No Confidence in XXXXX?

[MK49]

I've been bass fishing for over 40 years. I'm like a 80% hardbait/20% softbait guy. I have big confidence in these.

- Topwater (mostly, walkers, poppers, wakebaits and buzzbaits)
- Jerkbaits
- Crankbaits, including lipless.
- Texas rig (weighted or weightless, including soft jerkbaits)

I had NO confidence in

- Chatterbaits
- Spinnerbaits
- Jigs
- Ned Rig (used it only for 30min in my life, because I had no confidence.)

I just thought it's weird, because those are the most popular ones. I really believe only Topwater and jerkbaits (and maybe, T rigged softbaits, if lucky) can catch big bass, followed by crankbaits. In fact, I caught all the 10+ pounds bass with topwater and jerkbaits, and many 8 ~ 9 pounders with crankbaits.

What are some popular lures/technique that you have no confidence in?

[Drakestar]

I've been bass fishing for over 40 years. I'm like a 80% hardbait/20% softbait guy. I have big confidence in these.

- Topwater (mostly, walkers, poppers, wakebaits and buzzbaits)
- Jerkbaits
- Crankbaits, including lipless.
- Texas rig (weighted or weightless, including soft jerkbaits)

I had NO confidence in

- Chatterbaits
- Spinnerbaits
- Jigs
- Ned Rig (used it only for 30min in my life, because I had no confidence.)

I just thought it's weird, because those are the most popular ones. I really believe only Topwater and jerkbaits (and maybe, T rigged softbaits, if lucky) can catch big bass, followed by crankbaits. In fact, I caught all the 10+ pounds bass with topwater and jerkbaits, and many 8 ~ 9 pounders with crankbaits.

What are some popular lures/technique that you have no confidence in?

I caught my original PB of note (“just” a 7.76) on a jig and it still took me three additional years to gain actual confidence in that bait. Fishing is weird

I never gained a lot of confidence in swim jigs even though, supposedly, you just chug and wind them. Took me a long time to warm up to A-rigs. And crankbaits… I barely throw them. Just not something I’ve had a lot of success with. (And clearly that’s on me.) I do okay on lipless and will frequently tie those on. But squarebills? Nope.

[MK49]

I caught my original PB of note (“just” a 7.76) on a jig and it still took me three additional years to gain actual confidence in that bait. Fishing is weird

I never gained a lot of confidence in swim jigs even though, supposedly, you just chug and wind them. Took me a long time to warm up to A-rigs. And crankbaits… I barely throw them. Just not something I’ve had a lot of success with. (And clearly that’s on me.) I do okay on lipless and will frequently tie those on. But squarebills? Nope.

Yes, it's kinda weird. Many people say those that I mentioned are great, but not for me. It takes very long time to build up confidence, because I just don't spend enough time with them, when I think/know other lures would catch more fish. OTOH, when I try a new lure/technique, and I catch fish in the first 10min or so. I would spend more time with it, and I gain confidence in it. But, I normally try new things, when I don't get a bite for a while, so most of the time, the new things don't catch fish in 10min.

BTW, I said I had confidence in crankbaits, but I was mostly talking about deep diving ones like a Rapala DT16. Those shallow square bills? Not much.

[hoohoorjoo]

I have caught more 8+ bass on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits than any other lure. My pb, 13-2, came on a Stanley Titanium Wedge spinnerbait with big double-willow blades. So yes, I have huge confidence in wire frame baits like these. What I totally lack confidence in is dropshotting. Of course, I bank fish 99% of the time. To be fair, I do bubba shot some and catch fish, but never vertically.

[MK49]

I have caught more 8+ bass on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits than any other lure. My pb, 13-2, came on a Stanley Titanium Wedge spinnerbait with big double-willow blades. So yes, I have huge confidence in wire frame baits like these. What I totally lack confidence in is dropshotting. Of course, I bank fish 99% of the time. To be fair, I do bubba shot some and catch fish, but never vertically.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. You have caught many big ones on spinnerbaits, and many people say spinnerbaits are effective. I have zero confidence in them. That makes bass fishing interesting to me. I'd rather use wakebaits, lipless crankbaits or scroungers for the situation, when many of you guys use spinnerbaits or chatterbaits, I think.

For me, Buzzbait = Yes, but Spinnerbait = No.

Very interesting.

[RMCatchNrelease]

You aint trowing those baits where you can put a spinner bait.

Nothing beats a spinnerbat in the hard cover. Love a chatterbait but they hang up too much.

