Is it better?

[RHuff]

Is it better to be universal as in being able to throw pretty much any type of bait or do you think one would be better suit to learn only 3 or 4 or 5 techniques and learn to fish them well…

 

I’m thinking of cutting back next year and simplifying everything I feel like I’ve spun out at the end of the year..

 

I’m thinking of going wacky/texas stickworm, crankbait, jig, and drop-shot all year.. fished shallow or deep

[Catt]

58 minutes ago, RHuff said:

better suit to learn only 3 or 4 or 5 techniques and learn to fish them well…

 

The ability to fish them year round in any cover & at any depth.

[WRB]

I believe we tend to get caught up in the latest or hottest lures and techniques forgetting what actually works for us.

Yes, you should focus on fewer lures and presentations that work for you.

Tom

[Columbia Craw]

If you fish diverse locations having a more rounded approach to techniques is an advantage.  Having high levels of confidence in fewer techniques is also a good thing.  I like being good at many rather than a master of few.

[papajoe222]

As Catt and WRTB said, I would recommend learning to master a few and I would go further and say learn a couple of horizontal and a couple of vertical baits. Top priorities would be a jig, or T-rigged worm and a spinnerbait. They have more versatility than say a crankbait that only covers one depth range and is limited to a horizontal retrieve. A jig or worm can be retrieved both ways and a spinnerbait can be fished at almost any depth.

[LrgmouthShad]

I don't know the answer to this. This depends on what waters you fish and how many, your aspirations, and your watercraft or lack thereof. My approach is attempting to master 'fundamental' lures or rigging while setting aside time to learn lures or techniques as well. A balance. 

 

The lures/rigging I am most comfortable with are a texas rig in all its weighted and weightless variations (there's a lot here), a jig, a spinnerbait, and a shaky head. I can use these in any cover in any body of water at any time of the year in any condition.

[thediscochef]

I feel that I have had success through diversity. I have caught decent bass on probably a dozen or more different types of lure since I started in 2021. I primarily fish a lot of different parts of a 27000 acre reservoir. At one spot I might have four or six or ten good things I can throw, some spots and times it's one thing only. I also got bored throwing only a few lures. I think it's all about what works for you, your waters/conditions, and your goals

[GreenPig]

Anyone can catch bass on 3 or 4 or 5 techniques. The real challenge is catching a couple dinks on 18 techniques. 

[PaulVE64]

What's the saying?

"Fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times, not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once."

 

[Susky River Rat]

I have 7 rods rigged up. 4 of those 7 never change the technique  that is on them. Really I’d like to add another rod and have 5 of 8 that never change. I know I will throw those 4 every single time I fish. 

[Pat Brown]

Life's too short.  Too many fun techniques.  Plus I am friends with the bait monkey.  He is very persuasive.

[Catt]

I work with a lot of young anglers (experientially), here's where they struggle most.

 

Understanding what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively.

 

Understanding what the predominate prey species are in their lake & how those species relates to structure with each passing season...morning, noon, and night. 

 

They're all to busy chasing lures, techniques, lines, reels, or rods.

[Susky River Rat]

@Catt commercials/fads catch fishermen. Time on the water and skill catch fish.

[Pat Brown]

I think that in general it's all about knowing when you are going too deep into bait monkey stupor.

 

I don't feel the need to try every new trend under the sun at all by any stretch and try to put the majority of my thought into efficiently targeting fish at the depth and in the cover that they're preferring on the bodies of water I fish but also I enjoy learning and mastering new things and 5 or 6 lures isn't really a whole lot in a state with lots of fishing pressure.

 

I try to put a 'classic fish catcher' or two in my confidence column per year when I can and will continue to do so until I feel like I can catch fish with all the toys I have bought over the years 😌🤣🎣. That being said I still throw a jig or a worm or a spinnerbait or a lipless a lot etc etc.  But if fish on your lake can't get enough of a small swimbait or a fluke or something else kinda off the power fishing top 6 and it's the one technique you refuse to throw, that could result in bad years.

 

All that to say I do agree with @Catt and have observed said behavior in my son BUT I will add a grain of salt:  my son MAY throw new fangled stuff that he asks me to buy at times that I find odd BUT he is happy and confident when he does it and he catches fish that surprise the both of us and teach us about the water we are fishing.  It's all gravy.  Just a matter of teaching the important stuff also.

[garroyo130]

I think changing lures forces me to change locations/speeds/cadence. I'm fairly certain if I took a worm and changed those variables, I could catch just as much. I've just conditioned myself to see certain lures fit for certain types of cover/structure.

[RHuff]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

I work with a lot of young anglers (experientially), here's where they struggle most.

 

Understanding what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively.

 

Understanding what the predominate prey species are in their lake & how those species relates to structure with each passing season...morning, noon, and night. 

 

They're all to busy chasing lures, techniques, lines, reels, or rods.

