How Versatile Are You - Really ?! 2025
SENKOSAM reply :
Each angler is different when it comes to versatility. Are there
lures or presentations that KVD hasn't mastered or refuses to learn?
Many like him were power fishermen and slowing down meant less fish
until not slowing down nor using a slower presentation meant less fish.
Not too many who've posted this topic are in a Clunn or KVD class and
most likely will never be given the many factors that limit us. Here are
a few:
1. You and I can read every article written
on a certain presentation or lure, but unless we've seen someone in the
same boat clobber fish with it, we are less inclined to use it or after
trying it unsuccessfully, ever try it again much less master it. Seeing
is (sometimes) believing (except on TV).
2. Many
of us don't have the time or resources to fish many different waters
where certain presentations do well with certain lures at different
times of year or a different time of day. Again, we can read until the
cows come home what the winners used to win a tournament on lake X, but
until we fish that water or one very similar, under those conditions,
you or I will be at a loss why the lure or presentation didn't work
where we normally fish. Ever fish a lake only once in the year because
the club had a tournament there? Not knowing a body of water is like not
knowing when or where to use certain lures - you won't go back there
and in the back of your mind believe the lake stinks because you
couldn't get a bite. I know a group of guys from my club that fished a
Red Man open tournament down south and skunked miserably. These guys
were the best at fishing waters the club fished but not as versatile as they thought on strange water in a different state.
3.
Strong beliefs and prejudices limit the confidence needed to believe in
a lure or presentation and they are due to 1. and 2. as well as
financial considerations to justify even owning a variety of lures and
colors. One size does not fit all - not one
lure size, not one color, not one lure action nor at all speeds nor at
all depths. Disappointment and frustration kills confidence in lures and
presentations when we don't follow that simple rule. As has been stated
many times before, there is a time and a place that certain group of tools
of the trade are called for and many of those tools are put to better
use by others who have overcome a whiff of prejudice against using them.
The
strangest thing of all is when I've logged having caught many fish on
certain lures in the past and then packed them away, completely
forgetting them or their successes. I have a tendency to mistakenly
believe that a lure that did well the first year or so, will not do well
from then on - anywhere. So much for keeping an open mind and not
substituting the new for the old. Which brings me to:
4. Embracing the fad --- or fear of it
How
many have completely substituted lures and presentations for new ones?
We live in a disposable society so for many that's the norm. On the
other hand how many fad lures come and go and it makes us skeptical
every time a new one comes out. Sure, the A rig works in some waters for
some anglers, but we automatically suspect the lure is far less
versatile than some we already own. Same for the Chatterbait or the
similar action of Helin's Flat Fish crank bait. Why would we buy a new
lure that obviously only works in a brief period of the year or day? Was
it promoted by someone that we no longer trust? Again, the tendency is
to buy a one size does not fits all lure or never give it a chance.
5.
Lastly, how many of you pack a ton of lures every time you go fishing
only to use maybe a hand full. Many anglers I know carry hundreds of
lures, many full packs of soft plastics, boxes of spinnerbaits, jigs and
crankbaits, yet few get wet anytime. I think some believe that carrying
more is better, not realizing that more is just plain confusing and
limiting to those that don't know how and when to use the majority of
what they own. I witnessed that frustration with a tournament partner I
fished with. In two days I caught far more than he did with the small
selection I carried versus the large box of lures he never used except
for one or two. Not once did he look at the sonar or ask questions and
therefore never knew what I was casting to. My lures were never adopted
by him even though he owned them and worse, he refused to use them after
three fish were caught within fifteen minutes!
A closed mind is such a waste and much of the time self defeating.
BrettD reply :
Great post! Thats one of the things that I find really interesting on forums is the diverstity in bass fishing across the nation.
Fishes in trees reply :
Here is what I know. I know you won't become a versatile fisherman unless you try different techniques. I know that just because you aren't proficient at some technique, isn't any reason not to try it. I KNOW that you won't try different techniques, unless you have one rigged up and ready to go.
