What did you learn this year?

[.ghoti.]

I'm asking about bass fishing. Any new lures, tackle, techniques, places, etc, that did the job for you.

I have a rather short list.

This year's new lures: Fat Ika, X-Rap, Nories Bug, Chatterbait. I found these, all of which I used for the first time this year, to be excellent lures. The Fat Ika and the X-Rap are on my "never leave home without" list.

This year's new tackle:

Daiwa Millionaire reels. found these for $75 at a local tackle shop. Bought one, tried it, went back and bought the rest of "em. The absolute smoothest three bearing reel I've ever had in my hands.

Team Daiwa Light & Tough rods. In my opinion, the best bang for the buck out there right now. I still need rods for two of those Millionaires, and I'll probably be buying L&T's.

Johnny Morris Signature Series rods. When they're on sale, close competition for the best bang for the buck award.

Johnny Morris Signature Series reels. Got one cheap at the spring wing-ding. Went back and got another one when on sale. Good reels, smooth drags, light weight, both centrifugal and magnetic cast controls. Made by Pfleuger.

Quantum PT reels. Had two from last year, got two more this year. Pretty hard to beat, in my opinion.

St Croix Avid series rods. Got one this year. Very good rod, light, tough, crisp action, very sensitive. If it was fifty bucks cheaper, it would be awesome.

This year's new techniques.

I made myself learn to use jigs this year. This was my number one goal for the year. Well, I didn't entirely succeed. I've become proficient with the 1/4 oz jig and plastic craw trailer. This bait is now on my "don't leave home without" list, but the bigger 3/8 and 1/2oz jigs just don't do it for me. That will be one of next years goals.

Suspending cranks. After my success early this year with the X-rap, I've been madly modifying a variety of crankbaits to suspend. I now have three 3700 boxes full of suspending baits, and have been doing very well with some of them. I have quite few that i will be re-modifying over the winter. The wife gets a kick out of me drilling, weighting, sanding, etc and tossing them in the sink to see what happens. Hey, a guys got to have something to do once the water gets hard.

New places this year.

Lake of the Woods. Pike and walleye. No giants, but lots of fun. Took a GPS, so we never got lost.

Trophy Country, middle of Missouri. Best bass fishing I've ever seen. Had several 100 fish days there. Not new this year, but last year. Have been there seven times between last year and this. Will be going back next year, as often as I can manage it. On my first trip, last year, mid-way through the second day, I had blood runing out of my thumb. It was shredded. AWESOME!! Check it out on the web at trophycountry.com. PM me and I'll give you Clint's cell phone number.

That's about it for this year. It was a fine year for me. Hope everybody had a good year.

Here's to a good year for all, next season.

I know I'm acting like the year's over. It's not, but I'm after crappie and muskie now, and will be until the water freezes.

Cheers,

GK

[KU_Bassmaster.]

This was the year of the jig for me ...... and fishing it deep.  At the end of last year I was really starting to catch onto it, but then winter came.  In the spring (prespawn) it seems like I can't put a crankbait down.  From early summer on though, it's what I threw probably 80% of the time.  It is now my go-to bait as far as # of quality bites.

[Pond Hopper]

This was the year I learned baitcasters better and actually took the time to fish slow.  This included t-rigged plastics and also a jig.  I havent gotten the jig down but if I fish with Darrin long enough I will.  Although I prefer power fishing its not always the best bet for catching fish.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

HAHA, things I learned this year....

1. You can win a tournament throwing only topwaters!!!

2. Jigs really do catch fish.

3. A carolina rig and open water structure are really not as intimidating as originally thought.

4. The DCNR guys at Shawnee state park think their lake stinks, and they aren't afraid to tell you about it.

5. Fishing tournies w/ someone who has the same sense of humor you do is a pretty darn good time.

6. BassResource.com is a cool place to fill up time during my work day!!!

I am sure there are other things I have learned, and even more I have already forgotten.

Wayne

[tipptruck1]

Learned to spinnerbiats and jigs really work. Also learned that you should wear your pdf.

[BucketmouthAngler13]

I leanred just about everything i know. From Bassholebuster and from this site.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

The most important thing was how to fish SENKOS(knockoffs) wow what a lure!

