Slow Down!!! 2024
clayton86 reply :
How do you guys force your self to fish slow? I know I need to but I fish like iv got a IV of redbull in my veins lol. Im so used to in alot of my spots tossing a jig into trees and logs or rock piles and picking fish instantly not really having to fish slow just going down the bank pitching jigs in and ripping fish out. That doesn't exactly work this time of year or even in the summer but does most the time in the summer and fall.
I need to force my self to slow down way down idk how to do it.
Darren. reply :
On 4/22/2013 at 10:40 PM, clayton86 said:How do you guys force your self to fish slow? I know I need to but I fish like iv got a IV of redbull in my veins lol. Im so used to in alot of my spots tossing a jig into trees and logs or rock piles and picking fish instantly not really having to fish slow just going down the bank pitching jigs in and ripping fish out. That doesn't exactly work this time of year or even in the summer but does most the time in the summer and fall.
I need to force my self to slow down way down idk how to do it.
Maybe try a TX rig, cast it out and reel it slowly back trying to determine the type of terrain, objects you are bumping into. Kind of a game to focus on bumps, logs, weeds...
Tough for someone with Red Bull flowing thru the veins 
webertime reply :
I have a mantra I repeat to myself that causes me to slow down and go at it's pace. Runners, Cyclists, skiers all use this method to not go out 100% and blow up too early in a race and keep a good pace. It works, pick a song or a saying, anything that works for you and just keep singing/saying it to yourself. Helped me a lot!
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
I just really try to focus on imagining my jig on the bottom hopping along nice and slow.. one day i just brought jigs and jigged the whole day. But.i went thru alot of grizzly that day.. now its like second nature
clayton86 reply :
I do fish a t rig or jika and feel the bottom a bit. I can fish cranks and spinnerbaits slow but it's the sit and wait type presentations I have a hard time with. Jerkbaits, senko, jigs in cold weather, drop shot all things that require long pauses I can't do I pause for like 3 seconds get bored and move the bait.
lmbfisherman reply :
The way I do it, is similar to what webertime says. I will use my iPod or any mp3 player and only use the right earbud (keep my left clear so I can hear my surroundings) and play music. I find this helps keeps my mind occupied while I fish. Heck you can time the songs too, like on the next chorus I will do a slow drag..or whatever. Try that!
Paul Roberts reply :
I don't know what kind of experience you have, and don’t want to assume too much, but when you start catching on slow presentations (when they are indeed needed), you'll start slowing down with ease. I don't know how to MAKE you slow down. I suppose it would come from being “mindful”, rather than just running wild hoping the fish will come to you.
A core problem for mature bass, esp large ones, is that they are energetically stingy. They are often of the group that didn't chase everything willy nilly, burn out and die when they were young. Some of the largest bass I've caught, and seen caught, were taken in prime spots on a killed lure, just lying their dead for up to a several minutes. When it was moved BAM! Surprise! This is a pattern actually, a behavioral one, in that it is one good way to eek out large fish. Once something like this happens you'll have little trouble doing it.
Also keep in mind, many anglers have this expectation that the fish will come to them if they have the right lure on. And this is often how newbs stumble into fish, and devleop their GoTo's. But you'll beat the random catch odds by adjusting your mindset to realizing that you have to go to the fish and elicit bites, rather than expect them to do the majority of the work. Does that make sense? This may not require "slowing down" as much as being mindful of your purpose, your testing the fish's responses to your presentations as you fish.
Here's how I generally run my day: Unless I expect otherwise, I tend to start (where I think there are fish) faster and bolder bc if the fish are willing, I can cover more water and catch more fish. But if it’s not working, I’ll change. The big changes are depth, speed, and action. The first is locational, the others are your presentation. Before I change locations I’ll likely adjust action and speed. These first adjustments might be using triggers like pauses, accelerations, lateral darts, trying to trigger strikes. If no go I may start dropping speed –falls, longer pauses, all the way to dead-sticking for a bit. Heck it’s only 15 minutes or so of your day to check each of these out. If still no go I might change lures. If I think the lure is appropriate, I may just pick up and move -check deeper or shallower on the same structure, or move entirely.
Again, I think the direction to go is being “mindful”. Once you start getting bit with slower presentations, (they being simply part of the testing procedure), you’ll gain confidence there and “slowing down” will have nothing to do with your adrenaline levels. You can fish slow with high intensity, if you know you are about to get bit.
As to getting "bored" -maybe put less pressure on yourself to catch. Relax, get outta your head, and think more about what's going on around you. Pull the ear buds, even sit and get quiet. Breath, relax, meditate. Maybe sounds like a waste of time, but nature does not move at an urban pace. When I've been in the urban world for a while it take some time to get the traffic out of my head and actualy come down and be present in th moment. We humans have the gift of being able to abstract/generalize the world around us. But its a double-edged sword. If you are in your head and not being able to come out of it, you are not fishing the moment, what's in front of you, but what's in your head. This may make no sense. But I hear "bored" and ... I have my own ideas about that.
