Need some bass fishing tips to get better

[Alvin Roberts]

Well, I took the Nitro out fishing today to a new oxbow lake on the management area. It's full of Cyprus trees and the water was surprisingly deep. I got a chance to try out the new Humminbird 570 DI and was tickled with it. The water was 50' deep a ways out from the launch and 20-30 feet deep over most of the lake. We only caught one bass and a grinnel but had a great time.



Now my issue...I have been bass fishing since I have been old enough to do it but never on a real serious level. Now that I have my own boat I am trying to get better at it. It's not unusual for me to go out fishing for the day and only catch a bass or maybe two. Only a couple of times have I ever caught four or five bass. I throw everything I have... plastic worms, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwaters like buzzbaits and tiny torpedos. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but there has to be a method to the madness. Maybe I am stuck fishing the same lures too much or the wrong way. Most of the time I will fish a tequilla sunrise 6" worm, sometimes caronlina rigged, sometimes texas rigged. I also fish spinnerbaits a lot. Usually terminator. I've had the most success with black spinnerbaits. I have also had some luck with the Rapala F11 jerkbait since I started fishing it lately. Other than that I occasionally fish crankbaits and topwaters. Can anyone give me a few tips to help me out? I get tired of not catching fish. Part of the problem may be that I only go a couple of times a month. I plan on going much more this year but I feel like I need to change things up and try some new lures to see if I can improve my outcome.

 

[Max Neathamer2]

Alvin,



When I started out I had the same problems. I believe that when I decided to bring only one technique to the lake that my catching percentage went up. At first I thought it was a waste of time until I started using different speeds, colors, sizes with that one technique during the day but after awhile, I really had a feel of what the bass wanted.



my .02



Have a great 2012 Bass season.



Max

 

[Jason J.]

When I started tournament fishing I would choose one style of bait and it would be my main bait for the year. 1st year was soft plastics, 2nd was jigs, 3rd was spinnerbaits, 4th was crank baits, 5th was finesse fishing (shaky head and dropshot), and the 6th I will let you know when I decide.



I think the biggest thing is to try to keep learning every time you go out, no matter how long you have been fishing. Learning to trust the electronics was also a big issue for me as well.



Confidence is key in all aspects of fishing.

 

[Alvin Roberts]

Thanks guys. I might have to try sticking with one bait for awhile and learning to fish them all better. It seems a lot of times that I go out determined to catch more fish but after an hour or so of no luck I just start tying on the same old lures and not really expecting to catch anything...more just casting and reeling with no expectation.



For example...the lake I fished yesterday...it's an old oxbow lake, used to be part of the Pascagoula River. It's 20-50 feet deep, very sharp dropoffs from the banks in most places. On each end of the oxbow it gets shallow. In one area it splits and goes two directions like a "Y." Water temp was about 50 degrees and it looked quite muddy or dark. I started with a Rapala F11 jerkbait...no luck. Then I tried a spinnerbait, a 5-6 foot crankbait, a jig for a few casts, a KVD lipless crankbait. I hung what felt like a good fish on the lipless crankbait but lost it. I finally caught about a two pounder on one of the shallower ends on my spinnerbait.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

One word...downsize. You want numbers over size (with the occasional big girl thrown in) then downsize your lures and learn to finesse fish. Guiding on a heavily pressured lake, I have converted more big jig and crankbait fishermen over to finesse and they are catching more fish than ever. Learn the dropshot. Master the Senko. 2 ways to increase your catch rates. Went fishing with a heavy tackle guy in Florida and at the end of the day taught him some finesse techniques and I just got a call here in VA from him yesterday cussing me out because he has invested a lot of $$ re-equipping himself for finesse fishing as an added tool in his boat. Converted my tournament partner while I was there as well and he has continued a good winning streak even with me gone. We won our fair share when I was there.



TOXIC

 

[Don Moorman]

I whould say... Up size and catch the fish your really are trying for anyway If your not doing well and it's tough for ya. Even only getting one or two fish a trip. You may as well GO BIG! You still may have tough fishing but the ones you will catch will get you worked up :lol:.

That's all I do these days. GO BIG! I'm tired of catching dinks, not saying thats not fun but catching the bigger fish is way more of a pump or high then a bunch of small fish. The smaller fishing gear stays home now

Go big, most don't so I bet you have some untouched fishing by going big where you live.

Don't go catch fish, go catch THE fish

Going big does not mix well with tourney's but is a GREAT mix for fun that will stick with you for a life time



Good luck with your fishing

 

[bob szymakowski]

I learned this along time ago and I truely believe it...



QUALITY BUILDS CONFIDENCE......CONFIDENCE CATCHES FISH....



so by quality rods/reels/lures....and FIND a confidence in the STYLE of fishing...and you will be ok....



best fishes

bob szymakowski

 

[Berry Lindley]

If you are having trouble locating fish join a bass club or hire a guide. Guides know the water and what the fish are on. Do a half a day if you are tight on cash, you will learn a lot.

 

[Alvin Roberts]

I've never done any finesse fishing so I will have to look into that. I don't even know for sure what drop shot is. I will do some research on that and try it. As far as equipment, I don't think I have bad equipment but its certainly not top of the line. Right now I have four setups. A couple of Abu Garcia reels baitcaster setups, and one Abu Garcia spinning reel setup. I just bought a Shimano Citica right before Christmas that I love. Its way smoother than an:angry:y of my Abu Garcia reels and casts ten times better too.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Listen to Bob and the others...CONFIDENCE is your best lure



Take your basic knowledge and add as you go along...that's what makes it so fun is the learning curve. I'm like a sponge when it comes to that very thing BUT, I never ever get caught up in dock talk, rumors or stories of how someone else is catching them and your not. That kind of stuff can ruin fishing because of the frustration if it does not work out for YOU.

I've had guys in my boat that may not be the best fishermen but, after they see that I have confidence in what I'm doing and have success...it just rubs right off

It's always about the FUN! It seems the older I get, the more I want to make sure whoever I'm with...we're gonna have some fun for sure.

AND that is what it's all about!

BTW...Jigs Cranks and Spinners OH MY!:lol: