Helpful Tips 2025
CrustyMono reply :
Thought that I would start a thread where people could post any helpful tips they had. Whether it is tying a knot, launching a boat, fishing a bait, finding places to fish, or other tips and tricks that people have found along the way.
Here's one of my tips:
If you are fishing in an electric only lake with pickerel, and have a spare rod, tie on a crank bait or jerk bait and troll while going from spot to spot. You will get lucky every so often and catch a pickerel or a bass. Doesn't hurt to try.
A-Jay reply :
Try fishing a spybait like a slow motion jerkbait ~
A-Jay
soflabasser reply :
Find a location with plenty of baitfish and the bass will be close.
ww2farmer reply :
There's no such thing as too shallow.
flyingmonkie reply :
Busy life? Make sure and schedule fishing days on your calendar!
S. Sass reply :
Mine is a obvious tip but hey ya never know.
Tip: If your by yourself using the boat ramp make sure to set the emergency brake before you exit the vehicle to unload or load.
FordsnFishin reply :
Don't eat yellow snow
2tall79 reply :
Bright day...bright bait. Dark day...dark bait.
Yeajray231 reply :
Bring water.. seems obvious but I've had a couple trips ruined because I forgot to bring something to drink being so excited.
.ghoti. reply :
Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.
Now, about this bananas in the boat thing. I take bananas on the boat all the time. A nice snack you can eat with slimy hands. A little extra potassium doesn't hurt either. However, keep in mind one should never look anybody in the eyes while eating one.
Brayberry reply :
I like to add a glass rattle horizontally across my Zoom Super Flukes in the head, it looks like eyes, and gives the bait some sound
Yeajray231 reply :
Bring less baits.. spend more time fishing than switching. I found my catch rate going way up once I downsized to a small pack vs a backpack.
JLWoodman reply :
If your having trouble in a particular area and you know bass are there, take the time to find exactly what they are eating then match your lure to color and size. Then take color and size and match that with a lure that is as life like to the bait as possible and try to make it move or swim just like the real bait would. Add some scent to match that (use craw scent for craws, obviously), and you should be in business.
Good luck
pawpaw reply :
Noted
Good advice
Onvacation reply :
Never underestimate the size bait that a bass can eat. And just because they can, doesn't mean they will. Don't be afraid to downsize if you aren't getting bites.
everythingthatswims reply :
When fishing new water (or any water for that matter) use baits that you have confidence in and have experience with before taking someone's advice on a different bait.
scaleface reply :
I found that the longer one fish the luckier one gets . I dont go unless I can put in a good day of 8 hours or longer , except this time of year because the days are short .
WIGuide reply :
Don't run away from the wind. It should be your friend.
"hamma" reply :
Use a scent, as it masks your scent.
Stay quiet, water transmits sound faster and better than air does
The fish are in the water,.so ,...keep your line wet!.,... lol
Hez reply :
On 11/8/2016 at 9:45 PM, WIGuide said:Don't run away from the wind. It should be your friend.
Easier said than done, I'm afraid
WIGuide reply :
On 11/8/2016 at 10:30 PM, Hez said:Easier said than done, I'm afraid
Never said it was easy, but it's worth it. Once you get used to it, it's really not that bad either.
Mike L reply :
When you have to fish slow to get bit, slow down even more...you were still fishing too fast.
Mike
Gundog reply :
On 11/7/2016 at 11:50 PM, FordsnFishin said:Don't eat yellow snow
Why not? Oooo...eewww.
On 11/8/2016 at 1:39 AM, .ghoti. said:Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.
Now, about this bananas in the boat thing. keep in mind one should never look anybody in the eyes while eating one.
Another reason not to bring bananas on the boat as far as I'm concerned. Why take the chance of that happening.
geo g reply :
If you want to learn how to fish a new bait, go out with just that bait and nothing else. If you don't, you will often turn to something you have more confidence in too soon!
hunterPRO1 reply :
make as little noise as possible especially when landing a bait in the water, many time ill cast and land a bait on the edge of the bank and then pull it in.
also try and not make to much noise above the water.
think about it, if some one broke your window and came in your house are you gonna be thinking about eating ?
the reel ess reply :
If you know a place with stunted, hungry bass, that's a good place to try a new technique for the first time.
Using braid on spinning gear will greatly reduce the twists that eventually turn into knots. If you're careful, you can use the same line for years. Braid might seem expensive until you've used it for a loooong time with no breakoffs.
When the end of your braid looks old and highly visible, you can reel it onto another reel and you'll be using the new end.
You can go cheaper on rods where the technique does not require great sensitivity, like topwaters.
It's easier to sneak up on bass in a kayak than in a boat.
OkobojiEagle reply :
Others have mentioned this above, but I'll repeat... worry more about location and presentation than about tackle.
oe
bchase44 reply :
If you have a high percentage "spot" that you feel confident you can get bit there.. Find what structure the bass are relating to at that spot..
