Question about switching out

[Smirak]

Probably already answered a few times, but my search abilities rival those of 98 yr old great grandmas…

 

Anyway, how long do you fish a certain bait/technique before changing or noticing that you need to downsize/upsize? I’m very guilty of just throwing a bait until I just can’t stand it anymore always telling myself that “I’ll get a bite in the next 5 or so casts. If not, I’ll put it up and grab something else.”  However, I ignore myself about as much as I ignore my wife (😳).

 

Kevin 

[MediumMouthBass]

Switching baits and lures can become an overwhelming mess.

If i were to take 1 type of lure, but have different sizes, weights, and colors, i could spend all day changing things. Now imagine you have a tackle tray full of dozens more.

Theres been times ive spent more hours grabbing gear and retying than i did fishing.

 

But not switching can often result in little to no bass, so finding a good, all around, balance is key.

Grab just a few different things you have confidence in, dont go overboard with the colors and weights, just the absolute necessities. Spend 10-20 minutes and cover as much water as possible with the 1 bait, then go back over it with the others.

 

And to add, i often take 2 full 3700 trays, dozens of hardbaits, and about a 10-20 bags of soft plastics. I often only use the same 6 baits and lures.... Down size what you take and it will make it easier to switch, it wont be dreaded to think about changing then.

 

Edited June 10, 2024 by MediumMouthBass

[softwateronly]

My trolling motor is fried for over 2 years now.  I bought more rods/reels so I can try everything from my anchor position.  I should no tbe trusted with this question.

 

 

scott

[Tennessee Boy]

It depends on many factors.   If I have no clue what they might be hitting I will set an alarm on my watch for 15 minutes to remind myself to change.   If my past history at a location suggests they should be doing something specific then I might stick with something for an hour or more.

[LrgmouthShad]

Difficult question to answer because this varies widely by body of water. We all fish different water with different catch rates. What if a semi-decent catch rate on a lake is a fish an hour? Many public lakes are like this now. How do you know if you’re fishing the right lure or not when you’ve only been at it for 45 minutes or so? You might find something that helps you by switching lures 45 minutes in, then again in another hour. Or you might not. You might spend all day switching lures looking for some little something when you should have stuck to your guns and ground out a few good-size fish on a tough day. 

[Smirak]

One reason I ask is that I usually carry about 6 or so rods with me and really wind up using only one or two. Jackhammer, swimbaits and crankbaits are what I seem to find myself throwing most often. 

[scaleface]

  I change when it feels right. If I'm getting bored and just going through the motions then its definitely time to do something else.

[Functional]

I start with my highest confidence bait in areas I know it should work and I start there. I'll give it an hour or so over 2-3 similar locations and if I get nothing then I start switching. Pending the day it may end up being a frog or trig/jig/worm. Recently added jerkbaits to the rotation but as of now thats my mid day, hot, clear sky cant get a hit tactic. 

 

Fish are everywhere on the lake, just some take a bit more firing up than at other parts of the lake. 

[Bird]

My fishing partner is a diehard power fisherman, owns no soft plastics or bottom contact baits.

I'll let him have his way and fish his style until I go a stretch without catching anything.

That's when it's time to change, time to slow down " switch out ".

 

There are so many considerations though.

Sunny day, time of day, wind speed, type of cover, water clarity all play a role.

 

I have to strategize with gin clear water in mind so as the sun rises the baits slow down and get smaller.

Once I get to that point I'll stick with the bait the rest of the day.

Nothing is in concrete regarding fishing.

[Pat Brown]

15 hours ago, Smirak said:

Probably already answered a few times, but my search abilities rival those of 98 yr old great grandmas…

 

Anyway, how long do you fish a certain bait/technique before changing or noticing that you need to downsize/upsize? I’m very guilty of just throwing a bait until I just can’t stand it anymore always telling myself that “I’ll get a bite in the next 5 or so casts. If not, I’ll put it up and grab something else.”  However, I ignore myself about as much as I ignore my wife (😳).

 

Kevin 

 

 

Sometimes it only takes one cast for me to know it's time to retie.

 

Case in point: you get to the pond and toss out that popper or frog and gently start working it after the ripples die and you can see fish swirling all around it constantly with no aggression at all.

 

Time to try a different bait and you only needed one cast!

 

Sometimes I get to the pond with my jig or t rig tied on and guess what?  It's windy.  

 

I retie before I even make a cast!

 

It's all about reading the situation.

 

If I've got the right bait for the situation in theory and they are not doing anything to make me think it's worth continuing to throw, I will switch fairly quickly to a smaller profile. 

 

I find downsizing matters more than a color or profile or action change.  If they're not hitting what they should be hitting, try the same thing but smaller and subtler.

