There are established ways of working various baits, but for various reasons, we might go our own way, like Robert Frost when "two roads in a yellow wood." Do you take "the one less traveled by" and if so, why?

 

I watch YouTube videos of guys fishing poppers and they walk the dog with them. When I fish a popper, I let it sit, again and again, and that's when I catch 90% of my popper bass, when the popper is still. I do it this way because I was trained to do it this way a half a century ago when everyone popped and paused their poppers. I also do it this way because I've walked the dog with my poppers and don't catch nearly as many. Old school rules.

 

The other way I differ is that I follow along shorelines, like many of us do, casting at various cover, but every three or four casts, I launch my lure into the middle of nothing. I do this because I catch bass in the middle of nothing, even with my surface lures, and they're often my biggest bass. I don't see the YouTube anglers doing this; They're always working wood and weeds. 

 

I rise to fish earlier than most anglers. If the Sun is rising when I launch, I've likely missed the best fishing. I like to launch at four in the morning, but 3:30 is even better. I do this because it's when big ones hit with abandon. When I see the first, slight light in the eastern sky, I'm sad.

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

I rise to earlier than most anglers. If the Sun is rising when I launch, I've likely missed the best fishing. I like to launch at four in the morning, but 3:30 is even better. I do this because it's when big ones hit with abandon.

 

You've obviously had enough experience on the bodies of water you regularly fish to realize now what is quite often the most aggressive feeding period.  What I might say is that its not the case everywhere else.  I don't remember the last time I got up at 3:30am to go fishing because there is no need to.  The fishing isn't any better at 4am than it is right at sunrise where I go.

 

Not just that, but I can think of at least two locations I fish during the season where I cannot legally even be on the water until 5 or 6am.  One place is operated by a park system that doesn't open until 5am, and Mille Lacs has a full season night ban.  You can't fish from 10pm - 6am unless you're specifically targeting muskies during that open season.

 

At least in the summer time, my most productive periods to seem to be right around sunrise or sunset, unless there is incoming low pressure or a weather change.  Then its right before (or during) that time period.  Rainy or cloudy days are my friend in the summer.  Warm, hot, bluebird days are the enemy.

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

You've obviously had enough experience on the bodies of water you regularly fish to realize now what is quite often the most aggressive feeding period.  What I might say is that its not the case everywhere else. 

 

That's a good point. However, if you launched one time with me at three in the morning in Maine and you heard the hogs walloping on the surface, you too would rise and shine at three with me. 

I can’t say I do anything different because I don’t really ever do anything right? I hope that makes sense 

I rarely do anything "right". Sometimes I get lucky. I've caught a few big bass- and oddly enough, some catfish- with a trick worm on a large jighead attached to the spinner of a Beetle Spin. I fish it with a slow retrieve like you'd do with the typical Beetle Spin grub, almost never touching the bottom at all. 

 

You won't know what works until you try, right?

I loose fish, snag, backlash, tangle line, cast high up in trees, cast two feet past my target, two feet short of my target, try to catch fish on dry land, miss strikes, set the hook in to almost anything that is not a fish, and swear far more than I see anglers do on You Tube videos.

10 minutes ago, king fisher said:

I loose fish, snag, backlash, tangle line, cast high up in trees, cast two feet past my target, two feet short of my target, try to catch fish on dry land, miss strikes, set the hook in to almost anything that is not a fish, and swear far more than I see anglers do on You Tube videos.

I would see that show. 

43 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

The other way I differ is that I follow along shorelines, like many of us do, casting at various cover, but every three or four casts, I launch my lure into the middle of nothing. I do this because I catch bass in the middle of nothing, even with my surface lures, and they're often my biggest bass. 

Many years ago, I was working a bluff wall, boat in 25 FOW, a short cast off the wall.  A boat was working behind me, going in the same direction.  I noticed the back seater making casts out towards the middle of the lake every so often, and he caught a couple good bass over deep water in just a short stretch of wall.  Really surprised me.   Ever since, I make it a point to cast away from the bank every so often.  It can be particularly effective opposite pockets, or approaching points.

