Disrupt The Pattern - The Wife Challenged Me

[Kyle Davidson]

My little challenge/journey.

 

I always fish my swimbaits along with the regular tackle. Recently I have not been the best about bringing my SB gear. Lately I have also hit a bit of a lull. After catching a lot of fish in the 4-7 range I started getting expectant and that just messed with my whole mojo.

 

A few weeks ago I comment to my wife "You know, I am just going to spend the next month fishing only my big baits". Her response is basically "duh, you have so many of these damn things, why not?"

 

I get busy, lazy, and keep chucking the usual, finally my wife calls me out... What happened to big baits only? She even tossed in a comment about how I should man up, lol.

 

FINE. I'M GONNA DO IT.

 

Historically my biggest issue has been the fact that I fish a lot of odd water, lots of grass, shallow etc. Often times from the bank (I also have a boat). I decided to try and break this down as if I were fishing my traditional tackle.

 

Here is my rough plan:

 

Gear: 

 

XH LDC: All hard baits, glides, Rats, heavy plastics (H as soon as they are available for my Negotiators)

 

Loomis 955: 8" Hudd 

 

300c on both, 20lb Abraz-X.

 

My theory. I have most hard baits and can cover all levels of the water column.

 

- Glides and hard baits, I can go high or low, fast or slow. Fish these where would be fishing a crank, swimjig, chatter etc. I think wakes and glides that are slower sink should work well here. 

 

- Hudds - I get it, Hudds, in the summer, in Texas. I get some big fish on larger flukes and swimjigs working them slow. I would like to see what I can do here. I have a nice collection to sacrifice. 

 

- I need a good weedless option - Hudd? Battles Shad?

 

I will try and document my progress or lack there of Any tips or thoughts are always appreciated. 

 

Attached is my travel pack. 

[danthefisherman]

Way to commit!

[Kyle Davidson]

Grabbed an hour tonight. It will be an adjustment

[waynem]

Trash Fish or Weedless Rising Sons are other good options for weedless baits.

[bigpoppabass]

Better watch out the w might take your stuff and use it. Lol

[EC_Flyer]

I think your in for a treat ATX. I have been fishing only swimbaits this year and while its been frustrating from time to time, started off the year with 4 fish-less trips, its been rewarding. Like you, I had some baits and fished big baits in years past but never really committed. 

 

I'm not sure why others have decided to throw only big baits but for me its not only the reward of big fish. Its the high stacks that come with getting only a couple bits a day, and the excitement associated with catching a fish exactly how I want to. I stopped using senkos and plastics a couple years ago and switched to only hard baits, for me leaning the nuances of rip baits, crank baits, etc, and catching fish how I wanted to rejuvenated my love for bass fishing, was almost purely fly for a couple years. Lets be honest, throwing a senko around with every Joe Shmo is basically a skill free and talent-less way to "bass fish". Don't get me wrong people should fish however they find enjoyment in the sport. For me it's more exciting to miss a swimbait bit than to catch another fish on a different bait. sometimes I just tick a rock, weed patch, or my hand slips off the reel and my pulse raises. 

 

In conclusion Ill give you the best advise I got on this site, and I should go back and figure out who said it so I can give credit. Just pick a lake that looks conducive to swimbaiting and learn it well. I had to really learn a single lake before I started getting fish, jumping lake to lake was much less productive for me than hitting the same body of water over and over until I understood every drop off and piece of cover.

 

Good luck! 

Only take your big bait gear, leave the little stuff at home.

[R8R]

I have always said find a big fish Lake and learn that lake and eventually it will pay off and when it's time to move on to another lake then do so.

I heard this advise on a video that Mike Gilbert did 5 to 6 years ago and have benifitted from that advise. It's not about the bait, its about the place, the knowledge learned and the rewaRd.

[Kyle Davidson]

Trash Fish or Weedless Rising Sons are other good options for weedless baits.

 

Thanks for the recommendation, need some easy to get disposable stuff for the really nasty spots.

 

Better watch out the w might take your stuff and use it. Lol

 

She just got a new Rolex, she is occupied, haha.

 

I think your in for a treat ATX. I have been fishing only swimbaits this year and while its been frustrating from time to time, started off the year with 4 fish-less trips, its been rewarding. Like you, I had some baits and fished big baits in years past but never really committed. 

