1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Adapt to changing conditions before and after you get to where you’re going. 

 

Long before Larry Nixon became the "General" he was known as Mr. Versititly. Not for using every technique known to man but for his ability to read subtle changes in conditions & quickly adapt. 

Yesterday was tough on the Hiwassee, with lots of brown water (though it actually rained on Friday). The key was finding the sections where visibility was higher—some areas were chocolate milk, others you could see 6-8”.

 

And the fish I caught was shallow, in the rocks, and I caught it on a very slowly-twitched Texas rigged Zoom UV Speed Craw. With water temps in the low 50s and poor visibility, I probably wasted my time with moving baits; might have caught more if I’d switched to bottom contact sooner.

 

When that water is 60+ degrees though, even in brown-green water, I’m expecting some good crankbait and chatterbait action—maybe I’m wrong.

1 hour ago, Drawdown said:

Yesterday was tough on the Hiwassee, with lots of brown water (though it actually rained on Friday). The key was finding the sections where visibility was higher—some areas were chocolate milk, others you could see 6-8”.

 

And the fish I caught was shallow, in the rocks, and I caught it on a very slowly-twitched Texas rigged Zoom UV Speed Craw. With water temps in the low 50s and poor visibility, I probably wasted my time with moving baits; might have caught more if I’d switched to bottom contact sooner.

 

When that water is 60+ degrees though, even in brown-green water, I’m expecting some good crankbait and chatterbait action—maybe I’m wrong.

Thanks for the info! The ole wassee sure gets muddy 

imma zombiepost because boredom

on a calm sunny day i'm probably gonna find the clearest water I can near some bushes, throw a weightless fluke in some sort of green as far as I can towards those bushes, and then bring it back to me as slowly as I can...feeling as much bottom as possible ? 

On 3/5/2023 at 8:21 AM, GreenPig said:

I always start a little faster than the water temperture might call for. I'll hit 5 or 6 places, throwing multiple different moving baits and then start slowing down until they tell me something. I never want to be dragging a worm/jig, when they'll hit a chatterbait, spinnerbait, or topwater. I fished a tournament years ago and after dragging jigs for hours in the 50 degree water with 4 - 6" visibilty, we won it in the last couple hours throwing black buzzbaits. 

 

 

 

 

I just wanted to quote this particular reply because I'm rereading this thread right now and I feel like this particular reply is such an important part for me personally of successful bass fishing.

 

I think the sooner that we as anglers can internalize that moving around and looking for active fish is the first order of business, the sooner we get that first bite that tells us there are fish around that wanna chew and that builds our confidence to the point where we can start to really get down to business.  Fishing is all about momentum.  You've gotta get that first bite.

 

I recently watched a video on YouTube about tough days and one thing that really helped me was the angler on the video explained that they like to have two techniques ready to go for days like this. That pretty much always get bit even when fish don't want to bite.

 

I think learning a few techniques like this is a really important thing to do if you have a lot of days on the water where you're around fish but not getting bit.

 

Drop shot, neko rig, shaky head, Jerkbait, swimbait on a jig head seem like the ones that most people go straight to when they go an hour or two in high % areas with no bites.

 

For what it's worth, I am currently trying to add drop shot, shaky head and jerk bait fishing to my arsenal this year for this exact reason!

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

I just wanted to quote this particular reply because I'm rereading this thread right now and I feel like this particular reply is such an important part for me personally of successful bass fishing.

 

I think the sooner that we as anglers can internalize that moving around and looking for active fish is the first order of business, the sooner we get that first bite that tells us there are fish around that wanna chew and that builds our confidence to the point where we can start to really get down to business.  Fishing is all about momentum.  You've gotta get that first bite.

 

I recently watched a video on YouTube about tough days and one thing that really helped me was the angler on the video explained that they like to have two techniques ready to go for days like this. That pretty much always get bit even when fish don't want to bite.

 

I think learning a few techniques like this is a really important thing to do if you have a lot of days on the water where you're around fish but not getting bit.

 

Drop shot, neko rig, shaky head, Jerkbait, swimbait on a jig head seem like the ones that most people go straight to when they go an hour or two in high % areas with no bites.