Yeah, I am aware that every so often, by switching rods every 10 minutes or so (like I often do), I might get out fished by that guy who just keeps the same bait in the water all the time. My response to that is " So what?" That might be important if I was meat fishing, like I often did in my misspent youth, but I don't do that anymore. It isn't that I don't like to eat fish, I do, but generally after a day on the water I am tired and sweaty and the last thing that I want to do is clean a mess of fish. I would rather stop somewhere on the way home and get something to eat. This applies mostly to bass fishing, on those rare occasions when I go crappie fishing or cat fishing, I am aware that at then end of the day I am going to have to clean some fish.
Yeah, I carry many lures when I go fishing. So what? If I had a bigger boat, I would carry more. On an average day, when I go fishing by myself, I will have 20 or so rigs in the boat. Even if you just have a few baits for each rig, that adds up. Why so many? Easy answer - You can buy rods & reels & baits. You cannot buy fishing time. Just can't - it isn't for sale. If I can save fishing time by just picking up another rod & reel that is already rigged up - as opposed to stopping, cutting lines, selecting different baits, retying, etc., that is what I am going to do. The problem of fishing time is one fishing problem that can be partially solved by throwing money at it. I don't mind losing baits. I don't mind re-tying as part of normal fishing maintenance, like every so often, when you are throwing square bills into bushes, you need to re-tie every so often as your line gets nicked up. Stopping just because I want to try a different technique irks me.
When I used to do tournaments as a co-angler, I would carry 6 or 8 spare spools for my spinning reels and 3 or 4 bait casting reels. If I got a back lash and determined that it was going to take more than 3 or 4 minutes to untangle it, I'd just swap out spools or reels as necessary. I know that is carrying time management to an extreme, but hey, we all fish differently.
About fads - I like fads - they give me a reason to buy more tackle. I have been on both sides of the fad thing. I have seen guys, right in front of me, load the boat using a technique or lure that I wasn't comfortable or proficient in. Also, I've been the only guy on the lake with a wacky rigged Senko, fishing within talking distance of guys who were throwing jigs into trees, and right behind them, drifting a wacky rigged senko down the shady side of a tree trunk and getting bit cast after cast. As a responsible fisherman, it makes me feel good that I am doing my part to support the fishing tackle industry. I spend as much money in my local fishing tackle stores as I do with the larger, national stores. The local fishing tackle store is one place where I can go, and KNOW that they will be nice to me. I know that is indicative of deeper, self-esteem issues, but again, hey, so what.
I read many articles about fishing. I am fortunate in that I have the time at work to do that. I never take that they are saying at face value. You always have to adapt, in your mind, how what they are writing about might or might not work on lakes on waters you are familiar with. Long ago, that was one of the founding principles of In-fisherman magazine and how well the article helps you do that is the difference between a well written or poorly written article.
So, anyway, I think that versatility is something that you strive for, just as part of the trip to become a better, more talented fisherman. This year like every other year, I have things in my mind that I want to get better at. For instance, in the past few years I have gotten away somewhat from light line finesse fishing, so this year I'm going to be fishing a Ned rig some. I am going to fish light (5/16 or less) crank baits more, so I put together a spinning rig that will let me do this. I am going to focus on Eakins jigs more ( or similar brands & weights) kind of a finesse jigging approach.
This doesn't mean that I am going to leave any of the other rigs at home. I just like having all the options in the boat, ready to use.
So that is going to be my initial approach to fishing this spring, like everything else in my life it is subject to change. I am not a major fan of change, but I'm not feared of it either. We'll see.
Darren. reply :
Loaded question, Sam! I read your piece with interest, saw some things that applied to me, some that didn't. Do I consider myself versatile? In some ways, in my little corner of the world, yes. Am I missing out on stuff? If that means that I'm not working every type of rig, then yes. In that sense I am not versatile.
