Has the sport simply evolved, or have I gone backwards?

[Glaucus]

When I first started bass fishing, following the common consensus and thought process, it was with a 7' MH/F baitcasting setup. Fast forward some and I had an arsenal of baitcasting setups for this and that purpose and technique. A spinning setup was never even a thought. Fast forward some more, and I was introduced to the beauty of finesse techniques, and small line and fluorocarbon. Before I knew it, I also had quite a few spinning setups. I found myself using spinning gear just as much as baitcasting gear. Eventually and now currently, a vast majority of the time, I'm using my spinning setups and finesse techniques, from Wacky Rig, to the Ned Rig, the drop shot, to weightless or very lightly weighted Texas Rigs. If I'm walking a bank, it's with spinning gear, which is also fully capable of tossing crankbaits (particularly the KVD 1.5 and 1/4 traps for me) and little spinnerbaits such as little Booyahs and Strike Kings in 3/16-1/4oz, as well as many topwaters, including a Whopper Plopper 90. I'm not really throwing into too much slop and cover and wood these days, but my quantity and quality has increased tenfold (more bass = better chance of bigger bass). Truth be told, however, in my northern neck of the woods, cover and DDs tends not to be a "thing." 

 

I was just sitting here thinking about a little pond hopping I'm going to be doing this weekend, and realized that in a baitcasting dominated sport, I've found myself going the opposite direction.

[rejesterd]

You've just expanded, not gone backwards. I'm the opposite.. I never had a baitcasting setup until maybe 15 years ago. I spent the previous 15 years using only spinning rods. 

[Glaucus]

14 minutes ago, rejesterd said:

You've just expanded, not gone backwards. I'm the opposite.. I never had a baitcasting setup until maybe 15 years ago. I spent the previous 15 years using only spinning rods. 

Perhaps. I suppose I say gone backwards because I've mostly stopped bothering with baitcasters and direct cover in favor of the spinning style of bassing. So one could say I've changed styles??

[LionHeart]

I think one of the worst traps I fell into last season was to latch onto only a few techniques and baits that I enjoyed or otherwise thought was cool for some reason.

 

I have made great progress this year by learning to use techniques I thought I'd never try.

 

I own two spinning setups which I hardly ever take, but truth is it would make me more effective to use them.

 

I will still use casting gear whenever it is even only slightly possible.  I may not enjoy the act of using spinning gear, but I sure do enjoy the act of catching fish.

[rejesterd]

21 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

I may not enjoy the act of using spinning gear, but I sure do enjoy the act of catching fish

I think that's what it really comes down to.. Some people just like going out and catching little to no fish, so long as they don't have to think too much about what they're doing lol. But I like figuring them out and catching more. That's the only reason I spend energy cranking heavy 10XDs or spend money on dropshot weights that I constantly lose in the rocks. 

[jbmaine]

Guess I've always been backwards. Spinning is all I use. Never had a problem catching fish.

[Glenn]

They're tools. You need to use the right tools as the situation dictates.  I have no favorites.  Only focus on being proficient with both in order to exploit the advantages of each whenever I can.  Having favorites only limits my productivity.

 

 

[Oregon Native]

Casting Rods....Spinning Rods....they both equal a tug....which equals joy joy joy

[geo g]

A lot of baits are designed to catch fisherman, not so much fish.  It’s hard to beat plastics day in and day out.

[A-Jay]

23 minutes ago, geo g said:

A lot of baits are designed to catch fisherman, not so much fish.  It’s hard to beat plastics day in and day out.

No doubt they catch a ton of fish and I fish them a ton.

 And while every fishery is different and given a choice, I'll almost always reach for a bait I don't have to replace after a few fish every time.

A-Jay

 

 

[geo g]

I don’t mind replacing as long as they are catching fish.  Cheap and easy to replace.  You can burn them, fish them slow, dead stick, pitch, fish in heavy weeds, or open water.  Fish deep, or shallow shore line.  All without changing a bait.