[oldschool]

Everyone tends to do what they are comfortable with and had success with. Bass fishing is no different and we go to the same places and use the exact technique that worked the last time out, regardless what the bass are actually doing at that time. This is one reason why local bass club fisherman do poorly fishing their home water, they fish memories instead of fishing the conditions at the moment.
This is one reason why I took the time to post seasonal patterns and tried to explain the importance of determining what bass should be doing during that period, so you will have a starting point to check out bass locations and activity levels. Going to your favorite locations during the wrong seasonal period and using a presentation that does not target active bass at that time usually ends up as wasted day. If you didn't survey the marina area by looking at the water to determine the clarity and with your state of the art sonar to determine what depth the bass and bait fish may be using there and just fired up the boat and ran to that spot you like to fish with that lure that always works, you may be in for a long day.
It's a new year, so re read the seasonal posts and let the bass tell you what they want and where the are. Each day on the water is always a little different and this helps to make this sport what it is...fun and challenging.
Tom

 

[Guest]

That is what I did this morning. I followed the conditions for today and busted out some bass. I am not much for fishing in cold weather and let me tell you, this morning was pretty cold. I just followed the patterns and conditions and they paid off.

 

[fish4funinfl]

I probably fall into this ' pattern ' all the time ( fishing memories )

 

[imonembad]

Its a brutal habit to break probably harder than quiting smoking. I like to ride with different people sometimes just to go to some new water. However that brings up unwritten rule number one. 1) Never go to water that your buddy showed you with out express written consent.

 

[hi steel basser]

It's not just fishing the same water, it's throwing the same lures too. I think we're all guilty as charged on all counts- I am. I've been fishing spotted bass lakes so much lately that my past few trips to LMB lakes have resulted in bad days. My New Year's resolution is to get my touch back on the largies. ;D Time to respool a little heavier line and wipe the rust off of the flippin' stick.

 

[OTTER]

Man, this hits me like a ton of bricks.  For years, when the wind would come up and I'd be fightin' the trolling motor, I'd move into a cove and get out of the wind.  This past summer my son-in-law and I faced the same conditions and did what came naturally--moved into a cove.  Then the bricks fell!!!  I suggested that we fight the wind and hit the point that the wave action was on and guess what--5 casts, 4 measurable bass for me and he has 3 that measured.  We couldn't get our spinner baits back to the boat without a hit!  I had read about it, people had told me this worked, but it was out of my "comfort zone".  Now it is a part of my comfort zone.  When I read the original post, I thought about the number of times I hit the same area of the lake because I had caught some fish there once but wasn't taking into consideration the conditions, etc.  Then I'd be hacked because it was unproductive.  It finally hit me, the lake wasn't being unproductive, it was me and my refusal to leave my comfort zone and start paying attention to what the conditions were telling me and being comfortable trying different lures and techniques.  Being open to new ideas and approaches is the hardest thing for a human to do but to be successful on the lake--you gotta be willing. :withstupid:

 

[Shannon]

I'm guilty as well! Somebody needs to kick me to get me to change sometimes. :banghead: :withstupid:

 

[TampaCountryBoy]

Tom, this brings up another question. I believe we all guilty of fishing comfort zones and historical patterns. I read that Bass are very territorial and do not move greatest distances from what could be termed their home area. Given that any pointers on reading those waters and locating the Bass as they move within a given area? Do you know how big the home area may be for a bass?

 

[oldschool]

That really depends on several factors; type of bass, size and type of lake, river or pond. Bass, you mean northern largemouth bass? ie; bass are bass. It has been my experience and I'm sure Jim has tracking data for highland power generating bass, that bass move or migrate from location to location to return to a home area seanonally. In clear desert canyon reservoir I have witnessed a large school of LMB crossing several miles of open water to reach the other side of the lake in a direct migration rout over very deep water. This gives you some idea of the misconception we have about bass needing way points or channels to follow to migrate. The biggest bass pick out the ambush sites they prefer and routinely move within a home range to take advantage of available prey. I have for example caught the same bass at the same spot, during the same seasonal period (pre-spawn) for several years. I have no idea where this bass locates it's home area after spawning, however I believe it is somewhere close to the staging area. During the summer period bass tend to roam the shoreline or shallow break lines at night and can cover a few miles. Smallmouth and spots tend to roam most of the time and locate on deeper outside isolated structure, where largemouth tend to prefer structure with cover and hold longer to ambush prey. Florida LMB tend to roam more seeking larger prey fish than northern LMB, however both will hold in heavy cover at times.
This is my experience and sure others will have a different opinion. One factor to keep in mind is the activity level of bass varies, you can locate them, however making them bite your lure is another issue altogether and that is why you need to be flexible with your presentations and locations.
Tom

 

[imonembad]

The bassmasters have been studing the movements of bass fitted with the radio transmitters. They are probably ready to start showing reruns. It is kinda interesting to watch the fish and their movements.

