Most difficult techniques? 2024
The Maestro reply :
Is there a technique you feel is more difficult to become really good at. I know it's totally subjective but I personally feel like becoming really good with crankbaits would require the most time and practice. There's just so many different types for different situations. They can be fished in so many ways. Crankbaits have never really taken off here like they have in the US and my experience with them is quite limited but I just feel like it's one of those presentations where there's much more to it than meets the eye.
Tennessee Boy reply :
Great question. No doubt some are harder to master than others. Some are deceptively harder than they might seem. IMO buzz baits are probably one of the easiest and I would agree crankbaits are pretty difficult. It is very subjective as you said.
geo g reply :
For me it’s flipping and pitching. So many casts in such a short area. Unless I get some action quick, I move on to something else.
fishballer06 reply :
I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. Crankbaits are a piece of cake and are very effective for me (always have been). Dragging a jig or bouncing a drop shot around are my most difficult techniques.
EGbassing reply :
Dropshot
RichF reply :
I find the slow, almost do-nothing type techniques to be the most difficult (dead sticking senkos, dragging the ball & chain, drop shotting, etc). Not that they're actually difficult to do, I just don't have the patience for them.
J Francho reply :
I think it depends on where you fish. Someone fishing shallow lakes, choked with weeds probably is going to have a hard time with drop shot or cranking. I would have some difficulty using finesse jigs in 40' of Lake Ontario water for smallmouth. Same goes for jerkbaits, which are popular one lake over on Erie. They typically only come into play with a short window in spring and fall. For a beginner fisherman, I think detecting the jig bite is the trickiest. I'm still learning things about them, and I fish them a ton.
Jigfishn10 reply :
Mojo Rig. I can not get the feel of what my bait is doing and I know I'm missing more bites than on a t-rig.
J Francho reply :
Mojo rig smells a lot like a Carolina rig, and that's pretty stinky. 
Tennessee Boy reply :
Spinnerbaits are a good example of a bait that’s easy to get started with but are deceptively hard to master. I’ve caught fish on them for 30+ years but I’ve never taken the time to master them. The great spinner bait fishermen I know carry a couple of hundred extra blades and are always customize their baits in ways and for reasons that baffle me.
Jigfishn10 reply :
Couldn’t agree more JF
Harold Scoggins reply :
I can flip, pitch, and make a lure dance like there's no tomorrow, but when it comes to skipping, you better have your Kevlar helmets on. That's one thing that I've never mastered.
Schuyler co reply :
I’m with Harold...skipping can get messy!
Bankbeater reply :
Sometimes my pitching is dead on and other times I can’t even get the bait out of the boat.
A-Jay reply :
I will offer two ~
First is deep cranking - really deep cranking. Long casts with beefy hard pulling baits; requires a lot of winding.
It's work. Commitment & dedication are tested. The reward can be more than worth it.
Second, is Big swimbaits - because the bites are so few & far between that even the most committed angler often needs to put in quite a bit of time before coming close to putting it all together.
Personal skill level with both presentations = neophyte.
But I'm working on it.
A-Jay
Junk Fisherman reply :
Jerkbaits- it just doesn't feel right to me.
MN Fisher reply :
The one you're just starting to learn...
For me - that's pitching & flipping. Never done it before because I didn't have a rod/reel combo I was confident that had the power to pull through the weeds.
This year it's a technique I'll be learning and practicing...and probably loosing some lures with.
Mike L reply :
Any type of light line, finesse type stuff that requires a spinnng rod.
Just cant stand fishing that way.
Mike
scaleface reply :
The difficult thing about crankbaits is getting the correct depth from them . Berkely Dredgers take the guess work out of that . Just pick the next one up with the advertised depth thats deeper than the bottom .
The Maestro reply :
On 3/23/2019 at 6:37 AM, scaleface said:The difficult thing about crankbaits is getting the correct depth from them . Berkely Dredgers take the guess work out of that . Just pick the next one up with the advertised depth thats deeper than the bottom .
Correct depth is one of the reasons I picked crankbaits as one of the more/most difficult techniques to master. I'm pretty sure getting the size, profile and action right is a big part of it also. I think color might play a more important role compared to other baits as well. Then you have speed and action that you can impart with the rod. I remember reading about how Kevin VanDam is constantly working the bait with movements of his rod during the retrieve. Just a lot of variables to consider.
