Surprising Discovery

[papajoe222]

I stopped keeping a fishing log a couple of seasons ago. Big Mistake.

I was reorganizing my den and went to move my stack of logs only to open one up and glance at it.  Two hours later (I have a lot of free time), I discovered something I'd overlooked all these years: Other than a jig/trailer, a much higher percentage of the fish I've caught have come on soft plastic baits not lures (hard baits).  I was surprised because for quite a while now I have been throwing soft plastics only when lures failed to produce and that typically is after a few hours of probing the water column with those lures. I just assumed that my numbers have gone down in recent years because I've basically been targeting big fish. Guess what I've caught more fish over 5lb.with?  Okay, I'm hard headed. So I figure maybe there are a few on the site like me, or some that could use a smile in their day knowing there are others that think they have it almost figured out, but are basically just as clueless as they are.   Happy Thanksgiving

 

[Bankbeater]

We write all this information down then never use it. I was looking over my logs to see what my best cold weather bait was, and it turned out to be shallow running crankbaits worked over submerged vegetation. I would have sworn it was plastics or jigs worked around timber. 

[TnRiver46]

Can't beat a plastic worm 

[Oregon Native]

Used to keep logs...haven't for years.  Having moved to Tennessee it's a world of difference from Oregon.  Should probably keep notes.  When I moved here six years or so ago I used what everyone is calling a Ned Rig.  But for me it was just a three inch dinger on a light ball head and I whacked the smallies...just whacked em.  Got away from this and found out they're using a TRD now !!!!  Finally tried this bait along with going back to the light heads and "lights are going off again"    

Was trying to many other peoples baits and ideas......@#!$....now it's back to basics and life is good.

Football

Dinger/TRD

Drycreek Tube

Rage Bug

Crank or Spinner bait.

NOW I still do try other things but not nearly as much.  Above is the basic food group

TIght Lines

[N Florida Mike]

Ive fished soft plastics for over 40 years now and ,including those Ive fished with, easily 90% + of the fish Ive caught or seen caught were on soft plastics. It could be as high as 95 %.

Out of my top ten biggest fish , 9 came on some kind of plastic bait ( worms mostly ) A frog accounted for the 5th largest.

I used to keep a log back when but havent for a long time. When I did , about the only difference in the entry would be what color culprit worm I caught them on that day. ( And it was usually either red shad or black shad )

Being on bassresource has been helpful in getting me out of the box. I have had some new found success with spinnerbaits, but only on school size fish.I have made a minimal gain using top water frogs. Last year I didnt catch as many fish but did get #2 and # 5 biggest ever, which is positive. I have tried and tried to do better with hard baits but just catch a very occasional fish with them . Same with topwater.The last 6 months or so I kind of went back to my roots and have had good success,if not great. But my fishing is always anchored by soft plastics.

[Scarborough817]

how do you guys keep logs? do you write it down right after you catch a fish? or do you keep them in mind and write them down when you get off the water?

[papajoe222]

I was using an app (ScoutLook). Took a quick pic and my location and weather conditions were auto recorded. I’d add lire, depth and anything else I thought important when I’d write it all down in my log. 

 

[Raul]

On 23/11/2017 at 4:17 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Can't beat a plastic worm 

Simplicity is perfection.

 

Now, if could only convice The BaitMonkey .....