How often do you target another species? 2024
BuzzHudson19c reply :
Once or twice a summer me and the guys will do some night catfishing. When the bass get sluggish late fall I will target pike and pickerel a few times. Other than that it's bass all season.
How often does everyone switch it up?
Sword of the Lord reply :
Never for me. No interest. If bass didn't exist, sure, but they do.
Team9nine reply :
When I was fishing tournaments, I'd say it was 90/10 in favor of bass, and the 10% only came after all the tourneys had ended. Now days it is much closer to 50/50, maybe 60/40 with a nod to bass. Crappie get a good chunk all year, as do walleye at certain times of the year. Bluegill spawn gets some attention also.
CroakHunter reply :
Bluegill spawn gets 1 or 2 trips. Rest of the year it's largemouth.
flyfisher reply :
for me it is about proximity to the fishing areas. When i lived in trout and smallmouth land i fished 60/40 trout to bass. now i am probably 90/10 bass everything else.
soflabasser reply :
I am more of a multi species fisherman than a bass fisherman so I would say I probably fish 80% or more for other species of fish. Have caught several double digit bass,hundreds of bass over 6 pounds,and plan on bass fishing for the rest of my life.
Dtrombly reply :
Very rarely, like once a year me and my daughter will target bluegill to take home.
Sword of the Lord reply :
One of the things I love about us serious anglers is we can and do target species, and get the results of that specific target. Whereas other people just go fish to fish for whatever, and the idea of being able to catch what you want is foreign.
Russ E reply :
98% of the time it is black bass.
If white bass or wipers are feeding on the surface I will pursue them for a change of pace.
A-Jay reply :
Up here, it's not like I target other species exactly.
It more like just 'being prepared' for other species . . .
A-Jay
Ksam1234 reply :
If the bass get slow to biting or I just feel like more of an adrenaline rushing day I'll go fish for northern pike or Muskie .. I would say 65% bass 35% toothy critters
Mumbly reply :
I sometimes will target Chain Pickerel specifically for fun. Also living on the coast, I do a fair amount of saltwater fishing as well.
Scott F reply :
During the course of a season, I’ll catch pike, musky, walleyes, and on occasion, the odd panfish or two. But these are all accidental catches as I almost never target anything but bass, smallmouth mostly, and largemouth sometimes.
38 Super Fan reply :
Pretty much Bass only here. But if a bunch of Stripers start schooling on top, I've been known to cast to them. 
Dorado reply :
It's seasonal peaks with other species that dictate my priorities. I like to target stripers with paddle tails and underspins in coves in the winter and Trout immediately after ice out from my kayak. Catfishing with slip bobbers in the dog days of summer is a blast when the bass fishing comes to a complete halt. When the crappie spawn, I will always pick a couple epic outings to get some slabs. Fly fishing will always be my greatest passion but I haven't touched it since moving to Arizona :/
Bluebasser86 reply :
I'm very much a multispecies guy. I'm always down to chase something else if I find a hot bite for another species of fish. Spent some time after walleye Tuesday, and I meant to try for some cats on Monday but forgot my throw net to get any shad. Last week it was crappie and bluegills, the week before that I was casting a fly at grass carp whenever I'd spot one. I enjoy chasing all of them.
clh121787 reply :
When ever my freezer is getting low on crappie . I used to trotline alot. Big flat head is some of the finest tablefair in the south.
fishwizzard reply :
I live by some great white perch rivers and will take a dozen or so trips each year to target them. Sometimes I try to target panfish but usually end up trying more for bass once I get one or two as bycatch. I got was was likely my PB smallie while casting at a pool full of 6" Redbreasts.
DogBone_384 reply :
I fish for trout when the bass start shutting down for the winter. Trout taste good!
JustinCT reply :
I used to fish saltwater far more than I do today, now I'm 99% bass. Still, if I'm on vacation somewhere near the coast I'll hit the salt and target anything that'll bite.
Oregon Native reply :
Pretty much only when the grandkids want to go fishing....used to multi a lot but bass are first on the list now. Probably a good thing I don't live in Florida as I would also walk the beach's fishing saltwater. Won't cut my line either when a big muskie or striper grabs a lure.
