Don't get stuck on one lure

[NCYankee]

Two quick stories that taught (or re-taught) me a valuable lesson.

The last time I went fishing (today), I spent about an hour fishing a tiki stick slowly near a laydown that was equal distance between a shallow cove and a drop off to deeper water. Nothing. I switched to a rattlin' Rapala in crawdad and landed a 4lber on the third cast.

A week ago I spent an hour fishing a pond with a plastic lizard that was almost identical in color pattern to some salamanders I saw in the pond. I bought the lizards specifically to match the salamanders. Later that day, I did some research and found out the salamanders are red-spotted newts. They're toxic. They're poisonous to fish. To say the least, I caught nothing.

I hate this saying, but..."Let the fish tell you what they want."

Have you ever heard that insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result each time?

[fishn'fool]

If your read Bassmaster magazine the colums with are called A DAY ON THE WATER WITH which is with a different pro every month, you would be surprised how often the change lures. Granted they have a rod for every lure, they sometimes change lure every 5 to 10 minutes if they aren't catching fish.

[Rebbasser]

Good advice. All of us have a favorite lure we fish more than any other. I've got a buddy that calls a watermelon/chartreuse Tiki Stick my "Billy Ballew" (If you have ever seen the movie Caddyshack you will know what I am referring to) becuse when nothing else is working that is what I reach for. It's an easy trap to fall into I am getting better about it, though-I keep several rods on the deck so I can set one down and pick up a different rig without missing a beat.

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

I rarely "match the hatch" when I fish. In clear water I will, if I'm using erratic lures and techniques, so the lure looks wounded or what have you. If I'm using predominant forage colored lures I try to use bigger ones than what the particular forage is.

I hate hearing most of the sayings that get so over-used, such as "let the fish tell you what they want" and especially "match the hatch". I don't like rhyming sayings whatsoever. Like white supremists saying "white is right", as if just because it rhymes, it's true.

I first read that insanity definition in the A.A. book. The lady who wrote the chapter said she found it in some obscure dictionary.

[Jeff/CapeCod]

when i think i am doing something right it is wrong and if i am doing something wrong it ends up being right,aslong as i am catching fish everything is OK

[Fishie]

I don't know in certain situations matching the hatch is very important. Some I can think of are schooling bass, dropshot fishing, etc. Schooling bass can be very wreckless but they often times are very picky on what they will hit. You have to match the hatch in that situation. Often times if bass are feeding if you match the hatch you will do better IMO. Last weekend I was dropshotting docks and noticed little bluegill fry so I found a bait the same length and colors and matched the forage and got 7 off the same dock....

I think you might want to consider matching the hatch more.

One other intance is when bass are feeding on Mayflies and other bugs. You often have to find something similar in size and color in your topwater selection.

[basstech]

If you find you do get stuck on a lure, hope that the barbs didn't penetrate !

[bassinbob]

Match the hatch! I might be wrong but I've never seen a living creature buzzing on top of the water and a bass slam it. Now many of you will say a buzz-bait is a reaction lure and that's fine but there are many lures that don't resemble the hatch and catch fish. My thought is the bass sees something go buy and before it can determine if it is actually a live animal of some kind it will strike. A bass can't think, it can be conditioned to act. It knows it has to eat. So something goes by and that's dinner. Granted that doesn't apply to all situations or we could pick out one lure and just use that one. Different situations call for different tactics.

I fish a small lake and no matter what you throw they hit it. The color or size makes no difference. I've thrown 3 inch worms and 10 inch worms and the fish hit either one. I think in that situation there are so many bass competing for food they strike anything. The only forage is bluegills. So there is no hatch to match because they hit anything. If I want to try out a new lure or different tactic I fish there. I've caught bass up to 5 lbs. there. Now somewhere different I have to try different methods to find the fish. This allows me to not get caught up using only one lure or method unless all I want to do is use a frog or buzz-bait, etc.

Bob

[betursweetbass]

Part of the pleasure I recieve from bass fishing, comes from the thrill of checking out new lures. I love to go to BPS, Ganders, Academy and see what new colors are available on my favorite lures. (I spent 80.00 last night on plastics, hard baits, and scents) I can't wait to try some new line or "feel" it rather. I like to throw just about all the popular types of lures.
I have more lures in my ranger/garage/backpack/buttbag, than there are illegal aliens in the state of texas. My point is, go ahead and try different lures. Fish them with confidence once you tie it on and toss it out. Be patient, and concentrate on your retrieve. You'll know when its time to make a change. Use the ones you like best and save the rest, they'll be worth big bucks in about 50 yrs....

[basstech]

I ain't gonna be alive in 50 years. I ain't buying the next new fangled gadget to come out just because it's different or some big-shot on T.V. is pushing it. I ain't rich! The bait has to be of a nature that I know it will work before I buy it. I do enjoy looking but always wind up depressed cause it reminds me more of how much money I don't have to spend on tackle.