How do you choose which finesse presentation to use

[clemsondds]

So when the bite slows down and you decide to switch to a finesse presentation, how do you choose which direction to go with?  I am referring to dropshot, ned rig, shakyhead, senko wacky rig, carolina rig (not real finesse but sorta similar). I think I know the answer most will give but just wanted to hear what you guys think. I’m still new to this and this has come up in my mind several times. I feel as though as of these rigs are really good options and there’s tons of videos online showing they can all catch big fish deep and shallow, but how do you choose which one? What are the circumstances you use to choose which finesse lure? Than you for your help! 

[evo2s197]

Do you keep a detailed log of every trip?

 

Time of year

Time of day

Body of water

Air temp

Wind speed

Dropping or rising water (this especially in reservoirs)

Water temp

Water clarity

Weather leading up to the day of fishing

Weather forecasted the day after

Moon phase

And then the baits including color size and weights, techniques, size and Quantity of fish that were caught

 

If not start, you'll start to see a pattern depending on the time of year and body of water, which presentations work best during a great/good bite and a slow bite.

 

With the data in your log you can then start with the presentation that yields the best results for the current fishing situation and go from there.

 

A bonus to keeping a log is that it eliminates unproductive lures/baits from your arsenal.

[clemsondds]

3 minutes ago, evo2s197 said:

Do you keep a detailed log of every trip?

 

Time of year

Time of day

Body of water

Air temp

Wind speed

Dropping or rising water (this especially in reservoirs)

Water temp

Water clarity

Weather leading up to the day of fishing

Weather forecasted the day after

Moon phase

And then the baits including color size and weights, techniques, size and Quantity of fish that were caught

 

If not start, you'll start to see a pattern depending on the time of year and body of water, which presentations work best during a great/good bite and a slow bite.

 

With the data in your log you can then start with the presentation that yields the best results for the current fishing situation and go from there.

 

A bonus to keeping a log is that it eliminates unproductive lures/baits from your arsenal.

Great idea. Unfortunately, I have three small kids and so I don’t get to go but once a month or so. And even then, it’s for 3-5 hours. So I’m usually power fishing most of the time. It’s when I’ve fished for 2-3 hours and haven’t even got a bite, is when I switch to finesse. And that’s when I’m a little overwhelmed with the options. I feel I’ve got a lot better grasp on when/why for power fishing lures. Was just hoping to get some tips on what criteria you use to choose which finesse lure. I figured there was a list like you gave; would anyone mind maybe sharing each finesse bait and how it works better in certain conditions (ie windy, time of day, water temp...). Just maybe share some thought processes in determining a lure. I will start keeping a log but unfortunately I just don fish enough right now where I can develop a pattern. Thanks again! 

[NHBull]

I always  have a wacky, DS and NEKO tied on, so what ever is closer gets the call. Neko is usually closer?

[evo2s197]

When it's tough, I go to a pegged 3/16 tungsten using a PEG IT with a 4.5 inch straight tail roboworm in desert craw, and drag it horizontally SLOOOOOWWWW! in 1 to 2 foot increments, start with a 18 inch leader.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Vike_Tungsten_Carolina_Voodoo_Weight/descpage-VIKEPMW.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Top_Brass_Peg-It_2_Pegging_System/descpage-TBPI2.html

 

I snip the peg flush with the weight, you can then slide it up and down to adjust your leader length

[clemsondds]

 

5 hours ago, evo2s197 said:

Do you keep a detailed log of every trip?

 

Time of year

Time of day

Body of water

Air temp

Wind speed

Dropping or rising water (this especially in reservoirs)

Water temp

Water clarity

Weather leading up to the day of fishing

Weather forecasted the day after

Moon phase

And then the baits including color size and weights, techniques, size and Quantity of fish that were caught

 

If not start, you'll start to see a pattern depending on the time of year and body of water, which presentations work best during a great/good bite and a slow bite.

 

With the data in your log you can then start with the presentation that yields the best results for the current fishing situation and go from there.

 

A bonus to keeping a log is that it eliminates unproductive lures/baits from your arsenal.

 

5 hours ago, NHBull said:

I always  have a wacky, DS and NEKO tied on, so what ever is closer gets the call. Neko is usually closer?

Ok thank you! Any other thoughts on decision process for which Finesse application to go with? 

[MN Fisher]

6 hours ago, NHBull said:

I always  have a wacky, DS and NEKO tied on, so what ever is closer gets the call. Neko is usually closer?

I always have a Ned and a DS tied on - 3rd spinner changes. I pick based on 'gut' feeling.

