Lure wheel choice

[paulmandude]

In order for me to try new baits, techniques, and just have fun messing around, I made a roulette wheel of decisions. I’m the type of guy that has a few baits tied on and barely ever change lures on the water. My plan this year is to force myself to fish a particular bait for a set amount of time and spin the wheel to try something different or new. 

Am I missing anything?  I know some people say to just rig up one rod and have one bait and master that for the day, but I like to be more of jack of all trades and master of none I suppose. 

[A-Jay]

Add the Cosmic Clock and you should pretty much catch 100 bass a day for the rest of your life ~

Good Luck

 

 

A-Jay

[Bird]

It really depends on water temps, time of year, time of day, spawn faze, water clarity , cloud cover and available cover.

During prespawn, water temps in the 50's I may throw a jig all day.

If the water is cloudy I may hang with a big 'ole spinnerbait. 

In the warmer months and fishing unfamiliar water is when I may have a deck full of rods and reels after I gave top water a shot.

If you're looking for just an overall average during active months ?

Personally, I start early with top water or you could say " power fishing " and always end up with some form of " finesse " .

[casts_by_fly]

you could do that, but I suspect a lot more of it will turn into casting practice than actual fishing.  I'm of the 'pick a lure and tie it to your arm' camp.  Pick what you think has a reasonable chance of working and go for it.  I've done it a couple times now, to the extent of leaving all other lures in the truck.  Here was one writeup.  Before that trip it was unlikely that I'd put any soft plastic on ever.  Forcing yourself to fish the place you know but with lures you don't will make you adapt.  I learned a few things that day and since to the point that I always have a texas rig tied on somewhere.  In the past I'd only throw a jig if I was bouncing into cover, but a plastic on a texas rig is probably better for 90% of the time I'm fishing.

 

it also takes more than a couple hours to become a 'jack of A trade' let alone learning a couple things in a day.  For me, I pick two 'things' per year to learn from scratch and get to at least a proficient level with them.  I'll pick one or two more to dabble in which might become the next thing for next year. It was swim jigs a couple years ago.  Plastics 2 years ago, jerkbaits and NEDs this year.  I've dabbled in A-rigs, jerkbaits, plastics, blade baits, neds, and others.  Some have stuck around, some I'm not going to bother with (A-rigs and blade baits).

 

[FishTank]

I'm going for finesse fishing with chicken because tiny children are too heavy. 😃

[Hawkeye21]

I like it. You never know what will work when, even when the odds are less. I remember catching them on a buzz bait in early April while it was snowing. 

[webertime]

Just did mine!

[Susky River Rat]

That would work for me if it was all Ned rigs.

[paulmandude]

On 1/31/2024 at 11:08 AM, Bird said:

It really depends on water temps, time of year, time of day, spawn faze, water clarity , cloud cover and available cover.

During prespawn, water temps in the 50's I may throw a jig all day.

If the water is cloudy I may hang with a big 'ole spinnerbait. 

In the warmer months and fishing unfamiliar water is when I may have a deck full of rods and reels after I gave top water a shot.

If you're looking for just an overall average during active months ?

Personally, I start early with top water or you could say " power fishing " and always end up with some form of " finesse " .

You’re absolutely right.  Just to throw something random at them prespawn-fall. I feel like a lot of techniques would catch the same fish at certain times. Like a split shot rig may catch the same drop shot or neko fish. Jika, Tokyo, free rig may catch the same fish as Texas rigged plastics. 
Power fishing in the mornings and evenings is what I usually do and stick to finesse during the day mostly. Problem is I like my sleep and never get out early! 😂 

 

 

[rgasr63]

I have a little different way of looking at it. The season and water temp tell me a lot. I adjust my baits to that and how bright the sun is. But then it is up to the angler to find the bait that they want. And it mostly is about what part of the water column the fish are feeding at.