Dang....guess I just like being on the water!!
deep reply :
Almost never. But then, every gamefish species here like my jerkbaits. So I do take an occasional break.
YoTone reply :
Ive only been targeting areas that also include northern snake heads.
their top water strikes and fights are just so violent that i cant ignore.
TOXIC reply :
Aside from the unintentional catches while fishing for bass (Catfish, Perch, Blue Gills, Snakehead, etc.), I will target Crappie when the water gets cold enough because there's nuthin like some fried Crappie fillets.
scaleface reply :
I primarily bass fish but if I get on the whites out on the flats I will wear them out . The channels and blues are usually mixed in with them and a channel cat will just smash a Red Eye Shad on the drop . I think they try to get it before the white bass so they hit hard and are run with it .
SummertimeCarl reply :
If I'm on a lake, I'm targeting bass only.
However, I'll often fish creeks (glorified "ditches") and fish a 2" grub for sunfish or creek chubs or whatever is hungry that day. Love the colors of those little creek fish and like that they are easily tricked.
Scarborough817 reply :
the only time i target anything else is before bass opens up here
N Florida Mike reply :
Ive said this before but if I had to do one kind of fishing and give up the rest, I would keep bass fishing. That being said, I also do some inshore fishing for Redfish,flounder,sheepheads, trout, etc.And once in a while some offshore bottom fishing. Also love surf fishing. I live about 15 miles from the ocean so oppirtunities abound. I also do some catfishing and bream. Id say I bass fish 70% and the rest 30%.
Bassfishin91 reply :
I love targeting largemouth year round. But living in Miami when ever i feel like going for a quick aggressive bite and some fun or bring someone into the sport of fishing ill go peacock fishing. Once in a blue moon me and my friend will go saltwater fishing targeting snook. The beauty of living in south Florida is i have access to all kinds of fishing and down to fish with chill people.
HookRz reply :
Up my way bass fishing usually is multi-species fishing by default, and vice-versa. I do a lot of spring shore casting for Walleye off the Lake Erie beaches, and always end up catching a few big Smallies and I've caught walleye, lake trout and steelhead fishing for SM out on the big lake. Inland I've caught 5 pound largemouth on tiny panfish jigs and the biggest crappie of my life flipping a 1/2 oz jig and craw in the pads. Not complaining. It's all good!
12poundbass reply :
As a kid I chased after the pan fish, got bored (not enough fight) , and we used to troll for walleye (snooze fest when you're younger than 12). Now it's all bass. I'd like to hook into a pike or it's big brother some day until then just bass for me.
islandbass reply :
I'm a bass angler at heart and always will be. With that said, just like the Pokémon adage, "I want to catch'em all."
As a shorebound angler living in the pacific nw, I have to face the reality that there are times during the year I will not be able to catch bass because they are simply out of reach.
I was initially a die hard bass or nothing angler but after a good number of fruitless and nonproductive fishing outings in the dead of winter from the shore, freezing to the bone and not even feeling a fish fart, no more. Other species here bigger and stronger than bass peak during the tough to catch bass time. Ever battle a chum salmon? Imagine a fight with a smallie but magnified 100 fold.
And then there's saltwater fishing. Don't know for sure why some of these saltwater fish fight so well.
My eyes opened up and I realized I was actually denying myself the pleasure and awesomeness of battling other species of fish. You get to feel and learn the subtle differences in how they fight, what they'll bite.
That is the upside. The downside is your bait monkey might start rattling his cage and sending you subliminal messages and planting suggestions in your head to buy appropriate gear.
soflabasser reply :
On 9/22/2017 at 12:30 AM, islandbass said:My eyes opened up and I realized I was actually denying myself the pleasure and awesomeness of battling other species of fish. You get to feel and learn the subtle differences in how they fight, what they'll bite.
