Slowing Down

[Bankbeater]

I’m slowing down right now. Most of the water I am fishing is still cold. I’m noticing that the slower retrieve is working better with swimbaits and crankbaits even later in the day after the air warms up. 

[greentrout]

right now where i fish i need to sometimes make some long casts from the bank .... use a kk royale legend elite with an ipt of 35 inches 8:1: 1.... use kk perigee II and bps rods 7 and 6'6'' med. heavy... hop it along a few times reel it back in .... cast again ...  most of the time start this way with plastic worms .... some nice ones caught from time to time  .... don't work .... more than willing to drag  it sloooowly  -- depending on the bottom surface  ....

 

Once read an article by larry nixon who said he was not a worm dragger .... he hopped 'em along at various speeds looking for reaction or impulse strikes .....

 

ood fishing ...

[Mobasser]

For me at times it only makes sense to fish through a spot very slowly. Your bait stays in the strike zone much longer. Some guys may never like it. It's just not the way they fish. If fish are not hitting fast baits, they pack up and go home. I'd rather fish longer, even if it means fishing super slow. It's paid off for me. 

[Catt]

3 hours ago, greentrout said:

Once read an article by larry nixon who said he was not a worm dragger .... he hopped 'em along at various speeds looking for reaction or impulse strikes

 

The General taught me how to fish a worm ?

[Harold Scoggins]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 7:33 PM, Mobasser said:

trophy hunters who fish for the biggest bass are advocates of a super slow retrieve

Stitch stitch, paaauuussseee, stitch stitch stitch, "KAPOW!"

[Spankey]

I fish in a lot of different gears when I’m out. Sometimes it takes me a few casts or short period of time to get as slow as I should be fishing. 

 

Height of the summer have fished Carolina rigged in 20-25 ft of water to catch bass and keep from getting skunked. I don’t know diddly about C-rigging. Very rare for me to fish this way. Tried it for heck of it. Cooler water @ 25’, most likely. Better oxygen level for bass? I don’t know. 

 

Great post. 

[CrankFate]

On 4/19/2019 at 9:29 PM, Fishes in trees said:

I gotta disagree on some of these premises.   In the summer it is hot, sticky & humid to YOU.  I'm not certain that sticky & humid apply to how Ms. Bass feels.  I will totally concede that there are times when slowing down and carefully covering certain areas is successful.  However, I've parked my boat in 22 or so feet of water and thrown wiggle warts and/or  Timber Tiger DC 16s into 12 to 14 feet of water, bumping into the point and caught 8 or 9 fish in 10 or 12 casts too many times.  That isn't a slow down technique.   That is finding a spot where the thermocline intersects with bottom cover.  Sooner or later action slows down - pack up and leave - come back 40 or 50 minutes later - adjust for the different angle of the sun & wind and do it again.  This is one example where slowing down in the summer is counter productive.   

Another might be .. . consider that in the summer Ms Bass's metabolism is amped - because the water is warm a fish is the same temperature as the water, right.  Lots of time, they're just hanging out - they suspend, waiting for a school of minnows or some other meal opportunity to wander by.  Just because they aren't moving doesn't mean that they aren't alert and won't instantly bite, given the right stimulus.   I fish standing timber a lot.  Nothing is 100% but standing timber has the potential to produce and time during the day.  Consider the notion of shade pockets, during the day, whatever angle the sun is shining, shade pockets are being created somewhere.  It doesn't have to be a major branch, if the fishes eye is shielded from the sun, for all it knows it is in the shade, and shade is an ambush situation.  Drop a 10" worm slightly out of the shade, in front of the fish, and strikes happen.  I use 5/16 or 3/8 tungsten because I want that worm dropping pretty fast in front of the fish - force the fish to make a decision so to speak.   Again, not a real slow down situation.   Identify potential shade pocket - pitch to it - let it drop and maybe bounce it once should it hit bottom, repeat.

 

Again, not saying that I never slow down in the summertime, but I think spring & fall are a better time for the low & slow approach.  Summertime, most fish are active, I'm looking for active fish, seems like the percentage play to me.

All I know is in 90 degree hot sun I see the bass closest to the bank in 2 feet or less water. So I am not convinced that they feel hot either.