Post your best fishing tip 2024
Munkin reply :
Based on some of the replies over the years I am asking everyone to post a good fishing tip tp help other anglers. This isn't a use my second cousins hand poured worms because they are the best but a generic what works. What got me thinking of this is when Tom WRB posted that he uses worms in a muddy bottom and jigs on a hard bottom (Didn't mean to call you out I just want to express what a good tip that was from experience). So without pimping a particular manufacturer please post something that will help other fisherman regardless of location.
Here is my start: Jigs, if you don't know what color jigs to use starting out just use ones in the same color of soft plastics that work for you. While this is a simple statement and concept I caught more bass the first day that I applied it than in the previous several years of fishing jigs I had no confidence in.
Match the hatch: This has always worked for me and I know people will disagree but if bass are eating say shad the shad do not change color when the water is murky because of rain.
What color to use in soft plastics: One of the KVD videos he explains that if you do not know what color to use try something that matches the lake of river bottom you are fishing. His explanation is that any prey will try to blend in with their environment to escape predators so you want a bait that matches the local prey.
This is what I can think of for now and I am hoping this post is populated with useful information that can help others besides the "what is your favorite"
Allen
dday07 reply :
Fish as much as you can...Def. my best tip
Munkin reply :
On 4/5/2018 at 10:55 AM, dday07 said:Fish as much as you can...Def. my best tip
TOW= Time on water is invaluable.
Allen
papajoe222 reply :
I had 'BUMP SOMETHING' written on a sticker that I'd placed on the screen of my depth finder, for years. It was a constant reminder to make my bait do something erratic. Change speeds, twitch the rod tip, bump the bottom or a piece of cover, regardless of the lure you're using. You'll get bit more often than using a constant retrieve.
A-Jay reply :
I've never thought of a jig or Texas rigged plastic as a "Reaction" bait, so I don't routinely fish it like one.
I prefer to look at it from the stand point of the Predator & Prey relationship.
Most anything a bass eats is probably trying really hard to avoid that whole scenario.
Doing anything that would draw attention to itself is often highly undesirable and could easily lead to its demise.
So rather than hopping & popping a bait, there is a time & place where sneaking the bait along every so gingerly works well. Move it while imagining that you’re actually attempting to toss your bait out there and get it back without getting bit. Sounds kind of backwards I know, but the bait is in the bass's world, and she knows it's there; without the extra action.
You'll find yourself fishing spots slower and more thoroughly while at the same time affording your bait the time it needs to work it's magic. Works really good at night.
A-Jay
CroakHunter reply :
-Finesse doesn't only mean light weights, light hooks, and spinning gear. You can finesse a 3/4 ounce jig through a lay down. Similar to what a-jay mentioned.
-What one person believes is the best, whether that be rod, reel, line, or lure, doesn't mean it will be the best for your situation.
-If the fishing is slow or You're on a new body of water, start fishing how you like and how you feel most comfortable. This is a fun past time and confidence is key to catching and having fun.
-Have a game plan before you get to the body of water.
-You don't have to stick to your game plan of conditions change.
punch reply :
I don't know if it's my "best" tip but it's one of my favorite USEFUL tips that's a direct carry over from the ice fishing world... "any information you get on a bite is old information".
Meaning if someone said "oh yeah, the fish are in such and such area and hitting jerkbaits right now".... two things are very likely: A. they might have gotten 1 bite and been embellishing and B. that was the bite window THEN and won't be when you get there.
Obviously if you fish the same body of water often, you'll find reliable spots and patterns that work in specific times of the year... BUT don't build your game plan around what someone at the local bait shop told you or something you read in a online fishing report, or even worse, a facebook group.
The ice fishing world suffers from this a lot. People chase someone else's old bite instead of trying to figure out their own.
Happybeerbuzz reply :
Electronics is your most important tackle. Learn how to use them.
KP Duty reply :
Join a bass club and fish as non-boater in some tournaments. Before the internet, it was this and watching 'the bassmasters' or reading bassmaster that taught me everything I knew.
soflabasser reply :
Try to learn from every single fishing trip you have and have a open mind when it comes to fishing.
