A confession to make

[shiltsy]

I have always focused on a "power fishing" approach with things like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, etc. I have NEVER tried a slow presentation of a jig along the bottom even though most people say it's one of the best presentations (that's my confession).

After some research over the winter, I realized I needed to slow down my presentation and not always run around throwing spinnerbaits at stumps. The tactic paid off yesterday when I was fishing a small lake in NW Missouri. The weather here has been crazy lately. The water was 48 and there was an east wind blowing steady at about 30 MPH. I decided the fishing conditions were crummy but that I would go out and practice some of what I studied over the winter.

After screwing around with some new lures, I threw on a 1/4 oz black jig with a natural olive skirt and a garlic scented twin tail grub. On my second cast SLOWLY pulling it back along the bottom, I felt the "tap tap" that everyone talks about but I'd never felt. Set the hook and WHAM - a nice three pounder!

Two things I learned:

1. It pays to slow down and actually isn't boring at all.

2. I will always have a jig tied on one of my rigs.

[goblueM]

man your next step might even be using 8 pound test on spinning rods throwing 4" senkos! Hahah. Thanks for sharing, I'm kind of the reverse - usually go finesse but since I started musky fishing I have started to go heavier on my bass gear

[Ray Esboldt]

Like GoblueM, I am the opposite of a power fishing guy. There's many days (actually most) where I don't even pick up a baitcaster. Slow isn't always the way to go. But if the fish are on, I think I can catch even more fish on a jig and other like tactics than you can slinging a fast moving bait. Of course, there are exceptions to that statement.

[Neighbor_guy]

I am a firm believer that you have to have the ability to do a lot of different things in the boat. From big and fast, to slow and sutle.

I tend to favor the slower. But there are times when burning baits pays off.

[TonkaBass]

versatility is the key!

[jwhjr]

I tend to use the finesse presentations more than power, but I have forced myself in the last year or so to use crankbaits etc. more. I picked up a bunch more to use this year, so I have to try them all at least once

[gunning]

Growing up as a kid in my teens I almost always wanted to fish fast with a spinnerbait. About 10 years ago I learned to slow it down and throw a Texas Rig or Jig. My biggest fish have almost all come on a jig or a worm. Pitching a jig is about my favorite way to fish now.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I too lean away from power fishing.. I probably should do it more often.. LOL

[dfv87]

Fishing with my daughter has me throwing Spinnerbaits and Cranks more but over the past 3 seasons I have added tube and texas rigging to my "limited skill sets". This year i am going to try to work on Swim jigs and normal jigs.

[OTBASSER]

versatility is the key!

true..but even the pros tend to favor one or the other.

[Bigguyone]

I tend to balance pretty well I would say but if the fish are really active I personally think a frog bite is impossible to beat (as far as for fun) and a fishing "smacking" a spinnerbait is more exhilarating than having it pick up a 7" work t-rigged. I think SLOW will produce more fish but I prefer to catch fish on "power baits."

[slopmaster]

i use to exclusivly fish plactics wheter it was a 7 or 10 inch worm, crawdads, tubes, lizards, or senkos but in the past 2 years i did a complete switch. I now focus on cranks,spinnerbaits, and the all mighty frog. I think i catch more fish then i use to but not as many "nice" fish.

[fishn]

I power fish with cranks and spinnerbaits when i'm searching for fish, but I tend to slow it down with some finessing once i catch a fish or when they're not aggressive.