Well said @islandbass! Multi species fishing is far more fun than just sticking to 1 species of fish. I love to bass fish but there is no denying other species of fish fight harder and can be more of a challenge to catch than bass. I like to travel for fishing and have been doing it more often since it gives me the opportunity to catch new species of fish that I have only seen in pictures before. Last year I caught my first muskie, this year I caught more muskies, my first couple smallmouth bass, white bass, freshwater drum, and other new species, I could not do that if I didn't venture out of my comfort zone and just stick to bass fishing in South Florida. I plan on traveling to South America, Asia, and other parts of the world to catch exotic fish, both freshwater and saltwater. Got to enjoy life before I am too old to enjoy it!
NYWayfarer reply :
I take trips to target Trout and Lakers from time to time. I mostly fish for Bass though. If the Bass aren't biting I might tie on some panfish lures and go for Sunfish.
Saltwater fishing is also fun when I get the chance. Bluefish, Fluke and Flounder are my usual targets.
soflabasser reply :
On 9/21/2017 at 8:19 PM, YoTone said:Ive only been targeting areas that also include northern snake heads.
their top water strikes and fights are just so violent that i cant ignore.
I fish for snakeheads as well in South Florida , but a different species called the bullseye snakehead and they hit a topwater so hard that they make bass look like tame puppies. The big ones fight with surprising strength for a freshwater fish and I can compare the initial power of a +8 pound snakehead to a decent snook heading to the mangroves.How was the peacock bass fishing on your vacation? Did you go to the places I mentioned in the response I gave to you in your PM and did you catch some nice ones? Looking towards to your report!
YoTone reply :
On 9/22/2017 at 1:40 AM, soflabasser said:I fish for snakeheads as well in South Florida , but a different species called the bullseye snakehead and they hit a topwater so hard that they make bass look like tame puppies. The big ones fight with surprising strength for a freshwater fish and I can compare the initial power of a +8 pound snakehead to a decent snook heading to the mangroves.How was the peacock bass fishing on your vacation? Did you go to the places I mentioned in the response I gave to you in your PM and did you catch some nice ones? Looking towards to your report!
Oh wow, i completely forgot to thank you for the info. It was rough! fishing clear waters like that was definitely new. I tried blue lagoon several times and only got a few followers. went on google maps and fished some sketchy canals in the city but no takers. one of my last ditch efforts was to try tropical park and i was lucky enough to catch a peacock bass on a rappala skitter pop. I think a clear leader definitely helped. like i said, i totally forgot to thank you so my apologies.
soflabasser reply :
You are welcome @YoTone , glad I was able to help you in your quest to catch your first peacock bass. Yes the waters down here are very clear for the most part and the bass tend to be much more difficult to catch than up north. On my most recent vacation up north I noticed that smallmouth are much easier to catch than peacock bass down here, but both species are very similar in what lures they bite. Did you try jerkbaits for peacock bass when you fished the areas that I mentioned ? Peacocks bass love jerk baits and there are plenty of days you can catch more peacock bass on jerk baits than most lures. Topwaters are a excellent choice as well as crank baits and prop baits such as the Heddon torpedo. As for line choice I tend to use 8-12 pound big game monofilament for peacock bass and haven't seem much of a difference in bites compared to fluorocarbon, even in bodies of water with +15 feet water visibility which we have several of.
Lures'n'Liberty reply :
I love flathead fishing and work too much to really get my bass on as much as I'd like. I'll chase bass when I can, but most of my fishing time is on the rivershore at night with a little time in beforehand going after panfish for bait. Just got a new garage fridge, hoping to fill it with panfish and a few other species for cutbait this weekend by keeping another line out when bassin' from the kayak.
BuzzHudson19c reply :
On 9/21/2017 at 8:19 PM, YoTone said:Ive only been targeting areas that also include northern snake heads.
their top water strikes and fights are just so violent that i cant ignore.
I've been trying to convince a buddy of mine to go with me to Va and fish the Potomac for snakeheads. They look like fun.
TOXIC reply :
On 9/22/2017 at 9:47 AM, BuzzHudson19c said:I've been trying to convince a buddy of mine to go with me to Va and fish the Potomac for snakeheads. They look like fun.
