Hello Bassers and wanna be Bassers.
I have a question: How long do you fish an area before moving to another location? Or, how long do you try a bait before changing to a different bait? Or, how long do you fish a particular color before changing the color while sticking with the same bait? What is the priority of the above questions?

I have fished many years and just don't seem to be one of those guys that seems to always be able to put the puzzle together in the time we have in a day. Sometimes I am on them and can catch them on whatever I throw and sometime the opposite. I often fish an area I have confidence in VERY thoroughly even without a bite. Before long I am out of time. The lure I use is usually dictated but the cover, structure or depth.

I understand the importance of being flexible on the water and listening to what the fish is telling you but more times than not, I don't catch enough fish to even figure out a pattern.

Any help from the "always one 'em" crowd is greatly appreciated.

If I have confidence in the area I'm fishing due to my past experience I'll beat that spot up for a good bit, 45 minutes.
If I pull up to a bank I've never touched, I'll set the trolling motor on high and fish it quick, and run through it with a reaction bait. Usually a 1.5.
Then pick up the TM and run to a new spot.

That's my tournament strategy, now if I'm fun fishing... I'll just slow down on my presentation and try a bunch of different techniques.

You ever read the "Day on the lake" articles in Bassmaster? Confidence in a specific area isn't a great idea. Confidence in the right types of areas/patterns, and the likely successful techniques, means a whole lot more. I generally advocate quickly hitting several likely areas with a handful of optimal presentations relatively quickly. If you get a response, stick with it, and know there are more fish there so try additional presentations once your main ones falter. If you get no response, keep running for a while. If you never get any response, then it is time to start over, with slower/more subtle presentations, or to try alternative areas.

If I've caught fish recently on a spot and I don't get bit, I'll stay in the area and try different baits. I try to fish the conditions. If I'm fishing a spot that just looks good on the map or something I've drove past and liked, I'll make a couple cast with different baits then, move on if nothing happens.

My simple answer is - not long. 15-20 minutes max usually. If it's a new spot I'll hit the best looking stuff first, if I don't get bit on two or three different baits, I'm moving. And I'm not an impatient tourney guy at all, just experience has shown me that usually if I don't get bit quickly, that spot isn't going to be very good. There are always a few exceptions but this holds true most of the time for me.

John.. Im shocked every time I read "day on the lake" Three minutes with a jig and move, Two cast with a crank.. I guess thats why I'm not a pro. Every one should read it. The pros fish differently than anyone I know. vic I fish an area 45 min throwing three different baits before I move. After all I stopped for a reason and you don't catch any boat riding.

if there is no baitfish in the area i m not staying to long. but if the bite if a grind I will grind with the best of em. I stick to what i confidence in and try to keep everything simple with an open mind. follow your gut sometimes you have to sit on the fish and wait for them to "fire" or get active.

I JUST FISH THE MOMENT SOMETIMES I SPEND TO MUCH TIME ON A SPOT. SOMETIMES IT PAYS OFF

My philosophy is that somewhere on that body of water the big stringer can be caught on your favorite bait. Once you spend the time finding 3 great big fish spots in each water level then you move quickly from one to the other until you get bit. The harder you work one lake the better you will get at this. I am going to spend the days and weeks that it takes to find these spots.

When bad weather rolls in there is a spot that the Orange Spinner Bait (Halloween Spinner Bait), will whack the big fish. I am going to know where that spot is for sure. I want a spot on each end of the lake and one in the middle to get out of the bad weather. Look in the creeks where the water gets to 10 ft. deep with a bend in the creek where the big Bass will gather there during inclement weather. The heaver the cover on that little point the better.

Somewhere on that lake there is a super top water bite along with a spinner bait and I am going to take these two baits and find the 3 best spots that the lake has to offer. Again this takes week to accomplish.

The first drops in medium depth water where the brush usually ends can easily be the best spots on any given lake. I want to fish enough on that body of water to have at least 3 of those to go to each day. Fish follow the bait and this is a good stopping place before moving to deep water.

Last but not least there is a deep water bite and I make every effort to have a couple to go to when the going gets tough. I have had the best success finding these by driving and watching side scan; looking for that irregular feature that is holding fish. You have to visualize a point above water to understand irregular features. Every point/header/ridge/arm that comes down off a mountain or high hill has at least one feature on one side or the other that would hold fish if it was under water. As you drive down the highway sometime notice the hills and the features and imaging them being under water. This is exactly what you are looking for in your lake so take the time to find at least 3 of them that you can catch big fish on at different times of the day. The problem with some of these beautiful spots is the Bass are only using them at night and most of the time the wind will keep you from fishing them properly when you really need them to put together a big stringer.

How fast do I move? Fast enough to cover these 9 spots during the day until I find the fish; then the catching takes place. My choice of baits are always the same. It is finding the feeding fish that is the problem.

Thank you all for the insight and words of advise.