What type of fisherman are you.....?

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bassboy1

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Couldn't figure out where to put this. WW and Jim, feel free to place where appropriate.

What type of [bass] fisherman are you? For a long while, I used to think there was bass fishing, and it pretty much stopped there. But recently, I have discovered that there are many ways to split it up. I think it started when Russ010 and I were discussing what rods I wanted to obtain in the future, and he mentioned not using more than 2 or 3. However, when fishing in a friends boat, who also uses lefty reels, and has an abundance of rods in his boat, he often allows me to take 3 or 4 back to the stern to fish with. I liked the ability to switch around baits better. Then, I was out crappie fishing with a friend in electric only waters the next day, and when we got skunked as far as crappie went, I decided to pull out my casting rod, and cover the bank on the way to the ramp. But, before doing so, I removed the seat from the front deck, and cleared all the tackle off. I cannot stand to sit (makes a lot of sense) when bass fishing, and other than rods down the starboard side, need to have the deck clear to move around on.

However, whenever you see me in most small waters, I am usually throwing a worm. But, I noticed very recently that when worm fishing, I don't cover water very well. I will put the bait where I think the fish are, work it in that spot, and then burn it back to the boat. I don't have the patience to work the slow bait all day, or even for a whole cast length. I realized that fishing is so much of a drag on electric only waters, whereas I never get tired on large reservoirs. Plus, I have loved the exhilaration of the few tourneys I have fished. Also, I get burned out chucking a worm all morning, but I can throw a jerkbait or crankbait till the cows come home. But, I still hadn't learned to cover water well enough. I would often overfish an area, like I was worm fishing, where I would hit every square inch of the structure, even though these are search baits that will cover lots of water quickly.

I realized I am a more run and gun fisherman, and I am more at home on large lakes, when throwing fast moving baits. Having talked with some fisherman on the lake Saturday, I realized the need to speed up, as covering water quickly is my style of fishing, and I was hindered by the fact that I keep trying to fish slow, which isn't my style and just doesn't work for me. I am now confident that if I speed up the trolling motor a bit, cover water faster, and change baits a little more often (I would fish the same jerkbait all day, as if I was worm fishing, even though the jerkbait would tell me whether or not they were interested in it in 30 mins), I could pull in better numbers of fish. Not the one fish days that I usually pull.

All that said, what type of bass fisherman are y'all? Do you like the slow electric only lakes, or the run and gun style of large lakes. What is your favorite bait type? Fast moving search baits, or slow finesse style baits where being thorough in a given area, as opposed to hitting a lot of areas are key?

There have been many threads on what is your favorite bait, or type of bait, but that doesn't seem to say much about your fishing personality.
 
Well first of all I have never been on a electric only lake.
Just big lakes,rivers and ponds.
As far as throwing things,I guess i'm kinda like you when it comes to the worm fishing but it seems like I never done any good just burnin' baits unless it was a spinner bait. I can fish a worm or craw (usually a craw) all day long if that's what the fish are hittin' but if it's slow,I usually just grab a spinner bait and if that don't work,I grab the craw again and just speed it up.
You would not believe how many times I have got nailed by burnin' a bait back to the boat cuz I seen another "good spot" to throw and actually caught the fish. Only it seems like when I try to speed up my retrieve,they don't want it!!
That's my story anyway and I'm stickin to it even if it was off your topic a little bit. :)
 
bassboy, good topic! It has a little bit of fishing and boating in it, so we'll leave it here! 8)


I pretty much fish the same way kentuckybassman does, although I'm on electric-only waters. I take 2-3 rods, mainly because my 4th rod doesn't have a reel on it, lol. All of my rods are spinning rigs. One will be rigged for plastics, another rod (the 7' one) rigged for spinner baits/cranksbaits/topwater baits, and if I take a 3rd one, it'll also be rigged with a hook for plastics. I tend to anchor and fish a spot real well, fan-casting the area well, them move on, although I will cover the water pretty good, including the banks and the middle where [sometimes] there is deeper water. I do most of my fishing/casting from the seat and do long casts then retrieve it, usually slow, and then again I'll burn it back to see if it attracts anything. I'll occasionally stand and fish when I need to stretch a bit. If I'm by myself I will move around in the boat more (front to back to middle to front again), and that depends on if the boat is spinning on the anchor a lot due to the wind. I'm typically out there 3-4 hours, sometimes 5. The fishing (catching) around here is terrible, but it's still nice to get on the water and clear the cobwebs from the old noggin. :wink:
 
I'm not a run and gunner. I like to work a spot pretty heavily before moving on but with a variety of baits. I prefer to catch bass on slow baits though, t-rigged plastic and jigs. I love to feel the thump, setting and feeling the weight on the other end.

It's all good though, visual fishing is fun whether it's top water or seeing your line go sideways fishing Senkos or tubes. When I wade fish rivers I like to toss it upstream and take up the slack as it comes back and watch for the line to stop or do something weird, I do the same nymph fishing with fly gear.
 
