What am I doing wrong?

[Nibbles]

Yesterday, I fished my first tournament. I was in the backseat.

My partner caught about 10 fish, 2 of which were keeper bass. The rest were either dinks, white bass or walleye.

I caught 0 fish. I may or may not have felt 1 or 2 light taps on my line the entire 8 hours on the water.

We were fishing main and secondary points most of the time, as well as riprap around bridges. Water depth was mostly 7-12 feet. He was mainly using a strike king chartreuse sexy shad that dived 8'. I was mainly using a GMAN 3/8 widegap swim jig with a white head and clear weedguard with Okeechobee skirt. It was tipped with a Rage Tail baby craw in Okeechobee color as well. I also threw a GMAN finesse jig with a pumpkin head and weedguard, with blue and black skirt tipped with the same type of ragetail baby craw. I swapped the trailer on the swim jig from the craw to a white split tail spinnerbait trailer for about an hour and swam that thing as well.

My technique was hopping the jig - sort of like yo-yoing a lipless crank. I also swam the jig some with no luck. I was using a 6'6" medium rod with a fast tip with a 5.1 retrieve spinning reel. 20# braid with about 3' of 15# PLine fluorocarbon leader. I cast across points with it, I cast away from points to deeper water with it, I cast it into reeds, weeds, close to timber, etc. Must have gotten hung up at least 12 times.

Water temperature was around 86 degrees. Not a lot of wind.

What am I doing wrong here? Do any jig fishermen here have any tips or techniques to share?

[pondmaster32]

if your fishing shallow then the fish are probably scattered. dont spend all your time in one spot. if there are weeds  then pitch a jig or creature bait in the holes of the weeds. if your fishing deep (12 ft+) then fish a crankbait or a swimbait. these fish are usualy schooling and are in a feeding mood. if the school turns off try using a finese worm or a jig to get the school going again. if none of these work then use a 7 inch worm and fish rocks and drop offs. good luck!

[Nice_Bass]

I have to agree with Pondmaster.

If he was catching them on Cranks, did you ever change to one?

I would have looked for isolated cover or structure around the areas you fished.  Did you ever have control of the boat?

Also, with these central IL lakes, I tend to slow it down quite a bit.  Seems like everyone these days around here are fishing kvd style. What lake were you on? 

[farmpond1]

To state the obvious, you can do the "right thing" but if it's in the wrong place or at the wrong time, it wasn't whatever it was you needed to be doing.

Sounds like the bass were pursuing shad on this day.  Also, a sexy shad (or any crankbait, really) can cover waaaay more water than a jig.  At some point in the day, unless you knew there was a reason to stick with it, you probably should've switched tactics.  I'm not at all ashamed to emulate what someone else is doing-especially if it's working.  But since you were in the back of the boat and covering "used" water, you might've tried a slightly smaller crankbait or one of a different color or action.

[Nibbles]

I have to agree with Pondmaster.

If he was catching them on Cranks, did you ever change to one?

I would have looked for isolated cover or structure around the areas you fished. Did you ever have control of the boat?

Also, with these central IL lakes, I tend to slow it down quite a bit. Seems like everyone these days around here are fishing kvd style. What lake were you on?

Shelbyville.

I don't have any lipped cranks, and only 2 lipless - a tiny rapala bluegill that I'm guessing is 1/4 oz, and a 3/8 oz shad Rat-L-Trap. I don't crank much because I suck with them. I've caught several bass on jigs, but never on my lipless cranks.

I would have switched to my rat-l-trap that day, but I had always thought that the backseater should fish a different style of bait than the front seat. In my mind, if he was cranking, then I should be using a jig, shakey head or t-rigged plastic. That way he can fish a fast bait, and I can fish slower and pick up any fish that didn't feel like chasing a fast shad crank that day.

[Nibbles]

To state the obvious, you can do the "right thing" but if it's in the wrong place or at the wrong time, it wasn't whatever it was you needed to be doing.

Sounds like the bass were pursuing shad on this day. Also, a sexy shad (or any crankbait, really) can cover waaaay more water than a jig. At some point in the day, unless you knew there was a reason to stick with it, you probably should've switched tactics. I'm not at all ashamed to emulate what someone else is doing-especially if it's working. But since you were in the back of the boat and covering "used" water, you might've tried a slightly smaller crankbait or one of a different color or action.

