Question for Power Fisherman

[lizardsrule]

First off my definition of "POWER" fishing is a contant cast and retrieve type presentation, be it spinnerbaits/crankbaits/buzzbaits/swimming a jig etc... Secondly I must say I consider myself more of a finesse fisherman, but when they are biting well on the Power techniques it's a very simple change to speed it up and catch some fish. Now in IN MY EXPERIENCE 7 out of 10 times the finesse approach puts more fish in the boat for me. and I prefer to work slower and cover areas better, than a run and gun technique.

Now for the question Why is it you "POWER" fishing guys can't slow down and realize that a slower presentation is needed to catch fish when it's not working? I mean if you are fishing all day and not catching fish or getting bites, why not slow down, and cover a area more thoroughly? I have fished with several guys this year in some tourneys that just won't slow down no matter what. I will be getting bites with plastics, trying to work them slower, but they still won't slow down. It's pretty tough to fish from the back with plastics when the guy controlling the boat is flying around, and still not getting fish. I just don't get it, and would like some insight as to why it's so hard to slow down for you folks. I would rather catch fish, than wear myself out for nothing.

Lizards

[zooker]

lizard
i can change tactics to match any condition.while if i am on a power fishing bite i will stay with it all day..but if i go a couple hours and no bites on the power style i will change.remember power fishing,run and gun ,and finesse mean differant things to differant areas.
power fishing here means troller on high and covering water . run and gun means you pull on a spot fish 10-15 mintues any techique then you haul it to the next spot.finesse -this is the most over used term ever-finesse is any time you DOWNSIZE your lure choice. regaurdless what that lure is say you move from a 10" worm to a 8" worm.this is finesse fishing. finesse covers a WIDE berth of area.. you have light line fishing with very small plastic baits. or it could be you switch to a 8" ribbon tailed worm with a 1/4 oz bullet using 50 pound braid.

as i have told you in the past some guys get a game plan set in there head. and never change from it. i belive the #1 cause of this is bassmaster's unisverity.. pro's preach this alot "get a game plan and stick with it" all to often anglers listen. even good anglers who know better do this.

i have found only 1-2 guys that think out of the box as much as i do. often between us we can find a pattern or techique that works in less than 5 mintues..

zooker

[pig n jig]

Lizards, when I started bass fishing, it was with a freind who power fishes.I am thankful he took the time to call and ask me to fish with him since he was the only oppertunity to go fishing from a boat.I got introduced to other people from being a nonboater in the clubs, and it didn't take me long to figure out, I was more comfortable fishing slower than power fishing.The reason they power fish are because they are catching the active aggressive fish , in order to catch 5 fish you usually have to fish alot of water before you find 5 aggressive fish.The non boater has very little chance to do well unless the fish are really active.I found that I could catch fish power fishing the opposite side the boater fished. P N J

[JB]

I've always figured the power "run n gun" method works for covering ground, but always noticed the angler will soon leave a area if no hits after about 10 minutes...waste of gas if ya ask me...ya need to pick apart an area. Sure some can say they get more bass by covering more ground, but I think after the morning gitters wear off, you're better to finesse fish an area before giving up on it just to start up the big motor and feel the breeze.
Another alternative I see alot is a "meat route" , the angler has lets say about 11 spots on any given lake that they go to one after another if the previous spot doesn't give up a bite within minutes.
The real problem I see is that they dont stick to any gameplan as zooker mentioned, and never really figuring out the winning pattern.
I dont know how many times I've seen a pair of guys in a boat, one worm fishing , the other jig fishing, that come up winners, compared to the powerfishing guy that has a few nice ones but no limit.
Guys like kevin van dam power their way through tournies, but I am sure they ALL adjust to the conditions and SLOW down when needed...

[Fishie]

Its all about the mood of the fish. Today the bass were inactive and I used a rattletrap burned to catch three bass on areas where they would not take worms or jigs riged any style

[PowerBass]

Well, I dont fish on a boat, yet. I have fished on my brother inlaws jon boat, but all they do is bottom fish for lakers. SO, i decided to go back to foot soldierin. I belive I am more of a power fisherman. When I can, I will throw a Manns minus series more than anything. I will throw spinnerbaits and buzzbaits all day. And, I will fast fish worms. I catch a majority of my fish using these baits. I will however slow down, when I locate active bass. Then I will pick apart the area piece by peice, focusing on any type of structure, wheter it be a drop off, wood, grass, you name it. This method works wonders for me.

[KH.]

i am a finnese

[Fishie]

I am equally good I think at doing both

[Rodman_Rob]

i can't really cover much water with my boat, therefore the bulk of my fishing is thouroughly covering ambush points.

[Rebbasser]

Guess I'm like Zooker-if the power bite is on I'll stick with it, but if not I'll slow down and work an area thoroughly.

[H2O]

Lizards

First all, I think most people start bass fishing with power fishing.( or live bait). And lets say it safely probably lots of them start at spring. They probably caught some active bass at very first by using a fast and power approach. Then they thought they had found the way to catch fish. Important thing is they got their fishing RHYTHM. Some days when fishing went slow, they started to "plastics fishing", cuz people mentioned them when fish is un-active, plastics will bring them a better result. However, they hardly changed their RHYTHM. So plastics didn't work well for these guys. They can't build up their confidence on those "slow" baits. So they switched back to the power approach, run and gun all the time. It's hard to slow down these guys to work on plastic, and catch bass to BUILD UP THEIR CONFIDENCE OF SLOW APPROACH!