They are.....and can be BIG!! 14lbs on 8lb test!!
gimruis reply :
I used to do a sizable amount of walleye fishing when I was younger. Mostly because they are excellent in the fry pan. Over the course of the past decade or so, I've mostly targeted bass. I do a couple panfish trips in the early spring before game fish seasons open, and I musky fish about 5-8 times a year too but 75% of the time now its specifically targeting bass whether that be largies or smallies. I'd like to target muskies more but its very physically demanding not to mention they're extremely difficult to catch. I'm lucky enough to live in the land of 10,000 lakes and have access to a lot of fisheries that have healthy populations of game fish.
tholmes reply :
I'm primarily a bass fisherman, but I'll target whatever is biting. I love catfishing on warm summer nights, spring crappie fishing and catching bluegills with my great-grandson. The small (50 acre) community lake that I fish the most is stocked with wipers, and they're a blast! A double digit wiper is a pretty good fight on light spinning tackle!
Tom
Looch reply :
all the time, especially if you consider stripers and wipers other species(they are). I'm pretty much usually targeting hybrid stripers and smallmouth are a by-catch. Sure that's a bass lure but I knew the pike were there, super shallow water where pike and musky were attacking baitfish. That was the biggest topwater plug I had with me.
Ratherbfishing reply :
About anytime the bass bite is really slow. And sometimes I target the other species specifically. But not too often. About 4 or 5 times a year.
Bankbeater reply :
In the winter I will fish for crappie and bluegill if the water is not frozen over.
YoTone reply :
On 9/22/2017 at 9:20 PM, TOXIC said:They are.....and can be BIG!! 14lbs on 8lb test!!
Oh my lord thats huge.
are double digit snake heads common over there?
Turkey sandwich reply :
I'd say that at least 50% of my fishing is smallmouth with largemouth and trout making up most of what's left. I don't get as many opportunities as I'd like with the fly rod, but I've really begun to love it. I have been out in the past year for flounder, amberjack, and barracuda, and have caught a ton of other species along the way. This winter, I'm hoping to get a tarpon in Mexico and by this time next year a variety of salmon, dolly Varden, and grayling in Alaska.
TOXIC reply :
On 9/25/2017 at 9:03 AM, YoTone said:Oh my lord thats huge.
are double digit snake heads common over there?
The record for the Potomac is 18lbs and change but any double digit is considered a very good fish. There are Guides specializing in Snakehead trips, tournaments for them as well. The bowfishermen have pretty much kept them in check but they are still plentiful. They have spread to a lot of waters around here. Some have been illegally introduced (Lake Brittle, Lake Anna) and in some cases people have been prosecuted.
Lucky Craft Man reply :
Interesting question. I looked through my trip log records so far for this year and here is the break down per species I target:
38.8% - Musky
22.2% - Smallmouth
22.2% - Trout
11.1% - Bluegills with the Kids
5.7% - Walleye
0.0% - Largemouth
Steelhead season is coming up, so these percentages will change, but that is where I am now.
Steveo-1969 reply :
About March through October I am specifically targeting smallmouth every time I fish. Then November through February I'm specifically targeting walleyes. There is definitely overlap between the two species and of course other species are caught as well.
Fried Lemons reply :
I go through phases. I'll get really into catching a certain species and devote all my time and effort into catching that particular fish. Once the season changes or I have some success I'll switch to another species. I feel every species of fish has something unique to offer, be it a technique used to catch it or a particular way of fighting.
This season I really keyed in on the invasive flathead catfish in my area. Lots of fun to catch with an extremely powerful fight.
I still default to bass fishing for at least 60% of my time on the water.
Looch reply :
On 9/25/2017 at 6:34 AM, Bankbeater said:In the winter I will fish for crappie and bluegill if the water is not frozen over.
I love ice fishing, last year we didn't really have an ice fishing season because it never got cold enough. Hope it's different this year, got a bunch of new gear I never got to use.
bigbill reply :
I don't target other fish, they target me while I'm bass fishing. They pretty much like the same baits.
salmon manns baby 1 crankbaits
pickerel inline spinners, cranks, spinnerbaits
Cak920 reply :
Quite often I target pike. Once in a while catfish. Get out for the trout and salmon run and at least once a year for sturgeon
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