For me, I enjoy fishing, I love catching more. I simply don't have the time or resources to become broadly versatile. And to be honest, I don't even want to become that. I don't think I am closed minded, more that I have assessed things and ruled some stuff out. Some due to the money required to get into those areas (like the A rig)...
Would feel differently if I fished tourneys, or this was my main/only hobby...probably.
senile1 reply :
SenkoSam and Fishes in Trees: Great posts, guys! I'm sure we all have lures we have purchased that we shouldn't have. I'm also sure we all have lures we have purchased that we haven't used enough to experience their benefits. And I absolutely agree with Fishes in Trees that fishing time can be hard to come by for many of us. Saving time on the water by having more rigs setup makes sense in that regard. We want to be more versatile, but at what point are we just purchasing another lure that really doesn't help us reach that goal. I guess each of us has to find that balance for ourselves.
A-Jay reply :
For me versatility is a means to an end - and in the end I want to get bit.
If what I'm using works them I don't switch. As anglers, we all know that nothing works all the time. So, I've read, learned and "become more versatile". Once I run into a spot or a situation where what I know does not produce, I have to add something to my game. Either a different / new bait, technique or perhaps a presentation.
I'm not traveling all over the country and although fishing my local water does provide some diversity, there are limitation there. But that's the great thing about this sport, a man can take it as far as he wants and then some.
One thing that I've learned over the years is every time I think something is "too" anything; whether is too big, small, fast, slow, deep, shallow, early, late, hot, cold, windy or rainy, too weedy or too open - some one proves me wrong. So I try not to do that as much.
A-Jay
loodkop reply :
I'm fortunate to have a variety of local reservoirs to fish. This means that I constantly have to adapt my fishing style to suit different waters. My tournament circuits also try to fish the same water during different seasons every year. This means that consistency is dependent on versatility and I often have to put down my frogs and spinnerbaits and go deep cranking or drowning a trick worm an a shakey head. I don't think I'm versatile enough at the moment to be angler of the year but my fishing is a work in progress and the day I stop learning and adapting will be on my burial.
K_Mac reply :
An interesting post SS. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and experience.
Point 1 is very true in most cases. I did not believe for a second that big bass could be caught pitching to heavy cover in very shallow muddy water when the water and air temp was about hot enough to cook the fish and the fisherman, until I saw it done and did it myself. On the other hand, I knew from my reading that wacky-rigged Senkos caught fish in pre-spawn and spawn conditions. My first trip using them my partner told me I was out of my mind throwing something his child might rig. After a day of out fishing him by a big margin, he started to believe. That is not to disagree with number 4: One size does not fit all. While the above techniques have served me well, there are times when they won't work or more importantly IMO, something else will work better.
I like the challenge of fishing new waters. That is not to say I won't be skunked when fishing them though. I still get skunked on water I know well at times. This summer in the middle of a record heat wave, my partner and I were skunked in a local tourney on water that both of have fished for years. That is part of fishing. Reading and acquiring knowledge by experience though is an important part of fishing. I would guess that the club fishermen who fished the RM tourney would likely compete given a little time to understand the local conditions. Understanding seasonal patterns, knowing the bait, studying maps, and having the tools and skills to use them are universal components of consistent success in all waters.
Which brings me to point number 5. I love what Fishes in trees has to say about this. I am also inclined to think more is better. Like Fishes if I had a bigger boat and for me, more disposable income, I would have more gear and tackle. Having a wide range of choices is a good thing, unless it interferes with the ability to focus on and analyze all the information available. I have friends that give me grief about having a bunch of rigs on deck when I am looking for fish. For them one or two rigs and a handful of baits is all one needs to catch fish. Sometimes they are right. Many times though they will end up using something that I have found to work, or work better. I don't always figure it out, but I am generally confident in my ability to analyze conditions and find something that works. Finding exactly the right tool is a wonderful thing. If my fishing partner is killing them on a bait that I have and won't throw because of ego or self esteem issues-shame on me.
