Fishing plans for 2011?

[keithdog]

Thought this would be interresting. Every year I have new goals and techniques I either want to try out of work on to improve upon. Last year I learned how to work soft bodied swim baits in early spring, then perfected working with poppers, and schooling bass chasing shad which was something new for any lake around here. This next year I'm going to be working more on jig and worm fishing. I catch fish on both, but not nearly as proficiently with either as I want to be. I know it will take will power, but I'm planning to take a few outtings and take just four rods out with me. Two rods will be rigged with jigs, the other two rods will be rigged with t rigged worms. I'm not worried about worm fishing with Senko style worms as I have that pretty much down. But working larger worms t rigged on the bottom I need to improve upon. Anyways, what are some goals and techniques you other guys want to work on in 2011?

[HarveysMinnow]

You beat me to the draw on this one, Keith! I have been having similar thoughts ever since somebody posted the thread about the techniques we learned this year.

Being retired, I have veered away somewhat from setting goals and priorities, so sometimes I just get into a major rut with fishing. The first bait I usually reach for is some type of plastic worm, and I will often fish one worm far longer than any serious younger person would think about. So I guess one goal for me is to change baits more often. Another is to try some of the jigs and spinner baits that live in my tackle box but I have never even taken them out of the package.

Beyond that, my most urgent priority is to find a nearby place to fish that actually has sizeable bass. My buddy and I have 'weeded out' a lot of ponds and small lakes in our area, for not only did we fail to catch anything worth mentioning, but other guys fishing there didn't either. When that holds true time after time, it leads me to believe there's just no good fish in there. (I'm talking about bodies of water under 50 acres or so.) If we can find a time when it isn't so silted up, we will probably do some river fishing also.

/

[bamabassman]

Well first of all...i PLAN to go fishing MORE,lol. but i really want to do more jig fishing, and learn more on cranks too. These are the top 2 techniques i am really lacking confidence in. So i "plan" to do more of this in the coming year. If at all possible i am going to practice flipping and pitching this winter.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

Well first of all...i PLAN to go fishing MORE,lol. but i really want to do more jig fishing, and learn more on cranks too. These are the top 2 techniques i am really lacking confidence in. So i "plan" to do more of this in the coming year. If at all possible i am going to practice flipping and pitching this winter.

Practice flipping and pitching inside, that's what I do. You can stay inside where it's warm and watch fishing shows while you do it too. If you can find something to stand on that puts you about as high off the floor as you are off the water when standing in the boat that's even better. Use all the furniture and stuff in your house as targets and you will have a ball.

[walkeraviator]

Well, we are putting a new fish finder on Dad's boat. And I spend more time looking for structure and cover than i have in the past. I plan on focusing on how to eliminate unproductive water next year. I may even pay to take a class on the subject from teh top rated guide on Kentucky Lake, Dave Stewart. And then I would like to learn how to fish deeper structure and cover using Jigs and Shakey Head's. Also plan on gettin out on some different waters next year as this year i only fished three lakes... Kentucky Lake, Barren River Lake, and Taylorsville Lake.

[pro reel]

I really expanded my tech. choices this last year. I got a lease on a 40 acre clear water lake with loads of good sized bass. It's not super easy fishing, but you have a good chance to catch bass and that gave me the confidence to spend more time learning new stuff. I got pretty good at working shakey head jigs and drop shot rigs this year. I was already decent at pitching jigs, but have started concentratng on bigger footbal jigs in deep water. I plan to keep concentrating on perfecting those techs. next year. The one thing that i really need to get better at is C rigs. I have caught bass on them, but I always seem to prefer other stuff instead.

[nofearengineer]

I'm with John on this one. I need to do more fishing! That means I am going to have to figure out some way to get more efficient at my job so I don't wind up in the office every damned Saturday. A man can dream, can't he?

[CMorg]

I need to get down your way Bryce and do some gander mountain / G Loomis superstore shopping...

[Ebbetsguy]

Well Basically Since I had to sell my boat this year, so I have to find a used tinny ,14 Jon, small hp engine, couple of swivel seats and a depth finder and elec TM, and I am good to go.
If I finally get back home to Brooklyn, then the goal changes to getting upstate often to fish

[keithdog]

[QUOTE=bamabassman;317881 If at all possible i am going to practice flipping and pitching this winter.[/QUOTE]

Tell ya what John. Come on up here this winter and you can practice pitchin and flipping with my snow shovel, bwahahahahaha

[Imgoodatwhatido]

i am planning on TRYING to perfect carolina rigging hard baits...when the bass were really deep in the summer and were acting finicky i done very well carolina rigging a floating jerkbait, but i KNOW theres still some room for improvement.