I fish a slow relaxed pace unless I find the fish to be hitting a fast moving bait.Then I am slow but work a bait faster.I do the usual 2 or 3 rods.However I don't use my slow action 7 foot rod unless I'm bottom fishing in one spot.It's to hard to feel small fish on that rod.The only electric lakes around here are lakes in subdivisions.I don't go to those.The smallest lake I go to has a max 9.9HP rating.My main lake has a 15HP max rating.I still consider it small.I can fish most of the lake in one day on a boat and take my time.I do change baits and try new techniques.I prefer to stand and fish if I'm tossing lures.I prefer to sit if I'm fishing live bait or dropping jigs.
 
I'm gonna be doing more Bassin' next year. Gonna cut back on the Salmon fishing a bit and broaden my horizons. I only have the one baitcaster setup which is a 7' medium cranking stick. I have several small bags of some home poured senkos and jerk shads, some People's Choice Jerk Shads and now some Rage Tails on the way. Also have some small crankbaits. Never even T rigged or C rigged a worm before so it should be a learning experience. Not exactly even sure about where and how to fish for 'em with what I've got. It'll give me some reading to do this winter (when I'm not ice fishing that is). Everything else is spinning UL and light action stuff for Crappie/Walleye
 
Regarding FW bass fishing - I wade!

I only use a boat to reach inaccessible places or lakes that have too steep a drop off to wade - I catch more, and bigger bass wading then I ever do boat fishing.

However, when fishing with others a boat is nice - wading is best done alone in a lake - you need to creep up on the spots.

As far as baits - poppers and soft plastics do the trick for me. I rarely throw a crank or spinner bait. I use jerk baits often in cooler water or when fish are chasing, otherwise I am either on the top or touching the bottom with 90% of my lake bass fishing. I tend to intensely fish an area that I feel should hold fish - often using a jig or bullet weight and changing colors, sizes and shapes until I get a bass to come out and play. One of my favorite tactics is to keep a topwater on one rod and a senko or plastic worm type bait on the other. I use the topwater to locate fish and the soft plastic to catch the remainder. Often if I get a bass on a popper there will be a few others in the same area that, for whatever reason, will not take a topwater. They will take a soft plastic on the bottom so I get two or three more fish without ever moving.
 
i fish a pace to catch fish rather it is run and gun or slow whatever works =D> most people that run and gun are tournament fisherman trying to out due everyone and get a check
 
I dont know what id consider myself, In the spring, I try to power fish, throwing mostly crankbaits, and topwater. (and makin a lot of casts) However that method isnt as effective when the summer rolls around and the water temps start to rise. Then Its topwater in the morning followed by spinnerbaits (if i have one with me) and by mid day im throwin plastics or jigs. In the fall I start throwin crankbaits again, but mainly target stripers making there fall run through the river. In the winter I dont catch anything, not to say i dont fish but I just cant ever get anything to bite, however in the colder months I start to throw more spoons and blade baits. I guess it depends on when you ask me.
 
I used to be a power fisherman like slim357 said, lots of casts with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, lipless cranks you name it. If it needed a fast retrieve I threw it. I started to develop pain in my shoulder and elbow of my casting arm as well as numbness in my hand, so I had to change my style. I'm finding hard to call myself a finesse fisherman, I don’t use light line or tackle, the lightest line I will use is 10lb and my idea of a finesse rod is 6 1/2' MH. I primarily use jig & pigs, Texas rigged worms and I love to drag a scum frog thru the lilies. I guess I would still call myself a power fisherman, just now its more torque than speed. :wink:
When fishing I will set a time limit at each spot (no more than 30 min). I will select 3 or 4 spots to fish that day and rotate thru them as the day goes on, figuring that fish will feed at different times of the day. I feel it gives me a chance to cover each area fully but at different points in the day to help me find that days pattern. I used this alot when I was fishing tournys.
 
im just a good ole fisherman....... :mrgreen:

I usually have 4 poles. one for the gf, then one rig'd with a live crawdad, creek chub, and a crankbait or plastic. i usually take it easy and driftfish wile enjoying a cold'n. i recon if i was on a big lake with the po po out, i wouldnt be enjoying a cold'n and movin the pase up alittle bit :roll:
 
I will do whatever it takes.
I am one of those tournament fisherman I fish most of my tournaments on tidal water so most of the year i need to follow the tide and run and gun. in the spring and fall i get to save some gas and fish a spot more than a pattern i spent last Saturday fishing in dredge harbor for 6 of the eight hour fishing day. I caught over 20 bass on crankbaits (seems the temp drop put the fish on a feeding frenzy) then i hit 5 spots on the 13 mile run back to the weigh in.
I did manage 2nd place and missed bf by 4 hundredths of a pound

in the summer I run and gun fishing as many as 40 spots in a 8 hour tournament. i find a pattern that works with the tide and follow that up river as far as i can go.
in lakes i tend to pattern fish but i spend more time fishing and less running the boat.
I have as many as 8 rods on my deck and another 8 in the storage.
WHAT A RUSH when you find what the fish want
 
I like to run and gun when fishing a new lake... but instead of fishing, i usually zig zag and look at the graph. I'm looking for drop offs, creek channels, structure... anything that looks like a hiding spot if I were a fish. And, I generally only throw baits that look like something I would eat were I a fish. Once I find those spots, I'll sit on them for a few hours and throw 3-4 different baits at them to see what they prefer, as well as keep a log of what baits work and at what time.

I usually take 2-3 rods with me when I fish... but really only like 1 of my setups. It's lightweight (Daiwa Viento reel, 6'9" Kistler Helium LTA with 15# Triple Fish Fluoro) - I can throw that all day long. I throw worms, jigs, spinnerbaits with that rig. The other setup is Daiwa Alphas Ito 103 reel on a GLoomis 6'6" Heavy rod. I've got 15# Pline Halo on it, and I throw all sizes of crankbaits with it.

I haven't fished like this since I've been in Georgia - then again, I've only been out with bassboy1, so now I'm finding all the places that are fishable. I've been to 1 lake twice in my boat, and I still don't have my graph installed yet... but I found some pretty good spots, so I just sit on them and fish the hound out of it. If it looks like it will hold a fish, I'll throw to it. If it looks crappy, I'll throw once or twice, but if I'm not feeling it, I'm moving on.
 
redbug said:
in the summer I run and gun fishing as many as 40 spots in a 8 hour tournament. i find a pattern that works with the tide and follow that up river as far as i can go.
in lakes i tend to pattern fish but i spend more time fishing and less running the boat.
I have as many as 8 rods on my deck and another 8 in the storage.
WHAT A RUSH when you find what the fish want
Yeah, that is about like me. Fast lures, quick running and constant bait change fits my personality best. Now, I don't change lures often, as I only have one casting rod, but the constant lure change fits my personality best. I will fish with worms when it is the right place and time, but given the choice of heading to the big lake, and throwing fast baits, and heading to the river, or electric only waters, and working slow stuff, I would probably opt for the former.

Most of the time I fished with Russ010 was in electric only lakes, and we cover the whole shoreline of the whole lake. I feel restricted by the size of the water, and the speed I can move, as if I am finding fish on rocky points (my favorite structure by the way) I want to run to other rocky points, not fish a laydown log in the middle of a shoreline. Plus, as I mentioned before, most small water around here is best with worm and jig fishing, whereas the big water is best suited for jerks, large cranks, spinnerbaits etc.

Interesting to see some of the replies here. I had some people figured out wrong, apparently.
 
I'm probably a 90% lizard or worm or jig fisherman, 5% spinnerbait and 5% crankbait fisherman. My speed goes along with that.
 
BassNBob said:
I'm probably a 90% lizard or worm or jig fisherman, 5% spinnerbait and 5% crankbait fisherman. My speed goes along with that.

That's pretty much my style too. Crawlers, minnows, crawfish, leeches, Lindy rigged, drop shotted or hooked on a #4 or #6 Aberdeen hook on 4-6 lb test; working the shorelines, structure, deep holes, etc. Got a good supply of plastics for when I target large & small mouth, but that's rare, except when that's what is happening where I'm at. Mostly target walleye all the time, no matter where (or when) I'm at. BUT, that being said, I use topwaters, spinners, an assorment of shallow & deep lures (more than I should have spent money on :) when it is productive. Trolling is another option depending on where and if it is productive. Basically, I'm a 70% live bait fisherman, but have plenty of artificials that I use when it is the right thing for the location, etc. Oh yeah, slip bobber over crappie cribs for the first time this year - something new for me.
 
I like to anchor the boat and fish the area hard. I get my catfish/garfish rod set up then then get a bobber and live worm or cricket in the water. I then throw bass baits. It works pretty well where I fish. I may stay in that area an hour and if I catch nothing I move on to the next spot. I am on the water on an average of 14 to 16 hours when I do go,so I still get to cover a lot of spots. If I do get skunked I still have a ball just being out on water enjoying nature. I am also a bird watcher so it is very rarely a bad day.
 
Don't think I saw the type of bass fishing listed I do on occasion. There is a electric only lake in my hometown, which I fish sometimes in the spring. The way I do it is creep up in to a big willow thicket located in the lake and fish live creek chubs about 8 to 10" long on a balloon. Some of you may know what I mean by balloon, but if not, here is how I do it. I just take a regular balloon and blow it up a little bigger than a softball, tying it to the line at different depths with no weight on the line. I just pitch it out and allow the creek chub to swim freely. I set about two of these and also I set a free line out Carolina rigged. The picture posted is what I am in search of. Although I haven't hooked any this big, I have caught some good fish, and I have seen a 11 pound largemouth come out of this lake fishing the same method. You are not allowed to use shiners in this lake because by it being a drinking water source for the area. This is a very small 36 acre lake with a good supply of trout, catfish, bluegill and monster largemouths.

This picture was taken by the Kentucky Department of Wildlife after shocking the lake for the purpose of examining fish qualities. I don't know what the weight of these two fish were.

KDFW.jpg
 

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