So I've read and heard arguments about this, and it seems the majority of fishermen believe that you absolutely have to be versatile to be a contender in tournaments. I've also heard that it's better to specialize in a certain technique, I believe it was Denny Brauer that said it can help to be versatile and there's no better way to be consistent but it's better to specialize in one or two techniques. While he states that you have to be versatile to make it to the elites his reasoning behind being a specialist is that when the conditions are right it narrows the field of competition, because maybe 10 people out of 100 in that tournament really specialize in that technique and will really dial it in using that that technique. I know my dad fishes that way, he only wants to fish shallow water flipping and pitching. Try to move offshore and he'll just sit there and won't fish, drives me crazy lol. But to be fair he won some tournaments in his day, I wish I had known him then and been able to fish with him. I'd like to hear how everyone else feels about this? What kind of fishermen are you? Jack of all trades or specialize in one or two techniques? How has your choice helped you in tournaments?

You can't specialize in two techniques and be successful. You HAVE to be able to fish all techniques, AND know when to use them. You HAVE to be able to adjust to WHAT the fish want to bite.

I think it is most important to know where the fish are based on seasonal patterns, etc. and then be able to fish them your way. Gary Klein talks about the different ways the elite pros all fish the same brush in different ways and each may catch said 10 pounder.

If you trust flipping as your shallow technique you probably don't need to me a master of the square bill also. If you like ledge fishing with a deep diving crank, then you might not need to master the carolina rig also. Pick your favorites, hone your skills, fish your strengths, but all the while know you might need to fish your weaknesses once in a while.

Good luck,
J
Twitter @jaygrave

IMO, it's better to be versatile then to be an expert at one specific technique. Conditions can change at a moments notice and it's important to think outside of your comfort zone to put 5 in the boat or to just get the few bites that can really matter. In the tournaments I've won there has usually been a pattern that I've figured out through practice. That being said, in some of those tournaments conditions changed and if I just stuck to my comfort zone style of fishing, I probably wouldn't have caught the kicker fish that I needed to push me over the top. At the Central open in September I had to be very versatile because I was at the mercy of the boater on where we fished. I did my thing and pulled off a top 10 finish. Just my two cents on the topic....good thread topic.

Master all of them...

This is we're the term "hero or zero" came from in bass fishing.

I fished 3 lakes in Texas harder than all the rest. I did not try to be versatile. I have stated this before.
- Somewhere on those 3 lakes at any given time I can win on the spinner bait.
- Somewhere on those lakes there is a wonderful top water bite during the season. That may be all you need with the Spook and an extra hour of cloud cover.
- Somewhere on the lakes is a pitching and flipping hardwook winning bite; or a shallow grass bite.
- Become a specialest on the deep grass Bass.
- Somewhere on all those lakes is a shallow ledge bite.
- Lastly there is a conture off a couple of points on all the lakes that will produce a winning stringer.

Get past 3 lakes chasing the big tournaments and you will have to become more versatile than the above things that have helped me do well over the years. Then you are going to be donating to the cause most of the time.

Keep it down to 3 lakes and become a specialest in finding those spots that will produce the fish with the techniques you have specialized in.
-Spinner bait - Spook - T-Rig - Light Short C-Rig - Heavy Drop Shot and A select few hand poured plastics.

I have had 50 years to become a specialest in those 5 techniques.
Does it take more than 5 to put you into the versality class? I truly thank so; but it also comes down to the amount of time spent on the lake on how specialized you can become.

Agree with Mr. Harper. To get near the top consistently one needs to identify about 5 primary techniques and master them. You better be pretty good at all the others too. Versatility is an attribute that can make you or break you.

ok, consider this...you can master two techniques and be competitive...but...to be consistently competitive you must be versatile !...if you limit yourself to two techniques you will spend the day looking for conditions to use them instead of fishing in the "moment"...that is why I believe "junk" fishing is so strong these day's - your alway's fishing in the moment...just my two cent's...good luck !

I feel pretty good about my ability to fish multiple techniques affectively. Not being able to find a good group of fish is what's killing me.

So if you "specialize" in two or three lakes, as has been mentioned. Does this make you a good fisherman or does it make you good on those lakes?
I know guys who specialize on a couple of lakes and they are hard to beat. Take them to other lakes and they stuggle. I also know guys who happen to be almost unbeatable on a couple of lakes but they are also good no matter where you put them.
Which is better?
Is versatile just specific to technique or is it being truly versatile the ability to catch fish on any lake with whatever technique it requires to catch fish?

I would go with a bit of both. I believe i am very strong in a few techniques but at times stick with too long and miss the other bite that might be going on.

Txduckhunter also hit a good point there are those who are strong on a couple bodies of water but stink on new ones. I would rather be able to catch them on new waters over new techniques

It definitely takes being versatile. As many different places these guys fish all across the country and all the different conditions they face. They also fish all different times of the year so that has an effect. But I also believe you can take any technique and apply to almost any lake, condition, or time of year. If you can find a technique you have confidence in somewhere that other people don't use that technique, you could have found the jackpot. You just have to experiment.

I agree with denny brauer. Versatility keeps you competetive on different waters. But mastering 1 or 2 techniques will make you dominant when those coditions arise.

After fishing as a co angler for many years before stepping up to the front of the boat, I can say without a doubt if your fishing the Co side then you better know how to fish every technique out there. You will never know what you will be doing from one time to the next.

Versatility is very important, yes we all have our strengths, but, if you can't shake a drop shot or work a spoon when the time is needed then your going to be lost.