You know, I've been considering getting some LC Pointers. Specifically the Pointer 78 and 100. Do you know if they're any good?

[farmpond1]

To state the obvious, you can do the "right thing" but if it's in the wrong place or at the wrong time, it wasn't whatever it was you needed to be doing.

Sounds like the bass were pursuing shad on this day. Also, a sexy shad (or any crankbait, really) can cover waaaay more water than a jig. At some point in the day, unless you knew there was a reason to stick with it, you probably should've switched tactics. I'm not at all ashamed to emulate what someone else is doing-especially if it's working. But since you were in the back of the boat and covering "used" water, you might've tried a slightly smaller crankbait or one of a different color or action.

You know, I've been considering getting some LC Pointers. Specifically the Pointer 78 and 100. Do you know if they're any good?

You could ask a hundred different fishermen and you'd probably get 100 different responses.  Personally, I won't pay over 8 dollars for a crankbait (unless it's a big one for musky or pike) so I have zero experience with Lucky Craft.  I'm sure they work fine but I won't cast a lure that's going to cause me to have a heart attack if I hang it.

[boneil]

what you did wrong, was stick with a pattern that wasn't working for 8 hours.  Don't be affraid to try different types of lures.

[Grey Wolf]

what you did wrong, was stick with a pattern that wasn't working for 8 hours. Don't be affraid to try different types of lures.

EXCELLENT ADVICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[slonezp]

I have to agree with Pondmaster.

If he was catching them on Cranks, did you ever change to one?

I would have looked for isolated cover or structure around the areas you fished. Did you ever have control of the boat?

Also, with these central IL lakes, I tend to slow it down quite a bit. Seems like everyone these days around here are fishing kvd style. What lake were you on?

Shelbyville.

I don't have any lipped cranks, and only 2 lipless - a tiny rapala bluegill that I'm guessing is 1/4 oz, and a 3/8 oz shad Rat-L-Trap. I don't crank much because I suck with them. I've caught several bass on jigs, but never on my lipless cranks.

I would have switched to my rat-l-trap that day, but I had always thought that the backseater should fish a different style of bait than the front seat. In my mind, if he was cranking, then I should be using a jig, shakey head or t-rigged plastic. That way he can fish a fast bait, and I can fish slower and pick up any fish that didn't feel like chasing a fast shad crank that day.

I guess it's time to stock up on cranks.

The fish will tell you what they want. We all get caught up with "What worked yesterday" or "This is what the guys on BR said to use ;D" You have to learn when to say times up and change your plan. I don't know your situation but have a few rods at your feet with different presentations ready to go. 

[cart7t]

what you did wrong, was stick with a pattern that wasn't working for 8 hours. Don't be affraid to try different types of lures.

No ****!!

Whether you're fishing a T or not, you need to be more than a one method Pete when it comes to knowing how, when and where to use different baits.

The fish were obviously in a much different mode (chasing down lipless cranks) and you're insisting on throwing a bait that would intice a strike in a completely different time and place.  Stop thinking "you suck" at fishing crankbaits and LEARN how to fish them.  This place has plenty of articles at the top on the how's, where's and why's to fish the baits and you can put that knowledge to use on the water.  They're not exactly a bait that's in the "rocket science" category on use and presentation.

[Sam]

Nibbles, fishing from the back of the boat puts you in a disadvantageous position from the start.

The person in the front of the boat gets to fisht he spots first and if the fish are there they will hit his baits. By the time the boat passes the same place the fish are either caught or not there.

When I am a nonboater I do the following:

1.  Throw something different than the boater so we can see which bait is producing strikes.

2.  Throw the same bait the boater is using.

3.  Throw the bait into the places the boater would have thrown his when he is retying, unhooking his fish or to try to get the position first.

I have outfished the boater and been outfished by the boater in tournaments and it comes with the territory.

I suggest you read the articles on this site; subscribe to Bassin magazine; ask your questions of us on the forum; ask locals what is working; try to prefish if possible; and realize that no matter what you do you may not catch as many as the boater.

And remember, as a nonboater you are limited to the number of rods and tackle you can bring with you while the boater can have as much tackle and rods as he wishes.

You goal is to learn from the boater regarding what he throws and where he goes. Mark your map with the places you fished so you will have an idea of where to go next year. 

[fishfordollars]

I'm amazed you could just sit there in the back of the boat without trying something different. If you had no crankbaits you should have asked to borrow one from the boater.

