slump buster??Need help

[buzzbaitfool12]

Well guys I am in a serious fishing slump..Growing up, fishing small farm ponds and not having as much knowledge about fishing,I always through 5,6,7,8,10,12 inch worms..most of it was done with culprit worms in pumpkinseed,red shad, black shad, and solid black..I would fish this the whole time and boat many fish..I would texas rig throw out let sit and work the bait back to the boat...It seems to me the more knowledge I got about fishing the worse I feel I get at catching..Now  let me explain..I have 8 reel combos rigged up..the majority of course is powerfishing techniques(spinnerbaits,crankbaits,rattletraps,shadraps, and of course buzzbaits..}  I also have a spotremover, texas rig, jig, and dropshot tied on..The problem I see i am doing is not slowing down like a should, because I dont have the confidence in slowing down..when I do slow down i feel like i dont have a chance in you know what to catch a fish..I feel all the different techniques I have learned is bogging down my catching..do you guys stick with one thing or do you have all these different lures tied on..Some good advice would be greatly appreciated..

[senko_77]

Ryan, when I spent that weekend at Nunley, I learned a ton from you about how to fish fast.  I had never really power fished before and then all the sudden, I'm catching 5lber after 5lber.  But, do you remember when the power fishing bite died, and you weren't sure what to do, and I caught the 7 and the 5 on a finesse worm?  

That taught me something, and I hope you can use it to learn something too.  There are times when a rattletrap will smoke a worm, but then there are times when those fish will only take a soft plastic.  You know this from the past few months at Varner.  There was a time when traps were crushing the big fish, but then, it was worms with light weights.  

If I were you, I would have my confidence power fishing lure rigged and my confidence slow bait rigged.  That's what I do at all my tournaments.  I have extra rods rigged, but I really only use 2 rods all day, and usually at the end of the day it's narrowed down to one.  

If your throwing your confidence bait, you will catch fish.  Be positive at all times and know that you are just as good as anybody else.  When I'm fishing, I am always repeating my favorite fishing saying that is featured on this site.  It is what I base my entire day around.

"The most succesful anglers are chronically optimistic.  They believe every cast will bring a strike."

So keep it simple, be confident, and just go out and FISH

[5bass]

Yeah,it happens to me too. I can have 10 rods rigged with all different baits and end up not touching 7 or 8 of them all day long. I will usually stick to the old basic stuff (spinnerbait,crank,jig) until I figure out the fish dont want them. Then and only then do I switch to one of the new techniques to try to get bit. I have enough confidence built up that I almost KNOW my basic baits will get me a bite or two before long. I stick with them as long as I can because of the confidence factor.

 

[Needemp]

Hey, if bass fishing is a long term goal for you, then maybe this is good advise for you. It does require patience. Try choosing a lure that is most attractive to you. For instance, if you really wish you were an effective spinnerbait guy, then take the spinnerbait and fish it as much as possible for a whole year. Study everything you can about that bait and practice what you learn. Use this bait all the time. When conditions are just absolutely wrong for a spinnerbait, then use the only other bait you have confidence in, the worm. Example: if you are not getting bit on a white tandemn #4.5 willow blade in clear water, go to a transluscent skirt and maybe a 4 or 3.5 blade. Try burning it or slow retrieving it. Change weights of the head, colors, skirt types, blades, retrieve speed and erratic action. Use a big heavy 3/4 to 1 oz in 15 to 20 feet of water slow rolling it on the bottom. Jig it, helicopter it. The object is that you are forcing yourself to become a master at the spinnerbait, or crankbait, etc. Next year pick another bait. Yes it takes patience, but look at all the knowledge you have to aquire for every bait. It would take forever to learn all baits without a plan! Hope this helps.

