“The definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results”. Seen this in a doctor’s office the other day and got to thinking how much it does apply to bass fishing. How often do you go to the same spot and throw the same baits because they worked last week or maybe last year at this exact time? I keep logs of all my fishing so that I can refer and get an idea of what the fish were doing at that time of the year, what the water temps were and so on. In years past I would head straight to those spots and hope the fish were doing the same thing. Most times it didn’t work out quite as planned.
I have learned over the years though that while keeping logs is great they are not a built in success story unless you really pay attention to the data and not so much the number of fish caught. A log should help you build a possible pattern. For example, last year you caught fish on north banks with a spinnerbait in 1-3 feet of water! Your data shows that you had a water temperature in the upper 60’s, a south wind of 10-15, and partly cloudy skies. Now let’s take that data and analyze a bit. The upper 60’s for a water temperature is very comfortable for a bass, and they will be active and feeding, especially with partly cloudy skies. Partly cloudy skies tell me that we are between fronts, not post front because it would be blue bird skies and not pre front as it would be cloudy skies. Now for the wind factor, south wind and you caught fish on north banks? Well pretty obvious with the stable frontal conditions and comfortable water the fish were probably chasing shad that were blown up on the banks and spinnerbait is a perfect choice.
So today, it’s dead calm and blue bird skies. We can’t go chucking spinnerbaits at those same north banks and expect to hit the mother lode; it’s bass fishing so you never know? However, I’d bet, if the water temperature is about the same, a slow moving top water all day long would be a better choice. Also, a trick work or senko might produce well. Usually after a front we have blue bird skies but also a strong north wind. With the day being dead calm, I’d guess that we were at least 2 days after a front. Fronts push fish up in cover and slowly, day by day, they will venture out further and further to feed.
Without getting crazy with scenarios… I was just thinking about how many folks I talk to that say, “Man I smoked them there last year but spent half the day trying to get them to bite and nothing”. And then that sign in the doctor’s office? Well just food for thought when looking at your logs and planning out your next fishing trip. Use your information but use it to develop a pattern and not so much a spot.
Get the Net it’s a Hawg
Mike Cork