 

For what it's worth, I am currently trying to add drop shot, shaky head and jerk bait fishing to my arsenal this year for this exact reason!

I understand what you are saying. But if you read my initial post…I was saying that I know everyone (as you said) says that you have to keep moving to find active fish…but at what point do you say…”Hey, maybe I need to slow down and it’s just going to be a shakyhead or Texas rig kind of day”? I’m all for going fast…but if you blank at the end of a full day of cranking…was it successful? A lot of good responses in this thread about how to determine the answer to that question.   I do agree that it’s good to keep moving, but there are a lot of tournaments won on a shakyhead or a jig and I bet there were those in that tournament that kept going fast and just missed the deal for that day. Thoughts? 

1 hour ago, clemsondds said:

I understand what you are saying. But if you read my initial post…I was saying that I know everyone (as you said) says that you have to keep moving to find active fish…but at what point do you say…”Hey, maybe I need to slow down and it’s just going to be a shakyhead or Texas rig kind of day”? I’m all for going fast…but if you blank at the end of a full day of cranking…was it successful? A lot of good responses in this thread about how to determine the answer to that question.   I do agree that it’s good to keep moving, but there are a lot of tournaments won on a shakyhead or a jig and I bet there were those in that tournament that kept going fast and just missed the deal for that day. Thoughts? 

 

 

I think sometimes you find when you're moving that you don't get bit and that's when you pick high percentage areas that you believe will hold a good number of fish and slow down and the only way to know that is by fishing a lot and listening to the fish on the day you're on the water.

 

I think there are also certain conditions that necessitate fishing very slowly. I find that very muddy water produces very cautious fish that are not very likely to bite much of anything and I definitely feel that fishing very slowly and deliberately can produce in those sorts of situations. I also feel like if you're on a lake where everybody fish is fast all the time, fishing slow can be very very productive.

 

I think on the water my rule is about 20 minutes with a bait and if I'm not getting bit I switch even if I'm moving around or holding still.

1 hour ago, clemsondds said:

I understand what you are saying. But if you read my initial post…I was saying that I know everyone (as you said) says that you have to keep moving to find active fish…but at what point do you say…”Hey, maybe I need to slow down and it’s just going to be a shakyhead or Texas rig kind of day”? I’m all for going fast…but if you blank at the end of a full day of cranking…was it successful? A lot of good responses in this thread about how to determine the answer to that question.   I do agree that it’s good to keep moving, but there are a lot of tournaments won on a shakyhead or a jig and I bet there were those in that tournament that kept going fast and just missed the deal for that day. Thoughts? 

 

I seldom stop looking for fish and hunker down in a spot hoping that they are there and have been ignoring my offering thus far. When I'm using a "search bait" looking for fish, I'm not so much trying to catch them, as I am teasing them into showing themselves, a swirl, bump, moving pad, etc. If I can't get them to commit, then I will slow down, where I've seen evidence of them. Of course this assumes Randy B is watching me with binos and I can't look at the FF...  

I think it depends on where you are geographically 

 

The people that did well in the 2023 bassmaster classic on my home lake fished the same areas all 3 days, gussy barely casting and schmitt dragging a shakey head 

 

You can run and gun all day here and never catch much, I do it all the time after reading too much online 

 
 

john Cox (and gussy to an extent) even fished the exact same small areas they fished when the trail came here in 2021. If you know a good spot just saturate it , they will hit eventually. 
 

33 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I think it depends on where you are geographically 

 

The people that did well in the 2023 bassmaster classic on my home lake fished the same areas all 3 days, gussy barely casting and schmitt dragging a shakey head 

 

You can run and gun all day here and never catch much, I do it all the time after reading too much online 

 
 

john Cox (and gussy to an extent) even fished the exact same small areas they fished when the trail came here in 2021. If you know a good spot just saturate it , they will hit eventually. 
 

 

 

I think for me, the purpose of running and gunning is finding a good area.

 

When you are in a good area that's when it's time to work it hard with lots of techniques and slow down.

 

Sometimes you get lucky and don't have to run and gun to be in a good area.  Just depends on how familiar you are with a body of water and of course conditions and the mood of the fish playing in your favor.

