How to grow confidence and find your best techniques

[Jcost2131]

9 hours ago, WRB said:

Couple of more questions, what type of bass are in the lake you fish; Smallmouth or largemouth? 

Your bait casting outfit, MH fast action with what type of line and lb test? Spinning , same ?

Tom

 

 

Baitcasting: MH with 30 pound braid and 12 pound floro leader 

Spinning: Medium with 8 pound mono 

 

Targeting largemouth in lakes and small ponds. 

 

3 hours ago, Raul said:

How can you have a "confidence lure" if you don't fish ?   A couple of fish on a crankbait ain't exactly nuff to make that crankbait a confidence lure.

 

..... ahhhh, the good ole days when I was teaching myself how to fish for bass when, for months, the only thing I used to cast was an in-line spinner hour after hour ..... then, after many months later when I consistently caught fish with it was time to try something different, how about a jerkbait ? .......

 

 

I agree! This is just going to be a learning process and I will enjoy every step of it!

10 minutes ago, Zeeter said:

Weedless rubber worm on the bank, spinnerbait on open water. Those are what got me started. 

 

While a spinnerbait is a good start, it won't teach too much about fishing. The fish hits it and you real it in. There is a little finesse with it, but not too much. It will catch fish if you are on fish. Eventually you learn what to look for with a spinner. If the shiners are causing a ruckus then pulling a spinnerbait through them will produce a bite. Otherwise you're really just guessing unless you have a fishfinder. 

 

Worms are really the first step in going from being a recreational fisherman to a more serious one. They take more finesse, but not much. It will teach you how to feel what is a bite and what is a lily pad. 

 

I wouldn't try anything too advanced yet, like a dropshot or carolina rig. 

 

And there's nothing wrong with changing baits frequently. If something isn't working go ahead and switch up. You'll learn to tie faster and eventually you'll find one that produces hits. I'm not saying every other cast, but give a lure a decent chance and then switch up. When I started out I might have only given a lure two casts before I immediately knew it was wrong. Wouldn't dive deep enough, was too heavy or light, etc...

 

 

I appreciate the advice!

 

I have a bag of senkos and just got two spinnerbaits so I will be giving your tips a go for sure!

I totally agree with keeping it simple and that's what I am planning on doing next time I head on the water. I think it's just easy to get overloaded with information and constantly second guess if you are using the correct technique. 

 

I will keep your tips in mind! Thanks again and tight lines!

[CTBassin860]

Take one pole and a bag of worms or one hardbait with you.That's it.Don't give yourself the option to keep changing lures.I do this when I hit a slump too.

[corn-on-the-rob]

You will find that while everyone has their favorites, you must be able to adapt to different conditions, lakes, seasons, etc.. It is important to be at least a little diverse to optimize your chances, so it comes down to developing yourself as an angler.

 

1. Discipline. On days where you want to practice and get better, tell yourself to commit to a smaller amount of lures/techniques, maybe even one all day in order to get better at it.

 

2. This one might be even harder, but those days you are crushing them on any given lure, find the willpower to throw something you don't have much confidence in while you know they are biting and you can probably catch a few to boost it.

[runt4561]

i think that if you are just starting out, you have to find something you are comfortable with. I would recommend to anyone just starting out, you have to define what baits or technique you like the best but, this could be a problem for somebody that doesn't know what they like, they just want to catch fish. here is the deal, if you like fishing a bait, you will fish it more and develop more confidence in it.

 

I think I speak for most people in that my confidence baits are also my favorites. that seems like an obvious statement but they are different. I have been fishing for a long time and I have said for a long time that my favorite bait is whatever the fish are aggressively biting. however, my confidence would be flipping or pitching soft plastics and lipless crankbaits. these two techniques for me account for most of my fish in any given year. and here is the secret, they became my confidence baits because I liked them.

 

I think I can also break it down further to the fact that they became my confidence baits because it became more than cast and retrieve for me. I was really interested in learning how that bait worked during every inch of the retrieve. I became obsessed with how different sizes or colors worked and what the bait would do if I reeled it fast as opposed to slow. some baits just don't appeal to me and become more of a mindless cast and retrieve. I tend to have less confidence in those baits because I am not interested in them. they don't capture my attention.

 

I would choose a bait or technique that captures your attention. something you are interested in. spend time with it and learn what conditions it works best in. once you learn more about it, it will become more of a confidence bait. something you can do, is choose a bait and take only that when you go fishing. it will force you to learn that bait. our minds are our worst enemies some times when fishing. if you have several options or baits to choose from, you don't give yourself enough time to learn a bait.

 

good luck

 

 

[Glenn]

Well wouldn't know, there's a video on this very topic!

