New Technique for this year?

[Langer]

Every year I try to learn a new technique, or just gain more confidence in a technique that I rarely use. Last year was the Drop Shot, I used it on almost every lake I fished and it worked on just about every lake I fished.  This year I am going to gain more confidence in Jigs. I usually always have one tied one, but rarely ever pick it up and use it, to be honest I think I have only ever caught 1 fish on a jig. So that is my goal this year, gain more confidence with the Jig and catch some fish with it.

What about you?  What technique will you try this year? Flick Shake? Swimbait? Or just perfect an oldie?

[Waterfoul]

I too would like to build some confidence in the jig this year.  To date, I have only caught two bass on a jig, both from the same lake!  Both last season.  One was a decent fish on thedude's rod while I manned the bowmount on his boat (he was retieing after being bitten off by a pike I'm sure!!) and the other was when I was using a jig as the weight on my drop shot rig.

I too had one tied on nearly all season.  Even threw it a few times with no luck.  I have a pretty good box of them... and aquired a few different baits to use as trailers/chunks for them.  Time will tell.

[TCook]

I will be trying the float and fly this year

[skeeterman190]

 Ok now I know ALOT of you guys here are from the eastside and jigs arent #1(Unless your McCarter) but really if your looking into fishing them YOU SHOULD!!!!!!! The best bass bait ever. put me on a lake with just 2 rods one for flippin and one for open water and a box of jigs. Ill get 5 everytime. I make my own so i cant really steer you in a direction as far as baits. If I would it'd be a Mango Jig by Nichols, awesome summer time fliipin bait. But also look at the KaRu Lures Jigs almost identical to mine. Now to a side note I heard the Flick Shake?? have you been looking at Jackall?? Awesome!!!!!-skeeterman-p.s Float and Fly youve been reading too many magazines Tim

[thedude]

flick shake is nothing new really... i've been putting a football or shakey jig w/ a chompers, smallie beaver or power worm under my drop shot for quite some time. 


And Mike - i was tying YOUR rod. If i remember correctly you had a brain fart and couldn't get a uni/uni knot to go so i was kind enough to let you hold my jig! lol. jerk.

[TCook]

Ok now I know ALOT of you guys here are from the eastside and jigs arent #1(Unless your McCarter) but really if your looking into fishing them YOU SHOULD!!!!!!! The best bass bait ever. put me on a lake with just 2 rods one for flippin and one for open water and a box of jigs. Ill get 5 everytime. I make my own so i cant really steer you in a direction as far as baits. If I would it'd be a Mango Jig by Nichols, awesome summer time fliipin bait. But also look at the KaRu Lures Jigs almost identical to mine. Now to a side note I heard the Flick Shake?? have you been looking at Jackall?? Awesome!!!!!-skeeterman-p.s Float and Fly youve been reading too many magazines Tim

I was kidding skeeterman, i dont own a fly, float, or an 8 foot rod

[thedude]

i have a st. croix 8'6" M wild river steelhead spinning rod for sale... be great for float'n fly

[Cy]

This year I am planning on spending some time working swim baits.  I think there are some lakes over here that would be great swim bait lakes.  I am also planning on spending more time fishing a jig.  I have fished them on and off and caught several fish on them but I also go back to a plastic.  This year I want to try and stay with the jig.  For those of you that haven't fished jigs very much, don't forget to try swimming that jig.

Cy

[fiker]

I too am going to look more at the swim baits. Just have to decide which type. 

When you guys talk about jigs, are you talking only the jigs like a jig and pig that Denny Brauer might throw? 
Or, do you include things like tube jigs, twim tail hula jig chompers on a football head, creature baits with a worm weight, or what?

I've heard that one might not catch as many fish on jig, but that they'd be larger fish.  True?

