How do you know.......

[FishmanJason78]

Hi all,

 

So I'm a bit confused on how some people just know exactly what to go to on the water, lure wise. I go out and I base what to throw on time of season, water color, and water temperature. For example if I go out to a lake loaded with shad and the water is 56 egress I'm gonna throw a shad pattern crank, swimbait or spinnerbait because I know the fish are feeding up on shad in preparation for the spawn. My confusion lies in this, what other I do when the fish don't hit what they're "supposed" to? 

 

I've saw guys on the water that make moves to oddball rigs like neko, ned, split and drop shot, but how do they know that if the baits for the  time of season and water temp aren't working what to try next? When I see the crank, trap, jig, or spinnerbait bite isn't on I spend my day just wailing away on a wing and a prayer that they like what I'm chucking at them. So, how do I know when to go to a neko VS a spinnerbait, or a ned VS a jig or whatever? What do you guys go to when the "usual" ain't working? 

[Gundog]

Most of my bait choices are based on experience. When it doesn't work I start hunting for something that does work. Its a puzzle. You put the pieces together as you go. We have all had days when this has happened. Basically if I'm working a bait that is moving fast I will go to a bait that moves slower. If a spinner bait ain't working that day I'll look for places to throw a jig or a worm texas rigged. If that don't work then I go slower to a drop shot rig or small swim bait. Also size of the bait gets smaller as I go. Some days you catch them, some days you don't.

[scaleface]

You ever read" A Day ON the Lake with a Pro " in Bassmmaster magazine ? They keep trying different things until they come up with something , just like an average Joe  .

[the reel ess]

Check this out:

https://***/outdoors/bass-fishing/Article/Bass-Fishing-Lure-Selector-Chart-105345056

[Mike L]

You don't know...Nobody does. 

If we did there'd be no need to invest time on the water which is the only way you'll find out. 

 

Theres no magic to it. 

 

If in open water I'll throw jerks, cranks, traps etc. 

In shallow it's plastics of every kind, shape and size until I get bit. 

 

Use what you know and how to use it. 

If they are where you're at, you'll find out soon enough. 

 

 

 

 

Mike 

 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

That's the joy in it, is figuring out what to use. Use the water clarity, water temp, cloud cover, water depth, etc as clues to figure the puzzle out. 

 

I do like what gundog said, as you try different things, for the most parts the baits steady get smaller. And there will be some days you can't buy a bite. That's why it's called fishing, and not catching

[Bankbeater]

I go by past experience and I talk to other fishermen on the lake. That gives me an idea of where to start. 

[FishmanJason78]

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

You ever read" A Day ON the Lake with a Pro " in Bassmmaster magazine ? They keep trying different things until they come up with something , just like an average Joe  .

Probably shouldn't read into the pros logic, that's what has me here now. I watched the pros on lake cumberland last weekend and it's like the knew exactly what to practice with and where to use it. Perhaps it was them using time of season and water as their guide and it just all came together, either way they weren't searching for lures all day, they narrowed it to a spinnerbait or swimbait and it worked for 4 straight days. I'll give that a read though and see what it says, thanks! 

1 hour ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

That's the joy in it, is figuring out what to use. Use the water clarity, water temp, cloud cover, water depth, etc as clues to figure the puzzle out. 

 

I do like what gundog said, as you try different things, for the most parts the baits steady get smaller. And there will be some days you can't buy a bite. That's why it's called fishing, and not catching

I enjoy the challenge, but no on likes driving 50 miles and striking out on every lure in the storage compartment. Past history failed, lures for the water and season conditions failed, it just sucked all together and when that happens I take it very personal and it gets in my head that it's all me and I'm wrong in everything I do. 

[Team9nine]

3 hours ago, Mike L said:

You don't know...Nobody does. 

If we did there'd be no need to invest time on the water which is the only way you'll find out. 

 

Theres no magic to it. 

 

If in open water I'll throw jerks, cranks, traps etc. 

In shallow it's plastics of every kind, shape and size until I get bit. 

 

Use what you know and how to use it. 

If they are where you're at, you'll find out soon enough. 

 

Mike 

 

This ^^

 

Anyone who tells you otherwise, well, we won't go there  lol.

 

Some are much better at interpreting situations and lakes better than others, but nobody gets it exactly right all the time.

[bigbassin']

Personally I've always selected my first lure based on what cover I expect to fish first.  For example, a squarebill or jigs around rocks or a fluke or swimbait around grass.  I feel that it's less about what particular type of bait you need to imitate and more about finding the type of cover and structure that are holding fish, then selecting the best tool to fish that type of cover. 

 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, FishmanJason78 said:

Probably shouldn't read into the pros logic, that's what has me here now. I watched the pros on lake cumberland last weekend and it's like the knew exactly what to practice with and where to use it. Perhaps it was them using time of season and water as their guide and it just all came together, either way they weren't searching for lures all day, they narrowed it to a spinnerbait or swimbait and it worked for 4 straight days. I'll give that a read though and see what it says, thanks! 