Compared to you @ol'crickety and most anglers on here I probably do most things differently -- because this was my first year fishing and I had no idea at all what I was doing ! 

A friend came out with me one day and, after laughing a bit, politely informed me that I was holding the rod/reel (spinning) upside down, and showed me how to undo the reel handle and switch it to the other side so I could hold it/reel in correctly (I am a lefty so I want to hold the rod in my left hand, to control it, and reel in with my right hand). 

I have no doubt I dropped the wrong lures in all the wrong places at the wrong times -- but I was on the water and enjoying my blissful ignorance

This winter I have watched/read quite a bit and purchased a couple of new rods/reels/lures. 

I look forward to the ice melting (April ? May ?) and getting back out on the water -- and holding the rod/reel correctly ! 

46 minutes ago, OmegaDPW said:

with a trick worm on a large jighead attached to the spinner of a Beetle Spin.

 

Whoa! That is quirky!

When it comes to fishing, I'm not sure I'm different but I am certain I'm me. 

Sometimes, being me feels a lot like being alone.

That being said, being true to my own standards

and my way of fishing, has made me feel a bit different.

But in the end, it has made me the happiest.

Mostly because any & all success I may have, feels self generated. 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

 

31 minutes ago, king fisher said:

I loose fish, snag, backlash, tangle line, cast high up in trees, cast two feet past my target, two feet short of my target, try to catch fish on dry land, miss strikes, set the hook in to almost anything that is not a fish, and swear far more than I see anglers do on You Tube videos.

 

I just watched the latest Kristine Fischer YouTube video and I thanked her for including footage of all the bass she misses. You watch some videos where EVERY big bass is landed and it makes me feel like a failure. Then you watch videos like Kristine's and you realize even top tier anglers lose bass. Lots of 'em. 

Ol'Crickety that is a very good post & you are so right, It's old school.I still fish like that & at about the same times also. I started bass fishing in 69 no not 1869. I still use many of the same baits, they still catch fish. I wonder how many that read your post will try it. If they don't they will miss out.

2 minutes ago, scbassin said:

I wonder that read your post will try it.

 

Heck, yeah! I'm sharing what unexpectedly works for me because I hope it'll work for others. Casting surface lures to the middle worked in northwestern Ontario too.

 

@Choporoz said that this tactic can be "can be particularly effective opposite pockets, or approaching points" and that sounds right. I just know that sometimes I look at a particular bit of the mid-lake and my hairs will prickle because there's something about it that looks fishy...and it often does hold a bass.

 

6 minutes ago, scbassin said:

I still use many of the same baits, they still catch fish.

 

Heck, yeah, they do! Ever use a Creek Chub Plunker? Or a Heddon River Runt or Crazy Crawler? I still have all my old lures and I'm thinking of rigging one rod every trip with a vintage lure. They don't any good in my basement. I think I will, however, add modern hooks. 

Honestly, I have no idea how or whether I differ from anybody else.

 

I go fishing to get away from people, and try to choose times and places with as few other people on the water as possible.  if i see somebody fishing an area, I go find somewhere else.  When crowds are unavoidable, most are usually fishing for something other than bass anyway. 

 

So I don't really know much about what other people are doing.

This may not be really different, but I only Tennessee handle spinning rods. I got my first one years ago, and now have a few of them. I don't see or know anyone else in my area that uses them.

I too, was raised fishing Topwater plugs very slowly. Devils Horse and Dalton specials.  You cast out next to the structure and let it sit until all the rings disappeared on the water, and then gave it one twitch or a pop. Then repeat. 
nowadays, it's hard for me to have the patience to fish one place that slowly. 
I think if I were fishing a smaller body of water that I knew held fish in specific areas, it would be easier for me to fish slowly. 
 