[LCG]

No particular reason but I will go weightless senko, Ned, 1/8oz pegged trick worm, drop shot, then neko. 

 

More often than not the weightless senko and Ned rig get the most use. 

[Bird]

90% of the lakes I fish are clear water lakes so many days I simply stay with Finesse all day long.

 

My favorite would be drop shot followed by Ned and Wacky under docks. 

 

Fishing doesn't have to be slow to break out the finesse gear as it's simply a fun way to catch bass and suits my style quite well......slow and patient. 

[RB 77]

Location mostly. Deep, vertical water is perfect for drop shot, shallower is great for fly lined senkos and nail weight rigs.

[NHBull]

55 minutes ago, clemsondds said:

 

 

Ok thank you! Any other thoughts on decision process for which Finesse application to go with? 

Spidy-sence

[Craig P]

I always have a wacky rig setup and a Ned rig setup ready to go.  Mostly because they are confidence baits and I’ve caught many using those methods. Wacky rig however is a great follow up to something you may have missed on another bait and you want to take the last shot. 

[FishinBuck07]

Mine is usually Ned or wacky for shallower water!  Dropshot for deeper, just my way.  Ned and wacky take too long to sink, that is why I tend to use those in shallow water.  Dropshot can be weighted differently so if fishing deeper water I can use a 3/8 oz weight to get it down faster!

[BigAngus752]

2 hours ago, Craig P said:

I always have a wacky rig setup and a Ned rig setup ready to go.  Mostly because they are confidence baits and I’ve caught many using those methods. Wacky rig however is a great follow up to something you may have missed on another bait and you want to take the last shot. 

This ^^^

 

34 minutes ago, FishinBuck07 said:

Mine is usually Ned or wacky for shallower water!  Dropshot for deeper, just my way.  Ned and wacky take too long to sink, that is why I tend to use those in shallow water.  Dropshot can be weighted differently so if fishing deeper water I can use a 3/8 oz weight to get it down faster!

And this ^^^

 

I don't consider wacky-rigging to be finesse.  For me a wacky is for skipping under something like a dock, tree branches, a picnic table that some drunk idiots threw in the lake (yes I caught a fish under one of those) or following up a miss on a moving bait.  And a Ned rig is seasonal for me.  It's fantastic when the water is cool to nearly frozen but it's a big zero for me once the water temps are above 80 degrees.  

[reelfast]

I started tournament fishing 2 years ago. Prior to that, I preferred rattle traps, square bills, under-spins etc. My theory was cover the most water and I would get more bites. I just didn’t understand that the reaction bite isn’t always on. I became super frustrated fishing these pressured waters under a clock. 

 

Watching those weighing-in and talking with them, most of them had won on soft plastics: senkos, ribbon tail worms and creature baits. Learning to fish slow is going to take your fishing to the next level. 
 

When the bite is tough.. size down. Ned rigs, or my other favorite, 4 inch bass pro stik-o worms get bit when nothing else will. 

[clemsondds]

7 hours ago, reelfast said:

I started tournament fishing 2 years ago. Prior to that, I preferred rattle traps, square bills, under-spins etc. My theory was cover the most water and I would get more bites. I just didn’t understand that the reaction bite isn’t always on. I became super frustrated fishing these pressured waters under a clock. 

 

Watching those weighing-in and talking with them, most of them had won on soft plastics: senkos, ribbon tail worms and creature baits. Learning to fish slow is going to take your fishing to the next level. 
 

When the bite is tough.. size down. Ned rigs, or my other favorite, 4 inch bass pro stik-o worms get bit when nothing else will. 

Thanks for the tips! So that's my main question, when the bite gets tough, how do you decide what to use?  Let's say I have three spinning rods(ned, drop shot, and senko) setup on my deck...which do you choose and why?  And what does it take for the bite to be "tough"?  I know alot of this is gut feeling, but just trying to get a better sense of how you guys that are much better than me, handle these situations. Just trying to learn.  Thanks again! 

[Jermination]

5 minutes ago, clemsondds said:

Thanks for the tips! So that's my main question, when the bite gets tough, how do you decide what to use?  Let's say I have three spinning rods(ned, drop shot, and senko) setup on my deck...which do you choose and why?  And what does it take for the bite to be "tough"?  I know alot of this is gut feeling, but just trying to get a better sense of how you guys that are much better than me, handle these situations. Just trying to learn.  Thanks again! 

