Patterns 2024
fishinphilly reply :
when your on a pattern how long will it last until it starts to slow down or disappear all together? because over the past week and a half I've been on the same pattern and its still producing
thanks
Bladesmith, reply :
I have seen patterns that persisted most all summer and some that did not last through the day. There is no way I know to tell how long a pattern will last, although changing weather and water conditions will usually alter a pattern.
WRB reply :
Define your pattern?On 5/24/2015 at 1:28 AM, fishinphilly said:when your on a pattern how long will it last until it starts to slow down or disappear all together? because over the past week and a half I've been on the same pattern and its still producing
thanks
Tom
papajoe222 reply :
If you define a pattern as fishing shallow, or dead falls, or riprap then it could last all year. Then again, that isn't a pattern in my book. Catching two fish off a rock pile on a point in 18ft of water and again on the next point and the next is what I define as a pattern. I'll then go from point to point and search the 18ft zone in search of rocks. I'll continue until that pattern no longer produces. Patterns, as such, rarely last throughout the day. The general area my continue to produce fish for days with other patterns developing.
*Hank reply :
I`ve been able to catch fish every time i`ve gone fishin for the past 2 month`s on wacky rigged senkos,Infact I was at the lake thursday and caught Over 5 Lmb`s and smb`s using senkos...So I would call that A pattern.
Ozark_Basser reply :
There really isn't an answer to this question. Patterning fish is a way to simplify your day on the water while still being effective at catching fish. You try some baits in some different spots. If they work, you keep doing it. If they don't, you change it up until you find something that works. You found something that's working, so keep doing it until it doesn't. No need to complicate things.
brgbassmaster reply :
I fish the gila river in Arizona every week. Literally all you need is 2 rods every outing. Frog rod/flipping rod. That's how you catch fish there. River is like 6ft max in every "pond" section I have fished. Its nothing but trees and grass. Shallow water anglers dream,. Pattern never changes I stick to fishing this river cuz I have caught multiple 5lbers outta there tons of 3/4s. In small tin boat tourney the other day a 12lber and 10lber were caught there. Froggin and flipping lol.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Man if someone knew the answer to that question they'd be the best bass angler in the world! Patterns are constantly changing, even if ever so slightly. Being able to recognize that and make the appropriate changes are one of the hardest things to do in fishing.
Catt reply :
Depends on what kind of pattern y'all are talking about.
Seasonal pattern
Water depth patter
Lure pattern
Cover pattern
Location pattern
Y'all get that?
Slade House reply :
On 5/24/2015 at 3:59 AM, WRB said:Define your pattern?
Tom
Tom do you have the Pattern diagram that in-fisherman published a while ago?
WRB reply :
No, just curious what the OP considers a pattern. As you can see everyone isn't on the same page as what a pattern is. Bass terminology changes over time, anglers tend to redefine terms to suite their need, pattern is a god example.On 5/24/2015 at 10:05 PM, Slade House said:Tom do you have the Pattern diagram that in-fisherman published a while ago?
Tom
MassBass reply :
On 5/24/2015 at 3:01 PM, Catt said:Depends on what kind of pattern y'all are talking about.
Seasonal pattern
Water depth patter
Lure pattern
Cover pattern
Location pattern
Y'all get that?
Wouldn't a pattern be the culmination of all of these?
geo g reply :
It all depends on how much faith and experience I have in the pattern. If its a new pattern I could be out of there before you know it. 
Catt reply :
On 5/25/2015 at 3:30 AM, MassBass said:Wouldn't a pattern be the culmination of all of these?
Those & more! 
RoLo reply :
When I catch 3 largemouth bass from the same lake....I figure that's a pattern 
Catt reply :
On 5/24/2015 at 1:28 AM, fishinphilly said:when your on a pattern how long will it last until it starts to slow down or disappear all together? because over the past week and a half I've been on the same pattern and its still producing
thanks
Until you give us the pattern no one can answer!