[bamabassman]

keithdog......man i do enough "shoveling" during the summetime. shoveling ASPHALT. and you know how bad i hate the cold, hahahha. ain't coming up there man, never will agian in the snow season. unless it is out in the rockies. even then i will rent the snow ski. order room service and find some hot springs for me and lisa to get in. now THAT is a vacation pal.

[BigBassin144]

Beat me to it Keith, I was going to put this post up sometime this week. Anyways, aside from fishing MORE next year, I'll be working on jigs, swimbaits, and cranks next year.

Didn't get to improve my jig fishing this summer since I hardly got to fish. I never got to really even start swimbaiting because of the lack of fishing time. And when I did fish this year, I stuck to contact baits: worms, senkos, etc. so I really want to get back into crankbait fishing next year and expand into more medium and deep divers than my normal shallow.

BB

[danielbasspro]

In 2011 I definitely want to work on throwing shakey heads. i use them every so often just because I have more confidence in other things, but i KNOW they are deadly,

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by CMorg

I need to get down your way Bryce and do some gander mountain / G Loomis superstore shopping...

Now that could be dangerous!

BB

[WTL]

I'm already the greatest fisherman on earth, so I don't need to take the time to work on any techniques. If I got any better I might hurt yalls feelings.

So instead I am going to just try to go interesting places. If I do well enough this year, I am thinking about taking the kayak cross country. I read an interesting profile on the Umpqua river in Oregon, apparently it has both salmon and smallmouth....mind blowing to me how awesome that would be.





(I'm really a very average fisherman. Sometimes I like to stir the board a little, and also make fun of the whole competitive aspect of fishing. I fish for my own enjoyment, and I really dont have that much more fun the better I get. Besides, I don't have the time at the moment to work on techiniques.)

[Bassboss]

CATCH SOME SMALLMOUTH!! I don't care how, I just wanna figure the darn things out. lol

[chad_clearwater]

Fish more. I joined a local bass club and we do one tournament a month. I don't own a boat so this gives me chance to get out at least once a month.

I'm thinking next year I may try to get a co-angler spot in one of the Florida tournaments. Don't expect to excel, but he experience would be beneficial.

[cassidyta]

I guess I will be the Anti-WTL on this one. (Yes, I can highlight the yellow letters..lol)
My goals actually revolve around my tournament fishing. I ended with a top 4 finish and hope to improve on it next year.
I want to learn better boat position and also get a better feeling of when to change baits or when to let it ride as is.

[bamabassman]

cass.....you jsut hit on something that ol zooker said was also a problem of mine.........BOAT POSITON. this is something i need to learn better as well. thanks for reminding me buddy.



and billy..............as they say on that NFL show.................COM-ONMANNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bassboogieman]

Like mentioned by a couple guys - I AM GOING TO FISH MORE. The last 3 years I've said it and when summer rolls around I end up working, working and working some more (usually 72 - 80 hours). The only time my boat hit the water the last three summers was when I was on VACATION. That is going to end - I AM going to retire either the end of Feb or mid-March and NO later. I am totally fed up with working and not getting out on the water.
So, in anticipation I have (with the wife's blessing) scheduled or am scheduling a fishing trip (4 - 8 days) each month beginning mid-march with Guntersville and continuing through Sept. That's correct - I am making up for lost time while I'm still healthy enough to do it. Working into this plan is fishing areas I have NO experience with - like Guntersville in the South, Lake Erie for smallmouth, Lake Champlain more smallie action, and revisiting a couple I have enjoyed in the past like Kerr and a couple visits to the Potomac. Hopefully expanding my understanding of fishing other waters.

[bamabassman]

Boogieman.......hit me up when you come to g'ville pal. Just wanna meet cha if i can.

[bassboogieman]

'bama that would be my pleasure to meet up with you, a much appreciated bonus of such a trip. I'll be in touch as the time gets closer, possibly we could exchange cell #'s and make it happen!

[nofearengineer]

Boogie....I gotta fish with you some time too. A boat full of Kistlers and Pfluegers would be something to see hah.

[bassboogieman]

Meet me at Erie, dearie.