Looking Ahead, Next Season. 2025

bigbill reply :

What are your plans for the 2016 bass season. I'm early but there's never a better time to think ahead than now.

Learn a new bait and presentation, learn the different rigs, topwater, cranks, etc?

My goals,

I feel next year is going to be a amazing bass season.

Use the casting setups more. Topwater, cranks, spinnerbaits, jigs.

I'm going to advance more into the rigs and plastics.

I need to use them more.

Use swimbaits more(hardbody) I need to master this bait.

Fish the bigger lakes. The smaller bodies of water gave me the education I needed. I have the skills to apply to the bigger bodies of water.

I get into a rut of success with a few baits and stick with them. I need to try different baits again. Time to give the hard baits a rest and hammer the plastics. I think we get hung up on one bait because of its success.

To fish more and fish harder.

What are your goals?

BaitMonkey1984 reply :

Not sure what the plans for next year is. Got one boat put away and the other one will be out of the water and winterized on Saturday. Lots of upgrades for the two planned all winter.

Bankbeater reply :

Just to make sure I get out and fish.

clh121787 reply :

I just want to have fun. After that improve on honing in on deep water structure. I'd like to get better at deep cranking. Always looking for another pb.

Mike L reply :

Well I'm the opposite...

I'm gonna try to Think a little harder and longer about changing baits as often as I do when things slow down.

I have a tendency to rush to judgment when trying to pinpoint a pattern which usually means I end up not letting the fish tell me what they want and end up missing it.

Mike

A-Jay reply :

There's still a ton of really good fishing left in this season.

Numbers of very respectable and maybe an extra large bass mixed in.

Just have to get out there.

Not looking ahead just yet.

A-Jay

Bass newb reply :

So when do I consider this season "over"?

I was expecting to fish into december where we have 70*days occasionally.

A-Jay reply :

On 10/2/2015 at 6:54 PM, Bass newb said:
So when do I consider this season "over"?

For me - once my casts start to Bounce -

Yea, then it's pretty much over right there.

A-Jay

Hurricane reply :

Use jigs more, and get a trailer for my canoe

Mainebass1984 reply :

Next season ?

Im stll focused on the remainder of this season. Probably about another 6 weeks of fishing left. The water will be chilly, maybe even some snowflakes flying, but its a great time to catch some of the biggest bass of the year. Every year before I hang it up for the season I break through ice to get to open water areas of the lakes I like to fish. Sounds crazy but the fish at that time haven't seen a lure in a long time and are more then willing to hit. In my experience you don't catch big numbers of fish but the average size goes way way up.

Dtree11 reply :

On 10/2/2015 at 6:54 PM, Bass newb said:

So when do I consider this season "over"?

I was expecting to fish into december where we have 70*days occasionally.

Rub it in a little harder It was 50 something on my way into work this morning. Finished my first real season of fishing, during the off-season I am going to collect a couple quality crankbaits and learn how to select the right ones. I watched a couple people this year catch some big-ums with the crankbait.

lo n slo reply :

Still have some excellent fishing ahead til about Christmas, but.......

Gonna hit alotta lakes in and around my area beginning early March, Rhodhiss, Kerr Scott, Badin, Tillery, even High Rock, Hickory and Wylie (although those three get beat to death). Lucky to have some great lakes within an hours drive from the house. I'll still have Lakes Norman and Davidson in my backyard too.

Kbral87 reply :

I want to work on using soft plastics, I have no confidence in them. Probably get a canoe as well.

buzzed bait reply :

There isn't a month that i don't fish, for bass, so these terms of season and next year confuse me.....

sprint61 reply :

Learn to deep crank better.

d-camarena reply :

Lol i fish year round. For me, next season is next month

Jaderose reply :

On 10/2/2015 at 6:56 PM, A-Jay said:

For me - once my casts start to Bounce -

Yea, then it's pretty much over right there.

A-Jay

This

Dwight Hottle reply :

My goal for 2016 is to improve upon my 2015 season which was less than stellar.

bigbill reply :

I have my watercraft licence. But I'm not sure if my jeep wrangler 4.0L could pull a boat. It's all super duty I special ordered it when I specd it out.

Maybe a bass boat.

Scott F reply :

I have 3 weeks of fishing vacations already booked. Don't know if I'll try very many new techniques, the ones I've been using are working pretty well.

blckshirt98 reply :

I'm in California so I'm just hoping we get a lot of rain so there's water to fish in next year.

fish devil reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 7:20 AM, bigbill said:

I have my watercraft licence. But I'm not sure if my jeep wrangler 4.0L could pull a boat. It's all super duty I special ordered it when I specd it out.