SENKOSAM reply :
QuoteIf I can save fishing time by just picking up another rod & reel
that is already rigged up - as opposed to stopping, cutting lines,
selecting different baits, retying, etc., that is what I am going to do.
Agree with statement but that doesn't determine versatility.
Say you have different lures rigged on different rods that aren't producing, when do you change lures or weights or add light leaders? On some days location is everything; other days it's a combination of location and presentation plus the best lures for those presentations.
QuoteWe want to be more versatile, but at what point are we just purchasing another lure that really doesn't help us reach that goal
Again it goes back to the fantasy that catches more anglers than fish - newer has a high probability of doing better than what we own and that we truly know how and when to use. 3/4 of the junk baits I own (approx. 60 lbs. 
) was purchased on a whim and a prayer and the misconception that cheap knock offs are better than the original. Just the fact I bought the stuff (mostly during clearance sales) speaks to my lack of versatility and the phrase, a sucker is born every minute.
Granted, new products come out ever so often that have unique characteristics and can become a new breed of lures that better stimulates a bass's senses or that are significantly better lures for certain presentations and locations (IE. large swimbaits, creature baits, better jig trailers, improved crankbaits, etc.). Those are the lures we must evaluate and compare notes as well as master to become more versatile.
QuoteUnderstanding seasonal patterns, knowing the bait, studying maps, and
having the tools and skills to use them are universal components
of consistent success in all waters
QuoteHaving a wide range of choices is a good thing, unless it interferes
with the ability to focus on and analyze all the information available
J Francho reply :
I do things my own way. Since I often fish alone, I don't wait until someone clobbers fish with something new. I learn how myself. That isn't to say I don't learn when someone else is fishing with me, though. I guess I'm lucky, living on one of the Great Lakes. I can launch at one place, and fish three or four completely different types of fisheries, from creek/river, to marsh, to weeds, to deep open water. Lots of opportunities to try new things. To me, action and profile are important, but location is most important. The fish have to be there, otherwise it doesn't matter what your throwing. I embrace improvements, not fads. The Jika rig has just about supplanted all of my Texas rigging, save for heavy punching situations, times when I am using it as a search bait. For the typical pitch, penetrate weeds, and hop, it simply is better at it. Call it a fad, I call it a better tool. Same goes for wacky jigs. I use to pinch a tiny Water Gremlin Bullshot on the line just above the hook on windy days. Now I use a wacky jig. It's more connected, and easier to rig up. As far as carrying lures and not using them all the time, who cares. I like having a big selection. Sometimes I'm learning about one lure, and how it works, and don't care if I'm catching fish. That knowledge will be useful later. So far, this mentality has worked for me. I've never been a follower, never will.
MCS reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 12:24 AM, DarrenM said:Loaded question, Sam! I read your piece with interest, saw some things that applied to me, some that didn't. Do I consider myself versatile? In some ways, in my little corner of the world, yes. Am I missing out on stuff? If that means that I'm not working every type of rig, then yes. In that sense I am not versatile.
For me, I enjoy fishing, I love catching more. I simply don't have the time or resources to become broadly versatile. And to be honest, I don't even want to become that. I don't think I am closed minded, more that I have assessed things and ruled some stuff out. Some due to the money required to get into those areas (like the A rig)...
Would feel differently if I fished tourneys, or this was my main/only hobby...probably.
^^This nailed how I think/feel about it. Good post man.
Fishes in trees reply :
This is a great post. Gives me something to think about, what with 6" of snow still on the ground, etc.
I think everyone should read all the posts so far, and then pound a few beers before replying, then we will have a record of what we really think - kinda.
