What did I learn this year?

[Hollada]

Was contemplating what I learned this year and figure I'd post a few things and see if others would add to the thread.

Here is my list:
- owning a boat is expensive!
- There are big rocks in 4FOW on Cass
- Kent lake spring bass like a Rayburn Red rattletrap
- ranger boats are still the hardest and wettest ride I've been in
- I need to spend more time learning to fish swimbaits
- I still have no confidence in cranks
- there is some great fishing at the lower end of the detroit river
- drop shotting ztoo's is a pretty good smallie approach
- 70 MPH feels pretty good in a basscat
- my wife doesn't like 70 MPH in a basscat
- lowered trolling motors throw a lot of water as you get on plane
- don't loose track of that 1 pounder in the live well and toss back 4 3 pounders that would have won the BFL.  Third wasn't bad, first would have been better.  Doh
- fishing with Mojo (V2?, V3?) is like having 3 extra guys in the boat :-)


Merry Christmas all!

[Manxfishing]

I'm still working on Swimbaits
But I had a very good year with cranks and hoping to do better this coming year

[dartag]

I don't like going 70 in a bass boat.  But I am old.

[djkimmel]

That's okay - we all get older...

[fiker]

I spent way more time with swim baits, jerks baits, and the ned rig.
Way less time with stick worms (my previous go to).

Also used some different drop shot plastics that worked well.

I also learned how important preseason conditioning is the older one gets.  I spent a lot of time on the sidelines.

I spent quite a bit of time fishing the same lake week after week. My plan was that if I could learn that lakes patterns and fish movements I could project that knowledge onto other lakes.  It seemed to work.

[dartag]

Since I was awake last night with a sore shoulder I decided to look at my tournament results and what the winners did in the events I fished last year.

Of the 31 inland lake events I fished at least 90% were won shallow.  Docks and seawalls dominated.  I did my best in the spring bed fishing.  2 teams won or finished in the money in almost every event they fished.   This trend carried over into the other divisions in the series they fished.    In the Solo series, we ran one angler won of finished second in every event he fished all shallow.   One angler with different partners won 6 of 9 angle of the year titles. 
What I learned after looking at the data is if you want to compete you better learn to fish shallow or just be happy donating.   
Next year I am adopting the motto " If you can't beat um join um attitude. "   You will find me up shallow.

[fiker]

Please define what you mean by shallow.

[dartag]

4 feet or less.  The guys consistently finishing in the money fish Docks and.seawalls.   surprisingly a White Frog.or Fluke are one.guys primary lure.  The.other team.fishes plastics and.Jigs.

[DeanV]

I started using the Ned rig more this year as well.  Averaged 10 bass per hour with it.  Average size did not decrease for bass and caught more bonus fish (which I like).  It has pushed dropshot and senkos to 2nd and third choice rigs.

I spent more time on fat impacts as well.  I do like these as well, but need to come up with better rigging options.   I like to fish them weedless and hooking percentages are not stellar, especially if I am fishing out of kayak instead of a boat.  Harder for me to swing and set the hook.  Of course, these seem to be a better option on my kayak waters than my boat lakes.

[spinnerbation]

After a year with quite a few hiccups I learned quite a few things this year myself...

- Always carry extra parts in the boat (Did you know a 4' wake can lift the stern of your boat up and let it fall hard enough to sheer the bolt off that connects the slider pin from the steering helm to the outboard.... who knew!)
- If you don't carry said parts, then a screwdriver, a length of wire and duct take will get you back at 20 mph.
- If you're going to be a Co-Angler in the BFL's, find a Boater that is 100% committed to all 5 Events. Sucks showing up to the meeting of the last event of the year to find out your Boater dropped out (Has happened to me twice now)...
- If your Team Partner has a jealous GF who will literally txt him 80-100 times a day to make sure he's actually fishing, take the battery out of his phone before blastoff while he's not looking and sort the rest out later...Your day will go a WHOLE lot smoother!
- As much as I tried and tried and tried, I'm convinced I'm not ready to master the Jerkbait yet.
- You can fish your home lake for 20 years and think you have it dialed right in then still go out every day and learn something new.

Now on the plus side I did expand my game a little bit:

- Learned how to properly fizz a deepwater SM (very important skill that was at the top of my list to learn).
- Learned how to catch them on a Spybait.
- Dropshot baits make great Ned Rig & Shakeyhead substitutes.
- Smallys like smaller variations of the Alabama Rig.
- Largemouth CAN be caught in dirty water on clear grassy lakes.
- If you pick the right kind of Jig they work just as well as a Texas Rig to punch mats.

If nothing else it was definitely a year of learning!

[djkimmel]

Nice write up! Thanks!

[Hollada]

What Dan said :-p

[YpsiBass]

Looking forward to your "what did I learn in 2017" post.

[LAPORTE]

#loveit ...... lol sorry watching too many episodes of Flip or Flop and Love it or list it....lol

Thats all i learned... But i guess you actually have to get out and fish

LaPorte

[dartag]

#loveit ...... lol sorry watching too many episodes of Flip or Flop and Love it or list it....lol

Thats all i learned... But i guess you actually have to get out and fish

LaPorte

My wife loved watching the Flip or Flop show.   I told her many times the wife had changed her appearance and attitude.  She didn't agree.  Now she does.   Probably make there ratings go up.

[Hollada]

Several man cards are at risk here.  Unless we talk about how hot she is .....

[dartag]

Several man cards are at risk here.  Unless we talk about how hot she is .....

.  It's OK I am on pain meds.

[FrickerDude]

WhatI have learned in 2016

I enjoy having a 20' boat vs a 15.'
The Saginaw bay all the way to around the thumb to Port hope is a lot of water and varies a lot from one place to the next.  It is going to take a lot of time to figure that out.

Gained some confidence in my electronics

gained some confidence with jigs and ned rigs

gained lots of confidence with rattle traps (thanks to firefighter Jeff)  they work great in the Saginaw bay! Even caught 2 smallies at one time on the rattle trap.

I continued to gain confidence is fishing deeper 12'-18' for largies on my home lake

And of course I have learned that I still cannot catch a smallmouth on St Clair!  Even after Firefighter Jeff this year and Vince last year trying to get me on some during the MadWags opens.  3rd times the charm I hope and look forward to trying again this year! 

[Hollada]

Since I was awake last night with a sore shoulder I decided to look at my tournament results and what the winners did in the events I fished last year.

Of the 31 inland lake events I fished at least 90% were won shallow.  Docks and seawalls dominated.  I did my best in the spring bed fishing.  2 teams won or finished in the money in almost every event they fished.   This trend carried over into the other divisions in the series they fished.    In the Solo series, we ran one angler won of finished second in every event he fished all shallow.   One angler with different partners won 6 of 9 angle of the year titles. 
What I learned after looking at the data is if you want to compete you better learn to fish shallow or just be happy donating.   
Next year I am adopting the motto " If you can't beat um join um attitude. "   You will find me up shallow.

Lots of good lessons here.....