Determination or versatility?

[Yakfish]

Someone touched on this in a post I read yesterday and after a fruitless four hours of beating the banks today I'm curious as to what the consensus is as far as sticking to one type of bait vs. mixing it up until you hit paydirt. Today I fished a jig for nearly two hours (not a confidence bait for me but one I'm determined to learn to fish) then switched to a trusty senko for two more hours of biteless solitude before calling it a day. I'm sure the opinions will differ greatly but I need some different perspectives: are you better off giving up on a bait after half an hour or so if it gets no action or is sticking with it the way to go?

[earthworm77]

I think there is a difference between simply just randomly tying on baits until one works and the versatility to tie on the right bait.

[ga_hawghauler]

i think anyone who wants to learn to be a versitle fisherman must have dedication and a lot of patience. I dont mean just randomly tying on new baits but if you want learn how to fish a paticular bait or learn a new techingue it will reguire dedication and patience,

[5bass]

I think there is a difference between simply just randomly tying on baits until one works and the versatility to tie on the right bait.

Good point EW.

I also will take into consideration the amount of water that I cover with a bait before I switch.If I'm running from spot to spot (points,brushpiles) I switch lures more often until I find the right one.10-12 casts with a bait then switch it up for 10-12 more etc....Sometimes I find the "right one" quickly,sometimes not.

If I'm just beating the banks I will change about every 15-20 minutes and I often will fish previously productive banks back and forth with different baits on each pass.

[justfishin]

First of all, you said you spent countless hours " beating the banks ". Were you in a river or lake? What was the temp? As to the generic part of the question of what I do. Unless I am on a lake and heading for a specific spot with a specific technique in mind I almost always start with a faster bait such as a spinnerbait, buzzbait or maybe a crankbait. I use them as search tools. Looking for that bite or bump. When I find some fish I will then slow down and work the area and attempt to pick it apart as to what the deal is. What is holding them there? 99% of the time it is for two reasons,food and cover. Then ask yourself, are they after shad or some other type of baitfish? Is the bottom rocky or have riprap and contain mudbugs? This will tell you, at least, give you some avenue of how you want to start your pattern there. Spinnerbait,crankbait or maybe jigs, tubes or worm fishing. I use a lot of jigs because you can swim them or fast hop them to cover some water and then if you get a few bites or bumps you can slow down. I see so many guys " bank beating " and although you can certainly catch fish this way and sometimes of the year this is a excellent technique it will never let you progress as a fisherman. Your tacklebox is your toolbox. All the new fancy,smancy stuff will not do you any good if you don't apply it as intended. There is no " wonder bait ", so don't believe the adds. Just figure them out. We are smarter than they are,although, sometimes, at least personally, I wonder,LOL. Good luck !!!

[Catt]

Was the jig/senko the wrong bait?

Was it the wrong color?

Were you in the wrong area?

Were you working it wrong?

Maybe the bass simply were not biting?

How long do you stay with particular bait?

There is no correct answer!

The odds of getting bit during the winter are the absolute lowest of any season making it harder to learn any new bait.

[nboucher]

NHguy, what you're experiencing is more the norm than the exception in New England this time of year. Bites are few and far between, and jigs and maybe a Husky Jerkboth worked very very slowlyare about the only things that work.

Which brings me to my general point. Deciding what lures to use and how long to stick with them is all about your expectations. What do you expect will work, based on what you know about bass habits at certain seasons, depths, water temps, sun conditions, weater pattern, cover distribution, etc.? Your strategy is based on those things, then out on the water you adapt it to what's going on that day.

In New England in late November/early December, though, one bite every few hours is to be expected.  :-[

[jdw174]

Depending on the time of the year and current conditions, I will lay out the rods with the selection of lures that "should" work.  I will go to the spot that I'm going to fish and I'll work it with one lure.  If that doesnt work, I'll go back over it with another lure until I've satisfied myself that there either isn't anyone home, or they're not taking what I'm offering.  THEN I'll move on.  

[senile1]

It has been stated many times on this forum before that the most important thing is location, location, location.  Once you locate bass, based on the structure/cover they are relating to, the water temperature, the weather, and the seasonal pattern that should be in play, you narrow down your lure selection to the few that should work under those conditions.  Of the lures that I narrow my selection down to I tend to start with the ones that will work best as search baits and then work down to the slower more subtle baits.  I know these are general statements, but if you're fishing where the fish aren't you won't get any bites.  And nboucher made a good point as well.  When the water gets really cold, there are some days when getting one bite is an accomplishment.  

[dizzy5868]

Jim seems to have covered it pretty good. Anyone can beat the banks all day, Targeting small areas on the banks is what I would have done. Trying to put the pattern together is the hardest part. I find locating fish in cold water a little easier because you know where they "should be". Start  there and work out. There are always active fish, finding them is the hard part.  There will be many days the bite just is'nt there for what ever reason. Confidence and patience, I can't stress this enough. Even the pros get a goose egg every now and then. This is why it's called fishing not catching.

Unfortunatly You have chosen one of the most mentally challenging sports in the world, Too many variables.

Rob

[New 2 Bass]

Maybe the bass simply were not biting?

Aint that the truth.

[Yakfish]

Thanks for all of the input guys. I didn't have high expectations going out yesterday but I was optimistic because I felt that I was fishing two baits that SHOULD work and HAVE worked on this particular body of water under similar conditions. I stuck with them even when I wasn't getting any results based on the idea that when nothing is working (which has been the case the last few times out) you should stick with what has worked well in the past, your confidence bait so to speak. I guess my question should have been how long do you stick with a bait that SHOULD work under the given conditions but isn't? I've had some luck tying on a different lure after 10-12 unsucessful casts but it didn't really help me develop any confidence in any given bait. It wasn't until I started putting more time into learning how to fish certain baits that SHOULD work and getting some results with them that I started to build confidence in them. My season is just about done anyway so it's not the time for me to put new approaches into play but I'll continue to soak up all of the knowledge I can between now and spring and head out next year more well rounded angler...hopefully.  

[Catt]

Learning to fish a jig is simple; learning to feel a jig bite is not!

Learn to weigh your bait.

Explanation: if you can go to a swimming pool, pond, or creek any where the water is clear enough to see your bait on the bottom in 5 to 10 of water.

First pitch your bait about 10 to 15 yards on the ground, close your eyes a shake or hop the bait. Feel what that bait feels like in no water (I mean really learn it).

Then pitch it out in the water, close your eyes a shake or hop the bait. Feel what that bait feels like in water (I mean really learn it).

Now you are probably asking yourself what does this have to do with feeling a fish bite. Well if your bait feels any different than this, drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook!    

[Guest avid]

Versatility and determination have much in common

You can be determined to catch fish

versatility may be the key.

In terms of how long to stick with a bait..... that's a tough call.  It is related more to your confidence than to anything else.

It's important to switch techniques if what should be working isn't.

[Garnet]

If I beat the banks for 1/2 hr and catch nothing I turn around and cast out and keep working out until bass are located. And the whole time I'm working thru different baits and presentations.

Garnet

[Cigarlover 1]

I don't see it as determination or versatility. I see it as determination and versatility. Determination to stick it out and practice, practice, practice until you have learned a new bait and when/where to use it. Once you have learned more about those things then you have more versatlilty as an angler.

[Captain Cali]

I agree with avid and Cigarlover. There is a fine line between the two. You can be as versatile as possible but without the deteremination how much will it help? Same goes if you flip it. You can have all the determination in the world but if you don't open yourself to become more versatile how much will that help? You need both to be truly successful.