CDMeyer reply :
In my mind it can be a short 45mins or as long as a week or two. It is hard to tell how long one will last. Weather, time of year, and pressure all play key roles in it along with many more variables
RoLo reply :
Catt offered 5 forms of patterns only to illustrate the importance of isolating your pattern,
rather than drowning in complexity. A pattern is simply a repeatable, easy-to-follow guideline.
The culmination of every possible pattern takes us back to square one, which is no pattern at all.
About 3 weeks ago I noticed a simplistic 'locational pattern'. On this particular lake, weed pockets
& weed alleys are normally pay dirt. But most of our action was now coming from bass situated
along the outermost edges of the pads and isolated offshore weed islands.
This pattern is so simplistic that you can run full-throttle between trial sites,
but you're free to refine the pattern as more info is gathered.
How long did it last? It lasted for two weekends, and it's not working any more :-(
Roger
kingmotorboat reply :
Right now the pattern I'm on is that all the bass are congregating at the mouths of cuts on my river
papajoe222 reply :
On 5/25/2015 at 10:42 AM, RoLo said:When I catch 3 largemouth bass from the same lake....I figure that's a pattern
For me, that's pure luck. Hooking shoreline trees on every other cast IS a pattern and one I can repeat without much effort.
MFBAB reply :
I think the 2 most misused and misunderstood terms in bass fishing might be
Pattern
And Structure!!
Roland Martin wrote an interesting book on patterns, I think it's called 101 Bass Patterns or something similar, it's worth a read if you can find it.
To one guy, catching spawning crappie 2' deep with a minnow under a bobber near the bank is a pattern.
To another guy, it's 2' deep on the nw corner of the lake w water 2 degrees warmer than the s side, on wood , in shade, during a full moon, with a hard bottom and stable not falling water level, and they'll hit a jig but only if you tip it with a medium sized minnow and hold your mouth a certain way while you dangle it for at least a 10 count before moving to the next stump.
It's as simple or as complicated as we want to make it, the important thing is being able to formulate your own system for recognizing when the elements of your pattern are in play on a given day, and also, being able to recognize when they are not and its time to look for a new one.
bigbill reply :
Well patterns can change from 15 minutes to anytime it has no limits.
My two cents. I fish the same places every year. I fish from shore in one area. The rest of the place is private. I notice what's the hottest bait this year might not be hot next year in the same place. It's time to find out what's the next hot thang.
I through a ritual of different baits till I get action anyway. Different styles and colors. I have confidence in ever bait. I use because it worked in the past. If still no action I vary my presentations from the norm. You can have one pattern or multiple patterns.
To me this is the challenge to myself to figure out the pattern and presentation. I enjoy it.
I'm serious and don't give up. One time I went through my tackle box twice. I found out we could have different water conditions as we go deeper in the water column. I threw all my normal hot colors. The water was slightly stained. I put on, like I preach a firetiger crankbaits and caught bass. Ever since my motto is when all else fails throw firetiger. It's not just the pattern it's the color too.
I caught bass in this one spot all the time I know the bass are there. The spinnerbaits, inline spinners, cranks to c rig senko/brushogs etc have always caught something. Change your normal tactics.
In using plastics I install a rattle even in my jigs too. A scent, a rattle and the right color they can see is a given. I go after all there sences.
When the bite slows down it might not be a change in the pattern. Change colors in throwing the same bait. Try different sizes too. I notice when the light conditions change so can the colors too.
Sorry if I bore u ill go away now.
Catt reply :
A pattern is anything that can be duplicated
It can be a general duplication like laydowns or specific like the end of the laydown.
The more specific you can pattern the more successful you will be.
K_Mac reply :
On 8/9/2015 at 8:17 AM, Catt said:The more specific you can pattern the more successful you will be.
That right there is the pattern within the pattern. There are many variables; location, depth, speed, angle, size, color, noise/vibration, cadence, etc. Even line size and type can sometimes matter. Generally by the time I figure these things out the pattern has changed...
BassWhole! reply :
I'm of a mind that "patterns" exist only between the ears, and much like "techniques" go a long way to limiting thinking and hindering success.