Glaucus reply :
On 3/23/2019 at 5:50 AM, Mike L said:Any type of light line, finesse type stuff that requires a spinnng rod.
Just cant stand fishing that way.
Mike
That's my favorite way to fish lol
jimmyjoe reply :
On 3/23/2019 at 3:04 AM, J Francho said:For a beginner fisherman, I think detecting the jig bite is the trickiest. I'm still learning things about them, and I fish them a ton.
Agreed.... very much agreed. jj
Scott F reply :
If you are a spin or baitcast guy, try picking up a fly rod for the first time. That takes some time to learn not to mention master.
MN Fisher reply :
On 3/23/2019 at 8:11 AM, Scott F said:If you are a spin or baitcast guy, try picking up a fly rod for the first time. That takes some time to learn not to mention master.
When I had access to good trout streams, I picked up a fly rod. Man was that a tough thing to learn. I eventually did, but after moving to a place where access to trout streams was difficult, I sold all my fly-fishing gear...including the fly tying equipment - ya, I was tying my own. Now it's been years and picking it up again would be like first learning it.
Catt reply :
I can fish pretty much any technique... catching is a different story!
CrankFate reply :
Knowing where the fish are feeding and when.
fishwizzard reply :
Jerkbaits. Does not matter the body of water, my jerkbaits will catch a floating leaf/twig/whatever maybe 1 cast in 3. It's maddening as it seems to happen during the first 25% of the retrieve most of the time and leaves me feeling like I am wasting a ton of fishing time on ruined casts.
813basstard reply :
Live bait...I just can’t do it in freshwater anymore
FryDog62 reply :
Hardest technique for me was learning how to do all the finesse techniques with a baitcaster after fishing for years with a spinning rig. But after having my SL ligament surgically removed from my right wrist, I had no choice. But adaptability is the key...
jbsoonerfan reply :
I can't figure them out on a spinnerbait on a large body of water. For some reason, I can catch them in ponds and smaller reservoirs on a spinnerbait, but cannot make it happen on large bodies of water.
WRB reply :
Everyone thinks catching bass consistantly using jigs is easy, I believe they are both effective and extremely hard to master based on my own experiences fishing with other anglers. Most bass anglers can't detect the suttle strikes big bass make striking a jig, average size bass they get.
I have spent lots of hours fishing with some of the best western bass anglers and they are very good with soft plastics and everything else but just average jig anglers.
Another lure lure few seasoned anglers fish are structure spoons in the summer for deep bass, drop shot they use spoons are overlooked a lure I fish a lot for deep structure bass.
My weakness is bass in the slop, deep weeds. OK with working the surface, edges, pockets, breaks lines but big weedy flats I tend to avoid getting into the thick deep big mats.
I really like to use crankbaits, wake baits, big swimbaits, spinnerbaits, rats, various surface lures, anything where I am casting. Finesse spinning soft plastics I will do to catch bass as a last resort on my own and hold my own fishing with anglers who prefer finesse fishing.
Love to bass fish at night, just can't do it very often.
No real standout weaknesses, like catching bass.
Tom
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
For me is swimbait type or anything that swim for that matter like lipless, paddle tail, underspin. I can’t seem to figure out how fast or how slow to reel in. I can dance my Fluke all day bottom or between water column but don’t have patience for those.
thinkingredneck reply :
Anything with a treble hook.
ww2farmer reply :
I am not willing to put the effort into deep cranking much anymore. I have done well with it, I still do it, but it is not something I commit to anymore.
drew4779 reply :
Walking baits for me. I can get the cadence and be effective, but only with certain brands. Other brands I can get to walk for the first half of the cast, and then it evolves to a rolling/spitting mess for the last half.
Also lipless cranks. I try them every spring and then a few more times throughout the season and have never caught a fish on them (I've been doing this for around 25 years... I'm determined to a fault). I took 3 rods with me last weekend, one with a jerk, one jig, and one with a rattle trap. I fan casted that trap for hours without a bite. I finally lost it on hidden log off a point in about 8' of water. Tossed the jig 5 times to it and caught 2 instantly. I'll probably throw that trap for another month or so but have no confidence in it.
