Being a member of several message boards for quite a while (9+ years); I've noticed the "Do a Search" recommendation comes up quite often.  Granted this can solve some issues...a lot of times things have changed quite a bit since the last thread was started.  Lets take one of the dreaded Senko questions for example...i.e. favorite color.  What was your favorite color last year?  What about two years ago?  A lot of times the search feature will resurrect a thread that is several years old.  Opinions of baits and/or bait colors don't change as often as with rods and reels, but often enough to warrant a new thead every year or so.  I can tell you my spinnerbait, worm, crankbait, beaver, jig, etc. choice has changed even since last year.  My go-to's evolve with each season.  I'm not saying to denounce the search feature...just that sometimes we need to revisit some topics.  

#1 Jig-N-Craw for 10 years straight; Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch Jig, 3/8 oz Black/Blue

#1 Worm for 12 years straight; Gene Larew 7 ½ Salty Ring Worm Cinnamon Pepper Neon/June Bug Laminated (Camouflage)

#1 Spinner Bait for 15 years straight; Stanley Wedge White shirt with double gold willow leaf

#1 Lipless Crank Bait for 30 years straight; Bill Lewis's Rat-L-Trap ½ oz Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly

#1 Hard Jerk Bait of 36 years straight; Original RB1200 Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly

#1 Jig-N-Craw for 10 years straight; Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch Jig, 3/8 oz Black/Blue

#1 Worm for 12 years straight; Gene Larew 7 ½ Salty Ring Worm Cinnamon Pepper Neon/June Bug Laminated (Camouflage)

#1 Spinner Bait for 15 years straight; Stanley Wedge White shirt with double gold willow leaf

#1 Lipless Crank Bait for 30 years straight; Bill Lewis's Rat-L-Trap ½ oz Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly

#1 Hard Jerk Bait of 36 years straight; Original RB1200 Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly

Thanks a lot Catt!  If I could think of one old stubborn SOB that predictably throws the same bait...it would be you   (oh and RW).  

Hey!

I resemble that remark!

8-)

I wish I was as stubborn as Catt. I might not have so many tackle boxes. Plus, he catches ALOT of fish.

Falcon

Why try to fix something that aint broke  

I do agree with revisiting some threads because opinions will change, especially for developing anglers.  I think the long-time anglers are more likely to have lures that they have settled on as their favorites and a lesson can be gleaned from Catt's response.  The expert angler has complete command of a few lures that he/she can catch fish with under almost any circumstances.  To reach this level of expertise one has to fish a lure with patience.  The suggestion has been made many times to take a particular lure out and fish it all day to learn how to use it.  You can't change lures every 10 or 15 minutes and become an expert at fishing a lure.  

As someone else stated on the board we all are probably over thinking the whole concept of catching fish.  But its so easy to do with all the new baits that come out every other day!  All of us are looking for the magic bait, when  I honestly am starting to believe that the magic comes from the confidence you have when fishing a certain technique.  It would probably be in our best intrests to slow down and pick about 5-6 techniques, go catch fish with them, gain confidence, and stick with them.

Why try to fix something that aint broke

Because it's fun  

#1 Jig-N-Craw for 10 years straight; Oldham's Lures Trailer Hitch Jig, 3/8 oz Black/Blue

#1 Worm for 12 years straight; Gene Larew 7 ½ Salty Ring Worm Cinnamon Pepper Neon/June Bug Laminated (Camouflage)

#1 Spinner Bait for 15 years straight; Stanley Wedge White shirt with double gold willow leaf

#1 Lipless Crank Bait for 30 years straight; Bill Lewis's Rat-L-Trap ½ oz Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly

#1 Hard Jerk Bait of 36 years straight; Original RB1200 Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue, Gold/Black Back/Orange Belly

Thanks a lot Catt! If I could think of one old stubborn SOB that predictably throws the same bait...it would be you (oh and RW).

Hey, WTH Natural !!! you excluded me and that offends me !  >

I 'm one of those old stubborn SOBs that predictably throws the same bait.  :

Billed Crankbaits: Shad Rap SR7 SD since 1985 and still going strong !

