2 Part question concerning PATIENCE!

[damian2b]

Good Afternoon All

So on my latest outing I found myself pondering on the length of time I should spend in one area before moving on and trying a new spot. Obviously this is concerning when fish are not being caught. Lets face it...why move on if one particular area is a so called honey hole? So my first question is when either in a boat or working the shoreline for what length of time should i be spending if there appear to be no takers? I know there is a ton of patience that is required with fishing however lets face it folks if you have thrown evrything in your arsenal then perhaps they just arent there!

Second question...how long do you spend throwing anyone particular lure/bait before you switch up to something else? Personally I am a crankbait/jerkbait man first and foremost but have also picked up using soft plastics and jigs recently (in that order). I always start off with my confidence lures but they arent always what the fish want. That being said how long do you spend throwing what you THINK will work first before you switch to something else.

I am trying to become more efficient with my fishing, I actually think that is something that not a lot of people take into account when it comes to fishing unless in a tournament. Anyhow any aid you can provide is greatly appreciated!!!!

[doc]

I do just the opposite. I try my no confidence lures first then switch to my old reliables when things get bad.

As far as moving is concerned, it just depends for me. If I see baitfish or bass in the area ill stick around a bit. If ive fished a spot for 1/2 hour or so with no signs of life anywhere ill usually move to another spot that is close by. For example if the fish arn't on the flat, ill back off the flat to the ledge then try that for a bit.

[damian2b]

Got ya. So basically switching up my approach for a change, I see.

[Bob Smith]

That depends, first of all, whether you are fishing a tournament or not? lol In tournament conditions, I try to go in with some sort of idea (from pre-fishing) what the fish are biting and how deep they are. Mitigating factors such as the weather and water clarity/temperature are constantly changing this time of year, as well as the spawning urge. Before I make my first cast I try to account for as many of those factors as possible, then "fine-tune" from there. If my gut feel tells me the fish are there, or maybe a tell-tale follower shows some interest I start making changes immediately to trigger that bite (color, size, type). If I start getting the feeling that the fish aren't in the area I'm fishing, I move shallower or deeper, depending on the "factors" again, or move to different area altogether. The move could happen within minutes or an hour or two depending on my gut feeling. Gut Feeling is something that's very hard to explain, but most long time fishermen/women tend to develope an inate 6th sense when it comes to weighing the "factors" for locating fish. There are things like your electronics, and visual clues that help that decision, but it all comes down to that "gut feeling" to make the final decision.
I will tell you this, read every article you can get your hands on about seasonal patterns and patterning finicky fish. Two fo the legends of bassfishing are valuable encylopedias of knowledge, Bill Dance and Al Lindner. There are others like ol Hank Parker and Charlie Ingram, but you could become a life long student of Bill and Al and still not learn all they know. The rest comes from hours and hours on the water, both in tournaments (this is the way to force yourself to make decisions and learn from them) and fun fishing.

[damian2b]

Well I have to tell you that I am fffaarrrrr from a tourney fisherman and am not experienced enough to get the gut feelings although i am working on it! :-) However when I go out I either fish from shore or rent a boat. Either way I am trying to be the most efficient because I may be doing a lot of walking(the lakes i fish are generally large and the further you get from the car the further you have to walk back, and believe me...some of the terrain is crazy...ill post pics one day), or be efficient because i just dropped $50 on a rented boat and want my moneys worth ;-). Either way I am starting to build a better understanding of different presentations and how to determine what will work and when color wise. Given all that though there are still times when i sit there wondering if I have worked an area long enough or used a set up long enough before switching or moving on. Perhaps I am just reading in to this whole efficiency thing too much and should just try not to think as much. :-)

[zooker]

if i have caught bass in a spot before i tend to linger there some time.. i start with speed baits-crankbaits, spinnerbaits- then move to slower bait say a texas rigged worm or a shakey head. if all else fails i use a c-rig and or a jig.. i figure 4 cast before i adjust my speed or presention..

i have actually cast to the same laydown 20 times with a buzzbait and caught 6 bass out of it..

zooker

[Marty]

In most of the ponds that I shore fish, I haven't found many reliable spots that are worth spending a lot of time at. My best success has come from moving around and covering a lot of water, because I'm unable to predict where I'm likely to catch something. However, in those few spots that have been good historically, I'll spend time at, although I can't give you a number as to how long I spend there. But I'll cover it with both fast-moving and slow-moving lures before moving on.

[Preacher]

If it's a true honey hole then fish it thoroughly. I rent from time to time too,on lakes that I know like the back of my hand. If it's a honey hole & you cover all of it, then you'll get hit, up to you to hook it!!!

[damian2b]

thanks everyone!

[Jigger]

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

Gut Feeling is something that's very hard to explain, but most long time fishermen/women tend to develope an inate 6th sense when it comes to weighing the "factors" for locating fish. There are things like your electronics, and visual clues that help that decision, but it all comes down to that "gut feeling" to make the final decision.

Damian,
What Bob says, above, is very true. Your question is a good one and one of the hardest to answer for the tournament angler. Only time on the water will help you answer your question. I will say that a lot of what determines how much time you spend in one spot has to do with your own personality and which style YOU feel comfortable and confident with. Personally, I don't like to camp out on a spot unless I'm catching fish or have extreme confidence in a spot. My nature and my confidence approach is more run and gun. That's the way I'm made and that's what I like to do and have confidence and success with. There are others who I tournament fish with who will stay and pound a spot and milk every last fish out of it. Both styles win tournaments. And, it's not an all or nothing approach either. The good fishermen know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em. I wish I could be more helpful but like Bob said, it's a gut feeling that comes from time on the water. Factors to look at when deciding to stay or move on are: 1.Water temp. very important in the Spring and FAll. I'll hang longer in a cove that's several degrees warmer in the Spring or cooler in the Fall. 2. Presence of bait fish. 3. Time of day. If I get to a good spot early in the morning in early spring, I may stay there until the fish move up and get active later in the morning. IE camp there so another tournament fisherman won't move in. 4.Water depth. 5.Water clarity. 6.Presence or lack of cover. Just a few of so many factors one has to consider in deciding whether to move or stay. Good question.