Swbass15 reply :
Slow down, I use to fish a worm as topwater because I thought that bite would happen on the initial fall. Took three years of fishing behind more experienced anglers to really see what they were doing. There is a time and place to cover water fast, but slowing down and truly fish the cover or structure has done me well. Follow what @A-Jay and @CroakHunter said.
scaleface reply :
Fishing reports are in the past .
BassWhole! reply :
On 4/5/2018 at 10:55 AM, dday07 said:Fish as much as you can...Def. my best tip
This ^.
Choporoz reply :
Use sunscreen
jtipton91 reply :
Move till you find fish
Rpratt reply :
Do not be afraid to change/mix things up. I think it's one of the hardest things to actually do. You get stuck in a pattern or with a favorite lure and stubbornly won't change tactics. Don't do that ????
sully420 reply :
On 4/5/2018 at 12:18 PM, punch said:I don't know if it's my "best" tip but it's one of my favorite USEFUL tips that's a direct carry over from the ice fishing world... "any information you get on a bite is old information".
Meaning if someone said "oh yeah, the fish are in such and such area and hitting jerkbaits right now".... two things are very likely: A. they might have gotten 1 bite and been embellishing and B. that was the bite window THEN and won't be when you get there.
Obviously if you fish the same body of water often, you'll find reliable spots and patterns that work in specific times of the year... BUT don't build your game plan around what someone at the local bait shop told you or something you read in a online fishing report, or even worse, a facebook group.
The ice fishing world suffers from this a lot. People chase someone else's old bite instead of trying to figure out their own.
Love this tip. I watched a Gary Klein seminar on bass U and it really resonated with me. Find your oun fish don't listen to dock talk do your own work. Thats the way i have fished an i really think it has helped me become a better fisherman.
InFishingWeTrust reply :
Have confidence in your bait. Dont be afraid to think outside of the box and believe your self that you are going to catch fish.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Don't forget the plug!
OkobojiEagle reply :
When buying socks always buy two pair of the same style/color. When you put a toe through one or the dryer eats one, you still have a pair and an extra. When you lose the second sock, you're still golden.
oe
Columbia Craw reply :
12 feet is not deep.
Find em' with a crankbait and catch em' with plastics.
176
If you're fishing the bank, the majority of the fish are behind you.
Most of the very best anglers are not pros.
You don't have to have super expensive equipment to be successful but it makes the experience a bit more enjoyable.
It does no good to have the entire tackle store in your boat if you don't know when and where to apply it.
Have fun !! Life is serious enough already.
MassYak85 reply :
Fish when you can despite the conditions. Sometimes terrible days by our standards can surprise you.
Jelvas reply :
Unless you´re a pro angler and your livelihood depends on fishing... don´t take things to serious! Enjoy your time on the water and have fun.
I always come home with a big smile on my face after a day of fishing... even when i get skunked. That´s the beauty of fishing and the best tip i can give. 
Peddiesake reply :
I usually pick one side of the lake and start with 6-8 targets. Fish them very thoroughly. I usually bring two baits in several colors ie Senko and Ned rig. After I fish them all, I usually fish them again especially the ones where I scored. I mostly bank fish, so that cuts way down on what I carry and the days game plan.
Phil B reply :
Forget the mindset of " I have to catch a big bass". Get into the mindset of " I'm fishing and not at work".When you try to hard you make more mistakes, fishing to fast, inaccurate casts, and so on. So slow down and have fun. I might surprise you how many fish you will catch.
jimmyjoe reply :
Old man once told me, " Your retrieve is twice as fast as it should be, and the lure is half as deep as you think it is." I slowed down and been OK ever since. jj
Dorado reply :
On 4/6/2018 at 12:28 PM, jimmyjoe said:Old man once told me, " Your retrieve is twice as fast as it should be, and the lure is half as deep as you think it is." I slowed down and been OK ever since. jj
This is my favorite tip so far.