Jerkbaits: Rapala Original Floating minnow F11 RT since 1980 and still catching feesh with it.

Lipless crankbaits: Bill Lewis Rat L Trap 1/2 ounce, Bayou Boogie 1/2 ounce, last but not least, Heddon Sonic for as long as the Shad Rap.

Spinnerbaits: Strike King 1/4 oz tandem white/lime/chartreuse for over two decades.

Worm: Until my stock ended last year ( now I traded them for trickworms ) Mann 's 6" Jelly Worm purple and smoke w/ red metalflake ( they don 't make those anymore ).

Great thread.

I realize I can "get by" with just a few lures, especially if I'm fishing just a handful of similar waters. I have two thoughts towards this way of thinking:

-Many anglers (if not most) have a few GoTo's that they have developed confidence in. They then look for the locations, and fish, that these lures operate well in.

-Many anglers not only have confidence baits, but confidence retrieves that go with these. There's likely more that can be done with each lure than many anglers actually do, that will allow some adaptation.

But I approach my fishing differently, partly out of necessity and partly out of curiosity. It comes from having been a multi-species angler, over many different water types. And now, I fish a lot of different small waters: ponds, quarries, and small reservoirs. Not only can they be quite different in make up, but since they are small I don't have the option of finding other locations or fish. I have to make it happen under the whole gamut of conditions that fall before us (me and the fish we're in it together!). I can't just run down the lake. I can leave and hit another pond, which I may do at times. But for the most part, I've got a masochistic streak and can't let a good cold front or hailstorm go by, LOL.

So, I've come to realize over time that certain things work better than others under certain times and conditions. Take for example...the floating Rapala. I use it in several different ways that are a standard part of my arsenal. It's a GREAT topwater, especially in the early spring when water is cold, and when water is very clear, or calm. It casts well but lands very quietly, and has a rolling action on the twitch that is a super trigger, and the lack of much horizontal movement is the ticket in cold water.

But, as the water warms and bass are more willing to commit to a chase, I use it as a subtle waking bait. I go up to the #13 (from the #11), take the front treble off so the nose rides up a bit, and use it under similar conditions as above, just that the water is warmer and waking allows me to cover more water, without putting calm water fish off (spooking them).

If the water is a bit turbid, but still calm, I'll stay with the #13, but twitch it (as fish cannot find it as easy as in clear water, and a more stationary bait works better again) often after a good pop, to draw attention. With some chop added, I could fish the #13 with pops and short rips. That flash is great. But a popper can be better. The popper (spitter) throws water and the splashdown isn't such an issue, in fact, it's an attraction. Depending on the visibility, the popper can be fished subtly, or aggressively it's simply a more aggressive bait than the Rapala.

That's just one example of subtle changes that can be made as conditions change that can make a big difference.

Going further, I've identified lots of such tools and where they shine, and may employ them in succession. I'll have three rods with three different such tailored tools, (say a waker, a swimming jig, and a tube / or a walker, jig, tandem spinnerbait / or... depending on the water body, season, and conditions at hand). I cast one, then the other, then the other, and catch more fish from a given spot than I would if I only fished one. Why? Several reasons:

-Presentations are never perfect from splashdown to rod tip. One bass may see the wrong thing and shy away, whereas the next in line you pass on the retrieve sees FOOD! and BANG! On the next cast, the first bass may already be distrusting of that thing, and still shy from it. (Although this may sound, and be, anthropomorphic, I've come to this through sight fishing, as well as results.) This is especially so in heavily fished waters.

-The follow up lures offer something different enough that you can often take that first fish, or another that won't commit to the surface.

-I believe some individual fish like different things.

So, I go for versatility.

Lemme get back truer to the topic here.

My GoTo's haven't changed much over the years. Except now I fish under higher visibility conditions (clarity and sky) since moving west. I do add new things every year though, either entirely new tools, or upgrades. Yeah, the search feature will suffice for me I guess.