 

Ya gotta first understand the Pros aint going into a tournament blind!

 

The have done tons of research & formed a game plan before their boat ever got wet!

 

When their schedule is released they not only start planning for the first tournament but for every tournament. 

 

Oh! By the way not every Pro's plan goes flawlessly! 

[WRB]

Waaaay back in '74 I sat down and created The Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar. This has severed me well over the next 44 years.

Shad are not a primary prey source during pre spawn, crawdads and larger bait fish are.

If you never remember anything else remember this: active bass are easier to catch then inactive bass.

There are no panacea's in bass fishing, understanding basic bass behavior will catch you more bass.

Try to target active feeding bass with faster moving lures, if that doesn't work try slowing down with precise presentations, the bass are there just not active enough to chase down the faster moving lures.

Tom

[38 Super Fan]

4 hours ago, FishmanJason78 said:

Probably shouldn't read into the pros logic, that's what has me here now. I watched the pros on lake cumberland last weekend and it's like the knew exactly what to practice with and where to use it. Perhaps it was them using time of season and water as their guide and it just all came together, either way they weren't searching for lures all day, they narrowed it to a spinnerbait or swimbait and it worked for 4 straight days. I'll give that a read though and see what it says, thanks! 

I enjoy the challenge, but no on likes driving 50 miles and striking out on every lure in the storage compartment. Past history failed, lures for the water and season conditions failed, it just sucked all together and when that happens I take it very personal and it gets in my head that it's all me and I'm wrong in everything I do. 

Well if you fish Cumberland a lot, I can tell you that lake is actually pretty straightforward to fish, especially this time of year. You're probably overthinking your lure choice way too much. Spinnerbaits, swimbaits, and jerkbaits are always good there. That's a killer buzzbait lake once it gets a little warmer too.

 

One thing I've learned from experience fishing those types of lakes a lot is that you need stay pretty simple in your lure choices, if they're not biting... change areas, not lures. Also, the fish have feeding windows, they may bite for a couple hours in the morning, then they go into lulls that last hours where you just can't catch them no matter what you do. Then they fire up again for an hour two. (The FLW guys talked about that some too at Cumberland)

 

 As you mentioned, a lot of the top 10 guys threw one bait all four days there, that should tell you something, don't overthink your lure choice!

 

 

 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

I really like that advice, don't over think your lure choice. Seriously, thanks

[the reel ess]

You can take your lure selection down to the bare basics by taking a crankbait and t rig for bottom, spinnerbait for middle and Pop R for topwater. You have the whole water column covered. Most other baits will be a variation of these few baits. I can't tell you how often I take 6 rods and my buddy takes one with a Zoom Trick Worm and we both catch most our fish on the Trick Worm. But I LIKE TOPWATER fishing and would trade 2 for 1 if I can get steady action on a topwater bait. Keep it simple with the basic techniques as the season dictates and branch out from there. It takes a few seasons to develop this system of seasonal patterns in your head, but when you got it, it will serve you the rest of your life.

[Catt]

8 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

You can take your lure selection down to the bare basics by taking a crankbait and t rig for bottom, soinnerbait for middle and Pop R for topwater. You ahve the whole water column covered. Most other baits will be a variation of these few baits. I can't tell you how often I take 6 rods and my buddy takes one with a Zoom Trick Worm and we both catch most our fish on the Trick Worm. But I LIKE TOPWATER fishing and would trade 2 for 1 if I can get steady action on a topwater bait. Keep it simple with the basic techniques as the season dictates and branch out from there. 

 

K.I.S.S.!

Topwater, mid-depth, & bottom 

 

From pre-spawn through post spawn I carry only 3 rods.

1. Texas Rig: weightless - 1/4 oz.

2. Jig-n-Craw: 1/4 - 1/2 oz.

3. Spinnerbait or Rat-L-Trap

 

Topwater bite aint on

 

After post spawn & until fall I'll add a topwater & a punch rod.

 

[FishmanJason78]

I'm getting lots of good feedback from you guys and I do appreciate. I like many of your methods given, mainly the top,mid, and bottom approach which I kinda follow. How many of you use some of the finesse techniques we hear so much about? Am I wasting my time and rod storage with a drop shot rod, a setup for neko and neds and all that? I think we all see what the pro's do and we wanna mimic it, I'm not different. When I see a big win come off the ned rig or neko and everyone in the field flunked out it makes me question if I need that, then I get it, but I'm never sure when to use it.

[the reel ess]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

K.I.S.S.!

Topwater, mid-depth, & bottom 

 

From pre-spawn through post spawn I carry only 3 rods.