Maybe a bass boat.

I pull a 16' Tracker with an 06' 4.0 Jeep Rubi with ZERO issues. Helps to have 4 wheel disc brakes. I'm getting a 17' Tracker and plan on using the same tow vehichle.

Bassguytom reply :

I am just starting the fall fishing period and then the cold water period up until the ice hits. Then I drill through the ice until ice out and then I start working the pre spawn and then I start fishing the post spawn followed by the summer period. I am just starting the fall fishing period and then the cold water period up until the ice hits. Then I drill through the ice until ice out................and so on and so forth.............hey man it's better for me then smoking crack......I never stop.

MIbassyaker reply :

Each year I try to pick a couple lures, rigs or presentations I haven't used much or haven't been very successful with, and spend a lot of time working on them. This summer it was buzzbaits and drop shot. I finally broke through with buzzbaits, but I had a lot of trouble getting the hang of drop shot and gave up on it.

I basically get to fish between may and September, and then work puts me out of commission until the next may. My 2015 fishing season is pretty much over now, so it makes sense to look ahead -- Next year, I'll give drop shot another look, and probably focus on getting more proficient with jigs and hard jerkbaits.

bigbill reply :

Use baits I haven't caught fish with yet.

Buzzbait

Chatterbaits

Baitball

Hard swimbaits

DT Rapalas

Jitter bugs

Fish for great northern pike.

I like to plan ahead while everything is fresh in my mind from this season while it's not over yet.

Ski213 reply :

I'm pretty envious of the guys that never have to stop for winter. Technically I can fish year round here but I generally don't cause it can be pretty miserable some years. We have some good fishing left though.

My goal for next year is to fish more than I have this year.

BucketMouth15 reply :

Learn to fish those deep summer fish better

Hurricane reply :

Also I need to learn to neatly put my tackle back in the correct boxes when I am done using a certain lure.. I have no patience. Tackle is so unorganized at end of three fishing season for me lol..

lo n slo reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 7:36 AM, blckshirt98 said:
I'm in California so I'm just hoping we get a lot of rain so there's water to fish in next year.

Here's hoping that you guys get some major relief soon.

Catt reply :

2016 Goal: Fish More

WRB reply :

^^^^^^^

This, fish more!

Tom

bigbill reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 6:58 PM, BillsFan721 said:
Also I need to learn to neatly put my tackle back in the correct boxes when I am done using a certain lure.. I have no patience. Tackle is so unorganized at end of three fishing season for me lol..

Start fishing at night you will have a neat tackle box with everything in its place in no time.

everythingthatswims reply :

On 10/2/2015 at 9:56 PM, lo n slo said:

Still have some excellent fishing ahead til about Christmas, but.......

Gonna hit alotta lakes in and around my area beginning early March, Rhodhiss, Kerr Scott, Badin, Tillery, even High Rock, Hickory and Wylie (although those three get beat to death). Lucky to have some great lakes within an hours drive from the house. I'll still have Lakes Norman and Davidson in my backyard too.

Those Norman spots should eat all winter

Scarborough817 reply :

i need to fish other lakes instead of just the one i'm on, also looking to put a deck on my aluminum boat so i can at least feel like i have a bass boat and make fishing more comfortable.

other than that i need to go diving for a couple lures that have recently been lost

WPCfishing reply :

My season doesn't end until the temps drop below 50 degree's. Last year I fished til Christmas day.

hoosierbass07 reply :

Next year - stick with my spinning reels and don't touch my baitcaster. Focus on making long casts in the clear water strip pits I fish at. Also slow way way down when using my favorite lure - the Texas rig. One of my Homer Circle books says the number one problem people have is fishing too fast and that you want to fish like you have all week to sit there and let your lure sit. I'll admit I've not let my Texas rigs or split shot rigs sit still very long.

Also in 2016, I need to get back to six pound line. I sort of got hooked on my one baitcaster with twelve pound line throwing crankbaits at the expense of throwing my Texas rigs on six pound line. Sufix six pound Elite mono is awesome stuff that I should not neglect.

MidwestF1sh reply :

Last year I was fishing right before thanksgiving... Ice fishing....