Catt reply :
On 8/9/2015 at 10:53 AM, reason said:I'm of a mind that "patterns" exist only between the ears, and much like "techniques" go a long way to limiting thinking and hindering success.
Talk about limited thinking & hindering success!
Pattern exist even if you're to narrow minded to see em!
Catt reply :
On 8/9/2015 at 8:53 AM, K_Mac said:That right there is the pattern within the pattern. There are many variables; location, depth, speed, angle, size, color, noise/vibration, cadence, etc. Even line size and type can sometimes matter. Generally by the time I figure these things out the pattern has changed...
Every thing is a pattern within a pattern, within a pattern, within a patten, within a pattern...y'all get that!
Canyon explorer reply :
On 5/24/2015 at 3:24 AM, Bladesmith, said:I have seen patterns that persisted most all summer and some that did not last through the day. There is no way I know to tell how long a pattern will last, although changing weather and water conditions will usually alter a pattern.
+1 for a very good answer.
Canyon explorer reply :
On 5/25/2015 at 10:42 AM, RoLo said:When I catch 3 largemouth bass from the same lake....I figure that's a pattern
It is; Of a sort. :-)
Paul Roberts reply :
On 8/9/2015 at 10:53 AM, reason said:I'm of a mind that "patterns" exist only between the ears, and much like "techniques" go a long way to limiting thinking and hindering success.
Agree with the first part of that statement. A pattern is indeed a mental construct alright; what Patrick McManus called "noticin' stuff", meaning, it's connected in some way to what's going on below. How accurately varies with the noticer, and the complexity of the components. Much of it is educated guesswork. Regardless, if you are catching fish hand over fist with certain presentation, conditions, and locational elements being important factors, you are onto a pattern in the chaos. Ride it as long as it holds. Seems the simpler ones hold the longest, which may not say much about the noticing part but sure are fun. 
scaleface reply :
I've been fishing the same patterns for decades . Those are seasonal patterns. Some patterns I only get on one time and can never repeat it.
MFBAB reply :
I think a lot of he confusion about patterns is just from the fact that the word means different things to different people.
To me, a pattern is based on breaking down every variable you can think of, weather, water color, season, time of day, type of lake, wind, and more.......and then, you start thinking about what bait matches the given conditions.
It sounds complex but it becomes automatic once you get used to thinking that way.
For most people, pattern means:
They were hitting a squarebill pretty good today, but nothing else produced. In other words, most people will go out and start working through the tackle box with different baits until they either find one that's working or run out of time, and then they call that a pattern.
They will say they junk fished
The difference bw the two methods is that the first one is far more repeatable because you broke down the conditions and made a logical decision based on that, and worked from there. In other words, you have a reason for why the fish were where they were.
In the second one, you put the cart before the horse and if you got lucky, you might have backed your way into a decent bite, but you probably don't know why that bite was happening so you're not likely to repeat except maybe by chance on another day.
IMO, fishing logs make the process of learning repeatable patterns far easier too.
RoLo reply :
Does anyone see a pattern here? 
BassWhole! reply :
On 8/9/2015 at 6:20 PM, Catt said:Every thing is a pattern within a pattern, within a pattern, within a patten, within a pattern...y'all get that!
You're making my point. If everything is a pattern, then nothing is a pattern. Its a continium.
You know humans are hard-wired to see patterns where none exist, right?
RoLo reply :
On 8/10/2015 at 3:02 AM, reason said:You're making my point. If everything is a pattern, then nothing is a pattern. Its a continium.
You know humans are hard-wired to see patterns where none exist, right?
You might be overthinking the pattern thingy (which good ole Roland introduced about 50 years ago).
With the bass's help, the angler soon learns to distinguish a valid pattern from an illusory pattern.
Roger
einscodek reply :
really depends on what you say a pattern is
cause at any time in a lake lotsa of fish arent all doing the same thing
little fish are doing something and not all schools doing the same something
big fish doing a bunch of things or just nothing
perferences for certain presentations and colors can come and go
the surest times for us are during the spawn periods
Catt reply :
Some patterns are generalized information while some are detailed.
