What Do You Throw When You Hit Your "panic Button?" 2024
Shoop05 reply :
You are fishing in a relatively tough tournament. You need one fish and you only have 1 hour, it's panic mode time. What lure/setup do you choose? What kind of water do you look for? Ex. laydowns, vegetation, humps, riprap etc.
Just want to see the different thought patterns!
quanjig reply :
Keeper or kicker?
J Francho reply :
I grab a jig rod and start looking for shallow cover. There's always a couple of shallow fish.
flyfisher reply :
I am not a tourney fisherman but when I want to avoid the skunk I go with a fluke or a weightless Texas rigged stick bait and head for shallow vegetation. Of course that is summer time behavior but I seem to be able to always pull out one or two keeper size bass from a grass bed or lily pad field regardless of the time of day or weather.
aharris reply :
If I need a 5th fish, I grab a spinning rod with a 1/8 oz weight and a zoom speed craw and hit the banks.
MIbassin reply :
Spinnerbait in shallow vegetation or a t-rig
Teal reply :
I dont fish many tourneys, but tourney or not when its crunch time and things arent working or when im looking for a big fish, i take out my jig rod and my one of my go to jigs. (Either a green pumkin with orange or an Okeechobee craw color) and i got look for stumps and hydrilla or boat docks that have water willow and hydrilla in and under them.
lazeebum reply :
Fat Albert grub, 3 inch. Sometimes I will go smaller and fish a two inch grub on a lighter head. I don't fish tournaments, this is what I do to avoid getting skunked.
JigMe reply :
baby rage craw T-rigged, and start pitching at covers at shallow water.
Shoop05 reply :
Sorry guys, I shouldve been more specific. Now I can't put every situation up here, ex water color, temp, etc. How about 1 choice for a keeper, and your 1 choice for a kicker?
Shoop05 reply :
My panic for a keeper is a Zoom Big Critter Craw (Grn Pmpkn or Black and Blue depending on water clarity) on a 1/4oz shaky head with a rattle in the craw, and hit every piece of visible cover I could find.
My panic for a kicker is a 1/2 to 1 ounce Strike King Flippin' Jig tipped with a zoom big critter craw as a trailer, same colors as above, and hit the sloppy stuff or really thick stuff on my flippin' stick.
When in doubt, I head for the bushes!!!
papajoe222 reply :
If I'm looking for a kicker and it's post spawn through fall, I break out the buzzers, hard or soft depending on the cover I'm targeting,
If I'm still looking to get my limit, as much as I don't like to, I break out the spinning gear and smaller tube baits and head for some docks.
Of course, if it's pre-spawn or spawn time, a whole different approach could be necessitated to fill out my limit, but I'd still give the buzzer top billing for the kicker as you can cover so much water with it in that short time frame. Yea, I'm old school.
Teal reply :
On 3/12/2013 at 4:41 AM, Shoop05 said:Sorry guys, I shouldve been more specific. Now I can't put every situation up here, ex water color, temp, etc. How about 1 choice for a keeper, and your 1 choice for a kicker?
Ok...
Keeper - Jig/trailer
Kicker - Bigger Jig/bigger trailer
quanjig reply :
Keeper: baby brush hog 3/16 pegged, get shallow, hit everything I can paying close attention to spots that previously productive.
Kicker: deep, 1/2 or larger football jig and look at some ledges or 1/2 scrounger with disco green fluke chartreuse dipped tail way off points targeting suspended fish.
11justin22 reply :
Keeper smaller ribbon tail worm like the zoom u tale on a 1/8 shakey head. That helped me fill my limit several times last year. For a kicker jig with a paca craw.
11justin22 reply :
Should have said also that if I'm going after a keeper and its that late I'm going to get a Kentucky.
roadwarrior reply :
Senko
tbone1993 reply :
If my pattern turned on late and most of my fish came off one bait I will continue with that pattern to finish that hour off. It doesnt make sense to try something that I have not caught any fish on all weekend vs a bait that has caught me fish. But if you my pattern fell apart ( weather changed etc) then I would switch up my bait. For a kicker I would go with the biggest jig I could get away with.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
On 3/12/2013 at 4:13 AM, J Francho said:I grab a jig rod and start looking for shallow cover. There's always a couple of shallow fish.
This exactly^ never been to a lake that didn't hold a few nice ones in shallow cover.