 

Another thing to consider is that running and gunning doesn't necessarily mean burning featureless miles of bank for hours.

 

It can mean studying maps ahead of time and fishing areas that you have determined will be high percentage spots given the season and conditions leading up to the day you fish.

On 3/5/2023 at 9:08 AM, Catt said:

 

If you're thinking that you probably are!

 

I will pull my hat brim down over my sunglasses, pick up my worm rod, put the trolling motor on medium, & start flipping, pitching, & casting at everything I see in the water.

 

My confidence is in a Texas Rig, yours maybe a spinnerbait, squarebill, or something else. 

 

This is the time ya wanna fish your strengths!

 

Keep in mind sometimes ya just get skunked!!

If your flipping ant pitching a Texas rig. Does that statement also mean your “pitching” to a 75 foot away brush pile? In 15 foot of water or strictly visible cover targets?

I'm not a fast or slow angler. I'm a fast plus slow angler. When I launch, I have fast baits and slow baits rigged and through a fishing session, I'm fishing both. I often catch a bass on a fast or slow bait and immediately switch to a slow or fast bait. If I caught a bass on a fast bait, I'll then cast a slow bait, looking for a less active bass. 

@Swamp Girl  Excellent strategy!

4 minutes ago, Lottabass said:

@Swamp Girl  Excellent strategy!

 

I'm out of reactions, so thanks! Switching back and forth helps me learn too. 

I would say most of the time I am in the same "boat" as @Swamp Girl but if I think there is a chance a fast moving bait will work I always start searching with one first. I rarely search with a slow bait unless I have already established that it is the only way to get bit that day.

 

The definition of a fast bait changes depending on what I am targeting. If it is a 6' flat it will be vibrating jig or perhaps a 1.5 and my slow bait is something like a Senko. If I am searching rockpiles in 20'-30' of water my "fast" bait is a wobblehead and my slow baits are a drop shot or a Ned rig.

 

I think I am doing what 99% of folks do. Trying to eliminate unproductive water as quickly as possible and spend as much time as possible on water that is holding fish.

 

The one thing I have become much better at the past few years is not staying on a spot after the bite has died on that spot. I used to waste so much time fishing a spot that gave up a few fish long after I had my last bite. Basically, if I stop getting bit on one lure I will quickly cycle (a few casts each) through my other options and then if I have not had a bite I will leave.

I don't have nearly the experience that others here do, but I would get shallow and work the shore with my confidence baits. I'd slow down and work it thoroughly, then move a bit.

On 4/3/2023 at 11:12 AM, Pat Brown said:

Another thing to consider is that running and gunning doesn't necessarily mean burning featureless miles of bank for hours.

 

It can mean studying maps ahead of time and fishing areas that you have determined will be high percentage spots given the season and conditions leading up to the day you fish.

This is what I think of when I think about fishing fast. I'm gonna plan out a run of high percentage spots and fish each one for 15 minutes before I run to the next. I'll still usually start with fast moving baits but I'll incorporate slower stuff before I move to the next area. Part of fishing fast for me is having multiple fast and slow options on the deck at all times so I'm not wasting time retying. 

A little twist on the high percentage spots - often you'll find places on the lake that are high percentage but for multiple scenarios. A point with a channel swing on on side so a fast dropoff, and a taper on the other that merges into a flat. Shallow, deep, on the flat, on the flat edge, on the dropoff, windblown side, lee side, etc. So you can cover a lot of scenarios with very little movement of the boat and maybe start to build a pattern off that. 

 

On 3/7/2023 at 7:20 AM, Catt said:

Long before Larry Nixon became the "General" he was known as Mr. Versititly. Not for using every technique known to man but for his ability to read subtle changes in conditions & quickly adapt. 

 

One of the weaknesses of my canoes is that there just isn't enough room to bring 20 rods like bass boaters do. If I could, I would. Then I could be Ms. Versatility. 

14 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

One of the weaknesses of my canoes is that there just isn't enough room to bring 20 rods like bass boaters do. If I could, I would. Then I could be Ms. Versatility. 

20 rods = option paralysis.