It's all about the elements man. If you are fishing a channel bank with overhanging trees & docks(2-7 ft) skip a senko. If you are fishing rip rap rocks, I really like to throw a ned or shaky head, but you will go through some hooks. If you are fishing structure with steep drops, flats with isolated chunk rock, islands with isolated rock, throw a ned or shaky head. I never throw a ned any lighter than 1/5 so it only takes 7-10 seconds to find bottom in 25 ft. On the shaky head side i typically power finesse and throw a 1/2 oz spotlock with a 7 inch strike king rage cut-r. If the fish are roaming or feeding up i will throw a weightless senko, if you are marking them on your graph relating to the bottom throw a ned or shaky head. Colors are overrated, just throw a green or chart pumpkin with a dab of die on the tail. also throw a black and blue sweet beaver on 3/8 shaky head from the third week of february through the end of may, you wont regret it

 

here is the typical big shaky head setup i throw. Hard candy in day time, plum after dark

[Hook2Jaw]

Depth, conditions, and cover really dictate how I select my finesse approach.  My go-to method for making fish happen is junk fishing a Texas rigged YUM Dinger, but I'll opt out of that when the wind picks up and I can't line watch well.  I also don't like to wait for a weightless worm to hit bottom in 10+ FOW.

 

When the wind picks up and puts some chop on the water, I start throwing 1/8oz shaky in place of my Dinger.  When I start getting into deep water, I start throwing a 3/16oz shakeyhead.  Around smaller fish I will throw on a Ned rig.

 

As I get into 20 FOW, I start throwing a dropshot.

 

That's my little system for catching fish when the bite dictates finesse plastics.  It may not be perfect, but it works for me.

[clemsondds]

1 hour ago, Jermination said:

It's all about the elements man. If you are fishing a channel bank with overhanging trees & docks(2-7 ft) skip a senko. If you are fishing rip rap rocks, I really like to throw a ned or shaky head, but you will go through some hooks. If you are fishing structure with steep drops, flats with isolated chunk rock, islands with isolated rock, throw a ned or shaky head. I never throw a ned any lighter than 1/5 so it only takes 7-10 seconds to find bottom in 25 ft. On the shaky head side i typically power finesse and throw a 1/2 oz spotlock with a 7 inch strike king rage cut-r. If the fish are roaming or feeding up i will throw a weightless senko, if you are marking them on your graph relating to the bottom throw a ned or shaky head. Colors are overrated, just throw a green or chart pumpkin with a dab of die on the tail. also throw a black and blue sweet beaver on 3/8 shaky head from the third week of february through the end of may, you wont regret it

 

here is the typical big shaky head setup i throw. Hard candy in day time, plum after dark

 

16 minutes ago, Hook2Jaw said:

Depth, conditions, and cover really dictate how I select my finesse approach.  My go-to method for making fish happen is junk fishing a Texas rigged YUM Dinger, but I'll opt out of that when the wind picks up and I can't line watch well.  I also don't like to wait for a weightless worm to hit bottom in 10+ FOW.

 

When the wind picks up and puts some chop on the water, I start throwing 1/8oz shaky in place of my Dinger.  When I start getting into deep water, I start throwing a 3/16oz shakeyhead.  Around smaller fish I will throw on a Ned rig.

 

As I get into 20 FOW, I start throwing a dropshot.

 

That's my little system for catching fish when the bite dictates finesse plastics.  It may not be perfect, but it works for me.

Wow both of these were a ton of help!! Thank you guys! 

[Choporoz]

This is going to sound like a cop out answer, but my thought is that you should get familiar with two to five of those and see what works for yourself.  They all involve putting a smallish plastic in front of a bass' face and then not moving it a lot. 

 

Your platform, waters, gear, cover, etc. will all affect how you are able to manage the subtle differences between the presentations.  Was a time when I had far more confidence putting a shaky head in a brushpile than anything else.  Nowadays, I will probably use a drop shot first.  Rocks, docks, weeds, laydowns, depth....all will affect how well you deliver the bait --- and only you, through experience will find differing levels of confidence in each.   There aren't any rules.  And when there are, they are wrong half the time.

[FryDog62]

Depth is the primary determining factor.  If you can find fish on your electronics and what depth they are at is key... and if they are bottom-oriented or suspended.  If you don’t have electronics, start shallow and move out.  
 

If shallow I will throw a Caffeine Shad or Wacky Worm.  Post spawn and the fish move out to mid depths, I find the Neko lights out as it gets down much better/faster than a wacky worm.  As the fish move deeper throughout the summer I use a dropshot and sometimes Ned if conditions allow to let it sink well enough to desired depths.