I'm going to start throwing this....

[bassheel]

Do you have a bait or style of bait that you say you are going to start fishing but for some reason you havent? Mine is a fluke. I've put down my 7.5 culprits for some reason too. 

[ElijahH]

Buzzbait, I only last a few casts and then go to a spook or frog. 

[DitchPanda]

Line thru swimbaits and glide baits...soon enough will be ice out and ill give them a try

[NYWayfarer]

Jerkbait. 2021 is the year of the jerkbait for me.

[optimator]

Believe it or not it's jigs. But I'm going to stick with them this year. 

[huZZah]

Texas rig. Just search my very first question. I’m gonna get it if it eventually. 

[Bankbeater]

I've decided that this year I'm going to throw more hard jerkbaits and not just flukes.  

[Jig Rookie]

13 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

Line thru swimbaits and glide baits...soon enough will be ice out and ill give them a try

First time? Whole new world's about to open up to you... 

[Spankey]

To force yourself to fish new ways or ways you become hesitant on trying you should empty your boat of all the crutch items you fall back on and this will force you to fish them. It’s either you fish the new techniques you’ve been wanting to try and get better at or you have a very shortened day on the water by packing it in and going home because you were never really interested in fishing the new techs. Might sound off the wall but it will force you to at least make something happen with them. Give it the time needed to learn them. At least an attempt. And no fault in trying them. 
 

Same would hold true if you have been a spinning fisherman your whole life and trying to fish a bait caster and when you are out you keep falling back to your spinning gear after only 4 cast with the new set up. Again I realize it sound crazy but it may work. 
 

I have a handful of good various baits that are soft plastics and crankbaits that are a version of “red”. I can’t do squat with red. It is something I really would like to get over. Something I need to revisit. I ignore the color even though I know it is productive. Or it can be productive. This is something I may have to do one day out.  Take these red and red variation of baits out and fish them exclusively and put this phobia to bed. Give it 110%+ and try my butt off or truly see the disgust in red, get red out of my life all together and throw the stuff away in the parking lot trash can. 

[Junk Fisherman]

I have found that while I often plan to focus on a new bait or technique during the upcoming season, the fish and conditions determine this.  Early success with a bait builds momentum for continued use.  I have said before that I am focus on a jig or a jerkbait this year only to find that it becomes the year of the Ned rig or a wacky senko or a swimbait.  I have several techniques I am planning to experiment with this season but I know from experience that it is very fluid.  I plan to get back to using a Neko rig, a heavier Ned rig for deep water smallies and using my new finesse baitcaster for pitching dropshots.  We'll see how the year plays out.  

[roadwarrior]

Old school...Focus on the spinnerbait.

[DaubsNU1]

My problem is this:

 

I start off with the tried and true lures / techniques that give me confidence...if I'm catching fish, I stick with them. 

 

If I'm not catching fish on the tried and true, then I am forced to try something new...I'm not confident...and the fish likely aren't biting...I then lose faith in "something new."

 

When the bite is on, I should be trying new things to see what works / build confidence in those new lures and techniques.

 

I did try Senkos, drop-shot, & fluke last summer -- all produced fish. Have never had great luck with jigs in the past...need to give that a run. 

[ironbjorn]

I'm down to only using ML spinning gear when I do use spinning/finesse, but I do fall back on it way too often with the Ned Rig. If things get even a little tough, out she comes. I'm going to try to use finesse the least amount as possible this season. That starts with leaving it at home.

[Michigander]

Drop shot for me. I know it's a technique I need in my arsenal, but I have not really committed to learning it in the past. I'm hoping that this year will be a good opportunity.

[LCG]

I have primarily fished soft plastics for most of my fishing experience. A few hard lures, but not many. 

 

This year, I am focusing on spinnerbaits and squarebills primarily, with the old faithful texas rig on standby if all else fails. 

[Benchmark]

Live bait.

 

It’s  too easy with lures ?

[Junk Fisherman]

3 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

My problem is this:

 

I start off with the tried and true lures / techniques that give me confidence...if I'm catching fish, I stick with them. 

 

If I'm not catching fish on the tried and true, then I am forced to try something new...I'm not confident...and the fish likely aren't biting...I then lose faith in "something new."

 

When the bite is on, I should be trying new things to see what works / build confidence in those new lures and techniques.

 

I did try Senkos, drop-shot, & fluke last summer -- all produced fish. Have never had great luck with jigs in the past...need to give that a run. 

 

You're exactly right.  I try to experiment with something new every time I go out and when I am having a good day I work in new presentations to build confidence in baits.  I too used to only break out new stuff when my traditional, confidence baits didn't work.  So it's a tough day overall and that is when you decide to try a technique or bait you don't have much experience with?  Doesn't make sense.  I have changed this over the last 5 years or so with having 1 or 2 combos rigged up with something I am working on whenever I am fun fishing.    It has worked out well for me.  

[BlakeMolone]

Swim jigs, bought a bunch of the ones at Walmart that come with 2 menace trailers the other day. I fish out of a float tube and these seem really versatile, space is limited on the tube so versatility is great.

[Luke Barnes]

 

Non swim, jigs and I have one line through swimbait I have yet to ever try. Its a clear water color so that's a big reason I havent tried it yet, I live in the land of the dirty water. But I'll find a place I can use it. 

[jgordon]

I am planning on lots of new things this year including swin baits like the bull shad and others hard swim baits myself.  Well thats the plan anyway see what actually happens. Also crankbaits I need to throw those as well more hard baits for me

19 hours ago, ElijahH said:

Buzzbait, I only last a few casts and then go to a spook or frog. 

Crazy I love the buzz I throw it when I know probably not catching fish old Cavitron all day haha. 

[Catt]

5 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Old school...Focus on the spinnerbait.

 

Same here but add a buzzbait 

 

Bad part since hurricane Laura I can't locate my spinnerbait box!

 

I'm thinking it was in my brother's garage which was destroyed.

[optimator]

6 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

My problem is this:

 

I start off with the tried and true lures / techniques that give me confidence...if I'm catching fish, I stick with them. 

 

If I'm not catching fish on the tried and true, then I am forced to try something new...I'm not confident...and the fish likely aren't biting...I then lose faith in "something new."

 

When the bite is on, I should be trying new things to see what works / build confidence in those new lures and techniques.

 

I did try Senkos, drop-shot, & fluke last summer -- all produced fish. Have never had great luck with jigs in the past...need to give that a run. 

This is me. When I start using anything out of my confidence zone, and I don't catch fish right away, I change it up before really giving it a chance. 

[KCFinesse]

8 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Old school...Focus on the spinnerbait.

 

That's my goal for 2021- there's some Rick-Clunn-Zen involved with something as easy and as complicated as getting good with a spinnerbait.

[king fisher]

Recently ordered my first umbrella rig, and chatter bait.  I have resisted buying both, thinking if I can't catch a fish on the lures I already fish, than my lack of success is due to my lack of skill with those lures.  Bait monkey has convinced me, that a Jackhammer will catch fish that a spinnerbait, or swim jig wont.  Umbrella rig is the result of watching too many videos.

[roadwarrior]

13 minutes ago, KCFinesse said:

 

That's my goal for 2021- there's some Rick-Clunn-Zen involved with something as easy and as complicated as getting good with a spinnerbait.

 

Glenn & Keri are masters of the spinnerbait. I, on the other hand, use them occasionally. 

This year  I have a variety of blades that I want to become proficient with.  My plan is to

fish these lures for one hour on every lake/ river trip this year and at least two hours a week

at my local ponds.