Bluebasser86 reply :
It doesn't matter what bait you're using if you're not around fish. (location, location, location).
soflabasser reply :
On 4/5/2018 at 8:31 PM, scaleface said:Fishing reports are in the past .
That is true but past reports can teach a fisherman what type of fish bite on a particular body of water, what they bite, time of year that's good to fish, weather, etc. I have used old online reports from various forums, state fishing reports,word of mouth from fishermen I meet in person,etc to find new fishing locations( which has led me to catch more big bass in more different locations) and that makes it worthwhile to get old reports.
boostr reply :
Don't drink the yellow water....
You can use any color as long as it's black...
cgolf reply :
Don't overthink things, they are just fish and we often give them way to much credit for being smart.
papagravey reply :
On 4/5/2018 at 10:47 PM, Rpratt said:Do not be afraid to change/mix things up. I think it's one of the hardest things to actually do. You get stuck in a pattern or with a favorite lure and stubbornly won't change tactics. Don't do that ????
I get stuck with a chatterbait a lot. Lol
jbmaine reply :
Don't just cast to where you think fish should be. My wife has caught more fish casting to odd little spots I wouldn't have thought would hold fish in a million years.
Munkin reply :
On 4/7/2018 at 3:07 AM, boostr said:
You can use any color as long as it's black...
We have a saying around here that any color buzzbait works as long as it's white.
Allen
Ratherbfishing reply :
The surest way to eat crow is to say to someone that they "can't catch fish thataway."
Scott F reply :
Join a fishing club and make friends with the best fishermen in the club. I've been in a few clubs, (none were tournament clubs) and learned more from fishing and hanging out with good fishermen than I ever learned from all the magazines, books and videos combined. It doesn't matter how good you think you are already, you will get even better after fishing with other good fishermen.
Riazuli reply :
Try to be patient and don't get too frustrated...doing the opposite usually results in more issues. If you get a backlash, or other issue, figure out what's going on before you start fuming and make more errors. Slow down - yourself and your retrieve if you need to. Don't expect to catch a fish - always have the desire and intention, but not the expectation. The more you fish, the more likely it is you will catch a fish.
Way north bass guy reply :
If you’re running around the lake hitting different areas and you find some fish on a certain stretch, go back and give that spot another pass sometime later in the day. I know I’ve been guilty of wanting to check out that “one other place” before, and sometimes they’ll be there too, but quite often if there’s fish in an area, you didn’t catch em all in the first pass. I’ve done well in tournaments before by finding a few spots and just going back and forth milking everything out of them. Lots of times you’ll drop back into the same drift and suddenly there’s fish loaded up again.
MIbassyaker reply :
Not gonna work with tournaments, but start early or stay late.
corn-on-the-rob reply :
Don't ever be afraid to fish behind other boats (respectfully of course). Just because they threw their baits at your spot, doesn't mean your fish are affected, especially if you are on to something unique. You may know much more, or have the right bait, color, fall rate, cadence, etc.
Don't be intimidated by the boat in front of you, take is as a challenge. Other people fished your spot? Prove you know it better.
Raul reply :
Looking if that little sob ain’t around ............ well, apparently the BaitMonkey ain’t around for the moment, my best fishing tip: “you don’t need a truckload of fishing stuff !” ....... saying it ain’t that hard, the difficulty lies in trying to convince meeself it is true.
BTW, there’s these fun sport associated with fishing, it’s called “tackle hoarding” ......
kingmotorboat reply :
Backlashes aren't always a bad thing. More time for it to soak
Bankbeater reply :
Your going to lose baits. A lure retriever can get a lot of baits back, but you are still going to lose some.
Wurming67 reply :
On 4/6/2018 at 6:26 AM, Jelvas said:Unless you´re a pro angler and your livelihood depends on fishing... don´t take things to serious! Enjoy your time on the water and have fun.
I always come home with a big smile on my face after a day of fishing... even when i get skunked. That´s the beauty of fishing and the best tip i can give.
