When Pros Write books, it seems they make info fit how they fish;)

[Cgolf]

I respect the heck out of KVD and on vaca was reading his second book and got to the spinnerbait section. His statement was for clear water to run them high and fast to get bit in clear water, because a lower and slower approach wouldn't get bit because the bait just doesn't look natural. At the point I was reading this chapter I had my clear water spinnerbait bite dialed in reeling it back slow in the bottom 3rd of the 6ish fow I was casting in and many bites came on or just after a pause. I tried high and fast some with no luck.

 

So KVD loves to fish fast, do you think he truly believes low and slow in clear water is no good, or is he writing it from the perspective that if they aren't hitting it at the speed I want to retrieve it, I will find bass that will? He is set in the way he fishes, so he likely writes from that perspective, because he probably doesn't want to use the low and slow retrieve because it isn't efficient. I have learned a lot from his books and this is the first thing I have found to be opposite of my experiences. I am sure there are more, because as much as I want to go faster, my brain forces me to be methodical and hit as many targets as possible even when searching for active fish.

 

It would be incredible to fish with KVD on the waters I frequent to see how he would attack the same cover, guessing it would be a lot faster skipping many of the targets I would hit. I would learn a ton!

 

Hope that makes sense

[islandbass]

As you have said in other words, he can only give his perspective, and I take it that like me, you’re fine with that. 
 

We all fish different parts of the country and so for me, I will take pro advice to heart and try to apply it. Sometimes it works. A lot of times it doesn’t but I don’t fault them. It just means that it didn’t work for me the in the conditions I’m in but might work in another. And therefore, I need to start tweaking and experimenting until I find a way to coaxes a bite. So the benefit of their advice for me is that it’s a decent foundation and a fair place to start.  
 

The idea of spinning them faster in clearer water makes sense because a faster pace should give the bass less time to react and incline them to decide to go for it. The activity level of the bass imho is another factor. If they are very active, they might just strike regardless of the cadence or speed of the retrieve. 
 

Bass in the lakes I fish generally don’t care for burned or slow retrieved spinnerbaits from my experience. They seemed to have preferred a “ baby bear” retrieval speed. Just right, so to speak — not too fast and not too slow.  Not only that, they seem to also prefer the double willow combo to anything else. 

[LrgmouthShad]

I’ve had days when the ticket to getting bites in clear water was a high speed retrieve, as you mentioned. Not really my “style” but it ain’t hard for me to start reeling faster. 

[Cgolf]

21 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I’ve had days when the ticket to getting bites in clear water was a high speed retrieve, as you mentioned. Not really my “style” but it ain’t hard for me to start reeling faster. 

Seth Feider spoke at a fishing show I was at before the pandemic and he talked about how quickly he would fish a jerkbait under certain conditions. He had a rod with him as a prop, and I was stunned because that was so different from my style. Last year when the jerkbait bite was on I tried a 6th sense hyper jerk and figured what the heck since hyper is in the name. I caught fish on that bait working it pretty much as fast as I could. Had I not been to that seminar I probably would never have fished the bait that fast. I still tend to retrieve on the slow side, but I do mix in some faster retrieves now and then. 

[Deleted account]

I tried taking a pass at the top of the key and taking two steps towards the basket and dunking on a 7 foot human being, doesn't work. Michael Jordan and James Worthy don't know what the heck they are talking about...

[Captain Phil]

Tournament fishermen fish differently.  Their goal is to catch as many fish as possible in as short of time as possible. Far be it for me to critique KVD, he's got to be one of the greatest bass fishermen of all time.  The key is to know what your bass want.  I would never pull a spinnerbait fast.  Here in Florida clear water is very rare.  When I do, there are lures that work much better than a spinnerbait.   One of the reasons blade baits are so popular is they allow an angler to catch fish on a faster retrieve than a spinnerbait which covers more water.  Weekend anglers who have worked all week want to catch fish NOW.  Most of them would explode if they had to fish a spinnerbait as slow as I do.  The only time I fish fast is when throwing a Rattle Trap in the dead of winter.  Sometimes that's the only way to get bit.

[Tennessee Boy]

Roland Martin said in his book that bass can’t tolerate sunlight because they don’t have eyelids.   Biologist say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  Roland Martin catches more fish than any biologist I know.  Who should I believe?

[Captain Phil]

2 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Roland Martin said in his book that bass can’t tolerate sunlight because they don’t have eyelids.   Biologist say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  Roland Martin catches more fish than any biologist I know.  Who should I believe?