 

Often that can make all the difference.

 

Also, do not be afraid to pretend that it's opposite day when it comes to the bass rulebook because the bass don't read books and they don't follow rules.

 

Throw subtle baits on windy days and baits that make a ruckus on slick calm days.  Go big on small ponds and small on big lakes etc.

 

Just strive to be different from everything they see constantly and you'll get some bites.

[Bigbox99]

I'll fish a high confidence bait until I feel I have caught enough fish to make the trip worth while and then I will switch to new baits to familiarize myself with them and gain confidence.  Recently this was using a weightless plastic to get numbers of fish after failing to find a topwater bite and then after a bunch of fish on the plastic I started throwing a Cull Shad to get some confidence in these 6 inch Magdraft type baits and after a few hits and one fish I have gained some confidence goofy paddle tail things.  

[DaubsNU1]

14 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

It depends on many factors.   If I have no clue what they might be hitting I will set an alarm on my watch for 15 minutes to remind myself to change.   If my past history at a location suggests they should be doing something specific then I might stick with something for an hour or more.

 

30+ years ago (yes, that's 1992!), I got to talking with another fisherman at Hazel Creek Lake in northeast Missouri. I will never forget that conversation...that brief encounter opened my eyes.

 

Hazel Creek was trolling motor only. His john boat was set up specifically for this lake, and solo fishing.

 

Front casting deck had foot controlled trolling motor. Back of the boat had two additional trolling motors locked in position. He wired a on/off switch to the front of the boat...he could power up the rear trolling motors as needed.

 

Middle of the boat had all his rods laid out on rack, nice and neat. He could spin around...drop one rod in to slot...and pick up another very quickly and resume fishing.

 

This was the first time I ever saw someone throwing a crank-bait in flooded timber(!) Amazing to me. I asked if he lost any lures, he then pulled out the telescoping lure retriever, said he rarely ever lost lures (I got the same retriever soon after).

 

And to your point, he fished with an old school stop watch hanging from his neck. It was set to 15 minutes. Said if he had not caught fish in 15 minutes, it was time to move, or switch baits.

 

Personally, I can haul 10 rods in the locker, and try to pre-rig the night before. Usually start power fishing (buzz-bait, spinner-bait, square-bill, maybe a plopper), then have senko, drop shot, jig-n-craw, t-rigged worm on the ready. Like others have said, it really depends on the lake I'm fishing, weather, wind, etc.

[TOXIC]

I have a rule to change techniques before I waste a lot of time changing colors or other variables of the same bait.  For example, if I’m throwing plastics and not getting bit, I’m more likely to try cranks, spinnerbait, etc., before I change the color of my plastics.  I’m not “that” hung up on colors.  

[A-Jay]

When fishing an area or a spot or even a milk run of spots, changes in presentation for me revolves around covering the water column first.  Top, middle and bottom.  

From there, depending on the seasonal pattern, I am switching up either, speed, profile size, sound, flash and finally color or pattern.  Best case scenario has me being able to make these modification one at a time.

As for how long I'll stick with what I start with, I go totally by feel or instinct. 

Especially when there's bait present. 

A-Jay 

[casts_by_fly]

12 hours ago, Smirak said:

One reason I ask is that I usually carry about 6 or so rods with me and really wind up using only one or two. Jackhammer, swimbaits and crankbaits are what I seem to find myself throwing most often. 

 

My default is to fish like you.  I'll throw moving baits as preference and always start there.  What I've learned over the last year though is that I stick with them for longer than I should (hence your question above I assume).  

 

What I've learned about throwing moving baits is that for the most part if the fish are active and chasing you're going to get bit on whichever one you're throwing.  It might not be optimal for the conditions or the fish, but if you swap a spinnerbait, a swim jig, and a chatterbait they will all get bit on the days when moving baits are the ticket.  So if I start with a chatterbait and I'm getting one here, one there every 15-30 minutes then I might alternatve with a swim jig and see if that does a little better.  Or vice versa.  Same with topwater.  I love throwing a buzzbait, but if I'm getting short strikes or not having enough hits as I should, I'll swap to a toad, frog, or something else.

 

Like Pat said above though, sometimes you just know it isn't right.  If I go down a bank that I know has fish and after 30 minutes of casting I've not had a single bump then I'm changing to a different lure type.  For me, my progression is usually topwater, mid column moving bait, and texas rig for a morning trip.  Topwater usually shuts off once the sun pokes up here and the fish stop looking up.  Cloudy days and wind extend that window.  If I go down a bank and they aren't eating and of the first two, I'll slow down in a couple high percentage spots and throw a texas rig.  If they are eating but just looking down to do it then that should start picking up fish. If not even a bump there, I go home because its going to be a tough day.