Great tip just enjoy it it's a gift to experience what we do.A couple years ago I was in the hospital for 6 months fighting for my life couldnt barely breathe or walk now I'm out fishing every weekend and working and in the best shape of my life, it puts in perspective,so if your not catching 10lb fish every catch don't sweat it ,it could be worse.
Catt reply :
For every bass you catch on the bank there's 5 behind you waiting to be caught.
detroit1 reply :
Get a boat! It doesn't matter if it's 12' or 20', it opens you up to so many more opportunities and fish. Try to learn something on every outing. (different location / technique/bait).
MN Fisher reply :
^^ Canoe or Kayak comes to mind. Can fully outfit for under $1000 with trolling motor, battery, anchor, etc. Gets into places even a good Bass-Boat has problems with, like narrow/shallow streams that Smallies like to hide out in.
scaleface reply :
With all the additions in the Texas rig technique including lizards , creatures , beavers , craws , ewg hooks , pegging . The three piece worm , hook and sinker is still number one .
On 4/7/2018 at 9:00 PM, detroit1 said:Get a boat! It doesn't matter if it's 12' or 20', it opens you up to so many more opportunities and fish. Try to learn something on every outing. (different location / technique/bait).
The best bass fishing spot I have access to and it is public , bass boats cant access .
crypt reply :
patience...........all I got.
Log Catcher reply :
I usually tried to think ahead on what I would start with only to find the water temp or amount of color in the water wasn't what I thought it would be. Now I check everything before I tie any baits on. May not be a great tip but others have covered the best ones.
thinkingredneck reply :
A friend developed retina issues and became legally blind. Said he became a better worm fisherman because all he could do was focus on feel. I Think about that a lot.
A-Jay reply :
On 4/8/2018 at 8:21 AM, thinkingredneck said:A friend developed retina issues and became legally blind. Said he became a better worm fisherman because all he could do was focus on feel. I Think about that a lot.
Sorry to hear about your friend's vision loss.
Fishing at night can offer many bass fishing benefits.
A really good one is if one does it enough, at some point, one develops a heightened sense of what one's bait is doing at any given moment throughout an entire cast.
Usually translates to better strike detection any time of day.
A-Jay
heavyduty reply :
On 4/5/2018 at 10:50 AM, Munkin said:Match the hatch: This has always worked for me and I know people will disagree but if bass are eating say shad the shad do not change color when the water is murky because of rain.
Excellent point!!!
As said many times already, slow down. Moving your rod tip only a few inches moves your bait much further. If slack or slow current, feel what your bait is doing on the bottom. If something feels different, set the hook, hook sets are free!
Location- saying I've heard and found to be true, 95% of the fish are in 5% of the water. Know what your target species generally does in high/low water, stained/clear water, seasonally.
When you catch a fish, take note of what happened. Fast/slow retrieve, deep/shallow, fast/slow water, near bank or out in the water how many feet, near wood, sunny/cloudy, depth.
I fish rivers 99% of the time. Learn to read the water. Don't just beat the bank to death. Look for things that can impact current and hide bait. Could be rocks or grass beds out in the middle of the river, islands, ledges, etc. Sometimes the fish are at the head of an eddie pool, sometimes at the tail out. Fish an area thoroughly before moving on. If you catch one fish, chances are there are more there. If you miss one, throw back or throw a different bait.
Don't throw your bait in the center of your spot. Throw beyond or upstream and let your bait enter the target area naturally. Learn to let your bait enter the water with minimal disturbance or you might as well be throwing rocks
KayakFish107 reply :
I’m pretty new to bass fishing and there’s a few things that I have learned that have definitely helped me:
1. Slow down, relax, it’s okay if you don’t hammer em every time out! Fishing is a learning experience, and put that knowledge to use!