1. Texas Rig: weightless - 1/4 oz.

2. Jig-n-Craw: 1/4 - 1/2 oz.

3. Spinnerbait or Rat-L-Trap

 

Topwater bite aint on

 

After post spawn & until fall I'll add a topwater & a punch rod.

 

I cleaned up on them last week on a Pop R right over the beds and caught three of the good females. But as you say, normally, that's not consistent.

[Bassun]

Fishman -- Let me start with this... 
2017 Lake Okeechobee
Rick Clunn
Day 1, total keepers.  2

2!  Rick Clunn!  Member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.  Won 4 of the 32 Classics hes fished in, Clunn.  2 fish.  3lb, 14 oz total!

Remember that next time you get down on yourself.

 

I have not been fishing as much over the last few years as I used to, and I can tell a difference.  I'm not nearly as tuned in, and the instincts of what to throw when doesn't have the confidence it used to have.  So I fell ya and that "lost" feeling at times.  I almost feel like I've started lake fishing all over again, and the first couple years it was a big learning experience.  I think if we stick with some basics to get on track we will be fine though.

 

KISS -- Cat nailed that! Keep your colors simple.  Don't fret over bone vs white vs this other color of white with a fleck of what ever.  Think light / dark / natural / bright to start.  When in doubt, fail to natural colors.  Think strike zone, not lure first.  What I mean by that is, don't think --- oh it's a cloudy day - I should throw a (insert whatever lure)... think about how the time of year, and weather should position the fish.  Then think about all of the types of lures you have that would be productive in that scenario.  You can throw the perfect lure, to the most perfect structure on the lake, with exactly the color the fish want --- but if they aint there, you aint catchin' em'.  If you think out where they SHOULD be, then you can pick a more appropriate lure to match that instead of trying to fit them to the lure.  That's his top three picks for this time of year, based on where the fish "should" be and how they "should" be acting.

 

ie, if its late winter, water team is 43 degrees - chances are you are not going to pick up a lot of top water bites no mater how bad you want to throw TW.  Same lake, water temps in the mid 70's, late spring / early summer, late evening after a short brisk rain --- well, now you may be onto something!  The point being, think about where they most likely will be, then fit your selection to that to start.  And it sounds like you are doing just that, the problem is when they are doing what they should be.

 

Now when things go sideways I do a few things.  Requalify, downsize, simplify.  Requalify -- I rethink where I am and why.  Am I in  the right type of spot?  Should they really be here, or am I just fishing here because I've caught fish here before.  I love the back of this cove, it's where I caught that monster two years ago, I know they where here that fall!  But, it's mid-summer.  Water temps are in the 80's, and its a blue bird sky.  I've done that.  EXACTLY that... and felt like an idiot for spending time there wondering why I'm not getting bit.

 

If you are in the "right" kind of spot, downsize and simplify.  You are having trouble picking up a bite, you can't fine tune a pattern until you find it first.  Match your color to the conditions, and a lure to the depth you want to target.  Just go smaller.  Find "a" bite -- then start working up from there.  Some smaller fish will be more willing to bite than the big guys, sure --- but, if you haven't been bit at all, you need "something" to go on.  It may feel like its a spinner bait day to you, but maybe they really want something off the bottom.  If you start going from nothing on a white spinnerbait, then pick up a few guys on a black 4" worm... you have an idea to work from.  

 

As for "finesse", here's how I look at it.  If the bite is on, then what's the point?  If you can burn cranks, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc. and get good bites - I'd stick with it.  If you are getting hawgs off big jigs and 8" worms, keep getting hawgs!  But, if you are not ... then, I start to think more finesse.  I'll be 100% candid, when things get really wonky I drop to a 3" grub, usually white or pumpkinseed.  I can fish shallow, mid, deep or bounce/drag the bottom as slowly as I want.  I can target brush, rocks, flats, dropoffs, laydowns, etc.  All with one lure.  And I know fish will eat a grub.  And you can start a pattern from there and work you way back up.  If I "finesse" my way into a bite, I can figure out basic color, depth and what they are relating to.  From there, I can build my way into a better bait for a bigger bite.  So yeah, nothing wrong with going finesse to find the fish.  IMO. Some days, that's ALL they want anyway lol.

 

One thing I really like doing is working with your partner, especially to pattern the bite.  We almost always do the same thing... start with whatever we "think" will work.  Size, color, etc.  But, if we aren't on fish asap, we split things up.  one deeper, one more shallow.  one dark, one light.  etc.  If we are on a point, and he's getting bit on a spinnerbait coming across and I'm not dragging a worm or vise versa --- that tells us a lot.  Next point it may be a black crank vs a white spinnerbait, etc.  then it may be a bluegill crank vs a blue and black spinnerbait.  The key being we don't fish the same thing unless we're confident that IS the right choice... and heck, even then we still tend to mix things up looking for a better bite lol.