Anyway, Senko Sam - back to the notion that fantasy catches more anglers than fish. Well - DUH. I don't know about you but I feel that the time I spend in my fantasy world to be much more enjoyable than the time I'm forced to spend in the real world (whatever that is). So, whenever I am in a place that sells fishing tackle (which is frequently) and I see something that I might want, I ask the question, "Is there a chance that this bait might catch me a fish some time?" And if the answer is yes, I will probably buy it, given my momentary disposable income status and what not.
60 lbs of seldom used baits? Is that counting all the plastic boxes you need to hold that stuff? Don't be a piker - go for the century status - assuming your boat will carry it. Don't sink your boat just to prove a point about buying baits, etc, that will only occasionally see water.
Really, as soon as you fish a second bait, you are trying to be versatile. That is what most of us do - try. If I was a master of versatility - you might be buying fishing lures and assorted gear from me.
I think that buying gear and baits and learning how to use them is one part of learning how to fish. Seasonal patterns, understanding different types of water is another part of learning how to fish, maybe seperate from this current topic.
They are connected - kinda - but to say that I'm not going to buy X rig or X bait because it doesn't jive with my current understanding of seasonal patterns, etc, again, makes me say "HUH". To only buy gear that agrees with my current understanding of seasonal patterns, etc,. . . . seems kind of limiting to me.
My current approach is to try not to over think things. I know what season it is. I have an idea of what fish should be doing - in a perfect world. Now, how does today fit into that perfect world scenario? This is where the lots of choices in rigs & baits comes into play. You try something, it don't work, try something else, that don't work try something else. All the time, you are trying to figure out conditions - wind, light, water temp, air temp, barometer rising or falling (yeah, I keep a barometer in my boat and look at it from time to time) Just because you try something and it don't work doesn't mean that it won't work later that day.
One of my areas of emphasis this year is going to be water clarity. Every one has their own idea of what is clear, stained, dingy, muddy and so forth. I made a secchi disc. This year, instead of thinking to myself that the water is "slightly stained", I will know that the water has a secchi readinfg of 6', or whatever.
Well, I've ranted enough - hope no one is steamed. This is a great topic to discuss how & why we fish and how we hope to get better. I'm looking forward to reading what other guys think.
flippin and pitchin reply :
My perspective is being versatile starts with an attitude. Anglers who purpose themselves to have an open mind, experiment and commit them selves to learn and obtain the "stuff" to fish different ways and in different locations are more likely to be versatile. The guys and gals who choose to fish major tournament circuits will live or die by expanding or not expanding thier knowledge and skills. Recreational anglers who, as A-Jat said, want to get bit, do so out of a love for what bass fishing offers, diversity. All and all, it's easy to make this sport far more complicated than it needs to be.
Darren. reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 5:33 AM, Fishes in trees said:This is a great post. Gives me something to think about, what with 6" of snow still on the ground, etc.
I think everyone should read all the posts so far, and then pound a few beers before replying, then we will have a record of what we really think - kinda.
....
I think that buying gear and baits and learning how to use them is one part of learning how to fish. Seasonal patterns, understanding different types of water is another part of learning how to fish, maybe seperate from this current topic.
They are connected - kinda - but to say that I'm not going to buy X rig or X bait because it doesn't jive with my current understanding of seasonal patterns, etc, again, makes me say "HUH". To only buy gear that agrees with my current understanding of seasonal patterns, etc,. . . . seems kind of limiting to me.
My current approach is to try not to over think things. I know what season it is. I have an idea of what fish should be doing - in a perfect world. Now, how does today fit into that perfect world scenario? This is where the lots of choices in rigs & baits comes into play. You try something, it don't work, try something else, that don't work try something else. All the time, you are trying to figure out conditions - wind, light, water temp, air temp, barometer rising or falling (yeah, I keep a barometer in my boat and look at it from time to time) Just because you try something and it don't work doesn't mean that it won't work later that day.
....
Well, I've ranted enough - hope no one is steamed. This is a great topic to discuss how & why we fish and how we hope to get better. I'm looking forward to reading what other guys think.
