Anybody else experience this?

[airborneduckhunter]

I know everyone has their own preferences and flavor when it comes to what they throw. I am comfortable with most of your "standard rigs," but I struggle with lures that others excel with. For example, I cannot seem to buy a fish with a brush hog, but have no problems with a rage structure bug(T-rigged on both). Also, have never had any success on a C-Rig, but I have had success with a split shot pinched on my line 12-18 inches above a weightless plastic. Jigs have never been difficult for me, but not very good with a lipless crankbait. Does anyone have similar experience? I do try and fish with the lures I struggle with, especially if I know people are having success with them at the same places I fish, just cannot seem to have any success. 

[Mobasser]

Sometime around 25yrs ago, I pretty much eliminated stuff that didn't work well for me. I don't feel I'm at a disadvantage here. I'd rather fish 5 or 6 types of baits in the right location, than carry all kinds of stuff that I may never use. For 80% of my fishing, plastic worms get it done.

[Bluebasser86]

I struggle with a dropshot, I've been using it a lot this spring, forcing myself to learn it. 

There's always popular things that don't work for everyone that don't work for others. 

[Log Catcher]

I have to agree with @Mobasser. I have a lot of stuff I need to take out of my boat to simplify things. I have too much stuff in too many colors right now but I will whittle it down.

[Mobasser]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I struggle with a dropshot, I've been using it a lot this spring, forcing myself to learn it. 

There's always popular things that don't work for everyone that don't work for others. 

I'm in the same boat with a drop shot. I've tried it, but it just doesn't work well for me either.

[Mobasser]

5 hours ago, airborneduckhunter said:

I know everyone has their own preferences and flavor when it comes to what they throw. I am comfortable with most of your "standard rigs," but I struggle with lures that others excel with. For example, I cannot seem to buy a fish with a brush hog, but have no problems with a rage structure bug(T-rigged on both). Also, have never had any success on a C-Rig, but I have had success with a split shot pinched on my line 12-18 inches above a weightless plastic. Jigs have never been difficult for me, but not very good with a lipless crankbait. Does anyone have similar experience? I do try and fish with the lures I struggle with, especially if I know people are having success with them at the same places I fish, just cannot seem to have any success. 

I would fish your strong points. Take a little time to learn some new stuff, but if it just doesn't work for you, drop it. Some very good bass fisherman work with a hand full of lures, that they have the most confidence with, and do very well

[Fishes in trees]

There are some techniques that aren't a real good fit for the waters that I fish most of the time.  Carolina rigs come to mind.   There are some techniques that took me a while to learn - drop shot fishing would be one of those that comes to mind.  Then sooner or later someone you know is going to have some good days doing something you don't do well at and you ask yourself "Why can't I do that?"   At that point it becomes a challenge.

 

C-Rigs - When I was fishing BFL as a co-angler I saw so many other co-anglers doing better than I was, and they were fishing c-rigs - so I had to start.  I've never gotten to where that's my favorite technique or anything like that, but I'm confident enough that I can throw it and not feel doomed.  Drop Shot - I experimented with several different drop shot rigs with varying degrees of minimal success and then I heard about the concept of "Bubba Drop Shotting" which is basically using fairly heavy duty bait casting gear and rigging up drop shot baits on that.   I've never had a great day doing the bubba version of the drop shot, but I have had it turn bad days into ok days because I caught 7 or 8 fishing that wouldn't have bit any other presentation.

 

So, my experiences tell me to keep an open mind when learning about new techniques, they might not all be your cup of tea, but they are a challenge, and that in itself is a reason to try to figure them out.

 

On soft plastics, I've got no clue why some baits work for other guys but not so much for me.   Brush hogs are a perfect example,   I can pitch tx rigged brush hogs for hours and not get bit, buy when I put one on my home made pika rigs, over the past couple of years brush hogs are my most consistent producer.  It is a mystery.

 

I tend to fish by myself more often than not, so keeping multiple rigs out on the deck ready to use isn't much of a problem

[airborneduckhunter]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. It just seems strange like maybe I am doing something wrong. Case in point, My buddy had been whacking them on a brush hog for a few days in a row.  I go with him and we tie on same color and size. He starts getting fish and I can't even get a hit. I did my best to do the same things he was during his retrieve, which was nothing new to me, but nothing. I switch from the brush hog and put the rage bug on and start catching almost immediately. Just seems strange to me.

[Steveo-1969]

My nemesis is the Ned rig. Yes, you read that right! The bait that makes small children look like professional fisherman. I was fishing with a fellow BR member a couple weeks ago who catches lots of fish on the darn thing and I just can't get bit on it.

[airborneduckhunter]

What I have learned is fish slow and then fish slower. Almost like fishing a dropshot. let it hit the bottom and let it sit. very small bounces or slight wiggles as your hold the line tight.

[Largies4Life]

Crankbaits in general are my nemesis. I used a flat sided crank this past weekend and caught one on the first cast but kept getting hung up in weeds, so I quickly switched over to a lipless crankbait in the same color and everything went my way. Caught around 20 bass that morning and couldn't put down the lipless crank. 1st time ever really giving the lipless crank a shot and it paid off. Now I don't want to take it off my rod!

[scaleface]

Not really . There are some lures and techniques I have never thrown but Like MoBasser wrote , I throw what I know works in the places they excel . The Carolina rig for example , I use it as a search bait , to cover deep  water fast .Thats where it shines .

[fishwizzard]

2 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

My nemesis is the Ned rig. Yes, you read that right! The bait that makes small children look like professional fisherman. I was fishing with a fellow BR member a couple weeks ago who catches lots of fish on the darn thing and I just can't get bit on it.

Don’t feel bad, I struggle with a weightless senko.  

 

T-rigged w/ a 1/16oz weight and popping it along the bottom, I do fine.  But as soon as I take the weight off, it’s skunktown time.