 

 

 I have to say I can relate..   I feel like I'm fishing blind sometimes...  

[J Francho]

I think if your 5 things you do well are diverse, you can do better than someone trying new things all the time. This bears out in my own experience with being a moderator and constantly trying new gear or new baits rather than what I'm familiar with. In some ways, I think that experience adds honesty to my reviews, but it takes away from honing my strengths. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to help suss out the good stuff and let you all know what I found. It was a privilege and a burden. If you don't know what your 5 things are, pick one thing you like to do, and focus your time on it. I spent most of my early teen years throwing diving cranks. My later teens were spent throwing T-rig worms. I've thrown a form of a drop shot since childhood. These are three diverse techniques that would serve any angler almost anywhere, especially if they're fishing diverse waters. 

[Zcoker]

The fishing situation can change instantly. And being prepared for those changes isn't a bad idea to catch more bass. That's not to say that all baits are needed for every single condition but rather to use what baits you have as efficiently as possible.

 

A good way to do that is to take only one bait with you next trip out, forcing yourself to use it and only it under ALL conditions. Be surprised how baits once thought poor for certain conditions suddenly do pretty darn good! 

 

[casts_by_fly]

I generally agree that having a couple things that you know how to do well and you are confident in them will catch you more fish.  If you can look at a piece of water and know that a texas rigged beaver will catch fish there, then when you don't catch anything you can know it's time to move on to a different place because that's not what the fish are doing today.

 

I would add two small caveats.  1- If you fish a broad variety of waters for all three species then you might need to add a few more.  A deep clear highland reservoir will fish differently to a shallow weedy natural lake.  Some techniques will transfer, some maybe not.  2- Once you are confident in your couple things, branch out a little at a time.  Pick one thing that you don't do and have a rod dedicated for it for the year.  Keep the other couple rods for your standards.  If you don't throw spinnerbaits, then tie one on before you leave the house.  Either start with it for the day, pick it up when you hit a high percentage spot/set of conditions when it should work, or when nothing else is working from your standard set.  

[Mike L]

I kinda pigeon hole myself to just a few things because experience and success taught me too.

I don’t change for the sake of change but sometimes the experience part takes over and forces me to branch out a little if I’m struggling to find success 

I know what I want to do and how to do it, but when the results don’t meet my expectations the ability to revert back to what I do best almost always is the right choice. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Tennessee Boy]

By far the most important moment in my fishing life was when I realized that I needed to master a few things and stop trying every new thing that was featured in BassMaster magazine.  There’s a lot of uncertainties in fishing.   You can see that in the diverse answers in every thread on this forum.  This is one thing I’m certain about.   It’s not about how many tools are in your toolbox and how much they cost.  It’s about knowing how to use the tools to accomplish your goal.

[gim]

I'm definitely more of a 1 or 2 trick pony myself.  I generally lean towards a more aggressive, faster-moving lure approach to target active fish.  Its just how I prefer to fish.  I am capable of slowing down to a slower, more subtle approach with plastics but its generally just not my jam.  Drop shot fishing?  Not a chance.  I'd rather pound sand.

 

This is also part of the reason why I know I'd get my butt whipped in an organized tournament.  Granted, if the fish were going on the techniques I've mastered, then I could compete.  But that's just not randomly going to happen every time.  And quite often, tournaments are on highly pressured lakes where fish have seen a lot of lures, so my favored presentations would fail more than they would succeed.

[RHuff]

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I'm definitely more of a 1 or 2 trick pony myself.  I generally lean towards a more aggressive, faster-moving lure approach to target active fish.  Its just how I prefer to fish.  I am capable of slowing down to a slower, more subtle approach with plastics but its generally just not my jam.  Drop shot fishing?  Not a chance.  I'd rather pound sand.

 

This is also part of the reason why I know I'd get my butt whipped in an organized tournament.  Granted, if the fish were going on the techniques I've mastered, then I could compete.  But that's just not randomly going to happen every time.  And quite often, tournaments are on highly pressured lakes where fish have seen a lot of lures, so my favored presentations would fail more than they would succeed.

 

 

 You just described my tournament season to a T. I did well in tournaments where I could catch them on a shallow crank or stick worm around cover, but that wasn't happening that day I got my butt kicked by guys catching them suspended or offshore... 

[gim]

3 minutes ago, RHuff said:

You just described my tournament season to a T. I did well in tournaments where I could catch them on a shallow crank or stick worm around cover, but that wasn't happening that day I got my butt kicked by guys catching them suspended or offshore... 

Haha.  Ya you need to be good at a variety of presentations in competition.  A jack of all trades would be a good term to describe it.  That's not me, and it will likely never be me.  Good luck lol

[Catt]

Larry Nixon is known as Mr Versitility, not for his ability to fish every technique available. His versitility was in his ability to quickly read changes in conditions, adjust to those changes, & still throw his beloved worm. 

 

Does that mean he's not good with other techniques?

 

Absolutely not!