 

 

[Quarry Man]

Fish versatile stuff, Texas rigs, swim jigs, flipping jigs, and keitechs

[WIGuide]

There's only one way to find your confidence bait, and that's by spending time on the water. The more you fish a particular technique or lure, the more you learn the nuances of it with tweaks and adaptations you can make when conditions change. You learn when it's best and when it doesn't work at all as well. When you find one that's your particular confidence bait, you'll know you can catch fish on it. You'll also realize there's no magic bullet when it comes to fishing. There will be times you'd love to throw that bait, but you know it won't work. Again, the only thing that will teach you what will work the best for you is experience.

[soflabasser]

Keep fishing a technique long enough and it will eventually become one of your confidence techniques.

[Deleted account]

9 hours ago, Zeeter said:

Weedless rubber worm on the bank, spinnerbait on open water. Those are what got me started. 

 

While a spinnerbait is a good start, it won't teach too much about fishing. The fish hits it and you real it in. There is a little finesse with it, but not too much. It will catch fish if you are on fish. Eventually you learn what to look for with a spinner. If the shiners are causing a ruckus then pulling a spinnerbait through them will produce a bite. Otherwise you're really just guessing unless you have a fishfinder. 

 

Worms are really the first step in going from being a recreational fisherman to a more serious one. They take more finesse, but not much. It will teach you how to feel what is a bite and what is a lily pad. 

 

I wouldn't try anything too advanced yet, like a dropshot or carolina rig. 

 

And there's nothing wrong with changing baits frequently. If something isn't working go ahead and switch up. You'll learn to tie faster and eventually you'll find one that produces hits. I'm not saying every other cast, but give a lure a decent chance and then switch up. When I started out I might have only given a lure two casts before I immediately knew it was wrong. Wouldn't dive deep enough, was too heavy or light, etc...

 

Zeeter, let's go fishing, I'll bring nothing but spinnerbaits.

[Jcost2131]

46 minutes ago, WIGuide said:

There's only one way to find your confidence bait, and that's by spending time on the water. The more you fish a particular technique or lure, the more you learn the nuances of it with tweaks and adaptations you can make when conditions change. You learn when it's best and when it doesn't work at all as well. When you find one that's your particular confidence bait, you'll know you can catch fish on it. You'll also realize there's no magic bullet when it comes to fishing. There will be times you'd love to throw that bait, but you know it won't work. Again, the only thing that will teach you what will work the best for you is experience.

 

 

I totally agree, over time I will get a feel for things. 

[Zeeter]

58 minutes ago, reason said:

 

Zeeter, let's go fishing, I'll bring nothing but spinnerbaits.

 

Respectfully, I think you missed my point. Spinnerbaits are great. Yet to someone just starting out they do little more than cast it out and reel it in. There is finesse to it, but not for a beginner.

 

I'm suggesting a simple worm setup as a means to learn more finesse. Ideally, he would have both a spinnerbait and a worm rigged on two separate rods. The thing with the spinnerbait is that the fish is either on or off. With a worm you feel the bite and learn when the set the hook. My personal opinion is that you learn a lot more about presentations using a worm than with a spinnerbait. Thus, if he is using a senko or a creature bait or a tube or a jig, many (not all) of the same techniques are involved.

 

Trust me - my go-to lure is a spinner. In fact I just spent over $200 on a rod made specifically for using spinnerbaits. Yet sometimes a subtler approach is more effective in certain circumstances.

[Bankbeater]

I learned how to fish with crankbaits and spinnerbaits, after that I started using t-rigs, and c-rigs.  Next came jigs, drop shot, etc.  After I used all these baits and techniques for a while, I discovered that I like using some more than others. I know all of the techniques will work given the correct conditions, but for me it is just that I prefer to use some more than others.

[WRB]

Your spinning outfit is ideal for drop shot and slip shot presentations. 

Pre spawn and post spawn the slip shot rig is good, bed fish that sight fish the drop shot rig is good. Let's start with the slip shot, what you need; 

Hooks, Owner #5133 size 1/0, also works for drop shot.

Weights, Mojo tubular 1/8 oz sinker.

Carolina Keepers.

Roboworms, 6" Oxblood red flake.

The weight goes on the line 1st, the Carolina Keep goes up the line 18"-24", the hook tied on using a Palomar knot.

Drop shot rig;

Hooks, Owner #5133 size 1/0

Weights, 3/16-1/4 oz drop shot weight.

Roboworms, 6" Baby bluegill.

Rig weedless.

Now let's rig the bait caster.

Texas rig; 

Hooks, Owner #5100, size 3/0

Weight, 3/16-1/4 oz black bullet weight.

Berkley 7" Ribbon tail Power worms, Camo and Biffle Bug craw, black with blue claws.

Rig weedless.

 

That it for the next 3 months.

Locate points on lakes and fan cast 180 degrees before moving and repeat until you see bass moving into coves to spawn, then use the drop shot rig in beds.

Ponds, fan cast all around the parimeter, drop shot any beds.

drag the split shot with pauses, hop the T-rig with pauses, jiggle the drop shot.