 

Roland Martin also tried to sell Helicopter lures. ☺️

[Tennessee Boy]

13 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

Roland Martin also tried to sell Helicopter lures. ☺️

Excellent point.   I’m going with the biologist on this one.

[A-Jay]

7 hours ago, Cgolf said:

I respect the heck out of KVD and on vaca was reading his second book and got to the spinnerbait section. His statement was for clear water to run them high and fast to get bit in clear water, because a lower and slower approach wouldn't get bit because the bait just doesn't look natural. At the point I was reading this chapter I had my clear water spinnerbait bite dialed in reeling it back slow in the bottom 3rd of the 6ish fow I was casting in and many bites came on or just after a pause. I tried high and fast some with no luck.

 

So KVD loves to fish fast, do you think he truly believes low and slow in clear water is no good, or is he writing it from the perspective that if they aren't hitting it at the speed I want to retrieve it, I will find bass that will? He is set in the way he fishes, so he likely writes from that perspective, because he probably doesn't want to use the low and slow retrieve because it isn't efficient. I have learned a lot from his books and this is the first thing I have found to be opposite of my experiences. I am sure there are more, because as much as I want to go faster, my brain forces me to be methodical and hit as many targets as possible even when searching for active fish.

 

It would be incredible to fish with KVD on the waters I frequent to see how he would attack the same cover, guessing it would be a lot faster skipping many of the targets I would hit. I would learn a ton!

 

Hope that makes sense

 

Right off, the title of this one,

"When Pros Write books, it seems they make info fit how they fish;)"

in my mind it's pretty much how every bass fishing book I've ever read is written.

Most every thread & even the responses here seem to be presented that way.

Clearly all of my own posts are for sure.

It's what we know & have confidence in. 

Positive & or negative results drive that train right to the very end of the tracks. 

Probably always will.

 

 As for spinnerbaits high & fast, I am quite familiar with that deal and a Huge fan.

In part because of KVD's writings & videos. 

Mostly for brown bass, because it works for me here.

Posted about it a few years back.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/180370-fishing-in-the-fast-lane/

 

 Green bass is a different story and I've caught very respectable fish in 2 ft down to 25 feet on a slow rolled big bladed spinner bait.  In fact, my first DD fish came from 25 feet on a 1 oz thumper with a sluggo trailer.  She was a Mexican resident.

 

 Either way, fast spinnerbait fish are fun, the strikes a vicious and it can be super addicting.

Late summer & early fall is prime time for me on this deal and that's just a few weeks away.

Very exciting. 

https://youtu.be/Z95g3H4qmp0?t=84

A-Jay

 

 

 

[ironbjorn]

Burning and especially waking a spinnerbait has never worked for me either. I've been on a really good spinnerbait bite this season and last, but it's almost entirely on a slow, steady retrieve along the bank close to cover. Burning and waking must work though or nobody would talk about it.

[Deleted account]

36 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

Roland Martin also tried to sell Helicopter lures. ☺️

And a "machine" to tell you what color to buy/use...

[Mobasser]

Every fishing book is this way. Would a writer who fishes clear deep lakes up north have the same experiences as a writer who's fished Florida? Two different areas, two different styles.

[Cgolf]

1 hour ago, Captain Phil said:

Tournament fishermen fish differently.  Their goal is to catch as many fish as possible in as short of time as possible. Far be it for me to critique KVD, he's got to be one of the greatest bass fishermen of all time.  The key is to know what your bass want.  I would never pull a spinnerbait fast.  Here in Florida clear water is very rare.  When I do, there are lures that work much better than a spinnerbait.   One of the reasons blade baits are so popular is they allow an angler to catch fish on a faster retrieve than a spinnerbait which covers more water.  Weekend anglers who have worked all week want to catch fish NOW.  Most of them would explode if they had to fish a spinnerbait as slow as I do.  The only time I fish fast is when throwing a Rattle Trap in the dead of winter.  Sometimes that's the only way to get bit.

 

I fished them as slow as I could this year. We got hit with 3 cold fronts in a week and winds got up to 22 with gusts over 30 multiple days and the largies were in the middle of the spawn. I drifted over the reed beds, trolling motor was useless at that point, until I felt the water was unsafe. I just made sure to keep the blades spinning was my goal and took advantage of the less windy days. The cool thing was seeing a PB class largie bump my spin off a nest. While I would love a new PB, I am honestly glad she didn't hit if she was getting ready to spawn. I think fishing the 1/4 ounce spins is a good thing for me as it forces me to reel slower to keep them down. Doesn't take much speed for those to run high in the water column.

