Technique Overload

[Catt]

It takes a rare breed of fisherman using simple techniques to perfection to consistently catch bass

 

The inexperienced angler's mind set is to learn every lure/technique ever invented.

 

The seasoned angler's mind set is to learn how fish points, humps, shore lines, grass, timber or rock excreta with a simple selection of lures/techniques.

 

[Shimano_1]

I've been bass fishing for 30 years myself and still have to take a step back every now and then. In the down time...winter months etc I find myself buying tackle to scratch the itch. Sometimes I find a new bait that makes the cut and becomes a staple.  More often than not I find myself having buyers remorse and it goes into to bin with the rest that get no play.  It's hard when we are over loaded with information from everywhere telling us we have to have this new bait to catch more bass. I can definitely see how a new angler would get overwhelmed. I take way too much every time I go and usually end up using the same 4 baits. As has already been suggested I give inexperienced anglers this advice...buy a cple packs of worms, cple jigs, cple of mid depth crankbaits or spinnerbaits and a cple topwaters. Get experience using these and as the experience comes so will preferences for what one likes to fish.  I could flip a jig 100 percent of the time and be happy and my dad could throw a chatterbait the same and be happy.  Obviously neither of those will work 100 percent of the time so we have decisions to make. I personally feel that's what separates good fisherman from great fisherman.  It's a slippery slope and so many variables and decisions to make about every aspect of fishing is part of what makes it so intriguing to me! Information is a wonderful tool but it can be a negative if it gets our minds all twisted up!

[Mr. Aquarium]

Don’t overthink it! 

[Mr. Aquarium]

I’ve been fishing for almost 30 years. Back when I first started I just wanted to catch fish.   Then as I got older, I focused more into techniques and style of fishing, instead of just fishing. I wanted to figure out why I was getting them and how to get more. Rather its a crappie, trout or a bass. Then I figured out my style.  

[MassYak85]

I was part of the group that wanted to learn everything when I started really getting into it. Looking back that wasn't the way to go about it, you realize it doesn't matter how many techniques you know the important aspects of fishing usually has little to do with what's on the end of your line. 

[TOXIC]

I was referring to a new technique as something you are required to buy new.  For example a Tokyo rig is something you would buy unless you were really into bait making.  I remember one year I was doing seminars at Bass Pro and the “new” bait everybody had to have was a seedless spoon with a prop built in.  Your average fisherman couldn’t just rig that.  New colors and presentations of existing baits don’t really qualify as a new technique to me.  Heck, I did an article for Yamamoto once where I covered 78 different ways to rig a Senko.  ??

[MGF]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

I was referring to a new technique as something you are required to buy new.  For example a Tokyo rig is something you would buy unless you were really into bait making.  I remember one year I was doing seminars at Bass Pro and the “new” bait everybody had to have was a seedless spoon with a prop built in.  Your average fisherman couldn’t just rig that.  New colors and presentations of existing baits don’t really qualify as a new technique to me.  Heck, I did an article for Yamamoto once where I covered 78 different ways to rig a Senko.  ??

I guess I don't really understand you definitions but if we use them I use very few techniques but MANY different presentations.

 

Using my definitions I use MANY techniques which utilize relatively few baits.

 

But basswhole says that we bass guys have fishing all wrong anyway. LOL

[TOXIC]

12 minutes ago, MGF said:

I guess I don't really understand you definitions but if we use them I use very few techniques but MANY different presentations.

 

Using my definitions I use MANY techniques which utilize relatively few baits.

 

But basswhole says that we bass guys have fishing all wrong anyway. LOL

To me a technique is like cranking, dropshot, a-rig, jig, spinnerbait, chatterbait, etc., all different.

 

Presentation is different ways of fishing the same bait.  My example of the article I wrote is different presentations for the same bait....a Senko.  

[roadwarrior]

On 3/3/2021 at 4:06 PM, king fisher said:

My wife looked at my gear and couldn't believe I was ordering more.  

 

I don't need my wife to tell me...I won't live long enough to fish all that stuff,

but there is always something else I NEED.

 

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, MGF said:

 basswhole says that we bass guys have fishing all wrong anyway. LOL

More so now after reading this thread top to bottom...

