It seems like everyone now talks about power fishing and in all four seasons.  Even during the winter, many articles say fish crankbaits etc... rather than "slow" plastics and jigs.

 

Is this a relatively new development in fishing (i.e., past 15-20 years)?  I don't seem to remember Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance talking this way back in the 80s and early 90s growing up.  I could be totally off though.

Nope we been Bubba Fishing for years

The practice is nothing new, I think that it is just the name that is. Obviously, people have been using crankbaits, spinners, and other moving baits for decades- they were just calling it "fishing". Now that more and more specialty techniques and fishing styles are popping up or migrating over from other places, we are starting to categorize the old ones differently to keep them all straight. Not much changing in the way we use these baits, just what we call it.

Go ahead and "power fish" the Upper Delaware river anytime from now until March.  Let me know if you catch anything.  A week ago in 42 degree water I was catching 15-25 smallies per trip on blades in 35-70 feet of water. I was also catching walleye shallower on jerkbaits and soft plastics. The water temperature plummeted this week, and is now hovering at about 34. This week, I caught five smallies on  blades, one on a jig and netted  30 legal walleye on jigs.  I have caught a few smallies on jigs in 32.1 degree water, but one usually has to fish very slow, and right on the bottom. I know that lake water tends to be warmer, even under the ice, so fish right on the bottom may well be quite active.  Occasionally you'll see a blitz and the smallies will feed actively in extremely cold water, but even so, I doubt that "Power fishing" is going to be the big bite.  Just sayin.

Think back to when the Rapala Original floater came out.....Yeah it's been around that long or longer lol.

I wouldn't say that its a new technique. If there is a true 'new' style of fishing, I would say its Finesse. Not because no one ever did it, but because the advancements in Bass Spinning Gear, Braided and Fluorocarbon Lines, and Plastic Lures, has caused it to be a much more popular technique.

Man, is there another way to fish ? Cuz down here in the deep South we just fish with our everyday common ordinary spinnerbaits with blades the size of hubcaps, cranks that make swimbaits look like minners, anaconda size worms with 50 cal bullet sinkers and mop size jigs with an entire pig skin as trailer ..... Been doing it since ....... Geez, I'm getting old, I can't even remember for how long.

I think that as bass fishing diversified, got more exposure, there was a desire to label or brand techniques.  Finesse, Power, whatever you want to call it has been around a long time.  You can finesse a 1 oz. jig.  You can power fish a grub.  I will say this, I always think of "finesse" as describing the gear used to hook and land bass.  Conversely, when I think power fishing, I think of the way you fish the bait.

In my little brain the word "power" in power fishing is a verb!

George Perry was "power fishing" when he caught the world record largemouth bass in 1932.

I think that as bass fishing diversified, got more exposure, there was a desire to label or brand techniques.  Finesse, Power, whatever you want to call it has been around a long time.  You can finesse a 1 oz. jig.  You can power fish a grub.  I will say this, I always think of "finesse" as describing the gear used to hook and land bass.  Conversely, when I think power fishing, I think of the way you fish the bait.

 

To me it´s not about gear but about speed, for me "finessing" is deliberately fishing very slow every nook, crack, limb in a spot. So I can power fish a 1/32 oz marabou jig just by fishing it fast.

To me it´s not about gear but about speed, for me "finessing" is deliberately fishing very slow every nook, crack, limb in a spot. So I can power fish a 1/32 oz marabou jig just by fishing it fast.

 

Finesse as a noun and a verb (not relating to bridge)

 

Noun: intricate and refined delicacy.

Verb: do (something) in a subtle and delicate manner.

 

Speed isn't mentioned.

Finesse as a noun and a verb (not relating to bridge)

 

Noun: intricate and refined delicacy.

Verb: do (something) in a subtle and delicate manner.

 

Speed isn't mentioned.

 

 

Yea but Webster wasn't a fisherman.

When I hear the term Power Fishing KVD comes to mind, never heard that term until he came on the scene. 

Yea but Webster wasn't a fisherman.

 

 

Merriam did, though.  That wasn't from Webster, though.  This one is:

 

1:  refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture

2:  skillful handling of a situation :  adroit maneuvering

 

Finesse <> slow.

When I hear the term Power Fishing KVD comes to mind, never heard that term until he came on the scene. 

Exactly.  I was thinking he ushered in the modern era with the "power fishing" movement.  

Seemed to me this was brought up back when Larry Nixon was tearing things up.  KVD was still an up and coming amateur.

 

Need input from the old farts!

Merriam did, though. That wasn't from Webster, though. This one is:

1: refinement or delicacy of workmanship, structure, or texture

2: skillful handling of a situation : adroit maneuvering

Finesse <> slow.

Adroit - Merrian - Webster

Having or showing skill, cleaverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations.

That's me

I actually love the word "adroit."  One of those $10 vocab words from 10th grade you never get to use.

I actually love the word "adroit."  One of those $10 vocab words from 10th grade you never get to use.

Especially if you don't want to be called a tool after you leave the dock. lol

I don't care what they say after I leave the dock.  When we get back to the dock, all they'll be doing is complaining about handing their money over to me, anyway.

Before plugs were called crankbaits and Nick Creme invented rubber worms all bass anglers power fished by todays divination.

I don't recall when the term was coined regarding bass fishing. The bow mounted trolling motor always running at moderate speed when anglers pounded the bank is one source. The tournament pros called Dee Thomas a power fisherman because he powered the bass out of the water with his long rod when flipping.

The term has many definitions depending on your perspective.

I like the definition of trolling motor on high and anglers casting non stop at the bank as "power fishing".

Tom

Power fishing to me is putting the bait in the places that has the highest chances of success, and skipping over the parts of the cast least likely to catch a fish, so you get more casts in, but you sacrifice the chance for the fish in the more unusual locations... 

 

Mitch

My take on "power fishing " is that it works best when fish are somewhat aggressive and close to the bank,  weededges or other visible features.  Moving the boat almost constantly and hitting the likeliest spots, fishing the drop with a heavy jig, or jerkbaits, spinnerbaits or crankbaits.  Kind of the opposite of finnesse fishing, with smaller lures, light line and slow retrieves.

When I think of power fishing: Denny Brauer and flipping the jig comes to mind. He changed a lot of things...

 

Old school basser...