Seasonal patterns are examples of generalized information and really don't tell you much.
Using the example of laydowns, let's say I catch 3 or 4 bass that were located on the larger branches near the main trunk of the tree and none on the smaller outer branches. When I approach the next laydown my first cast/flip/pitch will be to the larger branches. Let's take it even farther and say those first bass came off of hardwood laydowns, I'm not going to waste cast to pine laydowns.
But Catt not all bass are doing the same thing at the same time!
I aint said the bass were doing anything!
The bass showed me what prime cover in an area they are holding in. I aint saying all the bass in a lake are holding in laydowns but the ones that are at this given time are located near the larger limbs of hardwood laydowns.
Paul Roberts reply :
On 8/10/2015 at 6:11 PM, Catt said:...
I aint said the bass were doing anything!
...
Exactly. 
I'd love to know just what the bass are doing and thinking, where ever I set anchor. But we're rarely privy to such perspective; thus, our mental representations of that world below -and the world around and above too. Glad we came from this planet 'cause it sure would be a rough go if we'd been flown in from some other galaxy. And it's mighty helpful that we have the neural plasticity to learn like no other critter.
If you're catching fish it's a good idea to start consciously noticin', and it certainly does help to have knowledge and experience at your end of the line. The fish are busy at their end too. I guess it's all about noticin'.
Catt reply :
What! Where's the pattern gurus now?
scaleface reply :
When I have fished for hours and have eliminated a lot of water and lures and am catching fish in 6 foot of water at the back of creeks , I have figured out a pattern .
Catt reply :
On 8/11/2015 at 8:51 PM, scaleface said:When I have fished for hours and have eliminated a lot of water and lures and am catching fish in 6 foot of water at the back of creeks , I have figured out a pattern .
That's a general pattern, not much info in that!
What cover, structure, ect are you catching em on or in?
scaleface reply :
On 8/11/2015 at 9:50 PM, Catt said:That's a general pattern, not much info in that!
What cover, structure, ect are you catching em on or in?
The south side of oak trees with red head woodpecker nest in them .
Canyon explorer reply :
I find basic patterns don’t change very much and are often predictable. Examples of some of these basic patterns would be:
1.Pre spawn migration from large rock to chunk rock to transition rock to pea gravel in the spring
2. Post spawn migration to secondary points near deeper water
3. Summer bass move into deeper structure such as hardwood brushpiles isolated humps and main lake ledges near shad.
4. In the fall bass follow shad into backs of secondary creeks chasing jerk baits and spinnerbaits off docks.
What changes often is the subtle changes bass make on a continuing regular basis, such as reaction to weather, reaction to water rising or falling. Whether they are aggressive or sedentary. The color they want, they size lure want or wont touch. Willow or Colorado blades; the windy or shady side of docks, eddies and current positioning. These changes go on constantly. They are the keys to success. These are the subtle keys to success the pros thrive on.
These small keys are our holy grail.
A-Jay reply :
I'm usually fishing smaller bodies water often from a small craft without a ton of mobility. So there's no Running & Gunning all over the place "putting a pattern together".
The days I manage a solid bag are not contributed so much to a "Pattern" in my mind. I look at it like I found active bass and presented a bait they felt like eating. Whatever the situation, I must "Fish" the water I choose as effectively as I can.
"Patterning" bass has always been a challenge for me. Some trips I'm on fish & think I'm onto something and others I can't seem to get anything going while getting blanked.
I believe there is value in understanding seasonal bass movements, how & why the local bait locates itself where & when, as well as how the local bass population reacts to current weather conditions and any fishing / boating pressure. So I guess that's kind of like patterning.
To me Patters are like opinions ~ We all have them and think our's is the best.
Sometimes there are and sometimes not so much.
