Better to be a specialist or a generalist?

[WRB]

17 hours ago, Spankey said:

I feel that I'm far more to the generalist side. My nicer fish this year have been on fishing crankbaits and jerkbaits. I feel my strength is split shotting and drop shotting worms. But what I use at any given moment I have confidence in. I have one HUGE mental block. That's the jig & pig. For the most part has never panned out for me. I feel over the years this has cost me some nice fish. I just fish a different type of jig configuration. But I feel my catch of the season is yet to come and be on a Roboworm. 

Have you every fished a "jig & pig" ? For reference that would be a bass jig with a pork rind trailer.

Tom

[Spankey]

7 hours ago, WRB said:

Have you every fished a "jig & pig" ? For reference that would be a bass jig with a pork rind trailer.

Tom

Yes I know what it is very well. I've fished it. I've fished it very unsuccessfully to boot. 

 

My way to any success with it will be to empty my boat of anything but an assortment of jigs and pork and plastic trailers. Fish a couple of consecutive days that way. I'll either fish it or go home early. Most likely my best bet. Years ago I had to do this worms, spinnerbaits etc. to pull it together and be successful and a believer. 

[ww2farmer]

I am the proverbial "jack of all trades, but master of none" fisherman.

 

I can catch them deep, shallow, and any where in between.

 

I can fish grass, wood, rock, docks.

 

I am good with a jig, a drop shot, a t-rig, frogs, cranks, chatterbaits, etc...

 

I am good with both largemouth and smallmouth

 

I can be competitive on multiple bodies of water during a tournament.

 

I cash in tournaments (most years LOL) more times than I don't. In fact over the last 8-10 years, I am probably the most consistent angler in the group of guys I fish with. I think that's due to the fact that I won't live or die with one technique, or bait.

 

What I don't do..is win a lot. I might win once or twice a year, or sometimes go a full season  without winning, but getting in the money a bunch of times. I have noticed one thing about guys who win a lot. They lock onto one thing and run with it all day. I just can't do it, it's boring, and not my style.

[Will Wetline]

On 9/1/2017 at 8:40 PM, thinkingredneck said:

Is it better for a recreational angler to master one type of lure, such as say jigs or worms, or is it better to try to be good enough with many types of lure?

It's fine to have a preference for one type of lure but important to become proficient in the presentation of the whole range of baits for your fishery. I'm thinking now of a late spring morning this past season when I really, really wanted topwater action. Conditions seemed perfect to me and I was at a proven location but the smallies would not come up. When I spotted a bass cruise by I put away the popper and picked up a rod with a small jig. Turned out there was a number in the area that picked up a jig from the bottom. 

 

Better to be versatile than stubborn.              

[Basseditor]

2 hours ago, ww2farmer said:

I am the proverbial "jack of all trades, but master of none" fisherman.

 

I can catch them deep, shallow, and any where in between.

 

I can fish grass, wood, rock, docks.

 

I am good with a jig, a drop shot, a t-rig, frogs, cranks, chatterbaits, etc...

 

I am good with both largemouth and smallmouth

 

I can be competitive on multiple bodies of water during a tournament.

 

I cash in tournaments (most years LOL) more times than I don't. In fact over the last 8-10 years, I am probably the most consistent angler in the group of guys I fish with. I think that's due to the fact that I won't live or die with one technique, or bait.

 

What I don't do..is win a lot. I might win once or twice a year, or sometimes go a full season  without winning, but getting in the money a bunch of times. I have noticed one thing about guys who win a lot. They lock onto one thing and run with it all day. I just can't do it, it's boring, and not my style.

IMO this is the key. Versatile generalists end up in the money often, but don't win much. I don't fish big tournaments as I used to, but I either was in the top 3 or near the bottom. One because I have a big fish mentality but mostly because I believe in doing what you do best. There are several times a year when your specialty will take you to the winner circle. I prefer to fish for five big bites over 20 keepers. 

[Mike L]

I consider myself a specialist in 1 or 2 techniques, a generalist in most, and a novice in a few. 

Not a novice because I never tried them, but because it never made sence to me to use a technique that I'm not the least most profient in.

 

Sure I can take the time and learn everything I can and maybe be successful at times.

But I believe if I can work harder to make my strengths stonger and have a level of success equal to a higher standard than just doing ok with others, in the long run, my chances for overall long term success is increased than by being a "generalist" with modest success.

 

It works for me

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

[Boomstick]

I don't think there's a right answer other than maybe a little of both. If you fish one type of lure and it's just not getting bites in any color or presentation, you will definitely want an alternate plan. Plus it's simply more fun to mix it up and change your pace. But nothing wrong with limiting your bait selection to those you have confidence in, but also nothing wrong in learning something new either.

[Bulletman20XD]

On 9/1/2017 at 11:11 PM, papajoe222 said:

Being an all around good fisherman AND a specialist at one technique is a whole different ballgame than just being a specialist at one.  If one is all you know, you'll be missing a lot of opportunities available to someone that knows a few fairly well.

Well said---A specialist needs one rod. By doing so your done if they aren't biting what you're throwing. Sometimes it takes every rod in the box to figure them out.

[kickerfish1]

I specialize in being general!

[J Francho]

Be a specialist in determining location.  Let the cover, depth, structure determine what works best.  Specialize in that.

[Raul]

1 hour ago, kickerfish1 said:

I specialize in being general!

44 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Be a specialist in determining location.  Let the cover, depth, structure determine what works best.  Specialize in that.

X2

[OCdockskipper]

I believe you can be a generalist, good at a multitude of techniques and also have 1 or 2 techniques where you are excellent.  The two categories aren't mutually exclusive.

[thinkingredneck]

I am a pretty fair worm fisherman and pretty much a novice in everything else.  Yesterday I caught two 4 lb bass on a spinner bait.   My first experience with a spinner bait.  (I am coming at this from a fly fishing background--which is great when they are shallow, but a pain otherwise!  ) Yesterday was blue bird skies and a chop.  What I'd read was spinner bait conditions. It worked!  Thanks for your replies.