Would this approach be productive?

[airborne_angler]

I spend alot of time on the water,and usually dont bring a watch to tell the time. I was thinking of spending an entire day fishing ,using a different bait every hour  . Would that be productive? I think it could help with my technique,and also find out what the fish want.

[Cajun1977]

it sure couldnt hurt  if anything you gain experience   theres really never a right or wrong way to fish   with bait techniques   have fun

[langs15]

That's a smart Idea, but if a bait is nailing fish left and right, I would switch it sooner..

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

I rarely fish any bait more than 5 minutes at a time, switching to another rod and different type of bait, until I figure out what bass want. Unless you are mostly out there just relaxing staying with one bait an hour isn't productive unless its the right one.

Jim

[roadwarrior]

"Would this approach be productive?"

I don't think so.

It's too hard to stay focused on what you are doing and your mind tends to wander, thinking about your next move. I suggest using different techniques on different outings. For example, maybe on the first trip, focus on topwater early and late, selecting just a couple of lures, then switching to soft plastics. Again, selecting only a couple of different profiles (Senko, Fat Ika, tube).

Next trip, shallow crankbaits early, maybe jerkbaits. Then, jig & pig through midday. Something different each trip, but only a couple of techniques.

[roadwarrior]

I was typing while Jim was posting!

I just want to clarify something:

If you are already accomplished with a number of techniques, as Jim is, then it's like "A Day on the Lake" in Bassmaster. You need to carry everything and make numerous changes as they are called for, just like a professional tournament fisherman. But, if you are trying to learn a technique or improve you skills, that's what I was responding to.

[Guest ouachitabassangler]

That's the best approach to learning a bait, especially jigs. By now you probably know I'm what they call on TV a "junk angler". It's just very rare for me that counting on only jigs or some other type of bait will make a productive day.

Jim

[Shad_Master]

If you are using this approach to "learn" as I have in the past, my suggestion would be use only one (maybe two) types of baits on each outing.  Make sure that you don't have your old standby as the second bait and force yourself to keep trying until it works (some times it doesn't) but you will be surprised how quickly you will learn if you are not distracted by what you already know.

[George Welcome]

You appear to be missing the crucial points to this whole game: first find the fish - how? Seasonal habits based on your location. Second choose the bait - how? based on weather patterns the bass will be positioned accordingly. Choose the bait that will work that position most effectively.

To fish effectively for bass, this is a deductive game of reasonable expectations, not a game of try your tackle box. As an example, if the bass are holding tight to cover, more than likely a spook is only going to wear out your arm, not the bass.

[DR_Bass]

This would probably help you become more versital but if you catch 10 fish in an hour on one bait I would stick to that bait. 8-)

[Guest avid]

I think it would be more of a learnin experience to pick one lure and fish it all day.  When I was determined to learn jig fishing I waited untill I knew the jig bite was on (didn't know at the time that the jig bite is almost always "on")  But then went out with a handful of different jigs and trailers.  I didn't do a thing untill I got discouraged and tired.  But I had no alternative.  So I ran the different tips and advice from BassResource.com through my mind and tried them.  After a few casts I started getting bit.  Now the jig is one of my go to baits.

I'm going to give you a suggestion that many will disagree with but I firmly believe in it.  For NEW jig fisherman, keep the line tight at all times.  Forget the "semi slack" stuff.  Yes, it is better, but not for newbies to jigs.  I'm willing to bet the farm that you got bit on the jig but didn't realize it. A bass can inhale and spit out a jig and you will never know you had a strike.  Keep that line tight and your eyes glued to it.  Once you start detecting strikes and gaining confidence you can go to the productive semi slack line which causes a truer vertical drop and doesn' pull the bait away from cover.

My logic behind this is "what sense does it make to get more strikes if you don't your getting them?"  Learn how to detect the different kinds of ways bass will hit a jig, then go to more techniqes that will buy you more strikes.

[senile1]

I'm going to give you a suggestion that many will disagree with but I firmly believe in it.  For NEW jig fisherman, keep the line tight at all times.  Forget the "semi slack" stuff.  Yes, it is better, but not for newbies to jigs.  I'm willing to bet the farm that you got bit on the jig but didn't realize it. A bass can inhale and spit out a jig and you will never know you had a strike.  Keep that line tight and your eyes glued to it.  Once you start detecting strikes and gaining confidence you can go to the productive semi slack line which causes a truer vertical drop and doesn' pull the bait away from cover.

My logic behind this is "what sense does it make to get more strikes if you don't your getting them?"  Learn how to detect the different kinds of ways bass will hit a jig, then go to more techniqes that will buy you more strikes.

Excellent advice, Avid.  I found the same thing to be true when I first fished a jig.  It was much easier for me to detect bites with a tighter line.  

[fishinyank]

I plan on really learning jigs this summer (Ive caught a few fish on them but nothing major). Is there any difference in detecting a bite on a semi slack line with a jig than with say a tube? Seems to me it would be the same thing at least on the drop, right? If so I cant wait to try them because I'm good with the slack line technique with soft plastics so I feel it would be a comfortable transition.

[roadwarrior]

No, it's significantly different. The texture of soft plastics feels good to fish and they will generally hold it for at least a moment. The feel of lead has the opposite effect. Soft plastics are my forte, but I am still struggling with the jig bite. When fishing artificials last winter, I fished jigs almost exclusively for awhile. Although I caught a few bass, and a couple of nice ones, I still don't "have it". Jigs remain my focus lures for 2006, but I still have a ways to go.

I think the most productive approach to learning to fish a new lure or technique is to focus on that particular lure exclusively for extended periods of time. That's my thought and that's what I try to do.

[mudcatwilly]

I will stay with one bait for about 15 minutes or so if I'm in an area that I think is holding bass.  I vary depth and retreive speed with that bait.  If I get action, I stay with that bait till the bite turns off.  If I get no action, I switch baits or move.  When I am fishing one of my confidence baits, I am more apt to move than to change baits.