A-Jay
Paul Roberts reply :
AJ brings up an interesting point. I'm a smaller water fisher too, and repeatable "patterns" are not what I'm after (beyond general seasonal "patterns" as Canyon explorer listed). In my waters the fish are more or less right in front of me. I'm not "looking for fish" or "patterns" I can duplicate by running to an identical spot elsewhere. Instead I'm getting a bead on activity levels and hoping for an active feeding/aggression scenario -essentially identifying and following the food chain.
I'm doing what the bass are doing -hunting. They are looking for a concentration of prey -best if the prey too are feeding and therefore distracted. Weather and water conditions and certain events and circumstances may point the way. Other times things are "darn quiet" and I have to just probe away with appropriate presentations hoping to stumble on something. My journals consist of stories of what I think was going on. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes I can even see the predator-prey interactions. Other times, it's a one fish here and one fish there sort of thing. On the tougher days I don't believe is always bc I "didn't find a pattern" as much as the tempo of the day. Circumstances have to come together to make a great feeding situation for the bluegills, the bass, and following, for me. It's always enlightening to look at tournament results in which almost always someone finds a scenario ripe for a big catch. This is more likely on waters offering more real estate to ploy. On my small waters, I'll jump from water to water (on the hoof or in the car) bc the more real estate (habitat options) I have available to me, the more opportunities for catches there are -provided I have the versatility in tackle and presentations to recognize and cover them.
A-Jay reply :
On 8/11/2015 at 10:39 PM, Paul Roberts said:AJ brings up an interesting point. I'm a smaller water fisher too, and repeatable "patterns" are not what I'm after (beyond general seasonal "patterns" as Canyon explorer listed). In my waters the fish are more or less right in front of me. I'm not "looking for fish" or "patterns" I can duplicate by running to an identical spot elsewhere. Instead I'm getting a bead on activity levels and hoping for an active feeding/aggression scenario -essentially identifying and following the food chain.
I'm doing what the bass are doing -hunting. They are looking for a concentration of prey -best if the prey too are feeding and therefore distracted. Weather and water conditions and certain events and circumstances may point the way. Other times things are "darn quiet" and I have to just probe away with appropriate presentations hoping to stumble on something. My journals consist of stories of what I think was going on. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes I can even see the predator-prey interactions. Other times, it's a one fish here and one fish there sort of thing. On the tougher days I don't believe is always bc I "didn't find a pattern" as much as the tempo of the day. Circumstances have to come together to make a great feeding situation for the bluegills, the bass, and following, for me. It's always enlightening to look at tournament results in which almost always someone finds a scenario ripe for a big catch. This is more likely on waters offering more real estate to ploy. On my small waters, I'll jump from water to water (on the hoof or in the car) bc the more real estate (habitat options) I have available to me, the more opportunities for catches there are -provided I have the versatility in tackle and presentations to recognize and cover them.
Perfectly said Paul.
That is a very succinct description of what the majority of my "Bass Fishing" is all about as well.
A-Jay
Catt reply :
Just about the time we think we have the bass figured out the bass prove to us we don't!
So Paul & A-Jay do y'all just wonder around aimlessly making random cast in hopes of connecting with a bass?
A-Jay reply :
On 8/12/2015 at 12:59 AM, Catt said:Just about the time we think we have the bass figured out the bass prove to us we don't!
So Paul & A-Jay do y'all just wonder around aimlessly making random cast in hopes of connecting with a bass?
Sometimes it feels like I am Catt ~ 
But no, there's always a plan in advance. And I guess you could call the plan a Pattern - it's what I'd expect to find once on the water. But as you've noted, the plan or pattern Is Always subject to change.
In fact we all know that it can & does change week to week, day to day and even hour to hour.
Depending on the lake and the time of year, I could start out a morning on a shallow crank or topwater bite and by 11 am I'm getting bass on a drop shot in 25 feet. But Even that's a pattern right ?
A-Jay
WRB reply :
The lakes I fish are small between 1,000 to 3,000 acres or in length of miles between 1 1/2 to 4, by classification they are highland reservoirs, the primary function being water storage and flood control.
