New for 2010?

[SWMIBASSER]

Another thing.....Notice how this is changing as winter goes along. ;D

Like others I want to use my sonar to locate spot on spot areas. And practice boat control.

Both were something I felt I was pretty good at, but I've been without a boat for a couple years now. You can't practice either one in the back of someone elses boat.

I'll be in my own this year.

Also want to increase the average size of my catch.

All of the above, including the spot on spot locations boat control and average size ties into my original post of refining my jig techniques.

[Lund Explorer]

I'm afraid Twenty-Ten is going to force to me to face up to a couple of hard choices. 

I got out of tournament fishing a couple of years ago when my long time partner got sick.  Now, another friend of mine is going to be looking for a new partner as his old one is moving out of state (@#$%& Economy).  So I've already got that proposal bounced off me.  Then our middle son who is graduating college (the 2nd time) this spring, is bugging me to get into chasing Ol'Marble Eyes in tournaments all summer.

Nothing wrong with tournament fishing, but I really don't know if I want to get back into that game right now.  I'm still getting used to the idea that fishing doesn't have to be strictly regulated.

Anyhow, if I can get out of that mess, 2010 will find me putting newer electronics on the boat.  I just bought a new Lowrance HDS-5x, so now everything is in color. 

Next toys on the list are a couple of new b/c combos to replace some of the old stuff.  Not sure yet whether I'm going to stick with Abu, or shift over to Shimanos.

Finally when I get on the water, I really need to get back onto crankbaits a little more.  I'd also like to find out where A-Jay is slamming all of the smallmouths he keeps posting on here.

[Bankbeater]

I want to start throwing topwater baits earlier next year and not start at the end of summer like I did this year.

[MALTESE FALCON]

With the phenomenal year I had in '09, I'm not sure I want to do anything different.

The two things I will probably try are:

1-Force myself to slow, down and finally catch a smallie on a tube. All my buddies laugh at me because I never use them in the lake.

2-Use my hard swimbaits more.

Falcon

[SWMIBASSER]

With the phenomenal year I had in '09, I'm not sure I want to do anything different.

The two things I will probably try are:

1-Force myself to slow, down and finally catch a smallie on a tube. All my buddies laugh at me because I never use them in the lake.

2-Use my hard swimbaits more.

Falcon

You could always offer to take a fellow MI fisherman out on st Clair also......

Not that was shameless. ;D

[bigtimfish]

The same thing I did in 09, learn to crank off of deep structure. Also FINALLY catch something on one of my Huddleston's.

[Infantry216]

How much would you like to get out of your hds? Thanks, Drew

[deep_wormin]

Learn more about fishing a jig and a flutter spoon.

[I.rar]

locating fish and understanding why they are there when they are.

jigs.

spinnerbaits.

cranking.

ssslllooowwwiinnnggg doowwwnnn.

just focusing on improving my overall fishing skills.

annndd , getting my first kayak.

im hoping next year will be better than this one was.

[christopherjake]

2010 and many years before, I'm still hoping to catch my first DD.  It will happen....

[Bass_Akwards]

Most important goal for me this year is...

1. Teach someone to fish.  I want to teach at least one of my friends to fish, and get him/her into bass fishing.

2. Become, at very least, above average with a Jig&Pig.  I've made thousands of casts the past few years and maybe only 50 with a Jig.  That's just sad,  and needs to stop NOW!   The J&P should be an integral part of any good fishermans arsenal and I constantly blow it off.  My goal is to catch at least 30 bass on a Jig this spring and summer.

3.  Learn to pattern fish better.  Very difficult but I have to learn.

4.  Learn to handle my mistake beats better.  If I lose a fish, count to ten and settle down.  Don't get so mad.

5. There's a lake 35 minutes from me that has 8+ pounders in it.  I never get my butt down there, and instead hunt the 4-6 pounders 5 minutes from my house.  This year the goal is to drive the 35 minutes at least 10 times.

6.  Same goal as every year... Catch a Colorado state record LMB of at least 11.6 pounds.

[Fishes in trees]

I have some thoughts on this subject. I'd like to get better at my dropshot skills. Not so much finesse dropshot , but 20 lb flourocarbon,

half ounce or better weights, floppy, bulky plastics that move quite a bit

of water.

I'd like to get better at using my electronics.

kind of on the same subject, I'd like to find a coach, somebody who could help, move the learning curve beyond trial and error. Sometimes

I feel I do ok, other times an unbiased opinion would be helpful.

I want to get rid of that  "dead time" on the water where you are

not catching fish and you don't feel like you're learning anything.

[fourbizz]

1. Enjoy bass fishing again.

2. Poke big fish more regularly

3. Set a fly fishing line class world record.

[Sam]

Throwing more jigs. 

[Retrofan]

Not sure on the details of my plan just yet, but when I was thinking about what it would be I heard this phrase:

"A goal without a plan is just a wish"

That alone made me start back at step one to make sure I wasn't just "wishing" for something instead of making a specific plan for meeting my goals. It also made me evaluate my goals outside of fishing.

[Simp]

Well this thread has got me thinking about it. So here in no particular order is what I want to do in 2010.

1) Become proficient in the Drop Shot

2) Improve my ability to locate fish all

seasons. In the early early spring at times I strugle while other times it's a feast. In may and early June I rock, but come July they move deep and suspend and I feel I need to improve my ability to find them.

3)Become proficient with a spoon.

4) Win at least one Club tournament this year.

5) Finish in the top 5 in my club.

6) Always my goal, get a double digit bass or at least break my PB!!

[zero limit]

For me 2010 will be the year I start using baitcasting equipment, also got my eye on a used canoe.

YEP! going to be a good year.

[kms399]

I would really like to get back into plastics specifically drop shot, shaky head and tubes. last year I got into cranks and jerkbaits and I really suffered when I went back to plastics i guess i lost my feel for it.

I would like to force myself to try different spots on my lake other than just going to my same old spots. I drive past a lot of spots I see others fish all the time.

I would like to set a new pb, so i need a fish 5.9lbs or better, here in MN the record is only 8.15 so a 6lber would be great for me!

[EastTexasBassin]

Last year I set my focus for 2009 to be jig fishing.  Its been a blast, and I think I'm going to have a hard time switching gears...but I must.

The next thing for me is crankbaits.  I've just never thrown one long enough to catch anything decent.  I've got a few trays full of them.  Each one was thrown a couple of times, and then put down so I could throw a jig or soft plastic.  I've caught a couple of dinks on crankbaits, but nothing over a pound.

[Black Bass]

Just fish more!!!!

[roadwarrior]

1. Turn spinnerbaits into another "go-to" technique.

2.  Learn to fish spoons, deep on structure.

3.  Hook-up with another giant smallmouth!

Merry Christmas!   

[adclem]

Still want to work on my jig fishing, much improved this year.  But still a lot more room for improvement.  Work on my spinner bait fishing as well.  Learn to tune them a lot better.  Last but not least try actually using some of the crank baits I have that are just collecting dust.lol

Later,

[aarogb]

For 2010 I would like to be able to find fish regulary and be able to catch them (and be able to understand why they are there).

Getting into jig fishing and crankbait fishing a bit more wouldn't be bad either.