I want to get more versatile as a bass fisherman.

Sometimes I get "hooked" on certain baits.

For the longest while it was plastic craws, then Fat Ikas, and now Senkos.

I am thinking of developing a "time limit" for each bait.

If I don't get bit within a certain time, then switch.

Do you guys ever do this?

How long do you give a bait and/or technique?

If I'm in an area that I feel is holding bass and that the bass should be active, and I'm not catching a whole lot; I'll change fairly often.  If I'm not sure that the bass are there, or if I feel like most of the bass are inactive I tend to stick with the same presentation until I'm more convinced that it's not right.

I agree with what papa smurf but there is one thing that I will add to that.  This past weekend I was using a sertain technique and it wasn't working well so I went away from it tried some others caught some fish but later in the day I just knew that this pattern had worked well in the past so I went back to it and it excelled.  We ended up getting 3rd.  So I would say don't for get if you change up don't be afraid of going back to something even if you didn't do well early if you know that pattern is correct for that time of year.

Good luck Scott

Just a suggestion...one thing I do to make myself more confident in other baits/techniques is I have a place that is private that a guy allows me to fish, a quarry loaded with fish.  I will pack only a few baits or rigs, ones that I don't fish often or have little confidence in, and MAKE myself fish those.  A simple way to build confidence in new stuff that leads to fishing different techniques more often when on other water.

Just a thought.

thats a good idea ball couch

I think it's ball "coach", not couch.  lol   ;D ;D ;D

When I see the water conditions I bait up 7 rods. I'll fish a bait 3-5 minutes max then switch through the lineup casting to classic bass holding spots. I like to try finding 2 or more patterns since finding one might happen just as it's dying out and being replaced by the other. A typical order of business is fishing shallow, deeper and deep each stop as I go along looking for a biting depth, which requires at least 3 search baits that will probe the depths. Once a solid pattern emerges I re-bait using different colors, wiggle, water-displacement ability using baits that fit that pattern. If pattern number one dies I'll keep working baits out in case that pattern revives. I do believe bass go through a cycle of patterns returning to one that worked earlier in the day maybe that night. It really seems like the way I eat, a good breakfast, then a sandwich for lunch, and maybe a couple of fish fillets to finish the day. Then I start over the next day on the same pattern with very little change. Bass get in feeding habits too.

Jim

I pattern my system after KVD's.  VanDam said awhile ago he uses the rule of 10.  If you have not gotten bit in 10 minutes, change something, whether it is color, bait, retrieve, location, etc.  But, like all rules, they are made to be broken.  If I think I have the right pattern established, I tend to stick with it.

I keep 8-10 rods in my rod box rigged with various baits that I've selected as a gameplan depending on conditions.Of those,I'll keep 4 strapped on the deck for easy access.I don't use a specific time limit,but I'm changing around until I find what they want.When it becomes apparent that a bait is not in the picture,I'll put it back in the rod box and replace it with another.I'll either be successful or not.Manytimes,I have to re-rig rods that have already been pre-rigged.In a word,junk fishing (according to known seasonal patterns).

My plan is to have 4 poles rigged with 4 most lethal baits for whatever lake on whatever day under whatever conditions.  I like the Quantum 6'6 Tournament Grade combo from wal mart lol.  They are super versitile, accurate, and have tons of speed and backbone.  Instead of ripping baits off and trying something new, you should get a few poles rigged up (2 horizontal and 2 vertical or 2 power and 2 finesse or whatever) and switch regularly between your confidence search baits.  Then once you establish a pattern, you can downsize, change, or whatever you feel you need to do.