Second, for me, slow down or a slow approach is an art of fishing as well as still fishing. It's way more than an exciting.

Finally, I really enjoy a QUIET fishing. I always enjoy the silence and thoughtful retrieve, and even fight with a big fish. QUIETER THAN THE FISH is my fishing mood. It might be due to the different culture background, honestly I can't take most TV fishing show, cuz the pros are over exciting: yelling, laughing like a kid catches a fish.

Any way, some guys will never slow down for sure. However, it might be a good news for us

[bassthumb32]

I Am A Power Guy. I Almost Hate Having To Slow Down. I Feel Like Im Not Covering As Much Water If I Go To A Finesse Approach. But Just Last Night I Was Fishing And I Caught A Smallie And A Largemouth Right Off The Bat On A Buzzbait. After That I Couldnt Buy A Bite. So I Switched To A Sweet Beaver And Caought Three More. I Am A Pretty Good Finesse Fisherman I Know Way More Finesse Tricks. But I Like To Make A Lot Of Casts And Try To Cover More Water.

[KH.]

Originally Posted by H2O

Lizards

First all, I think most people start bass fishing with power fishing.( or live bait). And lets say it safely probably lots of them start at spring. They probably caught some active bass at very first by using a fast and power approach. Then they thought they had found the way to catch fish. Important thing is they got their fishing RHYTHM. Some days when fishing went slow, they started to "plastics fishing", cuz people mentioned them when fish is un-active, plastics will bring them a better result. However, they hardly changed their RHYTHM. So plastics didn't work well for these guys. They can't build up their confidence on those "slow" baits. So they switched back to the power approach, run and gun all the time. It's hard to slow down these guys to work on plastic, and catch bass to BUILD UP THEIR CONFIDENCE OF SLOW APPROACH!

Second, for me, slow down or a slow approach is an art of fishing as well as still fishing. It's way more than an exciting.

Finally, I really enjoy a QUIET fishing. I always enjoy the silence and thoughtful retrieve, and even fight with a big fish. QUIETER THAN THE FISH is my fishing mood. It might be due to the different culture background, honestly I can't take most TV fishing show, cuz the pros are over exciting: yelling, laughing like a kid catches a fish.

Any way, some guys will never slow down for sure. However, it might be a good news for us

i will try finnese first if that doesnt work ill go to power,the exact opp.of reb and zooker.actually i started as a strictly texas rig curly tail worm fisherman.then i found the crankbait and was a power fisherman.now after a year ive made up my mind and came to comclusion.80%finnese,20 %power

[Fishie]

A lot of guys start off with power first but I think there is something to be said about your aproach of starting with worms first. Often that is what I do unless I pick up a topwater first because I power fish mainly to get bites when the fishing is slow. Go figure! LOL!

[Fishie]

People think that fish hit baits for the wrong reasons. I think fish hit baits to react to them most of the time. It seems like the fall of the bait and how fast it falls really means a lot on most days that I fish and I think this is the main reason why cetain baits work better on some days than other because of their rate of decent to the bottom along with color and action.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by bassthumb32

I Am A Power Guy. I Almost Hate Having To Slow Down. I Feel Like Im Not Covering As Much Water If I Go To A Finesse Approach. But Just Last Night I Was Fishing And I Caught A Smallie And A Largemouth Right Off The Bat On A Buzzbait. After That I Couldnt Buy A Bite. So I Switched To A Sweet Beaver And Caought Three More. I Am A Pretty Good Finesse Fisherman I Know Way More Finesse Tricks. But I Like To Make A Lot Of Casts And Try To Cover More Water.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. You HATE TO SLOW DOWN, because you want to cover more water. Just because you can cover more water, doesn't mean you are fishing where the fish are. For example if they are deep in the weeds, how is a crank, spinner, or buzzbait gonna get you to the fish. Covering more water doesn't mean catching more fish, it only means you might get lucky and find a few active fish, but if you slow down, and work the ares more thoroughly then you could get 5 fish in one small area, in the same time it takes you to go all over the water looking for those few active fish if you find them. You stated you did slow down and caught three more, what more proof do you need. I will say this again, I can and will power fish with the best of them when it's needed or working, but when it ain't you have got to change up. If not, you're gonna be bringing in the rear more often than not. What do the fish want, not what you want.

Lizards

[1FASTLASER]

Once again zookster has answered in the best possible way. Power fishing is different dependinmg on who is doing it. I do alot of run and gun and I do alot of finessee fishing but when I figure out what the bass want I settle into the teqniue that works the best as far as puttin fiish in the boat. In a tourney my main goal is five in the livewell then settle down and start cullin using the BEST technique.

[bassthumb32]

thats how i fish though. i pray for it to be a power day. when i go to a place i know is holding fish i start with a spinnerbeait/buzzbait/jerkbait etc. depending on the situation. if that doesnt work i go to a finesse approach. until the fish tell me what they want. then i stick to that for as long as it will work. and if that bite stops i start all over again.