[buzzbaitfool12]

Ryan,fivebass, and needemp thanks for the advice..you guys are all right about what you have said..I guess what I am trying to say I stay up at all times of the nite on this site digesting and reading as much about different techniques that sometimes I make this harder than I should..I most definetly am a power fisherman and ryan I learned alot about fishing from you the day you came out and caught those nice fish on the spotremover..I remember we where loading up and you threw out into the middle of nowhere and you caught a three lber..I just need to sometimes keep it simple, stupid and fish..Thanks again guys

[BassChaser57]

I agree that you should find a method that you enjoy and try to become an expert at it. Look at Larry Nixon(worms), Dave Fritts (crank baits), Denny Brauer (jig), KVD (power fishing). You get the idea. These guys have found their niche and exploit it to their benifit. I feel I am a fairly good jig/plastic angler but work on spinnerbait and topwater whenever I think the fish are active as those are methods I want to get better at. If things are slow, I go to what I KNOW works to keep my interest up.

Good Luck  8-)

[senko_77]

Ryan,fivebass, and needemp thanks for the advice..you guys are all right about what you have said..I guess what I am trying to say I stay up at all times of the nite on this site digesting and reading as much about different techniques that sometimes I make this harder than I should..I most definetly am a power fisherman and ryan I learned alot about fishing from you the day you came out and caught those nice fish on the spotremover..I remember we where loading up and you threw out into the middle of nowhere and you caught a three lber..I just need to sometimes keep it simple, stupid and fish..Thanks again guys

WORD

[Needemp]

Ryan,fivebass, and needemp thanks for the advice..you guys are all right about what you have said..I guess what I am trying to say I stay up at all times of the nite on this site digesting and reading as much about different techniques that sometimes I make this harder than I should...

The fact that you stay up all night on this site shows that you want to learn. But remember that there is a lot of stuff on this site that is really good info, but there is a lot that is inexperienced opinions of others and it can mislead and confuse you at times. A lot of fisherman have the head knowledge and know how to speak the language, but don't really know what they are talking about. There is nothing wrong with that because they are just trying to be helpful and learn themselves, but you just have to be careful with what you read. My point is this, find some other sources that you fully can trust. For instance I trust Infisherman, Lindners, Older Bassmasters, and several others. The newer Bassmasters and Bassin Magazine I don't put much stock in. But find the sources you trust, study them and use this site to help you and you will be OK 8-).

[Guest avid]

If your bank fishing a common mistake is for anglers to walk up to the edge of the water, and cast as far as they can.  

Approach the bank quietly and from a distance softly pitch a 5" watermelon senko, weightless, on a semi slack line.

be patient. let the senko do the work.

You staying up all night tells me that you "have the fever"  this is a two edged sword.  Yes, it is good for motivation, but it becomes a negetive when your compulsion to catch a bass "right now" overcomes good technique.

There are very few days where a 5" watermelon senko will not catch bass.  

Stay clam, stay with it.   Take a deep breath, and remember fishing is fun.

avid

[Guest Bountiful_Waters]

You can't put enough emphasis on fishing with your confidence lure. I have seen it time and time again when one guy in the boat starts catching bass on his confidence bait, the partner switches to the same bait and still doesn't catch as many fish. I feel lost when I fish a new bait, but whether it's human nature or whatever, when we're catching, we still switch up lures and inevitably switch back to our confidence lure. One fella stated that you should have a bait for every occasion. I agree, but it takes time on the water to feel confident in a new lure or even a color variation. Human nature also makes us stay with one bait too long when it's not producing. Just like a football coach; have a play for 1st-4th downs. If it works, stay with it. Make the bass tell you to change, not the little guy on your shoulder, or the magnitude of information about how "their" lure and presentation is the best. You decide! I never was very good at walking the dog. I went out yesterday as the ice has finally left. I through about 50 practice casts trying to perfect "walking" my bait. I just am not very good at it. I can play heck with a popper, so when know it counts, I am going to throw that popper until I can master the other.

[radiob]

I also feel your pain. I have Actually printed out quite a lot of the articles on the site to read when the net is not available, also before i go to bed. I am not a ver expirenced fisherman, but gosh do I love it. I know a lot of you guys don't like this but I always take a dozen worms out with me, just in case I am having an aweful day. I throw a few cast with worm bait, catch a fish or two, then go back to practice. I guess this really doesn't help you much, but it sure helps me (ADD).