 

[OTTER]

They had one last year that moved from it's release point to a location 5 miles away and then over a two day period, moved back to the original release point. It seemed to suprise them that that fish moved so far. I found that show to be real interesting. :fish:

 

[Guest]

I think a good spot will replenish the bass. I have a couple of spots like that but they seem to be dead during certain times and fill back up at others. If the lilly pads are there, so are the fish but when they die off the fish seem to move elsewhere. I haven't found "elsewhere" yet.... If I catch a good fish, I release it right away to the same spot. If it is a smaller one, I give it a boat ride back to my dock and release it there to avail the spot to a larger fish.
Even in windier conditions I can position the boat out of the wind and cast into the current caused by the wind into a jetty type situation.
Being in Houston, the fishing is year round and memories seem to work most of the time. If I was in an area where the weather changed drastically, I think the effect would be different.
Maybe some of the Floridians have some of the same experiences?

 

[oldschool]

I think a good spot will replenish the bass. I have a couple of spots like that but they seem to be dead during certain times and fill back up at others. If the lilly pads are there, so are the fish but when they die off the fish seem to move elsewhere. I haven't found "elsewhere" yet.... If I catch a good fish, I release it right away to the same spot. If it is a smaller one, I give it a boat ride back to my dock and release it there to avail the spot to a larger fish.
Even in windier conditions I can position the boat out of the wind and cast into the current caused by the wind into a jetty type situation.
Being in Houston, the fishing is year round and memories seem to work most of the time. If I was in an area where the weather changed drastically, I think the effect would be different.
Maybe some of the Floridians have some of the same experiences?

I'm not suggesting that you go brain dead and forget what you know about bass locations, just trying to expand your horizons a little.
Tom

 

[River.Rick]

Tom, I'm also guilty of fishing memories and most times this does me in during a tourney.I live on a river ,know all of the spots where the smallies should be but on most of the competition days I just can't seem to fill my box.The main river that I fish is in most places is a fast moving shallow river.Some days I crush them but most days I don't.I switch up my baits alot , try not to use my goto baits when they don't seem to be working for me,but some days nothing seems to work for me.Even when I do fill my box with quality fish someone else always seems to out weigh me.I'm new to this site,there seems to be alot of knowledge here so hopefully I will pick up on a few things that will help me achieve some success.
Rick

 

[oldschool]

Tom, I'm also guilty of fishing memories and most times this does me in during a tourney.I live on a river ,know all of the spots where the smallies should be but on most of the competition days I just can't seem to fill my box.The main river that I fish is in most places is a fast moving shallow river.Some days I crush them but most days I don't.I switch up my baits alot , try not to use my goto baits when they don't seem to be working for me,but some days nothing seems to work for me.Even when I do fill my box with quality fish someone else always seems to out weigh me.I'm new to this site,there seems to be alot of knowledge here so hopefully I will pick up on a few things that will help me achieve some success.
Rick

I new here too. Did I send you the Rivers report article, In-Fisherman?
Tom

 

[River.Rick]

No Tom you didn't but if you could do that I would appreciate it.
Rick

 

[Ouachita]

I'm reading Tom's opening post to say don't do what some guys did last weekend in a one-day small local tournament (30 boats). One of them that I eat breakfast with at a shop often heard the bass were spawning...in Florida. He got with his fishing buddy to plan ahead. We're talking bonafide ******** here These guys know better than to do this, but they did it and were the first to leave before weigh-in. They put a plan together, both plotting their favorite spawning beds and pre-spawn staging areas, figuring they had a great advantage. Neither caught a bass. Water temp is 49.

The winner? First prize money went to a deep spooner alternating with a Shad Rap. He came in with 4 bass at 11#. Second place was 2 at 4#.

Read the bass season. Read water temperature. Know what temps bass do what in. Read water clarity. How active should the bass be? The guy that used the Shad Rap was dead on with the best possible crankbait choice, a flat sided tight wiggling lure that moves fairly slow to get that wiggle. His spoon was an equally great choice for THIS bass season and water temp. WHERE to do it in winter? The guy went to a series of vertical rock bluffs facing south. The water at the base of those bluffs is 60' deep. The bass stack up next to the rock this time of year.

Jim

 

[fish4funinfl]

Some good reading materials

 

[Big Bass Rich]

The problem with me on Long Point Bay is:

The memory spot never, ever, ever fails. Mostly because it's such a broad spot. The weed flats. lol

I never let myself fish memories when I'm in a tournament, but just out for a day of fun... I find it really hard not to go back to an old favourite honeyhole.

 

[Mike_Z71]

This 4th of July weekend while everyone was skiing and tubing(during the middle of the day) me and my dad looked for deep (15-20ft humps). It kept us from falling into the routine. Sometimes it helps to get out of the slump.