Pre-fish checklist approach

[RandyFish]

OK guys...the opener is getting close and I have a big question.

I thought it would help me to develop a "pre-flight checklist" of sorts this summer to improve my fishing.

Does anyone have a mental/actual checklist that he or she uses before a bass outing?

Something like this:

1) Frist, Determine weather (clear/cloudy,cold fronts, etc.) and assumed bass seasonal behavior (nesting, post-spawn, dog days)

2) Then, based on 1), decide where you think the bass will (shallows, deep edges) and how the "bite is" (active, nuetral or hard.)

3) Based on 1 and 2, chose a lure and presentation and develop an game plan:

Example: cloudy day, high pressure, second week of season. Morning, 6-7 a.m.

Assume bass may be post-spawn, holding by existing weeds near spawning areas. Fish may be relatively active (not hiding from sun) even though it is after spawn.

Fish weedy flats with dark spinner baits or crank baits that run just above or into weed
tops to locate fish. Then work with plastics if any pattern emerges.

I guess what I am asking...How do you approach a bass fishing trip? What's your system?

Randy

[Deitz Dittrich]

Randy-

I am lucky enough to be a school teacher.. wich leaves me june/aug as a member of the un-employed(kinda just on vacation) So I fish about 6 days a week. Which helps me stay on top of seasonal patterns a little easier. But yes, to answer your questions. Try and guess what seasonal pattern and then from there start with a game plan, and consists of what the weather is giving you... IE cold fronts and what not...

A journal is a great tool in this situation. If you write down what the date is, water conditions and what you did well on or what you didn't do well on you can then back referance to come up with an educated guess to what the main pattern could be...

Many times, I will pick something that I feel I need to work on to become a better angler and work on that.. Weather I am catching more fish or not I am making myself a better angler..

Hope this helps... probably not!!!