I started to foll around with bait casting in the spring but opted to stay with the comfort of spinning (mistake)

I also learned how to fish water over 10 ft deep

Goal for 2007 Jigs and I gave my spinning stuff mostly to Ron and a couple of kids , I kept one spinning rig for rapalas now BAITCASTING for 2007

[senile1]

I became much more proficient with using the Carolina rig.  

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Hey Senile is that the North Carolina rig or the South Carolina Rig ;D ;D ;D

[roadwarrior]

New lures/ techniques

Well, not exactly new, but used more often and more successfully: jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Added X-Raps to my jerkbait collection.

New line

Switched from Yo-Zuri Hybrid to Hybrid Ultra Soft.

Experimented with Triple Fish Fluorocarbon, Gamma Fluorocarbon and Maxima Monofilament.

New equipment philosophy

I will not buy anything "new" unless it has been HIGHLY recommended to me on this Forum or by someone I know (personally) and trust.

2007

I might give Suffix Braid a try on one of my baitcasters.

I intend to put even more emphasis on jigs as opposed to soft plastics.

I intend to fish all my "brand new" lures that are more than three years old and have never taken a bath.

I am going to Lake Fork and will try to fish Dale Hollow and Guntersville.

If I can do one other big trip, I would like to fish Stick Marsh/ Farm 13.

[tallydude]

Finally figured out how to use a baitcaster.  ;D ;D

Also, I switched to using braided line on almost everything. I love it!

I am also nowhere any closer to catching anything on a chatterbait but that won't stop me. And as for fishing a plastic worm, maybe 2007 will be for then.

[senile1]

Hey Senile is that the North Carolina rig or the South Carolina Rig ;D ;D ;D

Oh no, there's more than one???????  

[Pond Hopper]

Oh, how could I forget my most important lesson, never put your best friend and girlfriend in your 10 foot basshunter on a very windy day.  They end up losing oars, getting stuck in the shallows and in the end oyu get muddy trying to pull them out.  

Next time I continue to fish and say the hell with them after I take a few pictures.  

Corey

[Captain Cali]

I learned that you CAN catch big bass on small baits! There is a time and place for everything.

I became more of a finesse angler this year. Less casts...more fish. Sounds good to me.

[Vyron]

How 2 constantly catch big fish.

What I did was 2 improve my soft plastic presentation.

Captain Cali I ll second that!!!

[Craw]

I tried lots of new things this year so I'll only name a few...

#1-Took one of my bread and butter techniques(jig fishing) and used a much more aggressive approach to fishing it. Normally I pitch a jig to cover oriented targets and probe the bottom with a lift and drop method. This year my shoulder has been injured and to ease the pain I used an underhand roll cast most of the time. I tried to skip the jig with each cast and would then swim the jig back. Used a swimming action 90% of the time. This included swimming the jig aggressively in the upper water column, slow rolling it along the bottom contour and everywhere in between. I've never caught so many large bass, largemouth and smallmouth. I've been fishing a jig for a long time and I've caught lots of big bass on it in years past but this year was phenomenal.

#2-Shakey head was a real producer for me. I didn't catch any large bass on it but this technique really saved the day for me when the fishing was tough. I was also able to dredge up some really deep bass by vertical jigging it around bridges. This worked here on my home lake(Claytor), Smith Mountain, Philpot and Kerr.

#3-Wacky rigged senko. What can I say, this particular technique can be magical.

#4-I have to give an honorable mention to two baits in particular, both of which I learned about from members of this site.

GYCB's Fat Ika

Lucky Craft's Pointer 78

As far as new tackle, I purchased 5 new reels this year. 4 Team Daiwa(TD-X and Advantage) and a Shimano(Curado 100D). I've purchased St Croix Premiers for all except the TD-X(I paired it with a Team Daiwa-S). I have a birthday coming up and Christmas is right around the corner so I have my eye on a few other things as well.

This summer I was furloughed from my job for 8 weeks(time off with pay is AWESOME) so I got to spend most of my nights fishing. I feel that it was a real opportunity to refine my techniques for fishing "the dark side" and hopefully this will be rewarding in the years to come.

Last remark...

                     I would like to thank Glenn and all the moderators, as well as all members of this site. I joined up this year and have been provided with more than enough food for thought to keep me going between fishing trips. Thank you!

