Anybody else have a fishing kryptonite?

Ok I have a confession: I have no confidence in the old tried and true Texas rig. It seems like I'v tried everything, worms, craws, lizards, creatures, beads, no beads, pegging, and several colors. I've bounced and pitched and dragged and swum. Just seems like nothing ever gets me any sort of consistent results. Every now and then I'll get a taker but it never seems to produce regularly. I have caught plenty of fish on plastics fished other ways, but I just can't seem to make the old T-rig work for me.

So, anybody have that one thing that everyone else seems to catch on that you can't get going?

I'm forty-seven and never tried a baitcasting reel.

I'm forty-seven and I own 3 spinning reels and I refuse/hate to use them.

I'll take em out of your way..

To the OP. Get you a weighted weedless hook and fish wacky style.

I don't know why but I never have had luck with spinner baits..... I can catch anything on rooster tails (inline spinner) but when it comes traditional spinner baits I have only caught one bass on them and have no confidence in them. There I said it......

You're missing out, big bass lure

I have never used anything but the Texas rig and it works like a charm for me.

I agree I have seen some big ones caught on spinner baits. Its tough for me to find a good place to use them in the summer... I fish mostly ponds and they get bad with vegetation. That might be another reason I rarely try them. I think I'll give them a try in the fall when its starts to clear out.

You know, I had struggled with spinnerbaits up until this year. I started chucking a 3/8 oz double colorado Booyah Blade in chartreuse/white with a chartreuse curlytail grub on the back. I fish them just deep enough to where I can barely see the blades, unless the water is too shallow. It's a pretty big lure but in the ponds I fish, they're still hitting it. I've caught everything from half-pound dinks up to an 8 pounder on that setup this year.

When theres Big Bass in the area...gotta look for the structure and water conditions to make any presentation work IMHO

I've never caught a single fish on a spoon. I don't even know why they still sell them! LOL! I have two and have literally never caught a single fish using it.

Same here, never caught anything on a spinner. I swear I've tried all colors and none work. Maybe I'm not using them right. I almost always use a texas rig and have gotten more comfortable with a wacky rig set up this year.

I cannot cast a spin cast with accuracy. I'm lucky if I can hit the side of a barn inside a barn. I am very accurate with a bait caster even at distant targets.

Big Spinners in general and punch/stink bait for cats.

I have terrible luck with traditional spinnerbaits, though I still try. BUT, I have had much success with strike king's Rocket Shad spinnerbaits. It's more compact, casts like a rock and has a dual hook instead of the regular single. 99% off my spinnerbait catches have been on one (including the spotted bass in my signature)and I have lots of confidence in it.

Give it a chance, its very productive in open water and I have hooked (almost) every species of fish using spoons...

I guess its part of the confidence tactic? But dont sleep on the spoons.

I went out last night determined to get something on a texas rig. I was tossing a 7 inch watermelon red flake power worm and I was able to get a few bites, landed a couple about a pound and hooked into something bigger that tossed the hook. It still isn't a go to, but feels a little better.

For me this year's weather (and all that chocolate milk mess) has been my fishing kryptonite.

If I had to name a technique, I'd say topwater frogs. I have never had a strike on one, and it drives me crazy because if I were a fish, I'd hit it. I've caught fish on most everything else (except spoons, but spoons don't interest me much so I don't count those). I have had good luck on poppers and bladed top water baits. But not frogs.

For the record, I'm a recreational fisherman. Not into the competitive part of it.

I cant catch a fish on a jerk bait to save my friggan life. I gave up on the Rapala gold and silver balsas years ago. Until I watch someone work one and catch a fish with it, I'll be in purgatory forever. I don't have a clue what I'm doing.

I took one of my frogs out tonight and got several strikes but I couldn't sink a hook, which was frustrating.

Lately, bank or boating fishing, my kryptonite has been "fishing."

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No big loss there standalone. LOL If you can handle a bait caster, who'd want to use a spin cast, unless you're casting one for the kids of course.
Bait caster is all I use anymore.

I hate to be the guy to say it but maybe you are trying too hard. Sometimes the best presentation is "no" presentation....just cast, let it sit for a bit, pop it up and repeat. Also make sure your colors and bait choice is correct for the time of year.

Most people fail to use the right baits at the right time to maximize their opportunity. What "should" the fish be doing when you are there? What's the water temp and color? Is there wind? Sun? Clouds? Current? Time of day? Moon phase? Time of year?

All of these actually play a huge factor and should steer you in the direction of lure selection. When I bank fish I try to always take 3 rods with me. A "moving" bait, a "still" bait, and something to "try"...this time of year I would have a topwater bait, a weightless senko and probably a swimbait. Fish are still very active and feeding up after the spawn. Fish will and have started to move deeper. Target your presentation on obvious cover and structure. When you aren't getting bit, change colors. If that doesn't work, slow down. If that doesn't work, change baits. If that doesn't work, grab a beer and watch the sunset!!

My kryptonite is Carolina Riggin. I catch way more with T-rig! Good luck bud.

My kryptonite is a sport called SOCCER. It keeps me off the lake most of the year and seems to never end.
I have 3 kids playing and I coach 2 teams on which none of my kids play.
Makes for really busy weekends.
I am not complaining because I love what I am doing, but it keeps me from my first love.

I've been learning a lot about presentation lately. I've been finding that the majority of my catches lately have been coming on the initial drop. I've been working on precision casts and freefalling more consistently and that seems to be helping. I've slowed down a lot and that has been better as well. I'm more of a moving bait guy but I've needed to slow my stuff down.

I fish jerk baits in the fall and winter. It always produces for me. Technique can vary but when the weather starts to cool down, I almost always have one tied on.

But I can shoot crappie jigs back under docks with a spinnerrig!

Hey Musiclife_7, I'm not sure if you were addressing my "fishing" comment, but if so, it is appreciated.

I do wonder, in the big scheme, if it is all about "feel" for me. I watch the videos, read a lot, and do what I see everyone else is doing during that time of year/month, and I wonder if I am not "feeling" the bites. I went last night to Breckenridge in Richardson, I had just read the comments in that post, and again, got skunked, so did the other guy who was there right before me, (non-fishing forum member...we talked). I went 45 minutes before sunset, which was 8:39 last night, and fished almost an hour after as well. It got dark and had very little light once I went to the street side of the east pond; the opposite side backs up to the woods and is kind of creepy with no light.
I had 3 poles, three different baits, focused and tried to "feel" for bites, but got none, or I did I, and I simply did not feel them?

All in all, it's apparent I just need more practice...then they will come!
I then drove from the pond to Cafe Bohemia for an acoustic guitar circle jam. I played "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull, and had a blast!

Addendum: My one success...no mosquito bites!

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