And I do mean only a few cast. I really don't like live bait, except when I go out with someone who has absolutly no idea and really doesn't want to learn what little i can teach. Soooo.... whatev.... sorry to take up the space :-/

The Radio Guy

[jomatty]

radiob,

i think you will find that while it is true that many people on the forum do not use live bait, very few have any problem with those that do.  have fun and dont feel apologetic for going out and having fun catching fish, regardless of how you do so.

i found that my biggest problem was not giving lures enough of a chance to work for me.  i became obsessed with fishing and wanted to learn all i could about everything.  everytime i saw someone win a tournament on some lure i had to go get some.  the end result was i spent a lot of time rotating through rods and tying on new baits, unless i was lucky enough to get bit while during the rare times my bait was in the water.  i started to feel like i was never gonna catch fish.  id tie something on and after a few casts get this feeling like "there is no way this is gonna work".  

needless to say that is not gonna work.  i am happy that i still have a junky style if needed but i now have certain techniques that i exhaust before i start trying something new.  the baits i have confidence in continue to produce, and although others have done well for me at times, those times are honestly the times i could catch em on my confidence lures as well.  

this is more about me because i know you are a lot further along in your fishing than i was when i had these problems but thought id share.

matt

[roadwarrior]

Slump Buster(s):

5" Senko (not a knock-off), T-rigged, weightless & weedless.

Fat Ika rigged skirt forward, weightless & weedless.

If you want to catch some bass, that is all you need to throw. Right now a lot of other lures should be VERY productive, but if they're not working for you, these two baits will...guaranteed!

[bugman]

You may want to ask a MLB hitter how he busts a slump ;D

[buzzbaitfool12]

I would look for a fastball ..use to be baseball player..That was alot easier than fishing..I did not fiddle to much with my stance or anything like that..Thats the problem with fishing there are so many techniques that I get bogged down into thinking I got to do it all..Im going to just challenge myself to taking out worms and get the feel back into this again and grab some confidence..Once again thanks for your input..It will be put into good use..

I have a tourney saturday..so I hope I can get my groove back.. 8-)

[hipster_dufus]

man, are we on the same page! i too seem to catch more fish when i knew less. the more i know the less i catch. the one thing that saves me is when iam fishing and no one else is catching i dont feel as bad. i was  at ce sun on bennet and i caught one dink. it was so small i didnt even lip it, just shook it off at the boat. we fish a lot of the same waters, i too am mostly a crank, spinner guy. last yr i went to a c-rig and caught a few i cant seem to slow down enough.i find ft yargo, hard labor creek tough to fish, when i say tough i mean i dont even see fry swimming at the edgea of the lake, i wonder if it is fishing pressure or if the lakes are fished out. even when i go to elliot i never see anyone just slaying them. i consider 5-6 fish in 4-6 hrs a good day. seems like when i was new to fishing i caught more fish, when i had a RICKETY BOAT ,I CAUGHT MORE FISH. I HAVE ALL THE EQUIP NOW AND CASTCH FEWER FISH,ARRRGH.IGUESS THAT IS WHY THEY CALL IT FISHING AND NOT CATCHING

[buzzbaitfool12]

Hipster..I dont think these lakes are fished out I think we both have the same problem..We give slow fishing about 10 minutes and fast fishing all day..When some of the waters we fish are so pressured, you have to slow down to entice that bass to bite..Thats why we are struggling with a spinnerbait, crankbait, or rattletrap because they have seen this bait oh so many times..Thats why,just like the poster said a few post back, you got to knock that little voice off your shoulder and stick to slow or finesse fishing..drop shotting, carolina rigs, spot removers, shakey heads, slider heads, jigs, etc..

I guess I should not complain to much, because this is the first year I really fished winter hard..I have caught a 8.6, 8.3, and 8.0..several 7 and 6 lbers..I guess I shouldnt get to greedy just trying to become better angler

[foul hooked]

Sometimes when I have the skunk on I'll just downsize my favorite baits and see how slow I can fish them.

