So Many Choices!!!

[BigBassin144]

Ok, with so many different techniques out there, it's hard to just choose a couple to learn. For people like me who grew up mostly on in-lines and crankbaits, It's kind of intimidating. Most people will tell you though, dont try to learn too many new things at once, concentrate on a couple techniques until you are confident in them.

I don't know about others who are learning, but this is hard for me. Last year I've gotten good at some spinnerbait techniques. This year I'd like to learn more about soft plastics, carolina rig, and dropshot.

What are some techniques you guys think would be good for people lke me to learn? I know there are beginners on this site that would like to leanr new things but don't know where to start.

BB

[pig n jig]

Only you can determine your lure choice.I am still trying to learn the spinnerbait.I mean, I know the basics, but there is more to it than what I am doing to catch fish with them.Choose something new and figure out how you can catch fish on it and keep going until you think you have enough different presentations that will catch fish for you. I would say the senko is a great lure to have in your arsenal. P N J

[Marty]

You've already mentioned spinnerbaits and crankbaits, and they're two major lure categories. I don't know what kind of fishing you do, but in general, I'd recommend you consider soft plastics and topwaters as your next two.

[WallStreetAmigo]

I guess it somewhat depends on the type of water and structure you fish down there but I think your choices of dropshotting, carolina rigging, and soft plastics are all good ones considering that you indicated that you are good with cranks and spinnerbaits. Learning a slower, more finesse oriented technique like dropshotting would provide a good balance for your faster reaction techniques like spinnerbaits, IMHO.

[Bob Smith]

Well said, WSA. Start with your conventional soft plastic presentations like Texas Rigged worms. You can do this with just about every genre of worms on the market, every line size, hook size and weight size. In essence you can cover every "type" (finesse, regular, and BUBBA!) by the size of the presentation. This won't take long, especially if you start with a lizard for the first month, or so, after the ice thaws. During the summer the straight tail worms on highly pressured waters, curl tailed on grassy waters (puts out more vibration). In short, what you use on Texas Rig is limited to your imagination. It's easy to master, then you should go to the drop shot. This has become the absolute best soft plastic presentation since the invention of the Texas Rig. There are a lot of other extremely effective methods and I love them all, but T-rig and Drop Shot will cover just about every situation you might come across.

Save the Jig and Pig till last, as simple as it may seem, it is harder for more new comers to learn than just about any thing, unless you stumble into a voracious bite.

[BigBassin144]

Actually, I've learned quite a bit about PNJ, Topwater, and I'm not very good at it, but I know how to use some soft plastics.

Bob, I actually found the PNJ pretty easy to learn. the hardest part for me was telling the difference between hitting something on the bottom and a bite. I've got it down pretty good now though.

BB

[chubs]

I would work on tubes.I work them deep,shallow,top and in between.
Topwater tube-Roll up a foam earplug and insert it into the body, also use this on a C-rig.
But most of the time I T-rig it.very weedless and effective!

[keithdog]

Whatever you choose to learn next, you may want to give this a try. It is rather hard to learn one technique when you have your whole arsenal of lures and rods with you. You start out with the intention of working that one presentation, so you can learn how to catch fish with it. Invariably what happens is after a couple hours of not catching anything on the presentation you seriously intended to learn, you set it down and start pitching other lures you have had success with and feel confindent with. Weeks, maybe months pass by and the presentation you wanted to conquer is still a sore spot in your bag of tricks. My recommendation to you would be to make the choice to go out with ONLY the tools you need to work with that presentation. Leave the tackle box at home. Take one or two rods, and only the lure items you need to learn that presentation. Eliminate the temptation of having your other favorites at hand. This will force you to try every method you can think of to work with that particular lure for the day. And be sure to read up on how that particular lure can be worked so you know ahead of time what techniques your going to try working with.

[WallStreetAmigo]

That's exactly the way I do it keith.

[chubs]

I like try new techniques when Im out fishing with one of the guys from my fishing club so they never get to see what what Im doing on league night,Then if I get a big bag I tell them it was what I was doing when we were out the other day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BigBassin144]

Keithdog, that's a good idea. That is also one of my problems. I go to learn a new technique and I get bored and switch to one I know. The problem is, I practice most at my pond which is a short walk form my garage and all my fishing gear. I'll just have to have the will power to keep at it

BB

[islandbass]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Whatever you choose to learn next, you may want to give this a try. It is rather hard to learn one technique when you have your whole arsenal of lures and rods with you. You start out with the intention of working that one presentation, so you can learn how to catch fish with it. Invariably what happens is after a couple hours of not catching anything on the presentation you seriously intended to learn, you set it down and start pitching other lures you have had success with and feel confindent with. Weeks, maybe months pass by and the presentation you wanted to conquer is still a sore spot in your bag of tricks. My recommendation to you would be to make the choice to go out with ONLY the tools you need to work with that presentation. Leave the tackle box at home. Take one or two rods, and only the lure items you need to learn that presentation. Eliminate the temptation of having your other favorites at hand. This will force you to try every method you can think of to work with that particular lure for the day. And be sure to read up on how that particular lure can be worked so you know ahead of time what techniques your going to try working with.

That is awesome advice!!! Big Bassin' I'm just like you in not wanting to stick with one technique for the sake of learning, but I tried it finally this season to learn drop shotting, leaving the other rigs behind and believe me, it was TOUGH. It felt like I left my wallet and cell phone at home. However, it paid dividends because I was about to sign off and call the drop shot a piece of crap, all hype and non productive technique but I stuck with it and holy smokes. It finally paid off. I started to understand the nuances and subtleties of drop shotting.

I plan to do the same with the next few techniques for which I am still a virgin :

Jig-n-Pig - This is next. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of not having learned this technique. More accurately maybe giving up too soon and succumbing to using more comfortable methods.

Buzzbaits and Spinnerbaits - For the life of me I can't buy a strike with these. Inline spinners? Yes. So I don't know what gives.

Now, to put down the drop shot to learn these is going to be a really tough thing to do.

[Lilmoosecountry]

Spinnerbaits/Crank baits are goods baits for searching out fish. Once they stop feeding in that area don't leave right away. Come back cast with a Drop shot worm. Or even a texas rigged worm. You might pick up a couple of extra fish. Buzzbaits & Top water plugs are good baits to use early morning. Or durring pre spawn fishing. Nothing will rile up an old bass than a buzzbait. It has been said that an attack on a buzzbait is one of anger not Hunger.

[zooker]

Originally Posted by islandbass

Jig-n-Pig - This is next. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of not having learned this technique. More accurately maybe giving up too soon and succumbing to using more comfortable methods.

Buzzbaits and Spinnerbaits - For the life of me I can't buy a strike with these. Inline spinners? Yes. So I don't know what gives.

ib
i think bobber here has the best advice for you.. choose the pnj last..as the spinner baits/buzzbaits are way eaiser to learn..

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

Save the Jig and Pig till last, as simple as it may seem, it is harder for more new comers to learn than just about any thing, unless you stumble into a voracious bite.

i beat my head against the wall for years usin a pnj, till the light clicked on.. now it is working for me..-that light click came after watching a video btw-

Originally Posted by keithdog

My recommendation to you would be to make the choice to go out with ONLY the tools you need to work with that presentation. Leave the tackle box at home. Take one or two rods, and only the lure items you need to learn that presentation. Eliminate the temptation of having your other favorites at hand.

he's right you know..








zooker

[lizardsrule]

Or if you are already good with cranks, then use a variation of the crank, a jerkbait. That lure is not used enough by people, and will catch bass year around, no matter what anyone tells you.

Lizards

[islandbass]

Thanks, zooker!