You will catch lots of bass if to stick to this routine.

Tom

PS, you could carry both rods and use them to determine which is working best at that time. All the terminal tackle fits into a small bag.

[Jason Penn]

catching fish builds confidence in techniques.  if you know there is fish there, it's just a matter of fishing a certain lure until you get bit. once you do, you can figure out how you were fishing it, and then just add that to your list of tricks.

 

option anxiety can get the best of you also.  when you read articles, or watch videos of pros talking about this technique or that one, you want to try it out also.  next thing you know, you need a 21' boat to haul all that gear!!  chose your gear based on the waters you fish.  i only use 2 colors for plastics & jigs, and 2-3 for moving baits, because i know these colors catch fish.  i use black/blue or green pumpkin for plastics/jigs, and something shad, something with some chartreuse (bream), or something with some red in it to mimic a craw, for moving baits.  generally you'll know what to throw by water clarity, but season can play a part in it also.

 

i would also say buy gear for the waters you fish.  the places i fish are all wood cover.  you might occasionally see a patch of grass, but generally there is none.  i don't own an extra heavy flip stick or a frog rod.  those are not techniques that i need to use, so i don't set up for them.  i don't fish tournaments, so i don't have to have every tool available to me to make a living.

 

 

[soflabasser]

Topwaters such as Rebel Pop-R's are good lures to build bass fishing confidence with,at least it was for me when I started bass fishing.You can see every little movement the topwater makes and the bass give instant feedback when you presented the topwater well.Most of the time the bass hook themselves when they hit these type of lures, so you don't have to worry about the hookset compared to a hollow body frog,or any other lure that you have to pay alot of attention to when to set the hook.

[Deleted account]

12 hours ago, Zeeter said:

 

Respectfully, I think you missed my point. Spinnerbaits are great. Yet to someone just starting out they do little more than cast it out and reel it in. There is finesse to it, but not for a beginner.

 

I'm suggesting a simple worm setup as a means to learn more finesse. Ideally, he would have both a spinnerbait and a worm rigged on two separate rods. The thing with the spinnerbait is that the fish is either on or off. With a worm you feel the bite and learn when the set the hook. My personal opinion is that you learn a lot more about presentations using a worm than with a spinnerbait. Thus, if he is using a senko or a creature bait or a tube or a jig, many (not all) of the same techniques are involved.

 

Trust me - my go-to lure is a spinner. In fact I just spent over $200 on a rod made specifically for using spinnerbaits. Yet sometimes a subtler approach is more effective in certain circumstances.

 

No, I really want to fish Loch Raven, don't know why I've never fished up that way, but would like to hit it sometime. 

[Fishinggeek]

Best advise I can give is trial and error. Still really early in the season for upstate NY. Early season bass will be staging close to spawn areas. Can catch bass a number of different ways this time of year. One key trick is to work the bait very slow. When I hit the water with my kayak I take two or three rods already rigged with what I am going to throw based on the weather, time of day, and water clarity.

[scaleface]

On 4/3/2017 at 8:45 AM, Jcost2131 said:

  how do you find that confidence bait you always catch fish on and how do you find a general process you follow when you get on the water?

 

 

 

You dont . Just go fishing and make every cast count for something . If you find cover , throw Texas rigs in the middle of it . 

[scaleface]

On 4/3/2017 at 8:45 AM, Jcost2131 said:

 how do you find that confidence bait you always catch fish on 

 

You dont . Bass will be in cover . Learn the Texas rig  .

[Zeeter]

3 hours ago, reason said:

 

No, I really want to fish Loch Raven, don't know why I've never fished up that way, but would like to hit it sometime. 

 

Northeast is a great place to go. I was there a couple of weeks ago and my friend caught a 4#er. I like Loch Raven, too, but that gets overfished.

[the reel ess]

I have access to a private pond where I know fish will almost always bite. They're stunted and staring there. I've caught 50 in two hours there before. If I need to gain confidence with a technique that's the place to do it.

 

When I started fishing it was the 70's-80's and all I knew was 6" or 8" plastic worms, T rigged. Then I got a second BC combo and put a Rebel Deep Wee R crankbait on it. Those were all I fished for a long time and they seemed to do pretty well at either getting reactions or finessing fish to bite. If those didn't work, I'd switch species or go mow the grass. Next I moved to spinnerbait, then hard topwaters, then buzzbaits, etc., etc. Now the running joke with my family and friends is that I like fishing tackle more than fishing.

 

Here's a good guide that will give you the basics and a way to catch most bass in most situations.

https://www.bassmaster.com/news/starter-kit-bass

 

Among these, I use jerkbaits the least, probably because I don't like them much. A couple of spring sleepers that a lot of people ignore are Trick Worms and flukes, both weightless. I went Sunday and got 14 at my buddy's pond. Most were on these two baits.