When a competent bass angler doesn't get a bite, is it usually because the he/she is fishing in the wrong spot, using the wrong bait, or using poor technique?

It can a combo of all of 'em! Heck, look at KVD, he even blanked!! We're ALL human.

to fast. until you learn how to fish slow, you cant fish fast.

Not to claim I'm any great fisherman, but when I don't get bites I'm usually fishing a totally wrong pattern. Maybe I'm deep cranking or dragging a drop shot while everyone that's catching fish is throwing a frog in the brush in 2 feet of water. So for me, I'd say it's mostly fishing the wrong depth and that usually means the wrong bait too.

I agree with Texan til I die, I have fished many tournaments with ok results only to find out @ the weigh in the winner was doing something different from the rest of the pack and it seems to show with his weight
asx

i vote for the wrong spot, or better yet, the "wrong area".

Not sure about this, KVD never slows down and he does pretty well at tournaments.

You must have missed the first sight fishing tournament KVD won. He does know how and when to slow down. Odds are that the bite is going to change over a 1 day or 4 day tournament. I read and hear the pros talk about staying focused being one of the hardest things to master. The fish seem to know when your not paying attention.

Truer words, never spoken. Well put!

yep, and second wrong bait/technique.

+1 gotta be on your mind game! Concentration w/positive attitude!

When you find a concentration of fish, you can usually catch them on several lures/techniques. With the right concentration of fish, you can catch them on just about anything. I have worked the same group of fish on a hump and caught them on c-rigs, crankbaits, football head jigs, spoons, etc.

In then end, it doesn't matter if you are throwing the perfect bait if there is no fish there to eat it. Finding fish is the key; catching them once you find them often comes down to throwing what you like.

if you are in the right spot,something is goint to bite the wrong bait,I say wrong spot

Improper mouth positioning is the main cause of not getting bit.

I watched 3 teams work over the "right spot" last week without a bite, we came right in behind them and pulled 15 lbs on 3 fish. Obviously you have to be on fish to catch em, but just because your not catching them doesnt mean they are not there! When the fish are on a major feed or schooling the bait may not matter, but when they are a little less aggressive the right bait is EVERYTHING! IMHO.