 

I'm also not hung up on colors.  I carry a ton, but that's for me more than the fish.  If they are going to eat a swim jig, then green pumpkin, bluegill, black and blue, and california craw are all going to be similar.  The weight and size is more important than the color, and I suspect that's more related to the speed and depth more than the actual size most of the time.

 

[Catt]

@A-Jay 👍

 

Next after location is timing; just because you don't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure.

 

Sometimes they just ain't willing to bite, I'll move on, come back later & get hammered.

[A-Jay]

13 minutes ago, Catt said:

@A-Jay 👍

 

Next after location is timing; just because you don't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure.

 

Sometimes they just ain't willing to bite, I'll move on, come back later & get hammered.

Yup - but in my mind, I am Very Rarely there 'at the wrong time'.

My entire fishing trip prep revolves around it.

But I've been wrong before.

I will admit that when I finally do find them, regardless of the time of day or the season,

I CAN NOT WAIT to get back there at 'the right time.'

And You know exactly what I mean @Catt

#nosleep

A-Jay

 

[Catt]

@A-Jay 

Don't be afraid of the night...be afraid of what hunts in the night!

[Smirak]

Anybody ever fish one bait exclusively to get comfortable and confident in it?  For example, I want to throw more jerk baits this year, so one of my thoughts was to throw it exclusively for a few outings. I mostly kayak fish, paddle, so I don’t cover tons of water. I turned 50 today and have crappy shoulders, neck and knees from my military service, so long days for me are not that often. Maybe 3-4 hrs at a time. 

[casts_by_fly]

18 minutes ago, Smirak said:

Anybody ever fish one bait exclusively to get comfortable and confident in it?  For example, I want to throw more jerk baits this year, so one of my thoughts was to throw it exclusively for a few outings. I mostly kayak fish, paddle, so I don’t cover tons of water. I turned 50 today and have crappy shoulders, neck and knees from my military service, so long days for me are not that often. Maybe 3-4 hrs at a time. 

 

 

Yes. A single bait and glue it to your arm.  Or a style of bait that you want to learn.  If I want to just go out and fish and maybe catch fish or not usiong things I know then so be it.  But sometimes those aren't the things I need so once or twice a year I add something to the repetoir.  I now have a texas rig on most trips after focusing on fishing in the plastics outing 2 years ago.  Its different to a jig and I know when it has a time and place.  I'm going to do the same thing tomorrow with finesse lures/baits.

 

 

 

 

[Bigbox99]

1 hour ago, Smirak said:

Anybody ever fish one bait exclusively to get comfortable and confident in it?  For example, I want to throw more jerk baits this year, so one of my thoughts was to throw it exclusively for a few outings. I mostly kayak fish, paddle, so I don’t cover tons of water. I turned 50 today and have crappy shoulders, neck and knees from my military service, so long days for me are not that often. Maybe 3-4 hrs at a time. 

Not really.  I want to find fish, catch them and then switch to a new bait to gain confidence.  I could spend all day fishing where the fish aren't or are and not willing to bite with a high confidence bait and pass it off as the fish being unwilling.  If I do the same with a new bait I have zero confidence in then that experience is going to make me 2nd guess the bait.  

[WRB]

Way back in 1974 put together my Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar.
I believe in seasonal periods and bass activity levels directly affect the lures you choose should be based on where the bass are located and their activity level.

50 years later the bass haven’t changed their behavior.

The lures you select should be based on where the bass are located and timing when they are active and willing to chase faster moving lures vs slower moving lures. All bass are not on the same schedule they are individuals and we need to understand this fact or pound unproductive water with lure we like to use  when the bass want something different.

Tom

[GreenPig]

Until I figure them out I'll change often. It takes a couple seconds for me to lay one rod down and pick up another. I may toss a chatterbait, buzzbait, or spinnerbait to the bank and then immediately throw a walking bait, big glide, jerkbait, or Spybait out over deeper water.

[TOXIC]

Just be careful glueing yourself to one bait if you have physical problems.  If you have shoulder, arm or wrist problems, chucking a jerkbait may be aggravating.  I will put down a crank or jerkbait and pick up a Senko if my arm starts getting fatigued.  

[Smirak]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

Just be careful glueing yourself to one bait if you have physical problems.  If you have shoulder, arm or wrist problems, chucking a jerkbait may be aggravating.  I will put down a crank or jerkbait and pick up a Senko if my arm starts getting fatigued.  

Thanks @TOXIC  My normal “movement” to keep my joints more pliable is baseball umpiring. That adds an extra benefit because it’s speedo season and I gotta keep the glutes in check! 🤢🤢