A plan

[Buffdaddy54]

I was at BassPro yesterday determined to buy jigs,jigs,and more jigs but wound up not buying any. I'm  like a kid in a candy store who can't seem to make up his mind. I became overwhelmed at all the choices to be made and wound up buying more soft plastics, a Chatterbait,storage box, and a couple pairs of reel grips. 

I got home and realized I already had the soft plastics that I bought. So now I'm going through my stuff and realize I've got quite a bit of lures that I've never used and some of it I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO USE!

So...... what I've decided to do is put a hold on buying any new baits until I learn to use what I have. How that is going to work is this, I'm going to concentrate on ONE bait until I've caught 3 fish on that bait, on 3 different bodies of water. I'm thinking that this is going to make me pay more attention, get me more confidence with different baits, and get me to different bodies of water. Now I have to decide what to start with??

[jr231]

You know you're gonna buy more stuff... I think utilizing what you already have is a great idea tho. 

 

About the 3 fish, on 3 different bodies of water, on the same lure before you switch... that IS going to lead to alot of rough days. I wouldn't do that! So try and make use of the gear you own, and get confident with each technique/lure  you are interested in fishing. 

 

About what You should start with; the simple answer is whatever your conditions call for... I'm willing to bet a jig is a good start.  

 

If you're anything like me you spend a lot more time thinking about fishing than actually doing it. So trying to be good at everything limits your effectiveness. Being great at a handful of things is much better than to be just ok at a bunch! If you were confident in a jig, jerkbait, and soft plastic technique (t-rig/ dropshot/weightless etc) then you can catch fish year round , anywhere bass live ! 

 

 

 

 

[scaleface]

I have a lot of lures that i never used . I think your plan is going to cause you to catch fewer fish . You cant force fish to eat a lure .

[Team9nine]

I like it  You have the potential to learn a lot about the baits and yourself by going this route...Are you banking it or boating it? There are some nuances you could add to keep it fun and varied while doing this. Go for it!

[Graham]

35 minutes ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

I got home and realized I already had the soft plastics that I bought.

How many times I have done this, I do not know, but I have a feeling we aren’t alone my friend! 

 

That being said said I like to start with a moving bait to see if I can get a reaction bite going (lipless cranks, squarebills, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs...etc). If that isn’t happening I will almost always throw a wacky rigged stick bait. That’s just my personal preferance, but I’d say you should start with the style you enjoy fishing the most and are most confident with. Once you get rid of the skunk you can afford to try some new techniques! Just my two cents, good luck out there!

[Buffdaddy54]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

I like it  You have the potential to learn a lot about the baits and yourself by going this route...Are you banking it or boating it? There are some nuances you could add to keep it fun and varied while doing this. Go for it!

Banking 

[Log Catcher]

While this sounds like a good plan I don't think it will work. You have to remember that just because you caught your fish in one lake it may not work in the next one. It will be a different day, a different body of water, and different conditions. It may take a different bait or a different approach to catch them in another lake.

[LCG]

I think we all have more stuff than we will ever actually use. I am pretty sure we all say I am done buying anything until I have used up or learned that plastic, lure, or technique. Then we end up in a tackle store and see something that catches our eye and before you know it you have a bag full of stuff and at least a $100 missing from your wallet. The struggle continues... 

 

I have never caught a bass on a top water hollow body frog, but I bought 6 of them this year. I have never used a chatterbait, so I bought 4. The list goes on. 

 

Find what works for you and your style. Learn one or two new techniques each year and focus on really learning the in's and out's of that technique. But balance that with the conditions you face. If the water is dirty, they may not want finnese plastics. If everyone else around you is throwing a senko, try something different. You can always use your confidence technique, but it's hard to learn new things if you don't commit the time. 

 

It's funny how this hobby started with a cheap Walmart rod and reel, a bag of plastic worms, and some hooks. A few years and rods/reels later and it feels like an addiction, but in a good way

 

 

[mattkenzer]

On 4/22/2018 at 11:35 AM, Buffdaddy54 said:

I'm going to concentrate on ONE bait until I've caught 3 fish on that bait, on 3 different bodies of water. I'm thinking that this is going to make me pay more attention, get me more confidence with different baits, and get me to different bodies of water. Now I have to decide what to start with??

Interesting .... You may want to make sure you can cover the Top, Middle and Bottom of the Water Column with your first bait choice. One thing is for certain, you will learn how to fish that bait fast, mid-speed, slow and dead. Good luck and keep us posted.

[thinkingredneck]

To get comfortable with worms, I spent a whole yeafishing nothing but Junebug plastics TX rig in pads and heavy plant growth.   Changed the weight and shape only.  I would fo from Trickworm to U vibe, to Ole Monster,etc.  Weightless to 1/4 oz.  I got much better at worm fishing and caught a metric crap ton of fish.  Now I am getting into swimbaits and Toad fishing.

[Riazuli]

I would just alternate between what you haven't used rather than limit yourself to one lure...once a lure catches a few fish, take it out of the rotation until you've used em all.  And once you get down to one or two lures, doesn't hurt to throw in a lure you've already used but you're confident in - the fish just might not want whatever particular lure you're throwing that day, so it helps to change it up.  I like what you're trying to do here, but no need to punish yourself over it!  

[Rpratt]

All this talk about buying baits that will never be used needs to be edited out before my better half sees it....

 

I know the feeling about being overwhelmed when shopping for baits all too well. So I don't go anymore unless I have a plan just to buy. Otherwise I just mindlessly wander around and kinda forget about anything I actually need And come home with the baits I will never use or forget I even bought them if that makes any sense. 

 

The 3 lake thing may work, however it may also just be a color choice that may not work. Black and blue may work on one, but not another lake.