[Cy]

When I talk jigs I mainly refer to skirted jigs of any style including football.  Like a Denny Bauer jig.  I have always heard that jigs catch less but bigger fish as well.  I personally have not found this to be true, but I think that depends on the size of the jig.  That goes back to the old expression of "big bait, big fish."  In the past I have fished a lot of smaller jigs, like a Strike King Bitsy Flip Jig.  I have catch 8" small mouth and 3 lb large mouth on this jig.  I goal is to pay more attention to the larger or full sized jigs.  Now I have to decide what brand of jigs I am going to try.  I have traditionally fish Strike King and Booyah.  I want to branch out.

Cy

[Waterfoul]

flick shake is nothing new really... i've been putting a football or shakey jig w/ a chompers, smallie beaver or power worm under my drop shot for quite some time. 


And Mike - i was tying YOUR rod. If i remember correctly you had a brain fart and couldn't get a uni/uni knot to go so i was kind enough to let you hold my jig! lol. jerk.

Well hey, you have to admit that being bit off by a pike was a pretty safe bet on my part!  LOL!  And YOU'RE the jerk.

[dashaver63]

Cfruel, go to www.allterraintackle.com and check out their jigs. Those are the ones I mostly use and I love them. www.conquistadortackle.com also has some jigs that I use. Those are tied with a stainless steel wire, and they have some great colors. Also, Picasso jigs are pretty good, they have more of a recessed line tie that protects your knot. My big thing this year is going to fish more deep structure with football heads. I think those fish, once you find them, are far less affected by fishing pressure since they are not targeted as much, plus are not as affected by boat traffic either. I've been studying some lake maps and can't wait to give it a try again. One thing is for sure, it requires a little more patience, which is why I got away from it in the first place.

[Revtro]

Last year I was one of those guys who tried the fad "Chatterbait" style baits.  But I didn't do it until the end of the year.  The particular bait I was using was a Booyah Boogie Bait and I was pleasantly surprised.  I threw it quite a bit over deep structure out on St. Clair and caught a TON of smallmouth on it.  So this year, I plan to get a few more in a variety of colors and weights and give this technique a chance all season to see how it performs.  Because of the late season success with this bait, I'm also going to concentrate on swimming a jig a bit this year. 

[Cheetam]

Slip bobbers and nightcrawlers w/ my 4 year old.  It's been awhile, but I think I can master that one...

[Cy]

Your right Cheetam I need to do a lot of that too!  I think my 4 year old is ready for some semi-serious fishing this year.  I don't think catching dink gills off the dock is going to satisfy him this year.  I am looking forward to taking him Blue Gill fishing on the beds, I think he will love it.

[fishon1219]

Slip bobbers and nightcrawlers w/ my 4 year old.  It's been awhile, but I think I can master that one...

Jeff,
Let me know when you are ready. I have a soon to be 4 year old as well that I think would get along with yours.

[Cheetam]

Slip bobbers and nightcrawlers w/ my 4 year old.  It's been awhile, but I think I can master that one...

Jeff,
Let me know when you are ready. I have a soon to be 4 year old as well that I think would get along with yours.

Ya think?  LOL...

I have a couple places we can go loaded with gills...also stocked with trout and bass and crappie.  Walking distance to jungle gyms, a long walk or very short drive to a water park...it would be fun.

[huston]

I picked up some fat head swim baits and some lucky strike swim baits and I'll pull out an old Quantum  Accurist 5:2:1 gear ratio baitcaster to  throw them with. A 5/0 weighted hook ought to do the trick for them babies.. Oh  yea, I'll try those new  Rapala Sub- walkers too. I've got two of those. Early spring in the canals in Lake St. Clair is tube or jig / time.

[Skulley]

Versatility.  I am going to work on becoming more versatile a fisherman.  Versatility will help me adapt better to changing conditions.  Here in Michigan the conditions can change very quickly through the course of an eight hour day.

BD           

[rapalapro]

Im going with jigging spoons for a new trick this year,ordered some nice ones from lake fork tackle out of tx..i like to fish off shore so i thought this would be a good thing to add to the arsenal.