Picture the underwater landscape in your head, fish it from different angles.. Remember what you got snagged on and next time fish it with a different presentation or angle to attempt to prevent that. If your angling shallow to deep.. bounce a bait slowly.. If your dragging a carolina rig you might want to fish deep to shallow. Try deep to shallow first if possible.
Then look towards the deepest water in the area.. What is in between your spot and the deep should be checked at different times of the day / year.
(All this is easier said than done.. I am still trying to learn how to do all this! )
the reel ess reply :
The Carolina rig is the poor man's depth finder. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits are big fish lures. If you want to catch big fish, it's more important to be where there are some than to use a 12" swimbait. The hottest and most humid evenings and mornings are best for topwaters (night is good too, but most people aren't out then). Crappie jig under a float works for bass in the winter.
bchase44 reply :
On 11/9/2016 at 6:44 AM, the reel ess said:The hottest and most humid evenings and mornings are best for topwaters
I've never heard this one, thanks!
the reel ess reply :
On 11/9/2016 at 12:20 PM, bchase44 said:I've never heard this one, thanks!
I hadn't either until about a year ago when I ran across it on YouTube and it coincided with a really good run of summer evening topwater action for me. I carried it through this summer and it has become my favorite way to fish the dog days. Sometimes I'll have three topwaters tied on. Summer lasts a long time in SC and I believe bass do most of their feeding at night during this period. I do tend to fish shallower waters though. If you're fishing a major impoundment, the topwater action probably won't be that great most of the time.
TheRodFather reply :
When fishing rocky rivers, if you get hung up during the retrieve while casting downstream, open up the bail and let the water take a big old loop of line downstream of the hung bait, then set the bail and reel in fast.
The current will hold your line downstream long enough to tug on the bait 180 degrees opposite the way it was hung, before the reel pulls in all the slack.
Columbia Craw reply :
Failing to protect your skin from UV rays can kill you. Wear a hat, sunglasses, long sleeves, sun gloves and or then the highest SPF sunscreen you can find.
Mundo318 reply :
Whenever you're spooling on braid or fluorocarbon, first put on a monofilament backing to save money.
Fisher-O-men reply :
Put the plug in the boat before you leave home. If you are a passenger in another man's boat, always ask, "did you put the plug in?"
Damn Yankee reply :
Don't be afraid to spend an hour with a single bait.Learn what it does and what else you can do with it.
A-Jay reply :
On 11/17/2016 at 10:27 PM, Damn Yankee said:Don't be afraid to spend an hour with a single bait.Learn what it does and what else you can do with it.
Solid advice ~ I just spent the past Three DAYS with one bait.
And It was Good.
A-Jay
Ratherbfishing reply :
Not fishing advice per se but it is sage advice: Unless you WANT to swamp your boat, never go from 30 mph (or whatever) to zero immediately. Either slow down gradually OR rev your engine before the wave you created catches up to you.
scaleface reply :
Spinnerbait tip . Go small when bass quit hitting regular baits . The bass will know its there . I've seen them charge a tiny bladed bait from yards away in murky water .
Buzzbait tip . Squeeze the rivet with pliers to keep it stationary and make it squeal more . I also like to squeeze the lip of the prop and rivet with needle-nose pliers to create tiny grooves . Also bend the those lips for maximum contact .
Crankbait tip . Use baits that dive a couple of feet deeper than the water depth and keep them tuned . When a crankbait goes straight and ends up directly below the rod or even under the boat then you have a good one . Crankbaits that dont run straight I do not use . Those baits are delegated for areas where its highly likely they will get lost , like below a large dam .
Texas rig tip . The lure must be kept straight or it will twist line . Hooks are the main culprit , i bend them slightly to get the worm to lie completely straight .
River Small mouths love big grubs buzzed on top .
Large waves , both natural and man made will start a chain of events in the food chain and bass take advantage of it . If you're on a waterway with barge traffic be sure to be onn a good spot when one goes by .
Hez reply :
On 11/17/2016 at 1:29 PM, Fisher-O-men said:Put the plug in the boat before you leave home. If you are a passenger in another man's boat, always ask, "did you put the plug in?"
Everytime someone asks me this, my reply is "Yes it is, and that's a great question - always ask it."
Chgotj reply :
From auto parts store get a magnetic tool holder. Its basically a big strip magnet. I have one screwed to my deck holds lures pliers etc. keeps stuff at hand on the front of the boat
OkobojiEagle reply :
On 11/17/2016 at 1:29 PM, Fisher-O-men said:Put the plug in the boat before you leave home.
Check your state laws first... some states require that the plug be removed when trailering.
oe
Fisher-O-men reply :
On 11/20/2016 at 6:01 AM, OkobojiEagle said:Check your state laws first... some states require that the plug be removed when trailering.
oe
Laws prompted by invasive species, I assume?
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