Hope some of this helps.
---=Martin=--- reply :
Whiskey. Xanax. LOL J/K.
Breath slowly...
Nitrofreak reply :
Nice post Paul !!!!
What helped me slow down was fishing deep water, remember those days when you used to go catfishin at night and a cooler full of beer, sitting on the bank with your rod propped on a forked stick, that helped me to slow down too, imagine yourself doing something like that when you were younger, think like your fishing for something different, but like Paul said after a few fish it will start to come more and more natural, all we have here is time, use it to your advantage.
Paul Roberts reply :
Nitrofreak, are you an old codger like me?? 
clayton86 reply :
I think part of the reason I rush a lot of times is I'm on a time crunch 30 minutes here 2 hours there just randomly able to go. So I'm in a rush to get fish. Drop shot and shaky head I'm the worst with I'm able to slow down at times with the jig it's usually when I cast and get side tracked or something making me not retrieve right away like a back lash then I get bit after that long pause and a light bulb goes off and I slow down and start catching.
Bankbeater reply :
I had the same problem when I started fishing plastics after throwing crankbaits for years. When I started fishing Tx. rigs with a spinning reel I forced myself to take up the slack by winding in with my index finger. If I went to fast my finger came off the handle.
Nitrofreak reply :
Part of the trick to slowing down is knowing when to slow down, just like your professional over run you encountered, it's time and experimentation, when your burning a crank and the fish are active, they will let you know when they are done chasing after baits, then it's time to be mindful as Paul said it best I think, you must understand your surroundings and what the fish are telling you, we as anglers are always and forever searching out the more aggressive bass leaving the unlearned deeper waters alone and most often not even giving them a second thought, when you slow down and start to understand the approach one must take to fish his or her own waters more effectivly, then will you understand why we slow down, not just in presentations am I speaking of either.
Paul,
I am in many ways a codger, my body says I am old but my spirit will not allow me to be old and enjoy it LOL !!
Felix77 reply :
I don't know if this will help but I actually like to count to help me slow down. Examples:
Jig example - Cast it out. Let it sink and count to 5 (the old one-one thousand, two-one thousand deal). Slowly lift the jig, let it drop and repeat (Count to 5).
Slow rolling a spinnerbait or swimbait - Cast it out. Let it sink and begin reeling. Try to match one reel to one second.
In both cases I use this to try and slow myself down. Once I settle into that pace I can then vary the retrieve from there.
SissySticks reply :
I think a lot of this tendency, and MANY anglers have it, has to do with the reason we fish these days. We see fishing as an activity where the objective is to catch fish, and catch as many pounds as possible as quickly as possible. This is, largely, a result of the explosion of tournament angling where, quite literally, dollars are attached to every cast, every pitch, every fish, every minute.
Nitrofreak was on to something when he talked about fishing for cats or whites or whatever as a kid. When we went fishing as kids, we weren't quite as obsessed with everything, we just wanted to go out and have a fun time fishing.
I think if we bass fished more that way, we'd slow down naturally. We wouldn't be worried about whether or not we were "maximizing" our day. We'd realize we maximized our day the second we got in the car to tow the boat to the lake in the first place, before we ever made a cast. We'd also have more fun, be more relaxed, and likely catch more fish, too. We'd spend less money. I don't know about you guys, but I suspect I'd be a lot happier with my favorite pasttime.
So, to the OP, I suggest this. Read Charlie Brewer's book on Slider Fishing. It doesn't really matter if you want to learn how to fish the slider-- its more of a philosophy of fishing than it is a technique. Then, go out and find an old timer, I mean a real old timer. Someone in their 70s or 80s, and see if they'll take you fishing. I went fishing with Ned Kehde one weekend when I was in graduate school, ostensibly to pick his brain about fishing journalism (he's an In-Fisherman field editor), and instead I got a graduate level education in slowing down and keeping it simple and having fun fishing, and the simple joy of getting your line stretched. I also began a journey that I'm still on, toward simplifying every aspect of my life, and slowing down every aspect of my life. So, you might get more than just a fishing tip.
mjseverson24 reply :
the best way to learn how to fish slow is have success and gain confidence fishing slow. I agree that in most cases the larger fish are more skeptical of chasing moving baits, so a very subtle presentation can be the best way to catch the quality fish. that being said if just catching quanity is your goal use reaction baits and cover lots of water. there are plenty of 1-3 lb fish waiting to nail a spinnerbait or a crankbait if that is what you are hoping to achieve.