 

They call me Mr Rictus when I got more than about 6 on the deck 😂

When I search for active bass, I always have a backup rod or two with something I can work a little slower. For instance, I might cover a main lake point with a DD crank or a swimbait, but I always have something like a tube or ned rig tied on to keep the fish honest. And...not to go off on a tangent, but you can fish a t-rig, tube, or ned rig fast if needed. "Finesse" is relative. A lot of people will consider fishing a tube finesse fishing, but I will fish it t-rigged with 20 lb flouro in some lakes and the fish do not seem to mind. I will also fish ned rigs on up to 1/4 oz jigheads when the conditions call for it. 

 

Oftentimes, I find that when you go out to the lake expecting their to be a lot of action, 90% of the day turns out to be a grind. There could also be bass that you miss if you cover the area super fast which could be why you weren't getting bit on ZZ1, lipless, etc. If a spot looks too good to not hold a bass, I would also slow down or make a few more casts to the spot just to make sure there's nothing hanging there. 

 

Lastly, maybe you just do not know the lake yet or the conditions were not ideal. Sounds like another trip might be needed to figure some things out. 

 

Adding on to this most excellent conversation.

 

I recently fished a new (to me) lake area that is an extension of a larger lake. It was blue bird skies, water in the high 50’s degrees and flooded up 11/12 foot per DNR report. It was like fishing an underwater forest. The visibility was decent up on the banks, 2-3 foot where I could see the brush, tree roots and rock.

The high water produced small islands and scattered stands of timber. I worked the islands from all sides with the full arsenal trading off with an paddletail,  curly tail underspin, a weightless fluke, hollow body frog,  t-rigged worm and Rage Bug, spyder jig and a tube. I worked deep into the timbers and brush and attacked each target from different angles rotating moving to dragging baits for 10 to 15 or so minutes each. After about an hour and a half I moved on to another area fishing about 6 hours total,,,,,,to no avail,,,,,zip, zero, nada!

 

 I did have a couple small crappie bites but not one bass, brown, green or otherwise. WTH!!

At least to my condolence there were tournament anglers fishing the same portion of the lake for practice and they were “run and gun” fishing with no better results.

 

I fished methodically sloooow, quickly, top water, mid column and deep without nary a bite. To add insult to injury I could hear fish (and on two occasions saw) busting top water fry but could never get one to hit my frog, fluke, underspin or paddletail. I’d then follow up with a worm, the t-rig or spyder jig with not a bite. Everything on my graph was suspended around 10 foot in 15/16 foot of water but could never catch anything shallow as mid depths were a dead zone. Frustrating!

 

I don’t typically like fishing high water lake levels but it was a very beautiful day with great spring temperatures and being on the lake was rewarding in itself.

 

Any ideas?

Am I just clueless or was it just “one of those days”? 

Starting to feel this is my mantra!

 

 

I wouldn't say bass are strictly in a binary active/inactive mode. There are far more shades than that. There are not always some bass in a lake actively feeding either. 

 

I think of it more as the mood/personality of the fish on the day. 

 

Today i fished and in many areas I knew I was around bass, but they did not touch a senko, craw, 3.8 swimbait or a big walking bait. It had been insanely hot here and there is an abundance of bait everywhere. In my opinion the bass were not only not active, but not really looking to eat period.  They were not even set up around typical ambush spots. I probably saw 200+ bluegill in many of the areas that had bass. Also tons of minnows/fry. Bass were sometimes just slowly cruising near the bait. 

 

So yeah, they were "inactive" but it does not then follow that they will munch on something slowed down and "finessy." 

 

My conclusion was basically to irritate them into biting or to create strictly reaction strikes.  That ended up being a popper that i just left on top of them. They came and nipped it basically and I caught them. It felt more like a territorial thing as they never came and crushed the popper. And would not touch any topwater fished fast. 

 

Strategy 2 was eventually fishing a bladed jig about as fast as I could right in their grill as erraticaly as possible. This got a bunch of bites too. 

 

I think if I had used a ned rig I would have near blanked. Likewise fishing a slow subsurface moving bait. Which to me is the normal active/inactive kind of binary.