Being versatile and prepared to make a change is bass fishing 101.

You say you suck with a crankbait (In a way), reason is you don't own any. Either get with the program, learn more than one way to fish, purchase a variety of lures, get proficient with them, or get ready to have your a-- handed to you until you do.

[Eddie Munster]

I'm amazed you could just sit there in the back of the boat without trying something different. If you had no crankbaits you should have asked to borrow one from the boater.

Being versatile and prepared to make a change is bass fishing 101.

You say you suck with a crankbait (In a way), reason is you don't own any. Either get with the program, learn more than one way to fish, purchase a variety of lures, get proficient with them, or get ready to have your a-- handed to you until you do.

A little strongly worded but I'd have to say he nailed it.

[Catt]

I'm amazed you could just sit there in the back of the boat without trying something different. If you had no crankbaits you should have asked to borrow one from the boater.

Being versatile and prepared to make a change is bass fishing 101.

You say you suck with a crankbait (In a way), reason is you don't own any. Either get with the program, learn more than one way to fish, purchase a variety of lures, get proficient with them, or get ready to have your a-- handed to you until you do.

Exactly plus under tournament conditions you can not miss bites and you said "I may or may not have felt 1 or 2 light taps on my line the entire 8 hours on the water."

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook 

[MasterBasster09]

well i fished my first tournament a couple of weks ago on Weiss and the conditions were similar. Water temps reached the 90s that day and we didn't have a fish in the boat(yes i was fishing the back) for the first 4 hours. We tried alot of techniques. We finnally started catching a few on a weighted Senko on ledges close to the channel. I brought in the first keeper, and then slammed a nice 3.6 pounder about 4 casts later. My partner caught one keeper and we weighed in 3 fish totaling a little over 6 pounds. I lost another fish on spinnerbait that morning that actually broke me off. This may or may not have been a bass. My point is if i had stuck with spinnerbait all day, i may not have caught anything. I had 4 rods rigged up and ready to go. We never really got on them but we were just proud that we didn't weigh in a goose egg which alot of boats did that day.

BTW..19.9 lbs won the tournament and i think a majority of those were caught on crankbait as well.

[fishfordollars]

well i fished my first tournament a couple of weks ago on Weiss and the conditions were similar. Water temps reached the 90s that day and we didn't have a fish in the boat(yes i was fishing the back) for the first 4 hours. We tried alot of techniques. We finnally started catching a few on a weighted Senko on ledges close to the channel. I brought in the first keeper, and then slammed a nice 3.6 pounder about 4 casts later. My partner caught one keeper and we weighed in 3 fish totaling a little over 6 pounds. I lost another fish on spinnerbait that morning that actually broke me off. This may or may not have been a bass. My point is if i had stuck with spinnerbait all day, i may not have caught anything. I had 4 rods rigged up and ready to go. We never really got on them but we were just proud that we didn't weigh in a goose egg which alot of boats did that day.

BTW..19.9 lbs won the tournament and i think a majority of those were caught on crankbait as well.

I'd bet money those fish were caught up river to.

[Steve P.]

Your partner caught 10 Bass on a CRANKBAIT.

You caught ZERO Bass on a JIG.

Is this a trick question?

[MasterBasster09]

well i fished my first tournament a couple of weks ago on Weiss and the conditions were similar. Water temps reached the 90s that day and we didn't have a fish in the boat(yes i was fishing the back) for the first 4 hours. We tried alot of techniques. We finnally started catching a few on a weighted Senko on ledges close to the channel. I brought in the first keeper, and then slammed a nice 3.6 pounder about 4 casts later. My partner caught one keeper and we weighed in 3 fish totaling a little over 6 pounds. I lost another fish on spinnerbait that morning that actually broke me off. This may or may not have been a bass. My point is if i had stuck with spinnerbait all day, i may not have caught anything. I had 4 rods rigged up and ready to go. We never really got on them but we were just proud that we didn't weigh in a goose egg which alot of boats did that day.

BTW..19.9 lbs won the tournament and i think a majority of those were caught on crankbait as well.

I'd bet money those fish were caught up river to.

I would be willing to say you are exactly right. Another guy  weighed in a 17 pound stringer and had one fish alive. They were letting people weigh dead fish that day because of the extreme heat. He told me he caught them all before 10am that day. Didn't tell me what he caught them on though.