I suppose another way one could look at it is to realize each of us has different reasons to be out on the water. My "goal" isn't yours necessarily, and likewise. Maybe that's what you're saying, too.
Or perhaps I should say the goal of being out on the water, the sheer enjoyment of the sport, etc., is likely shared by all of us.
But the depth to which we each explore those things, be it seasonal patterns, tournaments, or just cuz we like being out fishing regardless, will dictate the lengths we will go in versatility exploration.
Dang. I know what I'm trying to say, just not sure I am saying it right. 
A-Jay reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 5:50 AM, flippin and pitchin said:My perspective is being versatile starts with an attitude. Anglers who purpose themselves to have an open mind, experiment and commit them selves to learn and obtain the "stuff" to fish different ways and in different locations are more likely to be versatile. The guys and gals who choose to fish major tournament circuits will live or die by expanding or not expanding thier knowledge and skills. Recreational anglers who, as A-Jat said, want to get bit, do so out of a love for what bass fishing offers, diversity. All and all, it's easy to make this sport far more complicated than it needs to be.
Dan - I know that A-Jat guy - he's Clueless . . . . .
A-Jat
SENKOSAM reply :
QuoteI think that buying gear and baits and learning how to use them is one
part of learning how to fish. Seasonal patterns, understanding
different types of water is another part of learning how to fish, maybe
seperate from this current topic.
It's not separate and can never be separate! You've made a good point!!! It's all related to what I cast and how I work a lure. There's nothing wrong with toting around more stuff than you'll ever use, even stuff you have zero confidence in, but I would at least want to know when and where to try (as you said) different lures in certain areas such as humps, channels, stump fields, deep, shallow or in between.
Each test or condition of versatility mentioned only scratches the surface and if all an angler just wants is to get some sun and breathe fresh air while getting some time away from the ol lady while downing a few Buds, absolutely nothing wrong with that. But versatility is a challenge for many of us, whether recreational or tournament fishing, and many that aspire to becoming versatile mistakenly believe that more = being more versatile without ever truly knowing the limitations or advantages of the stuff stored (permanently?) in their tackle boxes. So much so that they can't find anything half the time that they swore they packed! I would think that another key part of being versatile is being organized and disciplined.
This forum and others have given many of us insight into not only what it means to become more versatile, but how to build on it and stay more flexible under various conditions and in different locations. For me the opposite of versatility is what a call FISHING INSANITY or doing the same thing over and over and going hours or days without a bite.
SENKOSAM reply :
QuoteBut the depth to which we each explore those things, be it seasonal
patterns, tournaments, or just cuz we like being out fishing regardless,
will dictate the lengths we will go in versatility exploration.
Dang. I know what I'm trying to say, just not sure I am saying it right.
Perfectly said. 
QuoteMy perspective is being versatile starts with an attitude. Anglers who
purpose themselves to have an open mind, experiment and commit them
selves to learn and obtain the "stuff" to fish different ways and in
different locations are more likely to be versatile. The guys and gals
who choose to fish major tournament circuits will live or die by
expanding or not expanding thier knowledge and skills. Recreational
anglers who, as A-Jat said, want to get bit, do so out of a love for
what bass fishing offers, diversity. All and all, it's easy to make
this sport far more complicated than it needs to be.
Ditto !!! X10
ColdSVT reply :
luckily the half dozen lakes i fish on a regular basis are each completely different, one is shallow with tons of weeds, one is shallow at one end and deep as well at the other with TONS if different stucture and bottoms, one has a river leading in to it. one is a shallow resivoir and the other is a deep resivoir with acres of standing timber, and lastly one is a combo of the others.
i am d**n good in 4 of them, but the other two i am still learning and getting better each season. it was haaaaaard for my to break my habits for other lakes to learn but i got over it and did it and it has worked great. For years i refused to use deep cranks and lipless cranks but guess what? i figured them out because i had too to catch fish. same goes for tubes, and big worms, i didn't wanna do it because it was outside my comfort zone but with tons of patients it paid off. now i take those tactics to the lakes that i was good at and got better at them.
