New techniques

[Lightningboy]

OK, johnnymcsavage's thread got me thinking.  What new/old techniques are you going to try this season?  I think it's an excellent idea to run a season long experiment with a different method than you're used to.

So, time to declare for all the world what you're gonna get good at.  I hereby swear I intend to:

Throw a spinnerbait.  I've never had real confidence with one.  I gave it a real go a few years ago and got into some good bites, but I've never been able to duplicate it.  Time for another try, it's just too good of a bait.

Hard swimbaits.  I experimented with hollow baits last year, not much luck.  The hard baits look unworldly real in the water, something's gotta bite one.

Throw a jig.  Did good with one last spring, gonna hone that skill a little more.  I'd like to get real good with a jig.

Do the shakey worm thing.  Too many pros make a living with it to ignore.  Gonna spend a lot of time with it's cousin, wacky jigging too.

So what's on your agenda?

Better yet, if you check this in the fall, how much of it will you have really done?   

[Bender]

I would really like to fish shallow. That includes docks, laydowns, pads, etc. I have always fished deep and many times last year had tough days when the fish were shallow, and I was still deep. I very seldom used a jig shallow and only one time did I throw a frog all year. I think that is my main goal of the year.
That and to really learn to develop patterns rather than "spot" fishing all the time. I have certain "spots" on every lake I fish and if it is a new lake I study maps and pick spots out before I even get there. I think that I'm doing it backwards and I should work to develop a pattern first and then decide which spots fit that pattern.

[jonnymcsavage]

I want to get good with hard jerkbaits and jigs for the moment. Once I feel I have a grasp on those I would love to learn how to fish slop. The lake I usually fish has a lot of it so i figure that it would be good to learn that as well.

[McCarter]

Im diggin on that zappu wacky head.  Its different and i dont think too many guys are using it  so i will have at it this season!

[skeeterman190]

Alright theres alot of difference between fishing shallow and slop fishing. i am a shallow water fisherman. i fish stick baits pretty much anywhere i can find a weed.. too benders post focus on your casting,theres a ton of shallow fisherman but the ones that seperate thmselves are the ones that are great with there rod and baits. if you ever get a chance talk to Mark Snyder hes the best ive ever seen.. hard jerkbaits and jigs!! work those jerkbaits and find the right cadence. jigs are one of my bread and butters check out some more of the Nemesis jigs there sweet. -skeeterman-

[thedude]

i'm going to hone some skills from last year... cranks and jerkbaits mostly. The zappu head is definitley on the list. My goal for the year is to get better at flippin jigs on docks.

[Langer]

i'm going to hone some skills from last year... cranks and jerkbaits mostly. The zappu head is definitley on the

"You know, like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills."

[dartag]

i give up what is a Zappu Wacky Head.   sounds like something   " Billy Mayes "   would be selling on TV. 

[thedude]

i'm going to hone some skills from last year... cranks and jerkbaits mostly. The zappu head is definitley on the

"You know, like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills."

yeah.. i already mastered wolverine hunting with a freaking 12 gauge so i figured jerkbaits were the logical next step.

[McCarter]

i'm going to hone some skills from last year... cranks and jerkbaits mostly. The zappu head is definitley on the

"You know, like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills."

yeah.. i already mastered wolverine hunting with a freaking 12 gauge so i figured jerkbaits were the logical next step.

Im pretty good with a bow staff

[McCarter]

i give up what is a Zappu Wacky Head.   sounds like something   " Billy Mayes "   would be selling on TV. 

http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p105/tournamentreadytackle/?action=view&current=ZAPPU-Nemesis.flv

[TCook]

It looks like a good rig kind of similar to the flick shake but with a stick bait. The shimmy action looks similar to a weightless yamamoto senko which is hard to match but has a faster fall with the jighead. My question is in what cases would you want to use a jighead over a weightless wacky rig?

[thedude]

It looks like a good rig kind of similar to the flick shake but with a stick bait. The shimmy action looks similar to a weightless yamamoto senko which is hard to match but has a faster fall with the jighead. My question is in what cases would you want to use a jighead over a weightless wacky rig?

seems to me it would help when trying to cover a lot of water with highly productive bait. Worst part about senko fishing is taking the time fish it correctly on a slow retrieve. When i prefish i almost never throw one though.. i use cranks, spinnerbaits, trigs, jigs... try to cover as much water as possible looking for the reaction bites. I would think the faster fall would trigger some reaction strikes and widen the strike zone - you could use it more as a search bait rather than a finesse approach.
just my 2 cents.

[huston]

I purchased some swimbaits last year,(soft type) with the weighted hooks and never did throw any of them. I'm going to try that in LSC when the water is clear and hope I don't catch a musky. I put up all the smithwick jerkbaits and want to throw my LC Pointers, again I hope no musky looks at them. I've got drop shots rigs and not used them and shaky heads I have not shook. Tubes work so well, I use them alot. I forgot all about spinnerbaits too. If no one hasn't tried  the strike king Diamond shad, it works better than a 1/2 oz chartreuse and gold rattle trap on LSC. Senko type baits tear up quick and you spend a lot of time adjusting and replacing the bait. I bought one new rod and reel, a pflueger trion reel and rod. I'm getting excited just typing about this. Man I need to live in the south.

[Cy]

I think thedude is right on.  The wacky jig allows you to fish a wacky rig faster and deeper.  You should be able to cover more water with it and possibly get better feel with it.
Cy

[Cheetam]

They aren't really techniques, but I've narrowed it down to three baits (for now):
1. Texas-rigged worm - I can't believe how long it has been since I fished a worm!
2. Tubes - It hasn't been as long as a texas-rigged worm, but it has been a season or two since I really spent the time throwing the tube.
3. Hard swimbaits- I'm talking the Sebile-style swimbaits, not those monsters they throw out west.  I have a couple special ones I'll have ready for the start of the season.

[dartag]

i am thinking deep diving crankbaits and traps.  it get so boring catching fish on a drop shot or 1/2 senko all the time.  why not get a workout and cast.   maybe some of Jeff's DD22's will work.

[Waterfoul]

I want to perfect my jig fishing.  Then I'm gonna work on my jig fishing.  Oh, and the zappu thing... already tried it... will continue to use it (read:  it catches fish!).

I'm also going to perfect my surface bait presentations.... buzz baits, wake baits, and a few others.

[Cy]

Not to sound like a broken record, but I need to work on jig fishing as well.  I also need to be a better drop shot fisherman.  I will also teach myself a new casting technique this year.  I don't know what it will be yet...but I am thinking about learning to skip baits with a casting rig.  Or I could just continue to practice my spinning rod skills, because I'm sad with a spinning rod.

Cy

[LGMOUTH]

Im not sure if I will try a new technique but I will hone some of the ones I already use. Especially the crankbait. This is something I will be spending alot of time on this year.