Felix77 reply :
Keeper = senko
Kicker = Magnum Shakey Head
webertime reply :
GP fat ika. Thick junk in shallow water to 25' on rocks they get bit.
ww2farmer reply :
Depends.............if it's down to a hour to go, and all I have is for rats, I am pretty much out of it...........at least in 99.9% of the tournaments I fish. But I'll be dipped if I am not brining a limit in, if only to save face. So I just pick up the dropshot with a small plastic, and make a milk run of spots I KNOW I can catch a 12" fish on.
On the flip side, if I have 4 fish, and they are good ones, and need to cull a smaller one, or just get another bite to be in contention.........I usually try to just grind it out doing what I am doing, and hope for the best. After all , what I am doing has already put a couple decent ones in the boat.
wakeeater reply :
i grab a 1/4 ounce black/blue jig with a black&blue ragetail craw and start flipping docks. for both keeper & kicker.
jhoffman reply :
Kicker - Jig - RipRap on a point adjacent to the main channel
Keeper - Drop Shot - Trick Worm, Road Bed or Creek Channel
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Keeper: jig or a fluke in shallow wood. Money.
Kicker: jig on deeper brush piles or the swimbait. Go big or go home.
J Francho reply :
I don't bother with the keeper. Never understood the "I'm wasting my time on a limit, then I'm gonna fish for culls." Seems like a waste of time. I've come in the money with three fish - no shame in that!
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
On 3/12/2013 at 9:02 PM, J Francho said:I don't bother with the keeper. Never understood the "I'm wasting my time on a limit, then I'm gonna fish for culls." Seems like a waste of time. I've come in the money with three fish - no shame in that!
Come fish a T in PA some time. LOL
Remember the Classic in Pittsburgh a while back? 
Hanover_Yakker reply :
Both are the same for me - shakey head and targeting cover but the difference might be between a 4-5" finesse or small profile soft plastic versus a 7-10" trick worm, stick bait or large creature bait. Same technique though just different sizes of the lure. It's not necessarily a "panic" bait, but more of one that forces me to slow down and relax. The bite quickly follows oddly enough in most cases.
J Francho reply :
There's a reason there's so many PA plates at the launch ramps where I fish. I'm not going to PA to find out why!On 3/12/2013 at 9:06 PM, SPEEDBEAD. said:Come fish a T in PA some time. LOL
Remember the Classic in Pittsburgh a while back?
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
You're exactly right. That's what I mean! LOL
zwhiten12 reply :
I'm speaking summer, but I would get a trigged stick bait in a watermelon magic color. This has always worked for me.
A-Jay reply :
What Do You Throw When You Hit Your "panic Button?"
The Anchor ~ 
A-Jay
tugsandpulls reply :
inline spinner or weightless senko
Felix77 reply :
A grenade...
Seriously. Right now it's the shakey head
J Francho reply :
Last summer I fished a lunker tournament at Upper Saranac. I fished for big smallies all day. Probably caught fifty or more, all dinks. With an hour to go, I went exploring, looking for "familiar water." I found a shallow cove with docks and laydowns. Pull out the jig rod and have at it. I got three bites from fish still on beds. This is the third bite pictured below. Not quite 4 lbs. - a monster on that particular lake. Yes, I won.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Return of the Jedi shirt? What are you, six? LOL
J Francho reply :
The Force is strong with me.
ww2farmer reply :
On 3/12/2013 at 9:02 PM, J Francho said:I don't bother with the keeper. Never understood the "I'm wasting my time on a limit, then I'm gonna fish for culls." Seems like a waste of time. I've come in the money with three fish - no shame in that!
Me neither...........I start the day fishing for the type of fish that it takes to win, and fish that way all day long. But come an hour left to go and I only have 4 small fish, my foolish pride just won't let me not bring a limit to the scales....and gosh darn it, I worked hard all day to catch an 8lb limit, those fish are going for a ride to the scales if they like it or not. I should probably get over that, as I only fish opens, with no points on the line, where a small limit of keepers is only good enough for donation of my entry fee.............but I just can't do it. I guess I am of the opinion of "well if it was tough for me, it must have been tough for everybody, and usually it is, so at least having a limit, no matter how small is a little glimmer of hope..........until the first bag hits the scales LOL.
J Francho reply :
I think if you have four dinks, and you know it's you, not the fish, that might change the mindset a little.