 

I'm not sure why others have decided to throw only big baits but for me its not only the reward of big fish. Its the high stacks that come with getting only a couple bits a day, and the excitement associated with catching a fish exactly how I want to. I stopped using senkos and plastics a couple years ago and switched to only hard baits, for me leaning the nuances of rip baits, crank baits, etc, and catching fish how I wanted to rejuvenated my love for bass fishing, was almost purely fly for a couple years. Lets be honest, throwing a senko around with every Joe Shmo is basically a skill free and talent-less way to "bass fish". Don't get me wrong people should fish however they find enjoyment in the sport. For me it's more exciting to miss a swimbait bit than to catch another fish on a different bait. sometimes I just tick a rock, weed patch, or my hand slips off the reel and my pulse raises. 

 

In conclusion Ill give you the best advise I got on this site, and I should go back and figure out who said it so I can give credit. Just pick a lake that looks conducive to swimbaiting and learn it well. I had to really learn a single lake before I started getting fish, jumping lake to lake was much less productive for me than hitting the same body of water over and over until I understood every drop off and piece of cover.

 

Good luck! 

Only take your big bait gear, leave the little stuff at home.

 

Really appreciate the thoughtful response, you hit the nail on the head, I am in the same place. I noticed even though I was catching fish, I wasn't catching them the way I WANTED to. So much better when you fish what you want. I have prepared for the dry spells. Bring on the big girls.

 

I have always said find a big fish Lake and learn that lake and eventually it will pay off and when it's time to move on to another lake then do so.

I heard this advise on a video that Mike Gilbert did 5 to 6 years ago and have benifitted from that advise. It's not about the bait, its about the place, the knowledge learned and the rewaRd.

 

I read/saw that a while ago as well, really good info. I think I will revisit his method. 

 

 

On another note... The ROF 5 Hudds are still too heavy for these shallow spots. Time for a wake bait, suppose a 3:16 of some kind. Thanks for the feedback, dudes. 

[Kyle Davidson]

It's a balmy 96 degrees, 5 PM, yup, lets hit the pond. I think my laugh at the end of the video sums it up.

 

I actually really like this bait, it's insanely versatile and is fun to fish. I was fishing a shelf of submerged grass looking for just this bite. She came out from under the shelf and smashed it on the pause. Fish was 4lb, gotta keep grinding. 

 

Happy Friday y'all

 

Oh and I got it cast to catch  Anyone know how to embed on SBU?

 

https://youtu.be/f4S_M3kpeuk

Edited July 7, 2017 by ATXBass

[Mountainryan]

My wife supports my swimbait addiction becuase they are tools. You buy tools to use tools. If she thought I was collecting she might get cranky. That's quite a nice travel pack so throw them. I have a whole box of conventional stuff I bought last winter before I committed to only swimbaits and mostly big baits. I want really bad to pick it up so I leave them home.

[Mountainryan]

My wife supports my swimbait addiction becuase they are tools. You buy tools to use tools. If she thought I was collecting she might get cranky. That's quite a nice travel pack so throw them. I have a whole box of conventional stuff I bought last winter before I committed to only swimbaits and mostly big baits. I want really bad to pick it up so I leave them home.

[GoblinSlayer]

Wheres your top water lures at?

[Kyle Davidson]

Wheres your top water lures at?

 

You got me my TW is pretty weak, I am working on that. I need to order another rod to setup for TW. I wasn't a big TW guy when fishing regular tackle either, I know, Texas. I need to step it up, considering this fish basically hit on the surface. 

[Kyle Davidson]

My wife supports my swimbait addiction becuase they are tools. You buy tools to use tools. If she thought I was collecting she might get cranky. That's quite a nice travel pack so throw them. I have a whole box of conventional stuff I bought last winter before I committed to only swimbaits and mostly big baits. I want really bad to pick it up so I leave them home.

 

It's fun to collect tools as well . I may have used her as an excuse here, haha. 

[GoblinSlayer]

Im not saying anything bad about it bro just noticed it as i was scoping out your travel pack. I dont fish as much as ide like so my swimbait days are extremely limited. My pack has 6 individual compartments and i usually try and put 1 or 2 of eack lure for water column. Sometimes i plan a trip or extended hike with only one lure. The lenghts one will go with one lure hahahaha,,,,. Im from TX too and i love fishing the topwater when i can in the mornings. I use a lunker punker in shad and a korotu battlewing,,,,,those are super fun to fish! When you get a top water lure or two please post em so we can all see. In the mean time good luck on your journey!