[NJfishinGuy]

oh god so much its not funny

soft plastics and how to rig them for what

a ton of info on reaction and get bass to react

migratory patterns i never knew

boat positioning

[scott000]

this is my first true bassin year so i learned alot. mainly about topwaters and softies.

about a year ago, i was usin nightcrawlers for sunnies

[RODBENDER]

learned .. ain't no wrong way to fish a HORNEY-TOAD ....  AT LEAST NOT THIS YEAR IT WASN'T

New lure of the year ... ZOOM SPEED WORM

if you ain't tried em you should

[gatrboy53]

1-drop shot....in 50' of water

2-chatter bait in early spring

3-dd22's-open water structure fishin

4-jig w/ craw trailer,caught some fish ,but just wont stick w/ it

being a predominantly bank beater i spent a large amout of my time in open water learning how to structure fish,and use my electronics better.

for 07

1-invest in and learn to use a gps

2-refine my drop shot and shakey head techniques

3-learn to be more proficient w/ a jig in the suwannee river

[Captain Cali]

1-drop shot....in 50' of water

That is awesome! It sounds like you are fishing in California, not Florida! You would do really well with that technique out here.

[Zel]

ALWAYS, and I repeat ALWAYS, take along a change of clothes and a towel when you take little kids fishing.  

Look at me dad, I'm king of the hill.

That's really great but don't fall off that rock.

Don't worry dad, I'll be carefulllllllll.......SPLASH!

[MadGator]

This was a pretty good year for me personally.  Here are some new things I did and learned....

1. Fishing trips with good friends are awesome, even when you get skunked on the first day

2. Chatterbaits rule in early spring and early fall

3. Kentucky Lake is ginormous, and I am terrible at offshore structure fishing

4. Soft Plastic frogs are my new favorite topwater

5. Zoom Horney toads are the best soft plastic frogs on the market

6. Mustad 4/0 baitkeeper hooks are the best hooks for soft plastic frogs

7. Timing is everything, took the first week of October off had wonderfull fishing and beutifull weather, rest of the month has been horrible fishing and terrible weather.

8. I still suck at using a spinnerbait

9. Flipping a chatterbait under docks catches fish, including Bass, Muskies, and Northern Pike

10. GPS rules

11. Learing to use a locator is hard, but very very usefull

12. Boats break and are expensive to fix

13. Weightless t-rigged senko (and knockoffs) produce better than weighted

14. Wacky style is still where it's at

15. Rapala DT-10 and DT-16 seriers cranks actually catch bass

16. Rapala DT-10 and DT-16 seriers cranks hurt your arm after 3 casts

17. I enjoy fishing new water

18. All the information in the world doesn't make you the best fisherman, but it does get you a little closer

19. $35/year for local water topo maps is good price (www.lake-link.com)

20. I have a wonderfull, very cool, and awesome wife (she doesn't read this board) who let me go fishing almost every weekend  this past year

21. Most importantly, Lunch breaks are for fishing, not eating.

It was a good year, I caught more fish this year than in the past.  I'm learning to establish patterens, based on locations, depth, water temp, structure, and weather patterns.  Bass fishing is pretty much done here in Packer country, there is still open water, and the toothy critters are calling.  Next the Ice will set in and I will cry myself to sleep on a nightly bassis until May when the game fish season once again and I can pursue the infamous Bass.

[bassrogue]

Well I just started bass fishing this year. Thanks to this forum I've learned alot.

Haven't got to try everything I wanted to this year, but there are a few things I've gotten pretty good at.

I've learn to use Topwaters and Jigs well with good results. My casting is also getting better.

Next year I'll try and work on my baitcasting (just fixed up an old Abu Garcia Ambassaduer 5500 C)

I would also like to work on my crankbait and jerkbait skills too.

Well...May the skills of 2006 let everyone fish better and learn more in 2007  ;D

BR

[Guest avid]

three things were new and very informative this year.

1.  I love fishing chatterbaits and they catch pretty good

2.  I started with swimbaits and proved I could catch fish with them

3.  Don't overdo it.  If you find youself taking more and stronger painkillers to go fishing, then you are fiishing too much.

My right arm was already on it's way out when I got into throwing swimbaits.  These husky babes put me over the edge.

Listen to your body.  

goal for next year

full recovery from surgery, and being smarter about avoiding overuse injuries

2. Catch bigger fish using swimbaits.