How many presentations do you really use?

[Ole the Guide]

I find myself getting ready for a fishing outing and I probably have 10 rods (at least) rigged up. When I actually get out on the water I end up using only 4 or 5. The rest sit in the bottom of the boat.

Do you guys stick to a few proven presentations when you fish or do you experiment with different things?

I end up throwing Senkos or Comidas, Jig and pigs, topwater, maybe a few spinnerbaits and then, if I feel daring, I'll try to fish deep. With that being said I really haven't figured that part out yet. It seems like I'm just out there haphazardly looking for fish. Maybe it's a patience issue.

I know a guy who only throws t-rigged power worms all day long. When I try that the crappies and sunnies seem to be what bites for me.

Don't get me wrong, I catch fish but I feel somewhere between the "not quite ready for the semi-pro circuit and a frustrated hack!" The latter seems to fit better at this point!

What game plan do you use when you're getting ready to fish?

Ole

[grab the net]

If fishng is tough, I stay with a confidence bait and presentation. That's usually a creature bait of some kind and shallow. If fish are biting I try and pry myself away from a good bite once in awhile and search out a different way of catching them. Usually I try and go a litle bit deeper than I have been catching them. Limited sucess so far. It has worked out a couple of times. Found that spot on a spot with some aggressive schools of fish. Deep for me still means 8-12 feet. I just have not taken the time to ply the 15 to 20 foot range.

If I end up with more than 4 rods on the deck, it means I am struggling. Once I see that, I put most away and concentrate on slowing down and catching the catchable fish in my confidence zone.

[Mr. Pike1]

I usually end up using my confidence lures 80% of the time which if 4-5 of my pre-rigger rods. I do however really try to make a point of tossing everything I rig. If one happens to produce I will stick with it for a period of time. I also always try to try one new lure/bait each time out.

This has lead to me finding a few more go to baits. Deep water bass I like to toss the Rapala DT 10 in firetiger. The other go to lure I found for smallies is the x-rap in perch or clown.

I am however for the most part a senko and tube guy and am always drawn to the "shady" side, of docks that is....

[ocf]

jig wormin, some top water well i guess if i have the bait to catch the fish i use it, but my most used is jig worm and floating rapala, i havent had the chance to do deeper water fishing but i know what to do,

[slopmaster]

i use t-rigs 80% of the time. i like tubes crawdads and power worms have a lot of confidence throwing them. this year i have also gottin into throwing topwaters more. many fish have fallen to the scum frog

[Bobby Bass]

Many Many years ago a friend and I switched from Walleys to Bass and decide if we want to do it right we should learn to fish several different ways. So one season we threw nothing but top waters, another we used crank baits, another plastics and one year of spinner baits. Seem like a big investment in time but now it was worth it. I usual run 5-7 rig rods in the boat and can and do catch fish on just about everyone of them each time I go out. For fun you can't beat top water. I go top water, plastics, spinner bait then cranks. But having everything already rigged I pick a spot and then hit it from the top down through the water column. Learn not to be afraid to pick up a different rod if it is not working, Don't even want to talk about changing colors and sizes as that is part of it to. Good to also fish in the boat with some one who can fish the same way, we never search for fish using the same lure at the same time but if we find a bite he or I will quickly change over to what is working. So after all of that I would say that I feel real good about fishing 5-6 different ways and I use them all.

[SluggoMaster]

I usually have 10 or 11 rods rigged up, but three of them have jigs of various sizes, colors and trailers. It is an extremely versatile lure that can be fished deep, shallow, in weeds, on edges, and is my go-to-first bait.

I do throw texas rig worms/tubes, but only when the fish are reluctant to take a jig and bite it lightly.

When that does not work, I usually dig out the crankbaits that run from 2-6 feet deep 8-10 feet deep and 12-15 feet deep, depending on the cover and structure.

When the crank bite is not on, I will dig out a spinnerbait and when that fails, I dig out the carolina rig with a lizard.

I am not much of a bank/dock beater any more, so the senko is often a very last resort. A senko can come through in a pinch when flipping holes in milfoil.