OnthePotomac reply :
I can't pitch worth a darn because I fish such open spanses of grass beds I never have to be that precise. A regular cast to a particular spot on a bed edge, no problem. When I try it to see if I can pitch for kicks, it is pathetic.
microotter reply :
Lipless cranks for me too. I also don’t recall ever catching a fish on one. The rest of my collection went up on eBay haha. I love all other shallow and medium depth crankbaits.
scaleface reply :
OK , I have it . Ricocheting squarebills off wood cover . I have not gotten the hang of it and snag up constantly .
The Maestro reply :
On 3/24/2019 at 1:03 AM, scaleface said:OK , I have it . Ricocheting squarebills off wood cover . I have not gotten the hang of it and snag up constantly .
Crankbaits in general. How many pros have been able to take cranking to KVD's level and use it so successfully?
Heartland reply :
On 3/24/2019 at 1:15 AM, The Maestro said:Crankbaits in general. How many pros have been able to take cranking to KVD's level and use it so successfully?
The "Zen Master" R.C. to name one.
The Maestro reply :
On 3/24/2019 at 1:49 AM, Heartland said:The "Zen Master" R.C. to name one.
Not many others compared to accomplished jig guys for example. You'd think there would be more based on the success that guys like KVD and Rick Clunn have had using crankbaits. I doubt it's for lack of trying. I'd bet it's more due to it being an especially difficult bait to master.
Heartland reply :
On 3/24/2019 at 2:25 AM, The Maestro said:Not many others compared to accomplished jig guys for example. You'd think there would be more based on the success that guys like KVD and Rick Clunn have had using crankbaits. I doubt it's for lack of trying. I'd bet it's more due to it being an especially difficult bait to master.
David Fritts, Mike McClelland, Randy Howell, Jay Yellas, Charlie Reed, Paul Elias are a few others that come to mind.
Fishin' Fool reply :
I have very little confidence and skill in the where, when, why and how of fishing a jig.
roadwarrior reply :
On 3/24/2019 at 9:22 PM, Fishin' Fool said:I have very little confidence and skill in the where, when, why and how of fishing a jig.
I spent two years learning to fish a jig, but now it is my favorite presentation.
Mr Swim Jig reply :
Skipping a jig under and around docks and other cover...and still trying to master flipping and pitching consistently...
Munkin reply :
On 3/23/2019 at 8:49 AM, Catt said:I can fish pretty much any technique... catching is a different story!
Same here.
Allen
Caliyak reply :
Good to read that I'm not the only one struggling. I will dedicate 2019 to Drop shot.
Burke reply :
The hardest was skipping until recently.
J.Vincent reply :
Absolutely it's Flipping a Jig in shallow cover situations.....once boat control is factored in , it's a very difficult technique to master , and requires the patience and perseverance of a Saint. Especially on days when it's producing only 5 of the right kind of bites over a full day of fishing. That is a tough thing to do fundamentally and mentally.
blckshirt98 reply :
Anything involving detecting bites on the fall. I'm horrible when it comes to looking at my line. I can't remember the last time, if ever, I've set a hook on a falling bait because I saw the line jump.
Revival reply :
Jigs and drop shots. Plan on working on it a lot more this year.
Catt reply :
On 3/25/2019 at 1:02 PM, blckshirt98 said:Anything involving detecting bites on the fall. I'm horrible when it comes to looking at my line. I can't remember the last time, if ever, I've set a hook on a falling bait because I saw the line jump.
Ya gotta understand a bass can inhale your jig/t-rig & you will not see any line movement at all!
What I was taught & what I teach is count your lure down.
If you cast, pitch, or flip into 10' of water & it stops at anything less than 10, two things has happened. Either there's a rise in the bottom or you've been bit! By the same token if you cast, pitch, or flip into 10' foot of water & it takes more than 10' to reach bottom one of two things has happened. Either there's a depression in the bottom contour or you've been bit!
In either situation I do not try to "feel" the fish...I set hook!
Is it always a fish, of course not, but it will amaze you how many times it is!
wcjohnson reply :
Vibrating jigs for me - I tried them nearly every time I went out last year, and nadda. I also ended the year with zero of the four I bought. Constantly snagging or dragging in a boat load of gunk. I'll break one off, tie a lipless on or a shallow crank, perfectly fine. Don't get it.
JLindsey reply :
I’m absolutely garbage at fishing soft plastics. I have a really hard time maintaining contact with them. One of my goals this year is to force myself to fish more T-rigged worms and start developing a “feel” for them.
Munkin reply :
On 3/25/2019 at 5:27 PM, Catt said:
Ya gotta understand a bass can inhale your jig/t-rig & you will not see any line movement at all!
