texasfishingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Power-Pole CS, T-Rigger, JoeGoes, EcKo
119150 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
hopalong 120,571
TexDawg 119,516
Bigbob_FTW 94,879
John175☮ 85,892
Pilothawk 83,260
Bob Davis 81,480
Mark Perry 72,282
Derek 🐝 68,311
JDavis7873 67,416
Forum Statistics
Forums59
Topics1,037,817
Posts13,935,058
Members144,150
Most Online39,925
Dec 30th, 2023
Print Thread
When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... #11656991 06/09/16 04:47 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,423
R
RJF1423 Offline OP
TFF Team Angler
OP Offline
TFF Team Angler
R
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,423
Do you tend to throw your confidence baits till you get bit or do you start changing up colors, weights, and lures? Is the lure selection and/or color of the bait on a particular day that important?



Here is my experience.

This is on one lake in particular that fish more than any other because, well there just isn't much variety here in west Texas... In the past, anytime I couldn't catch a fish, I would start throwing the kitchen sink at them. I would switch colors like it is going out of style and start changing the weight on my t-rig constantly. I would usually have a myriad of different lures tied and I start switching rods/baits every 10 minutes.

Lately, I have started to notice that when the bite is tough, if I will just spend some time throwing my confidence baits I get a bite eventually. I haven't skunked once this year and I think it's because I have stopped switching baits constantly and just fished hard with baits I am confident in. On days that I really have struggled with catching numbers, in hindsight, I realized that I have spent a lot of time fishing multiple lures/colors. Am I on the right path here?

Moritz Chevrolet - 9101 Camp Bowie W Blvd, Fort Worth, TX - Monte Coon (817) 696-2003
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11656998 06/09/16 04:51 PM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,628
E
eggs'isled Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
E
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,628
sounds like you are...when it gets tuff I bust out a spinning rod and a small worm and grind it out...usually can get some bites on that little worm...

Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11657261 06/09/16 07:10 PM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 86
B
Big Kev Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
B
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 86
I feel like you are on the right track. It has been my experience that subtle changes make all the difference. For example I love fishing a jig. Black blue is my go to bait and I can typically hit a lake in East TX and catch 5 good solid fish with one. But some times I feel I am on good fish and can not get them to bight so I flop over to a green pumpkin jig. I have experimented in the past going down a the shore flipping my black blue jig and nothing. Then turn around with the green pumpkin and put 15 lbs in the boat on that same shore line. Same with football jigs out deep. Plus keeping it simple makes tackle shopping a lot easier. Just my 2 cents....

Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11657403 06/09/16 08:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 19,773
Donald Harper Online Happy
TFF Guru
Online Happy
TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 19,773
Somewhere on every lake you can catch a good stringer of Bass on your basic baits:
Spinner Bait - Jig - Worm - Senko - Finesse - and ETC... That is common on huge tournaments when the top 5 stringers coming in were all caught on something different and at different depths.

Somewhere on the lake you can do this shallow. You can do it mid range and you can do it deep. I work a lake until I have 3 spots at each of these levels . Sometimes this takes a year of fishing just one lake to locate these 9 spots. After that you will always catch good fish on at least one of them every day.

Running through a lot of colors, sizes and rigs is not my thing. Stay with your confidence baits and locate the fish that will bite at each of these depths. I start shallow at first light, move to mid range then to deeper water where they live and rest. The heavier cove that each of your spots has on it the more forgiving the bite will be especially in the deeper water.


Each person you work with holds some promise to your future success.
Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
www.lakeoviachic.com - Booking Mexico Trips
20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11657549 06/09/16 09:31 PM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,435
M
Mike_Soriano Offline
TFF Celebrity
Offline
TFF Celebrity
M
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,435
I pick up a flippin jig and slow down. Usually works.

Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11657963 06/10/16 01:41 AM
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,751
P
Peepaw on Fork Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
P
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,751
Dropshot or jig


H. Burns
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658257 06/10/16 04:52 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,423
R
RJF1423 Offline OP
TFF Team Angler
OP Offline
TFF Team Angler
R
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,423
I'm surprised there haven't been more comments on this topic. Is this like super secret or something? Lol

I really feel like there is actually a method to this madness the more I'm out on the water. I'm only 26 and I live 2 hours from the nearest lake so time on the water is not abundant for me.

Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658269 06/10/16 04:59 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,263
M. Alexander Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,263
It's fishing, man. You keep experimenting until you solve the puzzle or get tired of trying. If you limit yourself to one methodology you'll never progress to your full potential as an angler. Some "confidence lures" of today were someone's off-the-wall idea of yesterday. For me, the best reward is finding success with something out of my wheelhouse & putting a new trick in my bag.


Mark
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658282 06/10/16 05:30 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,423
R
RJF1423 Offline OP
TFF Team Angler
OP Offline
TFF Team Angler
R
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 4,423
I definitely agree with that but I also think there are some that are way more efficient anglers than others.

And figuring out that puzzle is definitely part of the allure to this sport.

Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658286 06/10/16 05:34 AM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 5,832
B
Bayou Burner Online Content
TFF Celebrity
Online Content
TFF Celebrity
B
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 5,832
Flick Shake


"Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway."

John Wayne

ADHAERO VIRTUTI
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658301 06/10/16 06:13 AM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 210
T
twstephens77 Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
T
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 210
Weightless senko ftw


"You can�t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first."
- C.S. Lewis
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658492 06/10/16 01:04 PM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
T
Todd Ivins Offline
Angler
Offline
Angler
T
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
Good responses here to go with. I would add that you need to examine where are they in the water column as well. Are they suspended at 15ft? Are they tight to cover? These are the things you notice with TOW. if they are suspended, then you need something that will flutter down or wiggle across their face to entice a bite. If holding to cover, you have to get really good at pinpoint pitches and flipping. Only by making the offer so tempting will you entice them to bite. Also, when they turn off you are wise to downsize everything. JM2C


"My Dad taught me how fish relate to structure....he left out how women relate to fishing."
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658548 06/10/16 01:39 PM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 7,737
GIG'EM AGGIES Offline
TFF Celebrity
Offline
TFF Celebrity
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 7,737
After 50 yrs. of chasing these green trout, here's my advice and you can take it for what it's worth.
#1- leave the big motor turned off, never caught a bass going 60mph
#2- find an area that has bass appeal, a point with cover and deep water close by would be one. A John Hope funnel point would be another, a creek bend, all these have bass appeal and you can find them in just about all areas of a lake.
#3- Once you've located the area then you use a lure that fits the area, whether is a crank bait (large or small) plastic (large or small) top water or bottom water. Suspended fish are the hardest but can be caught with the right presentation and lure. I find when the water is flat and high skies I choose small baits, light line and lower my expectations. Even Rick Clunn gets skunked.
#4- Enjoy the outdoors, there are many many people that would trade places with you.
fish


I am a Senager. (Senior teenager) I have everything that I wanted as a teenager, only 50 years later. I get an allowance every month. I have PU truck and a bass boat, I am blessed.
Conscience never acquits, it either accuses or excuses.
Re: When you can't get a bite but you know they are there... [Re: RJF1423] #11658698 06/10/16 02:54 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 27,381
Der Vorsteher Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 27,381
For me its a fluke. If I know fish are there and can't catch them I start throwing that and can grind out a few bites. Except on Fork. Its weird. Every lake I have ever fished I have caught at least one fish on a fluke but not Fork.


Team Wolfs
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 1998-2022 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3