Mitch
Paul Roberts reply :
Excellent post, Sissysticks. I take it your druthers is to wield a light spinning rig (sissy stick)? That's how I started off, after reading of Charlie Brewer. Haven't read his book though. Going to have to add it to my reading list.
Scott F reply :
Why slow down? If you don't like fishing slow, and have a hard time doing it, don't. Fishing is supposed to be fun. Why do something you don't enjoy doing? I've got a friend who just can't slow down. When I'm in his boat, I don't even bring Senkos because I know he'll never go slow enough for me to catch a fish on one. He usually manages to put fish in the boat on every trip power fishing. That's the way he likes to fish, so that's what he does. There are going to be some days when going slow might be the better option, but there are nearly always some fish who'll chase baits.
slonezp reply :
Why do you want to slow down?
This is coming from a finesse fisherman who can tie on one jig and fish it all day long. Contrary to popular belief, it seems bass are in all phases of feeding, provided they are feeding. If KVD and Ike, whose fishing habits are on opposite sides of the spectrum, can finish in the top 10 during the same tourney, then slowing down or speeding up is a moot point. Maybe it would be easier for you to locate more active fish? Just a thought.
Take the Classic for example. Everyone was talking jerkbaits. Cliff Pace was fishing jigs.(yes I know he claimed to be fishing other stuff as well) Cliff Pace was able to locate quality fish the others did not. Presentations were slow from all the Classic anglers. The speed of the presentation didn't matter. LOCATION, LOCTION, LOCATION. Just my .02
I've been fishing for 40 years and in those 40 years have learned that I don't know much about fishing. I do know, if I can find fish, there is a chance I may catch them.
TylerVC reply :
Take your hand off the reel handle during pauses. Helps me slow down.
Silas reply :
As an old codger, I'll have to say when you hit 70, you just "automatically" slow down. You begin to appreciate all the things you are seeing. Sort of having a "Vampire awareness."
You become a child again, in a sense, and in a good way. When you were a child, "Nature" was your teacher. Then you hit the rat race, and as has been mentioned, perhaps got caught up in the "run and gun" phase of life, and perhaps, of tournament fishing.
I find I am really enjoying fishing more these days.....the entire experience.....the morning mist rising on the glass smooth water, the cry of the Kingfisher, the splash of a nearby curious alligator. And when I throw that Jika rig up next to a Cypress tree, I don't mind relaxing as it sinks to the bottom, hesitating, and giving it a hop now and then.
I don't "have" to catch fish now......used to be my pride kept me on the water till I darn sure caught fish. But......strangely, in not having to catch them, I'm catching MORE of them.
One of the ironic epiphanies that some of us discover in the ageing process.
So, just a "heads up" for you younger whipppersnappers......it only gets better!!
WRB reply :
My routine for getting on the water helps me to get things into perspective for the days outing
If you are fishing from your own boat, take the time to determine a few things before putting the big engine in gear. Look around the boat dock or marina for bait fish and bass, both visual and using your sonar unit. What is the water temperature, how deep is the bait or bass in the marina area. This information helps to determine what seasonal period it is for the bass and where they may be located.
We all get a little wired anticipating catching bass the first stop, the first cast, so I make a few around the marina to get a feel for casting and the lure I plan to start with. Caught a lot of good bass doing this!
My go to lure is a jig or a swimbait, rarely start off with either unless I know what is happening on the lake from fishing it recently. I like to get the wiggles out by casting a crankbait, buzzer or spinner bait around tight shore cover early in the mourning, then get out my go to lures before leaving the area. I also always meter the area I just fished before running somewhere else to determine if there is fish there that didn't respond, so I can go back in an hour or so. Depth is very important when fishing slower, you should know how deep the bass are holding so you don't fish too shallow or too deep. This is another reason I slow down and use my sonar so often.
Your goal is catching bass, not making a few hundred casts.
Tom
Bluebasser86 reply :
I have to do something to distract me a little to help slow down. I try to drag my jig and count all the rocks and sticks and feel how big they are. Sometimes it's just a matter of taking a deep breath and getting really focused. I like to cover water and find the aggressive fish too but sometimes that just isn't an option. Last time I fished Table Rock we had to drag a jig painfully slow from 10-50 feet deep just to get a bite or two an hour. We did alright though and one of the long time guides on the lake was shocked at the fish we were catching. Apparently they were having a hard time putting people on fish even with live bait and the tournaments that weekend were being won with a few pounds less weight than what we were catching. Times like that make you realize how important it is to slow down sometimes.
SissySticks reply :
On 4/23/2013 at 6:01 AM, Paul Roberts said:Excellent post, Sissysticks. I take it your druthers is to wield a light spinning rig (sissy stick)? That's how I started off, after reading of Charlie Brewer. Haven't read his book though. Going to have to add it to my reading list.