When all else fails, it's time for a Zoom finesse worm on a split shot rig.

[BASS fisherman]

Nah, don't listen about that technique crap, you just have to focus on holding your mouth right!  

[PondBoss]

I have a feeling we are kinda the same in the way we fish.  I generally "powerfish" with fast moving baits and in pretty shallow water.  I completely understand were you are coming from when you talk about being in a "slump".  I get in those sometimes too.  Being a golf professional I'll say this if you keep it simple and trust yourself you'll do just fine.  The hardest thing about golf like fishing is keeping it simple.  I find that when I'm having a hard time both on the course and on the water that I'm pressing and trying a lil to hard.  Calm down a bit and know that you  are the best angler you know and you'll catch one on the next cast.  I think you'll find you'll not only have better results but you'll have more fun too.

[PondBoss]

If that doesn't work you could always tie on the biggest treble hook you can find and put on a huge weight and start snagging!  

;D

[Catt]

Slumps are something we all deal with; I've found through the years the best way to handle them is to get back to basics. I know what my strengths are and fish towards them; I suggest you should do the same. If you are good at Flipping/Pitching, Texas Rigs, Cranks, Spinners, or what ever concentrate on those techniques. If you are good at shallow water, deep water, grass concentrate on those areas.

I've learned to down size my tackle to just the basics, it is extremely hard to be a master of all the available techniques. I'm very good at Jig-N-Craws, Texas Rigs, & Spinner baits so I fish where I can maximize these strengths. I'm not that great with Crank baits so I don't waste tournament time fishing them. I don't try new techniques either when tournament fishing, I do this when I'm play fishing.

So when in a slump I would look for small things to change, like timing of the hook set, speed of the hook set. Pat Miller & I have been fishing together for about twenty five years & we don't hesitate telling the other when he is not on top of his game. It is not a major change that is usually needed when you are not getting bite.

[LONGEARS]

Sometimes I think we decide we want to catch fish but not how we want to.Nowadays I fish mainly cranks.I have done the whole worm thing and still take my worm box with me.I just never use it because somewhere along the line I decided I wanted to catch Bass on Cranks.So now when I am not ,I spend my time and talent on choosing the crankbait presentation for those circumstances and adjust untill I catching with cranks.

[Gatorbassman]

Ryan, I feel like I know you and the lakes you fish well enough to give you some challenges for this year.

Challenge #1

 Keep a detailed fishing log of every day you fish. Include a few extra things beyond the normal information like exactly what spot you caught them on and at what depth. (bottom, suspended, on top) Make a map and number each spot. This will make it easier to keep track of the spots that hold the best and most fish on lake nunya. I know that you have noticed that there are precise spots on Nunya that seem to hold fish all the time. Break these spots down and find the exact spots that the fish like to hold. Keeping a detailed fishing log will help you accomplish this.

Challenge #2

 Power fish all you want but when you catch a fish or two with a Rattletrap or a Buzzbait and you continue to fish that spot until you feel you have fished it out. Stop and spend 10 to 15 more minutes fishing it slowly with a worm. You may find that you have found a school of bass feeding at the same spot and you caught the most aggressive ones with the power method and when you switch to a slower worm you will mop up the rest.

[WBFishing]

Sometimes I think we decide we want to catch fish but not how we want to.quote]

I agree with that 100%. I fished a BFL at the beginning of the month and was sure those fish would be on a spinnerbait bite.  I love to catch fish on a spinnerbait cause if they are on the bite, they are crushing it.  My confidence is in a worm though.  I threw spinnerbaits for 2 hours with no bites. Threw a lipless crank for an hour and had a 4+ throw the trebles. My boater was crushing on a trickworm, my go to bait.  As soon as I picked up my worm rod, I started getting bite and actually kept from blanking.  I guess what I am trying to say is your confidence bait will always break a slump,