What do you do that nobody else does?

[NYWayfarer]

I remembered something I do last night when loading my tackle bag that I don't think anyone else does.

 

I store crankbaits I frequently use in a empty coffee can. Gives them a nice coffee scent if you leave them in there long enough. Hey if the coffee scent works for Strike King why not for me?

[JoePhish]

I attach a glass rattle to my shakey head and wacky jigs with a heat shrink tube.

I won a tournament using it so now that's what I do.

Someone told me about it so I know I'm not the only one who does it. However, none of the guys I fish with/around/against fish it except for the one guy I told about it.

[Tennessee Boy]

I should probably mention my magic casting trick.  I can be making a 25 foot cast,  I'll look up and my line will be looped over a limb that's 40 feet high and directly over my head.  I don't know how I do this.  It seems to defy the laws of physics but it's a special skill that I've had all my life.

[Log Catcher]

4 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I should probably mention my magic casting trick.  I can be making a 25 foot cast,  I'll look up and my line will be looped over a limb that's 40 feet high and directly over my head.  I don't know how I do this.  It seems to defy the laws of physics but it's a special skill that I've had all my life.

Yeah i'm still waiting for you to pay me for those casting lessons I gave you.

[bigbill]

I have one tackle box full of weedless baits. When others are hauling in weeds I fish weed free.

[iiTzChunky]

I'm not sure I'd say it catches me more fish but the way I hold my pole, hands pretty much gripped around the reel itself and my line runs directly over my pointer finger for added sensitivity. 

[Deleted account]

What do you do that nobody else does?

 

I'm thinking read the question...

 

[Mike L]

I add a treble stinger hook for smaller single hook plastics. 

Flukes, caffeine shad's, small speed worms etc. 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[whitwolf]

I, on occasion, fish a Rebel Ringworm. I have hoarded these baits and have never seen another person using Rebel Ringworms in the last 30 years.

[Sam]

When I feel like it for tournaments, I make a secret concoction to use for scent and taste that Dr. Keith Jones of Pure Fishing research department told me to use.

 

It is yucky but it seems to work.

 

 

[scaleface]

I dont open a beer until I catch a fish .

[Glaucus]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

I dont open a beer until I catch a fish .

Beer is magic. I won't be catching anything, so I open a beer. Then it never fails that I start catching them, and the beer sits there and goes to waste because I'm not stopping just to drink. Kinda like stopping to take a leak with your line in the water, and THEN they decide it's a good time to bite.

[THE_Vue's]

I use my 8' yakattack stake out pole from my kayak and use it on my bass boat.  Tie it down on a cleat with a paracord and a ring then you just stick the pole thru.  Works wonder no need for power poles or talons.  

[th365thli]

I fish deep when a lot of people don't.

 

Let me be clear, I'm not saying I'm LITERALLY the only person who does this. What I'm trying to get at is that most recreational anglers exclusively fish shallow, meaning they cast close to the bank with reaction lures or senkos. All day. In some areas this might be adequate, but it's not going to get you consistent results. I think some people are intimidated of throwing their lures with no obvious visual reference. 

 

Learning to fish ledges and deeper water has really been a game changer for me. People get hung up about colors and baits and shapes. While those are important, nothing beats location. If you don't find the bass, ain't no $20 dollar lure or number of casts are going to help. 

[RB 77]

9 hours ago, th365thli said:

I fish deep when a lot of people don't.

 

Let me be clear, I'm not saying I'm LITERALLY the only person who does this. What I'm trying to get at is that most recreational anglers exclusively fish shallow, meaning they cast close to the bank with reaction lures or senkos. All day. In some areas this might be adequate, but it's not going to get you consistent results. I think some people are intimidated of throwing their lures with no obvious visual reference. 

 

Learning to fish ledges and deeper water has really been a game changer for me. People get hung up about colors and baits and shapes. While those are important, nothing beats location. If you don't find the bass, ain't no $20 dollar lure or number of casts are going to help. 

 

I noticed you are in the Southern California like myself. Whether an angler likes it or not (most don't), if you don't learn to fish deep, you run the risk of not catching certain times a year IE (winter/ summer). There are always shallow fish to some degree, but learning to identify and properly fish deep structure (sometimes 50' plus) can mean the difference between a great day catching vs. a long boat ride. Good on ya for finding that key to success to unlocking some spectacular fishing out this way.