Paul Roberts reply :
I guess I'm glad I don't fish tourneys, then I don't have to "panic". Lotsa good choices above though - i particularly like the jig, worm, and buzzbait options.
I do remember one day, long ago, being particularly frustrated at the slow fishing, and at the very end finally pulling out a single-spin and (angrily) ripping it off bottom then letting it fall. I did that maybe 6 times and on the seventh I yanked up into heavy weight -nearly 5lbs of it. When things seem "sleepy" out there, I'll try ripping a SB, heavy jig, blade, or crashing stuff with a crankbait.
I also have seen fish come alive following disturbances. I once caught onto the fact that stale steelhead would bite after drift boats passed overhead. Stale steelies suddenly becoming catchable after you moved them. Boot em out of their pocket and then come back and fish through after a 10min rest. Trout coming alive after someone waded through, or just upstream. I started to employ this myself at times. It really works. Smallies that come alive behind a dragged anchor. Largemouths going on the offensive after a boat roars through a channel rolling up weeds and sediment. I guess the fish need a little "panic" sometimes.
J Francho reply :
QuoteLargemouths going on the offensive after a boat roars through a channel rolling up weeds and sediment.
Agitation. Walleye guys have been doing weird things for years, like dragging chain link fencing and coming back to fish the area. Often, if you can get one fish to bite, you'll "ignite" the others in the area.
jhoffman reply :
Theres a controversial technique in trout fishing called "The San Juan Shuffle" basically you go upstream and stir up nymphs and what not on the bottom to create a feeding frenzy then tear them up. Well, Im certain you could have the same effect with a boat.
Paul Roberts reply :
Yes, the "shuffle" can be pretty destructive, if many people are doing it. Certainly wouldn't want something like that to become too popular in popular waters.
BassinB reply :
On 3/13/2013 at 2:12 AM, jhoffman said:Theres a controversial technique in trout fishing called "The San Juan Shuffle" basically you go upstream and stir up nymphs and what not on the bottom to create a feeding frenzy then tear them up. Well, Im certain you could have the same effect with a boat.
I just fish near a school of carp for this same desired effect.
Keeper fish: senko
Kicker fish: jig
quanjig reply :
J, congrats on the lunker and the ability to pull off the "schmedium" tee! LOL!!
J Francho reply :
On 3/13/2013 at 7:29 PM, quanjig said:J, congrats on the lunker and the ability to pull off the "schmedium" tee! LOL!!
Thanks. The shirt is a bit of an inside joke. I hadn't made that tournament for a couple years, and when I announced I was coming, there was some smack talk. I basically said I would be a boater for this one, and was coming to show them how to win, lol. Hence, the Jedi T.
roadwarrior reply :
You will need that shirt at Pickwick.
J Francho reply :
On 3/13/2013 at 11:20 AM, BassinB said:I just fish near a school of carp for this same desired effect. Keeper fish: senko Kicker fish: jig
Carp drive me nuts, especially during the spawn. They're overly disruptive when spawning.
Siebert Outdoors reply :
On 3/12/2013 at 4:13 AM, J Francho said:I grab a jig rod and start looking for shallow cover. There's always a couple of shallow fish.
Ditto, a jig + laydowns is almost 100%.
slonezp reply :
Jig or a senko
ColdSVT reply :
On 3/12/2013 at 5:25 AM, Teal said:Ok...Keeper - Jig/trailer
Kicker - Bigger Jig/bigger trailer
yup...or ill break out a creature...since I absolutely love a sweet beaver I usually add one as a trailer on a jig when I am super desperate
dumfish reply :
I only have an hour! No reason to panic, I'll focus on keeping my line in the water and would'nt change a thing. Do'nt have time to change my logistics dude.
Shoop05 reply :
On 3/14/2013 at 7:13 AM, dumfish said:I only have an hour! No reason to panic, I'll focus on keeping my line in the water and would'nt change a thing. Do'nt have time to change my logistics dude.
I wasn't so much focussed on time as I was basically what your Go To baits would be when looking for a Keeper and Kicker 
mjseverson24 reply :
keeper = reaction bait (spinner/ crankbait)
( I find that when i am in trouble the slower techniques like t-rig and jigs are hard to fish properly because i go way too fast. this is usually not a problem for cranks and spinnerbaits. )
Kicker = hollow body frog in the slop or pensil reeds.
(This technique for me has the largest average size fish.)
Mitch
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