KyAngler_1120 reply :

This last year I had some good luck during the prespawn/spawn with Zoom Brush Hog's fished on my homemade Jika rigs. I am going to expand on that and include some of Zoom's 8inch lizards too. Got a feeling that I will crush them on the large lizards.

MIbassyaker reply :

On 10/6/2015 at 3:20 AM, hoosierbass07 said:

Next year - stick with my spinning reels and don't touch my baitcaster. Focus on making long casts in the clear water strip pits I fish at. Also slow way way down when using my favorite lure - the Texas rig. One of my Homer Circle books says the number one problem people have is fishing too fast and that you want to fish like you have all week to sit there and let your lure sit. I'll admit I've not let my Texas rigs or split shot rigs sit still very long.

Also in 2016, I need to get back to six pound line. I sort of got hooked on my one baitcaster with twelve pound line throwing crankbaits at the expense of throwing my Texas rigs on six pound line. Sufix six pound Elite mono is awesome stuff that I should not neglect.

Best thing I ever learned. If anything, now I fish too slowly, too often, and don't catch many fish per hour. Still better than getting skunked, though.

And I may do the opposite of you: I might buy my first baitcaster next year and spend the summer learning it.

massrob reply :

Next year I need to fish more. I spent so much money getting ready for my first season of actually knowing how to fish. I couldn't even get out once a week because work was so crazy. Next year I'm taking a week off and going fishing. I'm gonna try big swimbaits next year that's one thing I know.

bigbill reply :

I'm probably purchasing my last new rods and reels.

I have enough tackle to last me another lifetime.

Bluebasser86 reply :

2 powerplant lakes within an hours drive.

There is no such thing as a "Fishing Season" in my world.

MidwestF1sh reply :

Sunday the boat is going in storage... I might cry a little but nothing a huge order of tackle and rods can't fix!

NJSalt reply :

Pick up a Jig more.

Derekbass02 reply :

Break my PB

RoLo reply :

I've noticed that the word "jig" made a strong appearance, but what exactly is a JIG?

From a mechanical perspective, a "jig" is nothing more than a unitized sinker and hook...period.

Put differently, the word 'jig' describes your weighting system better than it describes your lure.

Of course, there are skirted jigs and unskirted jigs, so if you happen to be using a skirted jig,

the only "lure" in play is the silicone skirt. In addition to a jig skirt however, there's an endless selection of trailers

that may be added to the jig hook (live & artificial). Oddly enough, the lure attached to the jig is frequently unspecified.

SO....if you're ever reluctant to divulge your most fruitful lure, simply say that you were using a "jig".

It's the easiest and most credible way to say nothing....and get away with it

Roger

FrogFreak reply :

I started using a skirted flipping jig with a plastic craw type trailer (thats for you Roger) this year. I said for 2 years that I was going to learn how to fish a flipping jig and I finally did it this year. So next year I'll be leaning hard on that presentation since I'm now addicted to using it. I also had a ton of success with a swim jig after watching Tom Monsoor's video last winter on YouTube. So I'll probably attempt to continue the success I had this year with those two techniques.

boostr reply :

Pimp my yak With electronics so I can find the big girls in the deeper waters, get a HMF cranking rod for deep cranking to get the said big girls, get deep diving cranks for the big girls, and order some more jigs from Sieberts just in case the big girls don't want the crank.

jlperkins reply :

Hopefully keep fishing right through on any nice days, The small mouth fishing is still good here on lake cumberland, There is a local tournament here on thanksgiving day that draws quite a few boats.

Felix77 reply :

I bought all kinds of gear to keep going out on my kayak for as long as I can tolerate it. I will be back to this post when I am forced off the water.

Jaw1 reply :

I don't hunt so fishing can be year round for me and the lakes are less crowded so that's a plus. Haven't fished much the last 2 winters but hope to have time and decent weather for it this year

thomas15 reply :

I'm going to whittle down on the number of kinds of baits I use. I think it's gonna be Jigs, drop shot, topwaters and swimbaits. So that means less use of spinners and cranks. I'm also go replace one of my sonar units and really learn how to use the electronics I have. Finally I'm going to replace most of the seats in my boat, not because they are beat up but I want to have a comfortable and useful fishing boat. I intend to budget more time on the water.

HoosierHawgs reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 6:08 AM, Dwight Hottle said:
My goal for 2016 is to improve upon my 2015 season which was less than stellar.

Same here. A little more organization and trying to get out more than I do now are my main focuses to help me reach that.

bigfruits reply :

im going to try to put down the jig (the one with the hairs on it) and throw something else.