What I was taught & what I teach is count your lure down.
If you cast, pitch, or flip into 10' of water & it stops at anything less than 10, two things has happened. Either there's a rise in the bottom or you've been bit! By the same token if you cast, pitch, or flip into 10' foot of water & it takes more than 10' to reach bottom one of two things has happened. Either there's a depression in the bottom contour or you've been bit!
In either situation I do not try to "feel" the fish...I set hook!
Is it always a fish, of course not, but it will amaze you how many times it is!
Some really great advice here!
The biggest fish I have caught on a jig I never felt them bite. A 12" bass will hit the jigs and make a run for it but a 6lber will just suck it in and not move. I watch my line and count down as well when jig fishing. My biggest problem is when they grab the lure and swim toward the boat.
Allen
BassThumb reply :
Deep cranking on weedy lakes gives me the most trouble. It's very difficult to consistently run the crank along a deep edge while avoiding outcropping clumps of weeds, especially on long casts. When I can get it right, the fish love them, especially the big ones. I think it's because they rarely see them because the presentation is so difficult.
Heartland reply :
On 3/27/2019 at 2:22 AM, BassThumb said:Deep cranking on weedy lakes gives me the most trouble. It's very difficult to consistantly run the crank along a deep edge while avoiding outcropping clumps of weeds, especially on long casts.
One thing you can try is removing the treble hooks and going to a single on your crankbait. You will still collect some weeds once in a while but it will cut down on that, and the hooks tend to clear themselves with a couple of sharp jerks of the bait.
michaelsrex reply :
On 3/25/2019 at 3:27 AM, roadwarrior said:I spent two years learning to fish a jig, but now it is my favorite presentation.
What makes a jig fun after you learn it?
JoePhish reply :
I have trouble catching fish on a drop shot. Meanwhile, it's the go to rig for some guys I know.
When I fished from a boat (or a bank) I had no problem pitching a jig or T-Rig exactly where I wanted it. Now that I fish almost solely sitting on a kayak I am having problems with it. It's what I plan of working on/rectifying this year. I need that back in my repertoire.
greentrout reply :
On 3/26/2019 at 1:00 AM, JLindsey said:I’m absolutely garbage at fishing soft plastics. I have a really hard time maintaining contact with them. One of my goals this year is to force myself to fish more T-rigged worms and start developing a “feel” for them.
you're gonna put a lot of bass in the boat .... check out roland martin and larry nixon .... tops ...
good fishing ....
lost a couple of nice ones last yr. .... poor hooksets .... shook their heads and smiled at me .... time to go to braid on bc's .... love the action with 12 lb. mono ..... but now older ....
good fishing ...
A man's got to know his limitations .... Dirty Harry Callahan ...
roadwarrior reply :
On 3/27/2019 at 9:23 AM, michaelsrex said:What makes a jig fun after you learn it?
A subtle bite, the hook-up and then (sometimes) the fight with a MONSTER!
N Florida Mike reply :
On 3/23/2019 at 4:01 AM, Harold Scoggins said:I can flip, pitch, and make a lure dance like there's no tomorrow, but when it comes to skipping, you better have your Kevlar helmets on. That's one thing that I've never mastered.
Im the exact opposite !
Allaroundfishing reply :
On 3/24/2019 at 1:03 AM, scaleface said:OK , I have it . Ricocheting squarebills off wood cover . I have not gotten the hang of it and snag up constantly .
This is my new favorite technique and ive found it most effective to ram it into what ever cover and as soon as you feel it roll over the log, stop reeling for just second if not just a slight pause then go back to cranking. This is super effective especially in cooler water.
J Francho reply :
On 3/27/2019 at 9:23 AM, michaelsrex said:What makes a jig fun after you learn it?
Catching bigger fish.
The Maestro reply :
On 3/27/2019 at 9:23 AM, michaelsrex said:What makes a jig fun after you learn it?
On 3/28/2019 at 1:02 AM, roadwarrior said:A subtle bite, the hook-up and then (sometimes) the fight with a MONSTER!
Pretty much this. Heavy braid + heavy rod + heavy hookset + heavy fish = good times.
I'd use jig and Texas rig interchangeably in this scenario.
thinkingredneck reply :
I cannot make a senko work. I have only caught a couple with midwest finesse. Maybe my water is too stained? I generally do well with worms and ok with jigs.