[flyfisher]

Why would anyone write any book on how someone else fishes unless they were writing it for them?  KVD is one of the most accomplished fisherman ever and his style is fast and it works for him.  I've heard him talk about how he is looking for those reaction strikes almost exclusively and to cover water when conditions dictate that will work and for him, it has worked a good amount.  

I don't think I have read any fishing books in a long time and the ones I have read in the past were more geared towards bass behavior as to me, that is more beneficial than techniques per se.  That is the fun part I guess, seeing what works for you and going for it.  

[Cgolf]

29 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

Why would anyone write any book on how someone else fishes unless they were writing it for them?  KVD is one of the most accomplished fisherman ever and his style is fast and it works for him.  I've heard him talk about how he is looking for those reaction strikes almost exclusively and to cover water when conditions dictate that will work and for him, it has worked a good amount.  

I don't think I have read any fishing books in a long time and the ones I have read in the past were more geared towards bass behavior as to me, that is more beneficial than techniques per se.  That is the fun part I guess, seeing what works for you and going for it.  

 

I 100% agree, I was just surprised he was more dismissive of the low and slow approach many use on clear water, with pointed comments on why I wouldn't work well, but I did know going in he loves the reaction bites. Part of me wonders if I should fish crazy fast like he does till I figure the fish location and then slow down, especially on my home lake where I fish it once or twice a month for 2-3 hours to be off the lake before the recreational boaters clog the water and the ramp.

 

For clarity, the water I vaca fish is semi clear, when the wind doesn't stir up the pollen, etc you can see a white red eye shad on bottom in roughly 12 fow. It's not the clearest lake I have fished, but miles better than the green water of my home lake.

[Bankc]

If I wrote a book on a bass fishing, I'd have every tip be the opposite of what I really do.  I don't want y'all catching all of my fish!  

 

Seriously though, if there's one thing I've learned about bass, it's that they are gonna do what they want to do, and they're not always going to make sense.  Fishing is all about finding and exploiting patterns.  Everything you've ever learned about bass is just a starting point on the water.  Nothing is right or wrong.  There's only works right now, or doesn't.  

[Team9nine]

Day in and day out, high and/or fast in clear water has been the favored first option for spinnerbaits in our clearer waters for quite a while. I believe Clunn put it “on the map” before even KVD. Not that low and slow won’t work, obviously, but it tends to be more situational or personal preference/style. We had a regional pro get some Bassmaster love when they published a couple articles on his “weed whacking” approach to clear natural lakes, which was a deep water slow roll technique over and through submerged vegetation. That was back in the late 80s/early 90s if I’m not mistaken. Before that, several pros gained notoriety for slow rolling spinnerbaits over deep vegetation during the cool water months. In the end, you should always be testing different depths and speeds regardless of the presentation. 

[Bird]

2 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Roland Martin said in his book that bass can’t tolerate sunlight because they don’t have eyelids.   Biologist say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  Roland Martin catches more fish than any biologist I know.  Who should I believe?

I'll take the knowledge of the man in the field vs the man sitting behind a desk.

[bowhunter63]

2 of the best books are out of print. Them ole brown fish and Lunkers Love Night Crawlers. Rock solid info. 

[Chris Catignani]

3 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Roland Martin said in his book that bass can’t tolerate sunlight because they don’t have eyelids.   Biologist say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.  Roland Martin catches more fish than any biologist I know.  Who should I believe?

Here is a snippet I came across awhile back...

Quote

While nictitating membranes (eyelids) are absent, a specialized black pigment is present to shade the retina’s most photosensitive cells and promote vision under heavy sunlight.

 

[flyfisher]

The other thing people are forgetting or not mentioning on this thread is the confidence factor.  We all have baits/techniques we are confident in for whatever reason that may be and those will always be productive for us.  For me when I am flyfishing i always have some sort of topwater popper on, a Gamechanger and a bottom fly of some sort ready to go.  How I fish them changes based on my experiences and confidence in said flies.  All it takes is one or two decent outings on a new technique and your confidence will go up and you will begin to use those techniques more often and all of the sudden your fishing toolbox has grown.

 

Oh and I HATE fishing spinnerbaits when going conventional but I like throwing cranks and chatterbaits so go figure....

[Darth-Baiter]

I dont think I have ever read a fishing book written by a pro.

[J Francho]

I tend to look at any writing about fishing as reporting. Told that way makes more sense to me: here's what I tried, here's what worked, here's what didn't work, here's what I might try next time. 

[waymont]

Would it be possible to not write from your own perspective? Wouldn’t that be the exact reason you would want to read it?