Essential Techniques

[GitRDoneIke23]

Bare bones. What 4-5 techinques are most effective for Southern Bassin.  I want to make sure I have down what a lot of people consider most essential. I used to try to do every single differnt thing out there, and would constatly be changing my lures.  Now I'd like to get back to basics.

-Ike

[Gatorbassman]

A bass is a bass. The only thing that might change the choice of technique is the environment that the bass lives in. With different water clarity, bottom structure, cover, water type, water temp, types of food, time of year, and especially the confidence level of the guy holding the rod makes the possibilities of different essential techniques endless. Pick three techniques and learn them inside and out. If you are looking for suggestions then go with the three that you are most interested in.

[Brian_Reeves]

Flipping/pitching jigs and soft plastics

Crankbaits/Spinnerbaits

Weightless fluke/fat ika/senko fishing

Carolina Rigging

Topwaters

[wagn]

Weird, i was just thinking about posting a topic like this. Not specifically for the South, since I'm up North, but more of a general question. I am working to learn/develop a couple of techniques a season. But I'm always wondering what 5 or 6 techniques would be the best to work on.

What I mean is that there are certian things i never get around to fishing. For example flukes, Carolina rigs and shakey heads. Even when a rod up with these I end up focusing on some other technique that day.

And yes I know, if i want to learn a new technique just bring one rod rigged up that way to the lake. It just seems like theres never enough fishing time to learn it all

[GitRDoneIke23]

. Pick three techniques and learn them inside and out.   .

That's EXACTLY what I am trying to do! I'm just wondering which ones catch bass MOST consitently.

Thank's ya'll

-Ike

[Raul]

Not specifically for the South, since I'm up North, but more of a general question.

Bass are bass anywhere.

It 's nice to have a lot of baits, it 's more important to know a lot of rigging and retrieval techniques.

I'm just wondering which ones catch bass MOST consitently

None and all, consistency is where it 's always been, in the guy holding the rod.

[roadwarrior]

Just want to consistantly catch some bass?

Fish nothing but soft plastics:

Fat Ika, Senko, Gitzit, Kut-Tail, Roboworm, Larew 7 1/2"

Salty Ring Worm, Kreature, Swimming Senko, Laminated

Lizard and some grubs. These are really more than you need,

but the variety allows you to fish any depth and all techniques.

Fast moving, slow or stopped, soft plastics will work anywhere,

everytime.

8-)

[Ballpark Frank]

I agree with Road Warrior on this one. Soft plastics work all of the time, everywhere. I used to be a "power" fisherman with spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Early last year I decided to concentrate on learning and fishing soft plastics, and my catch ratio increased ten fold. I still love cranking and spinning, but the plastics get em every time. My favorites are Sweet and Smallie Beavers, Tiki Stick, Bamboo Stick, Trick Worm, Zoom Lizard, Ole Monster, Brush Hog, and Rage Tail Craw. I throw some topwater plastics also, primarily Rage Tail Shad and Toad.

[Raul]

None of you two guys are crankbait guys. Crankbaits also catch fish consistently.  

[roadwarrior]

None of you two guys are crankbait guys. Crankbaits also catch fish consistently.

C'mon, that wasn't the point. I'm glad you say crankbaits

and the next post will be jigs! My point was that each lure

class offers the opportunity for an unlimited number of

presentations. To "learn" a class of lures, fish nothing else.

8-)

[Raul]

Well, somebody otta write an in depth thread on buzzbaits cuz I suck at buzzbaiting, can 't catch even a cold with those and I cross my heart I 've fished with them extensively and nope, can count with my fingers how many fish I 've caught with buzzbaits.

[Uncle Leo]

This is interesting, I like Ballpark Frank was primarily a crankbait fisherman along with my partner. Early last year I started T-rigging and using other plastics. My catch ratio did increase some but most importantly size increased. My partner Old Cranky has been fishing for 60 years, last 10 cranking and still will not go to plastics but he is consistant. Essentially I believe confidence plays into this equation a bit. I caught my personal best on plastics. Being a Northern fisherman I could not brake the 5 lb mark on a crankbait but now have tickled the 7 lb mark.

[Raul]

This is interesting, I like Ballpark Frank was primarily a crankbait fisherman along with my partner. Early last year I started T-rigging and using other plastics. My catch ratio did increase some but most importantly size increased. My partner Old Cranky has been fishing for 60 years, last 10 cranking and still will not go to plastics but he is consistant. Essentially I believe confidence plays into this equation a bit. I caught my personal best on plastics. Being a Northern fisherman I could not brake the 5 lb mark on a crankbait but now have tickled the 7 lb mark.

Confidence......yep it plays a role, but there 's also technique which many haven 't honed to near perfection, you may have all the confidence in the world but if you don 't have the technique your confidence pretty soon dissapears, caught my first 10+ pounder with a hard jerkbait, caught my PB with a crank. Just as you pick a sinker, a soft plastic, a hook and a rigging and fishing technique you can choose a crankbait cuz there 's plenty from where to choose. But what can you expect if you don 't know your tackle ? to many crankbait is just casting out and reeling in but serious crankbaiting is a lot more than that.

Some of the best crankbait threads were written by Chris long time ago and the man really knows about crankbaiting, many here should seriously read those threads.

[roadwarrior]

Yep, here's a sample:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1189587143/17#17

8-)

[detroit1]

Ditto what Raul said about buzzers- although i kinda gave up on them years ago. Still keep a couple in the boat though....