RPreeb reply :
At the risk of personal embarrassment, I have to confess that any experienced fisherman would probably fallout his boat laughing at most everything I do. What little experience I have was self taught 55-60 years ago, plus what little I've learned here over the last couple of years. As a result my technique with just about any bait is lacking in just about every aspect. I have nobody else with whom to fish along side to learn anything more than just by doing. I don't have a boat (a small canoe is my ride), I don't have electronics, I have 2 baitcasters and one spinning rig, and don't always take all 3 with me so as to cut down on my own confusion.
The last time I went fishing for bass, I caught 2 walleyes and a crappie. That should tell a lot. ????
Hower08 reply :
Flipping and pitching for me are my strong suit. Also fishing big worms I'm good at.
Deep cranking I'm hoorible at like going to sell my big cranking rod if I don't figure it out bad
On 3/27/2019 at 9:23 AM, michaelsrex said:What makes a jig fun after you learn it?
Hand to hand combat. Short line distances. And tunnel vision. When I get on that jig bite I get in a world of my own where I see feel and smell nothing else but the task at hand.
Pick one or two jig colors and sizes and stick with them. You can completely change the way a jig acts feels and looks with your trailer
Hower08 reply :
All jig fish from beginning of September last year in extremely hot water on a miserably hot day. When I talked to another boat that say he said he could not get a bite on anything it had me discouraged . I don't know how many fish I caught that day easily 20+. These were the 5 biggest with a 5.75# kicker. Learn the jig and become confident with it. You can catch quality fish 12 months a year
The Maestro reply :
On 3/29/2019 at 8:37 PM, Hower08 said:Flipping and pitching for me are my strong suit. Also fishing big worms I'm good at.
And tunnel vision. When I get on that jig bite I get in a world of my own where I see feel and smell nothing else but the task at hand.
This is sometimes referred to as "flow state". It's when you're totally immersed in the moment. Flipping and pitching is probably the only time I'm able to achieve it. Getting a bite and setting on a heavy one when you're in this state of mind is an experience that can't really be described with words.
TOXIC reply :
On 3/29/2019 at 9:56 PM, The Maestro said:This is sometimes referred to as "flow state". It's when you're totally immersed in the moment. Flipping and pitching is probably the only time I'm able to achieve it. Getting a bite and setting on a heavy one when you're in this state of mind is an experience that can't really be described with words.
It's an amazing state of mind. I get it when I Senko fish. As soon as I make the cast everything around me goes blank and all I can see is the senko in my mind, how its moving, how its, falling. My eyes lock on my line in 2 places and my hands get super sensitive. I call it my happy place.
The Maestro reply :
On 3/29/2019 at 11:22 PM, TOXIC said:It's an amazing state of mind. I get it when I Senko fish. As soon as I make the cast everything around me goes blank and all I can see is the senko in my mind, how its moving, how its, falling. My eyes lock on my line in 2 places and my hands get super sensitive. I call it my happy place.
I'd say one of the biggest factors in being able to achieve flow state when you're fishing (or any activity for that matter) is to have the mechanics and technical aspects of whatever it is you're doing to a point where it just becomes automatic. When you're really having to put a lot of mental energy into concentrating on your casting and retrieving it doesn't allow you to really blank out your mind and be totally present in the moment. In other words it takes time and a lot of practice with whatever you're trying to do to get there.
rickyg reply :
On 3/29/2019 at 11:22 PM, TOXIC said:It's an amazing state of mind. I get it when I Senko fish. As soon as I make the cast everything around me goes blank and all I can see is the senko in my mind, how its moving, how its, falling. My eyes lock on my line in 2 places and my hands get super sensitive. I call it my happy place.
I also get that state Senko fishing. I'm going to try jig fishing this year (been fishing for 55 yrs and only tried jigs a few times) and hope to get into that zone with the jig. I can get into that state a lot when I'm fly fishing for trout. Have had guys, including my father, walk right past me on the stream without even knowing they were there.
My most difficult technique is skipping, but I'm working on it.
txchaser reply :
For me it is quiet water entry when pitching. Accuracy is good enough, but it lands like I chucked a rock up in the air. More time will probably fix it. And it is a priority for me since because of BR I've gained this love for getting into the nastiest snaggiest weediest spots that no one would ever want to fish. It literally never would have occurred to me 20 years ago to fish there.
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