Hardest to learn?

[Crestliner2008]

Accurate pitching for me. Don't do it enough....then when I get myself into a position where I need it, I'm not very good at it!

My forte is definitely soft plastics on off-shore structures.

[MALTESE FALCON]

OK, now everybody is going to laugh. I can't catch a cold with a tube. I live on one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the country, and everybody says tubes are their go-to smallie bait...............not me. I can catch them with crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits, as soon as I put on a tube, I may as well grab a sandwich, and Dr. Pepper, because my fishing is done.

Falcon

[TommyBass]

Hard jerk baits... I don't try them enough so that dosn't help.  Have never really got good with them.  Maybe if I had some smallies to try them on.........

[senile1]

There are lots of things I can't say I've learned yet, because it is a work in progress.

No matter how experienced one is there are some things that are always a work in progress. I honestly don't know if any one thing is more difficult than others.  I fish lakes with lots of clutter on the bottom so I can only use the carolina rig in particular places. Because of this I don't use it enough to become what I would call an expert with the technique. I think my sonar reading skills could always improve. Side-imaging and downscan could make this easier but I don't own these tools at the moment. I think the average wind speeds where I fish range from 15 - 25 mph so my boat control is something that I still need to improve. It will never be where I want it to be. Improvement is always possible and it is a lifetime activity.

[Crestliner2008]

OK, now everybody is going to laugh. I can't catch a cold with a tube. I live on one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the country, and everybody says tubes are their go-to smallie bait...............not me. I can catch them with crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits, as soon as I put on a tube, I may as well grab a sandwich, and Dr. Pepper, because my fishing is done.

Falcon

That's a shame! You may be really missing out on something good here. How are you trying to fish them? Even if you just drag them along the bottom, you're going to get bit!

A slow drift and casting or dragging is bound to get you into fish with a tube; unless the structures you're fishing are not supporting that good a population.

[brushhoggin]

Fishing a jig.

My strong suit is soft plastics and you might think

the jig is about the same...NOT!

After more than two years, I finally "got it".

Even though soft plastics are far more productive

than any other class of lures, I prefer fishing a

jig.

8-)

gosh this worries me. i just stocked up on jigs of all colors and weights thinking i could add them to my arsenal and just fish em like a worm and youre telling me thats not it! how can this possibly take two years?

[Patrick Ferguson]

Id have to say patience. Waiting for the fish to take the bait, fishing worms slowly, etc.

[Paul Roberts]

The hardest part for me has been (and will always be) understanding how bass react to the million-and-one possible combinations of conditions. The good news is that this is also what makes this pursuit so enjoyable. Every day is a new challenge.

'Ditto'.

Understanding how bass behave. It's not only the biggest challenge, but the most interesting one too.

Well...that's number 2. Number 1 is finding the time to get out the door and onto the water.

[timothy_spain]

Still can't get my swimbait rigged properly

[Pitchinkid]

Confidence in swim-baits. Might be easier in Cali, hard to throw sometimes in WV. Real swimbaits anyway.

[Nine Miler]

OK, now everybody is going to laugh. I can't catch a cold with a tube. I live on one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the country, and everybody says tubes are their go-to smallie bait...............not me. I can catch them with crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits, as soon as I put on a tube, I may as well grab a sandwich, and Dr. Pepper, because my fishing is done.

Falcon

Now, I have only fished St. Clair for about two seasons, but I just bought my first pack of tubes this winter.  I still have a hard time believing I can catch fish with this thing.  To this day, I have never tied a tube on my line.  Maybe we should start a St. Clair tube support group.

[bcody]

Fishing a Jig for me as well...

Still haven't learned when and where and why even after reading tons. I may try to have one on at all times and force myself to fish it.

[CAdeltaLipRipper]

Dragging and hopping a jig.I mean ive caught fish off of them but i just really dont have a feel for them yet i love them

[Elite Image Fishing]

The hardest lesson I have had to learn is to welcome new techniques, but also stay true to my older ones. I have gotten used to  throwing one rig all day as opposed to using different pieces to put together the puzzle. Its almost as if I try to use one color to paint a picture. I'm not the type to pull up on a hump and catch 30 fish. Its a buzz-bait here a drop-shot there... ooo a mad-paca would work great here. And I have strayed from that by trying to use one or two new techniques to catch the fish and it has cost me.

So learning to add to my arsenal and not devote 100% of my time to one technique.

[Big Bait Fishing]

detecting soft bites on a jig , well, jig fishing period !!!  :-[

[UrbanAngler]

Fishing with "Hammer4"

and drop shot fishing.

[A-Rob]

I hear about local pros finding a spot and catching something like 64 bass. I have never done that before.

I think I don't find that sweet spot on the spot and fishing it out.

So I would say my fish locating skills. I can catch them if I know they are there most the time.