These lakes are all deep structured with sparse cover and vary greatly in depth and pool size during each year.
Each lake is subjected to weekly bass tournaments, there are lots bass boats fishing everyday, year around, so they are highly pressured by knowledgable anglers.
Just wanted to clarify where I fish maybe different than fishing larger impoundments with vast amount of different terrain and cover.
Daily bass patterns regarding prey type, location change from seasonal time periods, weather, boat traffic, time of day or night. Having fished these lakes for decades it's easy to think you can pre determine what the bass will be doing at any given time, big mistake. My routine when launching my boat is checking the marina for indications that might prevail during my outing to locate the bass and determine what they are doing. First you need to catch a few bass to develop a daily pattern, not always easy. For me my sonar unit is a valuable tool helping to see what is going on under the water, how deep the baitfish are and if any bass have passed under the boat, don't have side scanning sonar.
If I catch a bass, that 1 bass tells me what it wanted and where, catch another it helps to fill in the puzzle, that puzzle is a pattern that I keep repeating if successful, if not it's not a pattern that is working for me.
For example Thursday the bass were feeding on shad located in isolated weed patches on flats near rocks in 5' to 8' of water until about 10A, hitting small crankbaits and chatter baits, then quit. I didn't meter the bass on the flats, a splash alerted me to go check it out. The bass moved out to the deep ledge breaks in 20' with large boulders, hitting drop shot soft plastic worms.
Monday, no bass active on the flats in the weed patches, no bass metered or caught on or near the ledge breaks.
The bass had moved to the points and waited for Shad schools to come by, when a school was near, the bite was on from 20' to 30' drop shot Shad type soft plastics and structure spoons until I went home at noon.
These are daily patterns that I was able to put together, other anglers may have found something different.
This is typical, constant changes depending on bait and bass location.
The OP was stating his pattern was lasting weeks or months, that is why I asked the question, what is your pattern? Bass are not stationary fish, they move to stay close to the food source, except during the spawn when food isn't a priority.
Tom
Catt reply :
Sorry y'all but I'm still coaching PE & school starts monday, be back ASAP!
Paul Roberts reply :
On 8/12/2015 at 12:59 AM, Catt said:Just about the time we think we have the bass figured out the bass prove to us we don't!
So Paul & A-Jay do y'all just wonder around aimlessly making random cast in hopes of connecting with a bass?
Good question. Random? No. Location (seasonal or transient) and timing (seasonal, weekly trends, daily, hourly, even momentarily –i.e. conditions and circumstances) are the primary things I track.
Ultimately, I can predict. That’s most apt to happen when I'm fishing every day and able to be on top of things. But every day or week away, or when on a new water, detaches me and I'm spending more time probing, searching, getting my bearings, and looking for an advantageous scenario.
Over time I've come to recognize certain known patterns/events: certain insect emergences, preyfish activity, vegetation development and decline, water temperature trends, peri-spawn activity, etc that all have locational and timing elements. I might say "I'll go check on the gravel beds (location) for spawning 'gills (event) and see where we're at (timing)." It's great when I can understand my waters and bass well enough to predict things, recognize when events are imminent, but there's so much I'm not privy to.
No, I'm not fishing randomly, although at times my catch rates could argue otherwise.
Catt reply :
There will be days and there will be bodies of water where no discernable, observable, distinguishable, or identifiable patterns are present.
My understanding of this conversation was concerning days and bodies of water where discernable, observable, distinguishable, or identifiable patterns are present; one of which I described.
As to the OP's question of " when you're on a pattern how long will it last until it starts to slow down or disappear all together?".
The correct answer is a "pattern" could/can last minutes to hours to days.
bigbill reply :
Light conditions and the water conditions affect what colors the bass can see. There eyes aren't like ours.
If you search for Dr. Loren Hill of Ok unv. The info on his ten year study of the basses eyes and colors is interesting.
KVD has a combo c lector in his boat.
I have 4 or 5 of them.
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