How do y'all learn new techniques?

[JDH8504]

I've been thinking a lot lately about my post-spawn doldrums (LM Bass). I've got 6 rod/reel combos in the boat and every type of lure there is. Topwaters, cranks, jerks, worms, craws, lizards, grubs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits...you get the gist. But I have never caught a bass out of more than, say, 8 feet or so of water. Post-spawn absolutely kills me every year!

So I've been wanting to learn deep water techniques. My question is -- am I better off spending a whole season taking 1 rod with me and just focusing on 1 technique? Maybe just go Carolina rig for a post-spawn/summer -- or should I rig all my rods with deep-water lures and throw everything til I get bit?

What do y'all do to "master" something new? I'm worried I might have a case of angler's ADHD

[Texas_Rig]

My best advise is to go fishing with somebody new. I've only been serious about bass fishing for the last couple of years. My favorite thing is to spend time in the boat with people that I consider really good fishermen. Perfect example is Tuesday morning I went fishing with a good friend of mine. I've known him for a long time but just not ever gone fishing with him. Like a lot if people I have had a hard time catching quality bass the last month or so. I can go catch a limit pretty easy but the bigger fish have been an inconsistent bite for me. Tuesday morning he shows me a new technique and in 20 minutes we had 5 bites for about 15 lbs. We left that spot so I could cine back and fish it in a tourney last night. Well with the rainstorm I decided not to fish the tourney. But I now have confidence in a new technique that I wouldn't have if I didn't go fishing with him and learn how to do it.

[Texas_Rig]

Also I should note that this isn't a deep water technique. He showed me how to swim a jig around docks. I have tried this technique before with no success. Now I have the confidence to do it more.

[Travis C.]

You want confidence in what you are throwing/doing.

I personally hate grass fishing. If the fish are in the grass that is always a mental negative before I hit the water. I love rock and deeper water so if I head to those areas then I feel like I will catch fish.

As far as baits and learning new technique, sure just do that until you have confidence in it if you really wish to utilize that later on. But if you are doing it just because you are not catching fish now it's probably not your current techniques fault. It's more so location, time of day and understanding the forage.

Everything you mentioned having tied on will work in deeper water even the topwaters depending on bait balls. Work on your locations and get away from tried and true caught them here spots. Go visit and fish other areas with deeper water.

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by Texas_Rig

Also I should note that this isn't a deep water technique. He showed me how to swim a jig around docks. I have tried this technique before with no success. Now I have the confidence to do it more.

That is a great technique. I fish it a lot post bluegill spawn on OH.

[Pinwheeled]

Originally Posted by Texas_Rig

Also I should note that this isn't a deep water technique. He showed me how to swim a jig around docks. I have tried this technique before with no success. Now I have the confidence to do it more.

That swim jig is straight up deadly sometimes. I really don't fish it enough.





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[Pinwheeled]

I didn't have much confidence in deep water techniques when I moved here from IL. All of our lakes I fished tournaments on were shallow and full of weeds that held fish all year. Moving here and fishing Priest a lot felt like fishing in a fishbowl.

The lures that really helped me gain confidence in deep water were a drop shot and football jig. I also fished a lot of points. I wasn't very good at locating deep fish when I first moved down but I knew points held fish all year so that's where I started. I didn't exactly catch the fire out of them but caught enough respectable fish to build some confidence.

Texas_Rig is spot on about getting in the boat with good fishermen. It's easy to get stuck in a rut trying the same things. I fished a few BFLs as a non boater. Never did that great but the education I got out of it was more than worth the entry price.


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[MNfisher]

Originally Posted by Pinwheeled

I fished a few BFLs as a non boater. Never did that great but the education I got out of it was more than worth the entry price.


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I plan on doing this next year!



Mike

[MNfisher]

Try to gain confidence in deep cranking. Nothing much more fun than pulling big fish with a 5xd or 6xd banging off rocks in 10-15 ft of water.


Mike

[TNBronzeback]

Dont overlook the power of the internet either. Ive learned alot about open water fishing by watching clips from KVD who some might consider one of the best open water fisherman in the game. alot of his clips tell you what he is looking for off the bank and why he is looking for it/what makes it so good in relation to other areas at any given time of year. other pro's as well ofcourse make those little clips for facebook or youtube and all the other internet venues.
but to build on what Mike said, if you are gonna put some time into deep water cranking, do yourself a favor and make sure your gear is set up for that style of fishing. the proper rod and reel set up can make crank fishing less of an exhausting chore. Long, stiffer rods to cover water and a reel with the right gear ratio will go a long way on a sun up-sun down cranking day.
if you dont feel confident with throwing cranks, throw what you are comfortable with...jigs, tubes, carolina/texas rigs around the deeper offshore structure and cover. some of my best open water bass spots are in 22-26ft of water.
My opinion, no, dont take just 1 rod rigged up with 1 style of bait. At any given fish holding spot, you are going to have 3 classes of fish:
actively feeding, neutral, and just not feeding unless you smack em right in the face. i like to pull up to a spot and power fish it from all angles with cranks. whether i get fish or not, im going to 1)downsize and 2) slow down with my 2nd lure selection, whether its a jig or some kind of plastic. then i do the exact same thing....fish the area from all angles.
if i get fish on the cranks, i know there are fish to still be caught after the crank bite dies. i then down size and slow down and keep catching. once that bite stops, keep the same small/slow just change colors or plastic selection and you will be surprised how long you can sit on a good spot and keep catching fish after you think you caught them all.

[unkangler]

All the above ^^^ is some great advice.

Originally Posted by JDH8504

My question is -- am I better off spending a whole season taking 1 rod with me and just focusing on 1 technique? Maybe just go Carolina rig for a post-spawn/summer -- or should I rig all my rods with deep-water lures and throw everything til I get bit?

Another technique you may want to consider is a simple jigging spoon. It's a lot of fun when you find a nice offshore spot and you slowly drift through working a spoon such as a "crippled herring" :

These two spoons have put quite a few fish in my boat and as a bonus they are fun and easy to use

[90titans89]

Originally Posted by JDH8504

I've been thinking a lot lately about my post-spawn doldrums (LM Bass). I've got 6 rod/reel combos in the boat and every type of lure there is. Topwaters, cranks, jerks, worms, craws, lizards, grubs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits...you get the gist. But I have never caught a bass out of more than, say, 8 feet or so of water. Post-spawn absolutely kills me every year!

So I've been wanting to learn deep water techniques. My question is -- am I better off spending a whole season taking 1 rod with me and just focusing on 1 technique? Maybe just go Carolina rig for a post-spawn/summer -- or should I rig all my rods with deep-water lures and throw everything til I get bit?

What do y'all do to "master" something new? I'm worried I might have a case of angler's ADHD

I have used the one rod approach many times to learn a new technique or pattern. Next thing you know you have too many rods on the boat all tangled together with different baits. My approach to this time of year is simple, don't fish until you see something on the graph. Big crankbait, big worm, and big jig. You put one of those baits in front of a school of fish...one will want it. If not, move on to next spot.