DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only

Has anyone used one of these, Roboworm 4" FX Sculpin? I want to use a drop shot more and that is the bait I choose to get started. I have had little to no luck with a drop shot rig, I know a lot of people are using them where I fish and do well with them. I can do okay with them on the river (Potomac river) but not on the reservoir. The reservoir that I fish has a hard bottom. Mostly, clay, pea gravel, stumps, laydowns, and some bluff walls, only vegetation is against the banks and normally doesn't come out more than 3-4 feet. The reservoir is at the deepest holes about 60ft, I have caught fish as deep as 25ft deep off of points. I am what they call a bank banger on my reservoir! Which means I prefer to fish the banks, flipping jigs and soft plastics year around. I do fish points, humps, ledges but only as a last resort and that has been my downfall. Summertime it's go deep or go home. Most people are dragging jigs and c-rigs in deep water and catching studs. I am beating the banks catching a limit and maybe 1 good fish. I tend to fish the drop shot way too fast, but am unsure how to fish it most effectively. I basically fish it like a t-rig, with a little more pauses during my retrieve. I have the hook rigged about 8 inches above the 3/16oz drop shot weight. Where should I be focusing on throwing it and how should I retrieve it? Jay-

Could not have said it better myself... Jay-

I have been fishing in a club for a few years now and have noticed how much prefishing helps the other anglers win. Only problem is with a wife and kids youngest being 3 months old fishing every other weekends tournaments is all the free time I have. There is no time in my schedule for prefishing. The only information I have is whatever I learn the last time I was out. Let me add this little tid bit of information, I have on very few occasions had the opportunity to attempt prefishing 2 days before a tournament and got on a strong jig pattern, only to find out 2 days later that the pattern flopped. I know what you are thinking I went out and sore lipped them. Not the case once I figured out the pattern I moved on, I tried it in a few more spots got bit caught "A" fish and left. I guess my main question is how do you handle tournaments when you have not prefished? I know I can not be the only one that does not get to get out and prefish before a tournament. I know to look for seasonal patterns of LMB and start there, but I feel like I am missing the bus on something. Even when I am throwing the same bait as everyone else ( and its usually a bait I have fished and caught fish on) I just am not having the same luck. Any lil private tips would be appreciated PM me to keep the cat in the bag "wink wink" Jay-

I would try a senko or a fluke weightless or wacky rigged. It is a deadly combination and fish for some odd reason just cant help themselfs. Remember the slower the better. Stick with more natural colors like green pumkin, watermelon seed, or pumkin seed. Good luck let us know how it goes. Jay-

X2 Thank everybody who participated in this discussion I had no idea that this would generate so much interest and so many different point of views. I guess in a way everyone agrees to disagree. This is a awesome discussion and I hope some biologist get involved and study these allegations in further detail. Thanks again all. Jay-

By multiple techniques do you different baits? Or do you mean different retrieves?

Question for all the bank bangers! When fishing a lay down tree, when is it time to move on? What I mean is, you come across a tree in a lake and you flip towards it and pull 2-3 fish out of it or when you know there should be fish there you catch any. How long do you spend flipping at it? I have heard stories of people fishing a tree for hours. When is enough enough? Should you make just a couple of cast and move on? Should you give it 10,20,30 minutes? In my club there are people who I have seen fishing a single tree for a hour. Most of the time I see them catch nothing but then they come back to the scale with a incredible bag. What are your experiences with fishing lay downs. I have caught a lot of fish from wood in the water or laydowns, but I dont know if I am fishing them correctly. I usually make 5 to 10 choicce cast to key spots and move on. Should I be working them differently or longer? I mean you really cant use your electronics unless you have side imaging/360 imaging (which both are out of my price range). What do you think is best in your opinion? Jay-

This year I need to focus more on getting a limit with the panic baits, then upgrading. I feel like I should be able to get a quick limit that way. I should be able to get a limit of 14inchers in 30 minutes. Then I will have the rest of the day to try and find the hogs. You never know, you may come across a pattern while dink slinging and end up slab grabbin. The last 2 years I have been hog hunting the whole day and not having much luck getting my limits. This is a new year and time for a new approach during my tournaments. Jay-

ROFLMAO! Thats awesome! Jay-

Wow im jealous wish I was that organized. I start with one thing then end up working on something else. Before I know it I have all my tools out and parts and pieces everywhere. I guess that's why I have two tables side by side. Great work Will nice set-up! Jay-

Those last three are red hot... I know they would work around here in Va. Keep up the amazing work. Jay

Opinions are like .... Oh wait, I mean show me the facts. Jay-

Im jealous! They look amazing!

Well I am amazed about the amount of people who agree and disagree with me. This truely is a matter of opinion since no one can truely get in our nemesis's head. I, just like everybody else, can speak from my own experiences which are going to vary from everybody else experiences on their bodies of water. Whether or not the fish are conditioned, point of the matter remains, sometime the fish are there and aggressive and sometimes they are not. Whether you stick around trying different baits waiting for them to wake up/show up or move on to find more active fish that is up to you. The diversity of the sport and it's challenges are what keeps us fisherman "conditioned" to try and catch the biggest, the most, and our own personal best. Jay-

There are a lot of baits out there that really don't look like much to us. Who is to say what they look like to a fish. The Senko is a prime example of that. A Gobi could look like a million things depending on how it's fished. It reminds me a lot of a tadpole. My main point is I do not believe that fish can look at a lure and not eat it because they are use to it. I believe that if it looks like what they are feeding on when they are feeding on it, and has the correct action it will look like a meal to them. Then there is the whole reaction strike topic. Reaction is a uncontrolled response, how do they get conditioned to that? If people can't get a reaction strike then the fish must be conditioned to that too,no? I believe the whole conditioned bass theory is a great marketing ploy to get you to buy the latest and greatest new bait. More power to you if a new never before seen bait gives you the confidence to catch fish, but for me I will just match the hatch with anything new or old regardless if people think the fish have seen it before.IMO lol Jay-

Lol awesome. Throw a French fry with a hook in it and see if they stop eating French fries!

I had a experience the catching if the same fish 3 times in a row on a crankbait. It was a 16in fish with black marking on it and was very skinny. After the 3rd time we left the area Jay

I agreed!

If the bass sees a blue gill but it is feeding on shad then it will ignore the blue gill. I believe bass have different preferences at different times of the year.

I believe the older bigger bass are pickier and settle for bigger easier (targets) meals. Every year monsters are caught on spinnerbaits and those have been around for a bunch of years. If you have a imitation of what they are eating when they are eating it then you can catch them regardless of how many times they have seen it. IMO of course.

Being that there memory is so poor you think it's possible for them to remember a specific bait?

What do you think? Can LMB really become conditioned to a particular bait? IMO I think no! I always hear people saying that bass become conditioned to a bait and they won't bite it. I wondered how is that possible with the little brain that they do have. It seems more possible that maybe they are not feeding no longer on the food you are imitating. Meaning you are throwing a blue gill bait but now there are more shad in the area and that is what they are feeding on at that time. Hope that made since. What is your opinion?

I am not sure how far along I will be by January but I will let you know if I make it there in time. Jay

IMO according to what I have read fish have a very short memory. I believe she will be there waiting for you to trick her again. Whatever has her going to that spot will be instinctive and not from memory. If it makes you feel more confident try the same bait in a slightly different color. Chances are though if there is one nice one there could be more in that spot. Here is another way to look at it in a positive way. It's the spawning season in most places so she might be protecting a nest and hit your bait again to protect that nest. Jay-

Thanks Mike you got me going in a awesome direction. I really am honored to have met such a helpful, brilliant business man!