2. Sometimes being happy with catching numbers is better than just one big fish, but to each their own!
3. Take advice, ask for help
4. Try new things! You never know if you’ll find a technique that works well
And very possibly the most important:
5. Be responsible, respectful, and courteous to everyone and everything on, in, and around our waterways. Lead a good example and others may very well follow suit. Pick up trash and keep the waterways in good shape so everyone can enjoy them!
thinkingredneck reply :
Don't use a stringer to keep fish around Alligators. I had a nice stringer of blue gill and almost got my yak flipped by a very large one. Thank goodness it was a cord stringer and not a metal one. God protects fools and little children. (Sometimes.) I knew better than to use a stringer around gators or sharks but was lazy or arrogant and was stupid. That is why I have an Alligator for my image. It made a strong impression. We humans aren't used to being prey.
Also, young Alligators will hit a topwater. Especially a Jitterbug.
scaleface reply :
On 4/8/2018 at 8:21 AM, thinkingredneck said:A friend developed retina issues and became legally blind.
If all of a sudden there is sudden influx of floaters or sparks of light in peripheral vision or both , get to the eye Dr now .I had torn retinas in both eyes , six months apart , two years ago . Had surgery on the spot and am lucky I didnt have total detachment .
snake95 reply :
This is for anglers that have never fished soft plastics, or don't have anyone to instruct them on using them. My tip is: learn to fish a basic worm using a Texposed hook and/or wacky rig.
(I know, sounds like it would be a very small minority, but I was in that minority and this site changed my world by teaching me where to start, about 3 years ago). Here's what I'd say to anglers getting started with soft plastics:
- They say confidence is key. Start with confidence, because the tons of plastics lining the shelves are there because they catch bass.
- There are countless configurations of soft plastics, and countless ways to rig them; basic baits to start with are:
- Zoom trick worms, roboworms, or any number of common straight worms
- Ribbontail worms
- Stick baits (aka "senkos")
- Learn to T-rig and texpose these from Glenn's videos. Fish them weightless or with a small bullet sinker. You can also fish wacky rigs, but the good ol' basic T-rig is great for beginners IMHO because it's nearly snag proof.
- How do you give them action? Well, the short answer is let the plastic do the work. It will wiggle and move enough when pulled or twitched (let the rod do the work, not the reel), when fluttering down on the fall, and often when just sitting there. It does not take a ton of movement to get bit. Use the reel mainly to gather slack.
- Cast to targets: brushpiles, small points in the bank, schooling baitfish, pods of spawning bluegills (yes there are bass among them, just waiting), etc. etc.
- Let the bait flutter down, and then use any retrieve you want: hop, drag, swim with short twitches, swim on surface, particularly if the weather is warm, periodically, do nothing and "deadstick" it. When guys say these baits get hit "on the fall" they mean it, it's that simple.
- Put in time on the water, keep it simple, don't stress about colors. No lure, and no color is magic. Don't listen to folks who say "they are biting on this color and this bait only" - just go fishing with the tried and true lures and pick some basic colors like white, black, green pumpkin. If you want to go wild and fish a pink trick worm or blue/black swirl YUM Dinger - go for it!
Thanks to the guys on this site who built my confidence in soft plastics and taught me what to do.
Yes, you can do countless other rigs and fish countless other plastics, and you should, but no better place to start than with the basics.
I saw with my own eyes the sophisticated gear Gerald Swindle, two time AOY winner had rigged up on deck as he came in on day 3 of the Classic: a medium spinning combo with a wacky-rigged green stickbait.
Brad in Texas reply :
If you are throwing a presentation where it ends up on bottom, let's say a T-Rigged worm, a wacky-rigged worm, a drop shot rig, and if you catch your first fish immediately either in the process of it dropping through the water column (before it even hits bottom) or within seconds after it hits bottom, then fish fast, reel it in and cast/pitch or flip to different places to increase the number of presentations the way they like it that day at that time. If the fish are not biting it on the fall or immediately on touch-down, then slow way down, wiggle it, move it back slowly, really soak your bait.
It is usually one or the other: you either want your presentation to "drop" really often and repeatedly . . . or soak really long.
Brad
Mike L reply :
Always be ready to Improvise, Overcome and Adapt
Mike
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