[E-rude dude]

There are 1000’s of ways to catch a green fish. When people recommend a method of catching them, they are basing it on their success, on their lake, in their part of the world. Will it work for you? Probably. 
I think a lot has to do with each individual fisher person. My wife who is not a big fisher person, does better with methods that are on the bottom of the lake. That way she can feel a bite and can feel the bottom. Others may be better cranking a hard bait over weeds, etc, etc....

Its just finding that bait that they feel comfortable with and expanding from there. Just like when we were kids. One pole one bait and we were happy as could be. 

[Failed Fisherman]

I have a perspective as a new fisherman and a lousy fisherman at that. As a new guy, fishing is completely overwhelming, especially with so much information out there. I think I have a decent understanding of where fish should be, but I can't capitalize on it. My nickname is Skunk. Self appointed.

 

Here are some things more experienced people take for granted:

 

How to put a trailer on a jig? How to put a senko on a hook? What size weights do I use and where or when? How much weight do I use with a dropshot? How do I hook a plastic dropshot? Where do I throw a dropshot? Why a dropshot instead of a weightless Senko? Can I add weight to a Senko? How do I put the hook on a Senko? What the heck is a Texas rig, Carolina rig Tokyo rig? How long do I wait for a bite on a Senko? Do I reel it in or just let it sit there? How about a dropshot? Let it sit, tug it, reel it in? How fast is too fast to reel in a jig? How slow is too slow? Why do some guys use all braid? Some use only fluoro? Fluoro leader? Some say use 8-pound, some 15. Never use straight braid! Never use mono! You'll lose fish if you don't have XXX rod! You can't fish a treble hook with that! You're an idiot! Don't ask me where I fish or how I catch them!

 

You get the point.

 

I remember one trip last year when I went out in my kayak. I'm still getting the hang of the kayak thing, so my expectations weren't too high. I hit all the spots I researched that should have fish. I went to other spots that looked like they should have fish. Zip. Zero. Nada.

 

Loading up my truck, a more experienced guy was load his rig as well. I asked how he did. "Oh, only about 12 today. You?" "Um, nothing." "Oh, wow."

 

 

 

[MGF]

53 minutes ago, Failed Fisherman said:

I have a perspective as a new fisherman and a lousy fisherman at that. As a new guy, fishing is completely overwhelming, especially with so much information out there. I think I have a decent understanding of where fish should be, but I can't capitalize on it. My nickname is Skunk. Self appointed.

 

Here are some things more experienced people take for granted:

 

How to put a trailer on a jig? How to put a senko on a hook? What size weights do I use and where or when? How much weight do I use with a dropshot? How do I hook a plastic dropshot? Where do I throw a dropshot? Why a dropshot instead of a weightless Senko? Can I add weight to a Senko? How do I put the hook on a Senko? What the heck is a Texas rig, Carolina rig Tokyo rig? How long do I wait for a bite on a Senko? Do I reel it in or just let it sit there? How about a dropshot? Let it sit, tug it, reel it in? How fast is too fast to reel in a jig? How slow is too slow? Why do some guys use all braid? Some use only fluoro? Fluoro leader? Some say use 8-pound, some 15. Never use straight braid! Never use mono! You'll lose fish if you don't have XXX rod! You can't fish a treble hook with that! You're an idiot! Don't ask me where I fish or how I catch them!

 

You get the point.

 

I remember one trip last year when I went out in my kayak. I'm still getting the hang of the kayak thing, so my expectations weren't too high. I hit all the spots I researched that should have fish. I went to other spots that looked like they should have fish. Zip. Zero. Nada.

 

Loading up my truck, a more experienced guy was load his rig as well. I asked how he did. "Oh, only about 12 today. You?" "Um, nothing." "Oh, wow."

 

 

 

Except for the "questions" that I would assume are "tongue in cheek" all of those topics are addressed on this forum, in Glen's videos and literally thousands of other articles and videos.

 

I think, for most of us, it's a learn as you go (as needed) thing. 

[avid]

Making things as “technique” specific as possible is a way to sell products  

if manufacturers can convince you that you need a THIS specific rod for a spinner bait and THAT specific rod for a jerk bait then you are likely to buy more rods   It’s marketing with a seed of truth
As a certified gear junkie I have more rods reels lures and tackle then I need but I use em all  depending on the conditions and the mood I’m in  

photo taken yesterday as I’m setting up my new work area