[th365thli]

2 hours ago, RB 77 said:

 

I noticed you are in the Southern California like myself. Whether an angler likes it or not (most don't), if you don't learn to fish deep, you run the risk of not catching certain times a year IE (winter/ summer). There are always shallow fish to some degree, but learning to identify and properly fish deep structure (sometimes 50' plus) can mean the difference between a great day catching vs. a long boat ride. Good on ya for finding that key to success to unlocking some spectacular fishing out this way.

 

Close, I'm in Northern California, but the principles hold the same! You're absolutely right, on the east coast and the midwest, their lakes have a lot of shoreline cover. It's not ideal, but you can probably grind out a limit. On the west coast, that's just not possible in the seasons you mentioned.

 

Believe me, it took me a while to really get it down, and I'm still learning. West coast fishing is a different beast. Don't even get me started on overpopulation and lake pressure....

[Shockwave]

On 5/9/2018 at 5:58 PM, Glaucus said:

I never use braid either. I've never been in a position where I thought braid would have mattered. When you're from Illinois and our 5 pounders are as exciting as southern 10 pounders, and our vegetation is typically scarce, I guess it doesn't matter. 

I'm in Wisconsin and I use braid on everything except my cranking setups.  I'll use braid with a flouro leader because the sensitivity is better.  I feel EVERYTHING with braid.  

[Jar11591]

Not many people cast AND reel with the same hand like I do. 

[MarkK76]

On 5/9/2018 at 7:09 PM, Scott F said:

I wouldn't say I do much that NOBODY else does, but after reading posts here for 5 years, I'd say I DON'T do a lot that the majority of the posters here do.

Unlike a lot of the guys who post here, I use nothing but braided line for every lure I throw and never use mono/fluoro leaders. Mostly, I use  spinning gear. It's all 10lb braid and on my baitcasters, it's all 20lb. braid. I don't do a lot of largemouth fishing, mostly smallmouth, so I don't do any flipping, pitching or punching. I use a lot of Senko type baits but it's always weightless T rigged, never wacky. I also never weigh fish. If it's a big fish, I might put it on a measuring board for length only. I seldom pay much attention to what many feel is the "correct" color choice for the conditions. I don't own any (as far as I know) technique specific rods. I'm more likely to to use one rod for as many applications as is reasonable. As long as the lure falls within the weight rating of the rod, I'll adjust so it works for me. 

I "break" a lot of the rules that others live by. Because I'm pretty happy with the numbers of fish I catch, and enjoy what I'm doing, I'm unlikely to change the way I do things.

 

I use all braid to, I tried the whole fluorocarbon thing and hated it guess I'm not PRO enough to use it right rofl.. I had more blowups that I couldn't get out and ended up cutting up 25 dollars worth of line after only a few days of use.  Braid I have far fewer issues with my bait caster and when it does blow up the rats nest is far easier to get undone.  AS far as rather I'm missing a lot of fish due to line visibility I cant no for sure.. been told by lots line vis makes a difference and been told by others it doesn't /shrug  Tell I can get PRO enough to use fluoro without all the bait casting blow ups Ill just stick to braid and hope that the bass are not line shy :)

[Columbia Craw]

On 5/20/2018 at 4:49 AM, whitwolf said:

I, on occasion, fish a Rebel Ringworm. I have hoarded these baits and have never seen another person using Rebel Ringworms in the last 30 years.

Smoke sparkle with a chartreuse tail buddy.

[Quarry Man]

i organize my tackle constantly...and stay organized on the water

 

[Airman4754]

Fish as far from shore as possible. You have the whole lake to yourself and the number of 4+ pound fish you catch will increase to dramatically it will blow your mind. Also, launch the boat after 10pm. You have the lake to yourself again. 

 

Anyone can catch bass in that 2.5lb range and under. When they grow into true apex predators you have to fish where the high value targets live. That's usually not hugging shore. Pre-spawn and spawn excluded. 

[Dirtyeggroll]

Surely other people do this, but not anyone I know personally. I make a ‘top box’. Depending on what I plan to fish, I will put some duplicates of all the things o have tied on and soft plastics in a Plano that stays on the deck. That way if i break off or need something else I don’t have to dig through a tackle box or through storage compartments to retie. I do this in addition to the Tackle bag I bring as a co-Angler and in my own little boat.

[Arcs&sparks]

On 5/28/2018 at 4:12 PM, Quarry Man said:

i organize my tackle constantly...and stay organized on the water

 

Come on, that’s impossible.

[Moto]

I only use rapala countdowns my whole life