Well, that's my two cents!

[ocf]

bobbybass- i like that idea being young that would be quite an investment

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ole- I can always tell how the fish are bitting by how many rods I have rigged and ready to go on the deck of my boat.. If they are bitting, 3 rods and I am pretty good to go.... However the other day I had I think 15 out on the deck... was a tough bite.

[Ole the Guide]

Deitz,

Very good point! I can relate!

I appreciate all the feedback from everyone!!

Bobby Bass, I think that's a good approach to work all of the depths systematically!

Going to do it again tomorrow!

Ole

[Mr. Pike1]

Sluggo, you try the Senko last....Oh my that is very distressing to hear. The senko is my all time number one bait for smallies and largemouth. To find out what you are missing out on take the number of bass you have caught this year and multiply that by 10.

[Deitz Dittrich]

today was a good day... I always rate how good a fishing day is by how many rods I have on my deck.. the more rods, the less clue I have to what the fish want.. today.. only 3 rods... texas rig(1/4oz and a Baby B.A.Hog) and 2 crank baits.. 1 med diver, one shallow.... 41 fish in 5 hours.

[ocf]

dang thats alot of fish deitz, thats pretty good

[Deitz Dittrich]

ocf- its pretty nice when they will eat a crank... its easy fishing... took me a while to figure out what they wanted.. I fished one bank with the texas rig and picked up 4 fish and just knew there were more there... started chucking the cranks and went back down the same bank and boated 16 more fish...

[ocf]

i love it when they take the front treble, it makes for fun fishing

[duckslayer27]

Deitz is right. If you have more than three rods on the deck it is going to be a long day. The first rod i put on the deck is a spinning rod hooked with a jig worm or stick worm. I find that this bait puts fish in the boat. If i find fish hitting this bait i keep a bigger fish bait like a carolina riged brush hog. The third rod is either riged with a jig or crank bait. If i find myself going through more than three rods in a matter of hours it is going to be a long day.

Remember a long day of fishing is better than a short day of work.

[dan2957]

I have four rods ready for action at all times. Jig N Pig, Jig worm, Crankbait, Spinnerbait. These are my go to rigs. When the fishing gets tough I'll start throwing anything so the rods go everywhere. I started learning the jig worm thing this year and it is quickly becoming my favorite rig to throw.

The great thing about the jig worm is how easy it is to change baits. The jig and jig worm are the first thing I throw most days. Cranks and spinnerbaits in the summer are my search and panic baits unless it is windy, then I might start with them.

[EBass]

I normally have 5 rods ready to go.

It depends on where I'm fishing via lake or river as to what I have rigged and water temp, bait, weather, blah..

Always a jig, always a crankbait, couple of plastics and a topwater of sorts.

I remember the days where I only threw spinnerbaits. I just didn't know anything else. So if they aren't biting a spinnerbait - well they just ain't biting. Whew - glad those days are gone.

[Deitz Dittrich]

well, today I gave the St.Croix river a try.. I put in just above Taylors falls. I was catching pike like a mad man.. but the bass were less than willing to play my little game.. Needless to say I was trying quite a few different things when ole Mr.Schultz(Conservation officer)payed me a visit... his first comment was "you need more fishing rods".. I had probably 13 or so laying on the deck.. LOL

By the way.. I passed the DNR test with flying colors..

[matthothand]

Deitz, how far up did you fish? Water should be good right now towards the sunrise. I haven't been out there yet this year but usually do better from there up to the snake.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Not very far.. if I had to guess maybe only about 4 miles up from the landing.. very little water moving as they are not letting much over the dam.

[Mr. Pike1]

I Like Deitz hit the river. I was up by little falls. The water was crystal clear. low, and light winds. We targeted walleye and smallies 50-50. We saw many fish and it was fun to see them chase the baits from their shady or deep water holes. Overall the fishing was slower then usual. I got 5 or 6 eyes, many rockbass, and added 5 smallies to the bass total so I am at 306.

I plan on getting out for a few hours tommorrow night in the evening at a local pond.