourself slow down if you do?

Thanks,

Dave

HA! I have gone 8 hours and never changed rods or baits even once!  If it's working, why switch? I like to cover water, but I cover it well before I move.  Want to slow down? Try wading a river. Wade out to the middle of a river in water waist deep, with a rocky bottom, swift current, and dirty enough where you can't see your feet. If you try and "Run N' Gun" you'll wind up face planting in the river! Moving is difficult so you pick apart the water you are standing in because it's easier than moving.

Like A-Jay said, if that's what you enjoy, do it!  I fish with a guy like you. He hates senko fishing even if it's working. He's a power fisher all day. I know when I'm with him, I'm power fishing too especially if we're in his boat.  I'll only run-n-gun when I only have a short time before the storms come or it's the last day of a trip and I'm going home in an hour or 2.

[A-Jay]

4 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

OMG, someone actually suggested using an anchor   Listen up!  Using an anchor without some instruction can be harmful to your trolling motor, not to mention the exposure to rope burns and getting the rope tangled around your ankle just prior to tossing in over into 30ft. of water.

 

A-Jay

 

[Scott F]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

A-Jay

 

That new boat of yours must really have some enormous storage compartments!

[A-Jay]

Just now, Scott F said:

That new boat of yours must really have some enormous storage compartments!

No - that's for the Canoe -

A-Jay

[Bluebasser86]

I'll usually have at least 10 rods on the deck and I have no problem picking a rod up to make a single cast at a good looking spot for that particular bait. Once the fish are found I'll stick with what they're eating and fish an area harder though. 

[Catt]

11 hours ago, DaveT63 said:

Does anyone else fish like this?  And what do you do to male yourself slow down if you do?

Thanks,

Dave

Once I came to the understanding that slowing down greatly increased the size of the bass I caught it was easy.

Here's a little challenge for y'all, goto YouTube & watch Glen Lau's video Bigmouth. While ya watching it pay close attention to every time a bass strikes a lure, even more importantly pay special attention to the surrounding area!

What you'll will notice is 2-3 bass near the one that struck the lure!

That tells me multiple cast to the same location "IS" called for!

["hamma"]

  I "used to" powerfish many years ago til I realized that slowing down caught me more and better fish. My powerfishing method was only used while bankfishing,.

  I'd cruise down a shoreline with a dozen rods ready, If I came to a dock a jig was employed, lilies between that dock and the next? frog them,.. next dock? Jig,.. submerged weeds? spinnebait or jerkbait,.. three downed trees? jig,..rocky with scattered weeds? worm or jig,... and so on. It was the terrain that determined what I used and how fast I moved 

 I then one day fishing clear watered Squam Lake I saw 4 fish chasing my jig and the small fish is what I ended up lipping. Smaller fish are usually quicker, therefore first to a lure. It was then that my powerfishing was about to be challenged, and eventually trumped.

   The need and desire to catch bigger fish during a tourney was the so called "nail in the coffin" for my powerfishing during tourney's and even funfishing. I ended up powerfishing only during a prefish. I'd find my area's powerfishing, then switch over to a more detailed attack. And it worked well. So good that each year I fished club t's, I made it to the state fishoffs and even the team the first year.

 My point and drawn out post is that powerfishing has its place. To prefish for a tourney powerfishing can be used, (and pay off), if done right., and during the right season.. But, if you just fish for fun? slow down,..enjoy the day at a slower pace. Not only will you end up less exhausted, but you just may pull your personal best over the gunnel,.. and this I can attest to.

[everythingthatswims]

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I'll usually have at least 10 rods on the deck and I have no problem picking a rod up to make a single cast at a good looking spot for that particular bait. Once the fish are found I'll stick with what they're eating and fish an area harder though. 

THIS ^^^^^^^^^

 

There may be a 20 yard stretch of rip rap where I should put down my spinnerbait and pick up a squarebill, but as soon as I'm past it I'm going to pick up the spinnerbait again. Then I may come to a big laydown and pick up my jig for a few casts. I always have a topwater ready for schooling fish, and I always have a wacky rig ready to toss to a cruising fish or follow up a missed strike.

[DaveT63]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone.  I'm fishing early tomorrow, so I'm going to really try to slow down for a change.

Dave

[Airman4754]

I have 12 rods on deck and I fish the situation. That can be constant change or using the same thing all day. 

[Wayne P.]

Power fishing reminds me of an incident a few years ago. I was fishing an offshore contour change catching numerous bass with finesse presentations. There was a boat with two guys going along the shoreline about 75 yards away and they saw me catching. They trolled over and asked what I was doing, they had not caught any all morning. I described how and why I was catching and offered them some hooks and baits. The reply was "no thanks, we are power fishing", then they headed back towards the bank again. As they were moving away I caught a couple more that they heard splashing. They turned around a looked, then kept on going to the bank. I could see them for a long time as they covered about a half mile of shoreline and never saw them doing any power catching.

[frogflogger]

Love to follow guys doing the "fast" power fishing thing.

[Airman4754]

3 hours ago, frogflogger said:

Love to follow guys doing the "fast" power fishing thing.

I watch power guys like a hawk, especially in tournaments. They will give you spots that are holding fish all day and don't even pressure them. 

[gim]

I used to almost exclusively power fish for bass.  I didn't really know any better and I didn't have the patience to slow down and finesse fish.  One season I fished out of a smaller boat that didn't have an electric motor though so I either had to drift or anchor (manual anchor) and that's when I learned how to finesse fish and it opened my eyes big time because it was so effective.

Power fishing has its place when the fish are aggressive and they are willing to chase moving lures.  Unfortunately, that's just not always the case so you have to slow down sometimes.  I love it when they're going on topwaters or frogs in the pads but that just doesn't happen all the time so you have to adjust if you wanna catch some fish.

[ClackerBuzz]

I think we all start out as power fisherman b/c it's how we learn to feel the bite.  sooner or later you gotta recognize picking out backlashes produces such undeniable pigs