heck there was a time when i hated jigs too, but well i learned when and where to use them and now they are one of my go to baits
early i didn't wanna leave my comfort zone but i have since learned to open the mind to new and different tactics that are uncommon in my area. living all over the states while i was in the Navy taught me many different ways to catch fish. i have learned to apply them and variations therein to my home waters of PA and it has worked out great for me
SENKOSAM reply :
Quoteluckily the half dozen lakes i fish on a regular basis are each
completely different, one is shallow with tons of weeds, one is shallow
at one end and deep as well at the other with TONS if different stucture
and bottoms, one has a river leading in to it. one is a shallow
resivoir and the other is a deep resivoir with acres of standing timber,
and lastly one is a combo of the others.
Other than learning from others directly, you have the fantastic opportunity to learn from the variety of structure available in your area, same as Franco.
Many of us settle for the limitations of our local waters and can't try out presentations and lures specific to what some of us want to learn applicable to what we've been exposed to, at least in theory. (Theory is just a word meaning, maybe, maybe not, awaiting confirmation) lol You're one lucky dude!
I took copious notes at a seminar where KVD, Brauer, Nixon, Woo Daves and Bill Dance were speakers and understood exactly the wisdom they imparted. To this day I haven't been able to apply 1/10 of their suggestions because of the waters I've been limited to. Now that I'm retired, I hope to break the habit of not venturing outside my area and exploring new waters or re-learning rarely visited waters. It's not just time on the water; it's time spent on different waters with different bottom types and cover.
basseditor reply :
Me — "Jack of all Trades, Master of None."
SENKOSAM reply :
Me too! Hey but at least its fun when you discover something you can sink your teeth into!
BassWhole! reply :
Be the fish....
Hooligan reply :
I would like to think that I am a very versatile angler. I've fared very well in, and won many, tournaments from the West coast to the East coast and from North to South. At the level I currently fish, I have to believe that I'm as versatile as any that I fish against.
I have also mastered many things, not the least of which is the ability to use my electronics. That single thing is what has really spurred my versatility more than any other. Electronics do not lie to you. Thy give you everything you need to know, and they are the first step in your plan of attack. As a result of mastering the use of my electronics, I've been able to move on to many other techniques.
That said, I do not compare myself to many other anglers, in terms of versatility. Many of the elite series guys are head and shoulders above my skill set, it's incredible. I'm good at what I do and at the level I compete, but I cannot compare even slightly to what they do .
I tend to disagree with your statement that many wont fish a lure or dig them out without having seen firsthand what they can do. That's part of the reason I love to fish so much. Learning is a large part of why it is so I interesting to me. Whether learning new tactics, lures, or patterns, the knowledge aspect is huge. That's part of the drive, for me, too, in seeking out those lures I've not used or have little experience with. It is rare that I fish a new tactic without success.
In response to fads and embracing them, they're a far for a reason. Generally the public doesn't hear about it until it has become successful enough that it will increase your catch rates. Few situations arise in which a fad is a hinderance.
SENKOSAM reply :
QuoteI tend to disagree with your statement that many wont fish a lure or digthem out without having seen firsthand what they can do.
I don't remember saying that or reading it.
Many anglers I've fished with that are limited in versatility and don't care to become more versatile, seem to just like buying stuff when they can't be out fishing. The lures just accumulate and hang out in the tackle box until maybe they are cast a few times. If those lures don't produce, the angler forgets about them and may never cast them again unless by chance he sees someone use them successfully.
For many of us, new lures on the market may work but only with a select few presentations to be of any value.Banjo minnow has caught fish, but the ads lie about the lure's versatility.