HoosierHawgs reply :

I would like to add that I would also like to spend more time on the water, along with close family and friends. I worked so much this year and it took a lot of my time away. Now that my economic situation is a little more stable I plan to focus on relationships, whether its over time on the water, a hot meal, or a backyard fire. It's time to take a year to relax and fish a little.

Gone_Phishin reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 6:08 AM, Dwight Hottle said:
My goal for 2016 is to improve upon my 2015 season which was less than stellar.

Same here...my numbers and size were both down this year.

DogBone_384 reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 6:08 AM, Dwight Hottle said:
My goal for 2016 is to improve upon my 2015 season which was less than stellar.

Sounds about right. I caught bigger fish in '15 than '14, but the numbers were WAY off. My first Larry didn't come until May and October's been a bust, both of which I'd attribute to the severe winter we had, throwing nature off a bit.

Two things are a must for me next year: learn how to read my Lowrance better, and learn how to catch bass with jigs.

DogBone_384 reply :

On 10/3/2015 at 7:20 AM, bigbill said:

I have my watercraft licence. But I'm not sure if my jeep wrangler 4.0L could pull a boat. It's all super duty I special ordered it when I specd it out.

Maybe a bass boat.

How big a boat? If you're talking about a bass boat, I'd say you're all set.

Chrysler's 4.0 is a bulletproof motor (which I'd rather have than our V6), and the Wrangler's drivetrain itself is pretty stout.

Our Unlimited has a 3,500 lb. towing capacity.

everythingthatswims reply :

On 10/10/2015 at 9:46 AM, RoLo said:

I've noticed that the word "jig" made a strong appearance, but what exactly is a JIG?

From a mechanical perspective, a "jig" is nothing more than a unitized sinker and hook...period.

Put differently, the word 'jig' describes your weighting system better than it describes your lure.

Of course, there are skirted jigs and unskirted jigs, so if you happen to be using a skirted jig,

the only "lure" in play is the silicone skirt. In addition to a jig skirt however, there's an endless selection of trailers

that may be added to the jig hook (live & artificial). Oddly enough, the lure attached to the jig is frequently unspecified.

SO....if you're ever reluctant to divulge your most fruitful lure, simply say that you were using a "jig".

It's the easiest and most credible way to say nothing....and get away with it

Roger

When people say "texas rig" they could be talking about a pegged 1oz tungsten weight with a creature on 50lb braid, or a 4" finesse worm with a 1/16oz weight on 6lb test, but usually we know what they mean (or at least I thought I did, maybe I'm wrong)

Spankey reply :

I'm able to target some fish still and hope to get the boat out over the next few weekends. Not too bad of a season this year and certainly better than last year.

Next season I'm going to throw more soft plastics. I'm going to step a bit back in time when I fished worm, tubes, and grubs a lot more. Throw some of my older stuff. Slow my fishing down some. I've caught some nice smallies off of both soft and hard baits but my largest and pb have been off soft plastics.

I admit I get times that I find myself throwing crankbaits and spinnerbaits in different color pattern the whole time out. Effective yes but, maybe taking myself out of the picture for that real nice one.

Last_Cast reply :

My plan is to learn what I dont know now or become better at what I do know.

GoCougs14 reply :

On 10/7/2015 at 2:24 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

2 powerplant lakes within an hours drive.

There is no such thing as a "Fishing Season" in my world.

how does fishing in a powerplant compare to a reservior or natural lake?

Justin K. reply :

My goals for 2016:

- land my first fish here in NJ

- fish more! And find more places to do so.

- figure out how to fish properly instead of just hoping and praying with each cast (I'm relatively new to bass fishing and now that I have more time I want to focus on doing things right)

- not feel overwhelmed and completely lost at a Bass Pro Shop or Cabelas.

The list will grow, just some things off the top of my head.

A-Jay reply :

I plan on changing my vessel a bit.

From this

to this

A-Jay

HoosierHawgs reply :

On 11/2/2015 at 8:58 AM, A-Jay said:

I plan on changing my vessel a bit.

From this

to this

A-Jay

No more canoe huh? Why so?

A-Jay reply :

On 11/4/2015 at 2:03 AM, HoosierHawgs said:
No more canoe huh? Why so?

Fishing from the Old Town has been fun and very inexpensive for sure.

But it's just time. I've done all I can with it as well as where I've been fishing.

Time to broaden my fishing horizons.

A-Jay

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Looking Ahead, Next Season. 2025

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