Does this happen to you with a new presentation?

[detroithiker]

Every time I try an all new type of lure I experience the all so common struggle to figure it out, then when I get it to work to works well and I can't understand how I could have struggled with it in the first place.

How does a lure go from hard to use to easy to get bites on?

I have been trying to learn to fish top water baits all summer long, poppers and frogs, so far its the same thing, I am struggling, why can't we see how easy it is in the first place, we watch videos, see others make them work and should all be easy yet I can't get a bite, does this stump you as well?

[A-Jay]

When adding a new bait, technique & / or presentation to our bass fishing arsenal, I believe it helps to have reasonable expectations. 

Finding success first time out or even first few trips out, might be overly optimistic. 

As been mentioned before, it does help one's confidence out when using a new deal, if you have a pretty decent idea that the fish are around and even better if they are known to currently be in a positive mood.   So whatever it takes to accomplish that in advance of tossing the new stuff, is not a terrible approach in my mind.

Finally, one of the greatest aspects of our sport is that is something we can hopefully do for a life time.  And as the months, years & eventually decades past, the ability to add tools to the bass fishing tool box aids in keeping it fresh & exciting.

And although I love to get bit, with just about anything (except a Senko on a Carolina rig ) the journey to get there and the anticipation of waiting is at least half the fun of wading into new water with a new bait.

Good Luck

A-Jay

[detroithiker]

I have been trying to use them every time I have gone out this summer and I am doing something wrong, I think I need to cast to the right targets, I don't fish much early morning either and I am sure that does not help, I just want to know I can use them, the poppers and frogs are the only things in my tackle I have zero luck with, I just think I should be able to use every tool in my box.

[Bluebasser86]

I have what I call practice lakes, places where they're so dumb they almost jump in the boat. That's where I go to try new techniques and baits to build confidence in them. If they don't work there, probably not going to work many places for me. 

[Bankbeater]

When I was learning how to fish a jig I went seven months with no bite. I watched videos, and read how to fish them, but nothing.  Then one day I started catching bass on a jig and I couldn't figure out what I was doing different.  After a while I quite trying to figure it out.

[SWVABass]

I took me three months when I picked up fishing again to get a bite. This was fishing square bills. But once I got it done they became my search bait, so maybe what you might wanna try is locating fish with a bait you have confidence in then switch. And fish lures that you think you will have success with. Having confidence in what your fishing will greatly impact your fishing.