Lure and presentation diversity are outside the scope of why many anglers fish and those anglers are usually at the bottom of a club 's standings. Those at the top are those, like you, that investigate claims, try new or old things with new or old lures. One of the quickest ways to do that is watch a video or be in the same boat as someone versed at using certain lures and presentations. Again, seeing is believing and once an idea smacks me upside the head, I become a fanatic believer and will master the lure/presentation just for the challenge, as well as add it to my knowledge base if successful over time. I might even discover something by accident on my own and use that presentation another day to see if it was a fluke, but in any case it will something of value, always.
Many pros, IMO, try to start a fad with products they endorse. Nothing wrong with that because you and I will be the final test and those lures that make it will be in catalogs for years to come; those that don't make it two years in a row end up in clearance sales. I'm curious if the A rig and Chatterbait will still be around five years from now (I have no desire to try the A rig).
That to me, is what versatility is all about.
K_Mac reply :
SS the chatterbait is great example of a bait that was very popular for a while and now you don't hear much about them. That is not to say many (including me) are not still using them effectively. I am leaving in a few minutes to fish my favorite public lake, and I promise a chatterbait will be thrown and will bet you a cup of coffee that bass will be caught on it. It was popular for a reason, and just because it is not the latest and greatest now doesn't mean it was just a passing fad.
I'm not disagreeing with you that many of us buy tackle that will never be given a real chance to produce. Some of that is just part of maturing as fisherman and discovering what our strengths are. Some is about being willing to learn and improve our skills. There are many that find a thing our two that works much of the time in some situations, and that is good enough. Some fanatically pursue the science and art of fishing to be best they can be. Most of us fall somewhere in-between. While I am a lot more careful with my purchases than I used to be, if I die with a few unused new-fangled baits in my boat that ain't a bad thing...I'm going fishin. 
SENKOSAM reply :
K-M I agree that fad lures may be of value but that a better mouse trap is always around the corner.
Take the Slugo. Still used and still sold in catalogs, but many other soft jerk baits have blown the style away and are more versatile to boot. Pork rind was the only trailer people used, but now soft plastics are used far more for many reasons. The #8 willow leaf blade spinnerbait the Roland Martin sold is no longer popular, though I still make them and cast them every year.
The Chatterbait is what a would call a niche lure - it fulfills the need for a specific action certain times of the year. Other baits do as well or better and I haven't heard of any major tournaments where they were key to winning, same as the Senko. Better baits and presentations survive the test of time and the marketing of them becomes unnecessary because they become standards. Many that don't sell well disappear and maybe shouldn't have - I miss many a good lure that was discontinued.
Frank
K_Mac reply :
Just an update: 6 hours of fishing x 2; 1 bite each, I caught mine. He missed his.
Water temp ~45-49 degrees, air temp ~60, stained water ~3-4' visibility, pressure dropping, wind 15-20 mph SSE. We know some guys who fished the lake yesterday and did real well. This is a lake both of us know. We expected good things. Maybe we are not as versatile as we think we are?!
I started using a chatterbait-so as not to lose a cup of coffee . 30 minutes into the day caught one just short of 18" in 5' of water on a long gravel secondary point. My partner missed one a little later pitching a beaver in a similar spot. We threw an assortment of baits including; chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, cranks-with and w/o lips, hard and soft jerkbaits, jigs, and plastics. We fished muddy water up in the creek, to main lake points. In the teeth of the wind and completely sheltered spots, shallow to deep (20'). 2 bites total, one fish. In retrospect we probably should have spent more time on the secondary points
FWIW I don't think a chatterbait is any more a niche bait than a spinnerbait, but I only caught one fish on lake that was supposed to be hot- so I could be wrong. 
I'll do better next time...
Hooligan reply :
I misunderstood you then, sir. My apologies. After your second response I much better understand what you're getting at. I agree that many pros will endorse a product for the returns, and market it to gain the sales, to start the fad, as it were. The benefit, however, is that very often the ingenuity that comes along with it is entirely beneficial in that it opens many doors. I don't disagree, either, that fads do come and go, some much more readily than others.
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