I carry a couple baitcasters because I like to throw a creature on a draggin' head and because I'm a touch more accurate with one when I need to drop a senko or a topwater in a tiny shoreline pocket, and I suppose also because I just happen to have a couple nice baitcasting rigs. But probably 75-80% of my fishing is with a light to medium power spinning rod and some kind of small soft plastic on a lightweight jighead or a drop shot rig. I'm spectacularly overanalytical by nature, so even though my head tells me to simplify, I'm constantly fighting the baitmonkey, so my post was for myself as much as the OP. What I *** the most about Brewer and Kehde (read his blog on IN-Fisherman!) is the simplicity of their fishing systems. Both are/were happy to go out with 1 360 box full of baits and be not only perfectly content, but exceptionally successful. I wish I could get there myself. I'm working on it.
ClackerBuzz reply :
time on the water helps a lot IE successful slow fishing accidents/experiences. when i first started fishing i overworked a jig for 3 months with no success. put it down for 2 months. tied it back on one day for fun...cast 20 times while over hopping it...then i cast but answered my cell phone to talk to my girl for 3 mins. hung up and as soon as i moved my slack line the fish inhaled it. first jig fish and a great lesson. i was way overworking jigs. i've been addicted to jigs ever since.
i initially didn't like senkos either b/c it was too painful to work them slowly. but i kept bumping into guys that would pull out their cell phone's with monster bass pix caught on senkos. my next outing i had 20 unsuccessful/overworked casts...then cast but the worm sank to the bottom while i bent down to tie up my hiking boot...decided to tie the other boot also...as soon as i tapped my line=fish on. now i know how to dead stick and/or slow drag senkos.
fast forward to last week. i was fishing a new baitcaster while casting into 10-15mph winds= several backlashes on the water. (i removed the excess grease from new reels but don't bother soaking the bearings. they still have too much oil for my liking b/c of backlashing). the bite was tuff b/c its spawn. it took me 30 seconds to pick out my backlash. as soon as i twitched the line...fish on. i instantly noted and tried to duplicate the 30 second pause. to tell the truth i had a VERY hard time b/c i was keeping a semi-slack line which the fish were sensing VS backlashes are on a 100% slack line. i almost couldn't bring myself to do it b/c it goes against everything i practice as an angler ie "feel the bite". only after i backlashed a 2nd time and instantly got another fish was i able to give the lure 100% slack. that was the pattern for the day. and i duplicated it w/ a jig, bare crawl and t-rig. the fish just wanted a free fall to 30 sec deadstick while on 100% slack line.
always assume there is a monster 'nosing' ur lure when it first hits the bottom. after that its just a matter of figuring out how to entice them.
Paul Roberts reply :
On 4/23/2013 at 10:53 PM, SissySticks said:I carry a couple baitcasters because I like to throw a creature on a draggin' head and because I'm a touch more accurate with one when I need to drop a senko or a topwater in a tiny shoreline pocket, and I suppose also because I just happen to have a couple nice baitcasting rigs. But probably 75-80% of my fishing is with a light to medium power spinning rod and some kind of small soft plastic on a lightweight jighead or a drop shot rig. I'm spectacularly overanalytical by nature, so even though my head tells me to simplify, I'm constantly fighting the baitmonkey, so my post was for myself as much as the OP. What I *** the most about Brewer and Kehde (read his blog on IN-Fisherman!) is the simplicity of their fishing systems. Both are/were happy to go out with 1 360 box full of baits and be not only perfectly content, but exceptionally successful. I wish I could get there myself. I'm working on it.
Sounds like we're cut from similar cloth. I'm very analytical too. With the complexity I see in nature, I'm not sure sure I'm "over-analytical" though.
I agree though that separating where versatility ends and obsessive consumerism begins can be a trick. I'm susceptible too, even at my age where I have a resonable handle on just how much time I actually have to make use of all those techniques.
I've read Ned's stuff and understand that game pretty well, if not his philosophy. The plains reservoirs where he practices his craft really lend themselves to finesse presentations. We have some similar waters here in CO too, although I only fish one close by that qualifies. I was introduced to this water by a young angler a number of years ago. Then a couple of seasons back we had an especially huge hatch year of bass and many local waters were filled with fingerlings. The big bait bite fell through the floor and I got to return the favor by introducing this young guy to finesse fishing. I gave him a handful of Slider heads and he was back in business on this water.
If I had to choose to simplify to one rig, it would probably be med spinning and a box of jigs/worms. Of course, there are some waters here I couldn't fish anymore, except very early in the season. Thus, I might need two rigs, adding a MH for when the vegetation grows thick in most of my waters. And then .... 
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