 

@ol'crickety "The other way I differ is that I follow along shorelines, like many of us do, casting at various cover, but every three or four casts, I launch my lure into the middle of nothing. I do this because I catch bass in the middle of nothing, even with my surface lures, and they're often my biggest bass. I don't see the YouTube anglers doing this; They're always working wood and weeds. "

 

I learned this lesson while casting for walleye with a jig up in Quebec. We were working the shoreline of an island. I made a random cast opposite to deeper water & hooked my first 10lb walleye. Turns out there was an underwater hump in 25 feet of water that topped out around 12 feet & she was occupying the top of the hump. 

Two of my favorite baits for this are the Heddon Baby Torpedo & the Smithwick Devils Horse

I'll yo yo a lipless in place in shallow water. Basically dangle it. Works like a charm. I'll pitch a spinnerbait into pockets and around cover like a jig or Texas rig. Also works like a charm. 

The Man who had the most impact on how I Fish was Jason Lucas editor of Sports Afield magazine in the 50’s. Being a young teen my questions were limitless and Jay would answer my letters with suggestions on what rod, reel and a few lures to start with. Later Jay published a book Lucas on Bass and that was the 1st time I could a picture of this man that I never met in person.

Jason Lucas was a exhibition caster a true expert and promoted light line use. Jay also promoted fishing off shore structure by drifting with a anchor until the boat stopped on something off shore. 

When Lowrance came out with their Green Box flasher I bought it in high school and never looked back. 

Being a very curious person always wonder why drove me to learn more about the bass I wanted to catch. The result was my Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar and whatever success I had catching big bass over a lifetime. 

You can say I marched to a different drummer with help of my mentor. Thank you Jay.

Tom

Something I don't see very often but sure it's being done by some members.

Early in the morning if I'm working top water, instead of casting towards the bank,

I actually position the boat just off the bank and cast parallel.

This allows much more water being covered during active times before the sun rises.

Of course if you have a fishing partner, they always frown upon it. 

2 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

I'll yo yo a lipless in place in shallow water. Basically dangle it. Works like a charm.

 

Cool trick! I'm going to try it.

I fish fast slower than most people fish fast and I fish slow faster than most people fish slow and ultimately I try to focus on the nuance of my presentation before lure choice most days.  I feel like the days where I systematically try different depths and speeds and cadences are days I do the best.

 

Slow baits the people usually drag around or hop, I will swim/buzz/stroke for reactions and I will use much heavier weights than most people 'would use' so that I get reactions on the fall others aren't getting.

 

I will sloooooowly creep a lipless or a buzzbait or a Squarebill or a swim jig or a underspin as slowly as I can efficiently present the baits and keep them looking  realistic and I NEVER see anyone doing this on YouTube or around me at my lakes and I catch most of my reaction baits fish presenting them fairly slow relative to what most people assume is acceptable.  I can't count the number of fish I've caught on buzzbaits just barely gurgling the surface or lipless fish where I'm practically dragging the nose through rocks with my rod tip at 12 o clock or swim jig and underspin fish I catch popping my reel 1/8 of a turn every second or two keeping the bait glued to the bottom just twitching along back to me.  Crawling spinnerbaits on the bottom down bluff walls and steep banks.

 

I'm always trying to do the opposite of what the fish have seen 100,000 times and it works pretty doggone well for me around here.

 

Another thing I do that probably some people do but I really get into it, is match the hatch.  I LOVE observing what bass are feeding on and dialing in my profile/size/color in specifically to what's happening.  I've had too much success doing this at times when the fishing is tough to discount this being important *sometimes*

 

As far as timing, I find that the best time to go is whenever I can. 😎😎😎

45 minutes ago, WaskaCrank12 said:

I look forward to the ice melting (April ? May ?) and getting back out on the water

 

Well at this rate you may be able to find open water way before that here.

 

The primary issue is that bass season doesn't open until May.  You could test your panfish skills instead though.