If you don't fish much sticks, I can see it. But if you have sticks and brush, you gotta throw more spinnerbaits. Especially on a windy day.

[Drakestar]

I have caught more 8+ bass on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits than any other lure. My pb, 13-2, came on a Stanley Titanium Wedge spinnerbait with big double-willow blades. So yes, I have huge confidence in wire frame baits like these. What I totally lack confidence in is dropshotting. Of course, I bank fish 99% of the time. To be fair, I do bubba shot some and catch fish, but never vertically.

I think a LOT of this comes down to what anglers had success with early, and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: you gain confidence in a bait that got you a good fish, so you fish that bait more, which gets you more good fish.

I kinda like how wildly divergent people's confidence approaches are: you lack confidence in drop shots, the OP doesn't have confidence in jigs or Neds... Meanwhile I've caught my 4 biggest fish, in order, on: Dropshot, Jig, 5" Ned Worm, Jig. I guess it's no wonder that I like throwing bottom contact plastics and have a ton of confidence in them Meanwhile the OP goes to cranks all the time - while I have barely caught a dozen fish on the in my lifetime. Same for spinnerbaits (well, I might have caught two dozen fish on them total).

Luckily I also caught my 5th & 6th biggest fish on hard body swimbaits, and my 7th biggest on a regular hard bait (jerkbait), so I know they work, as well. Just not my initial go-to baits on tough days, and I think that's the core of not having confidence in something.

[MK49]

I kinda like how wildly divergent people's confidence approaches are: you lack confidence in drop shots, the OP doesn't have confidence in jigs or Neds... Meanwhile I've caught my 4 biggest fish, in order, on: Dropshot, Jig, 5" Ned Worm, Jig. I guess it's no wonder that I like throwing bottom contact plastics and have a ton of confidence in them Meanwhile the OP goes to cranks all the time - while I have barely caught a dozen fish on the in my lifetime. Same for spinnerbaits (well, I might have caught two dozen fish on them total).

People are all different. I thought it's very interesting, and that's why I started this thread. I've probably caught over 5,000 bass with deep diving crankbaits, including a dozen over 7lbs (never caught a 10+lbs with crankbaits, though). One time, I caught 5 fish in the first 5 casts, so I started counting up to 50 casts. I ended up catching 45 or 46 bass in 50 casts. And, probably caught 25 more in the next 50 casts. If that kind of thing happens to you, you would be throwing crankbaits. I've never experience anything really amazing by using jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits...,, so I don't use them much, and I can't build up confidence in them. I would love to diversify my technique, but I (and I think most other fishermen) stick with what I (they) think work well.

[MK49]

You aint trowing those baits where you can put a spinner bait.

Nothing beats a spinnerbat in the hard cover. Love a chatterbait but they hang up too much.

If you don't fish much sticks, I can see it. But if you have sticks and brush, you gotta throw more spinnerbaits. Especially on a windy day.

Well, I just don't use spinnerbaits, period. I've been fishing over 40yrs, and I've probably spent less than a few hours throwing spinnerbaits, and caught only a few fish.

That being said, my main lake has lots of sticks. I usually use topwater baits around the sticks, and sometimes, I lose them, when fish goes around the sticks. I also lost 5 or 6 lipless crankbaits in the sticks in June. So, I should start throwing spinnerbaits more. Instead of spinnerbaits, I started using scroungers (they're actually pretty weedless, because of the bills), after losing enough lipless crankbaits. They worked well, but I guess spinnerbaits would work very well, too. My newest spinnerbait is probably 25 years old. I'll buy a new one to try. Thanks.

Well, I just looked at spinnerbaits online, and I have no idea what to buy. Any recommendation? The way I want to use it is running it just below the surface 1 foot or less, and sometimes, burning it. That's how I use lipless crankbaits and scroungers most of the time.

[godshippy]

Despite my growing collection of Evergreen Jackhammers...I have no confidence in this bait at all. My buddy that I go fishing with will get hammered on these things and I'm throwing a spinnerbait because that's what I have confidence will catch fish.

[dragon1]

Big spinnerbaits = big bass...always since they were made.

Here is legendary jig and spinnerbait maker Terry Oldham, in Mexico smoking tank bass on his 1 oz custom spinnerbaits. Also, Terry was one of the first to help bring to market, braided line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hDude68e5s

[jmb27]

People are all different. I thought it's very interesting, and that's why I started this thread. I've probably caught over 5,000 bass with deep diving crankbaits, including a dozen over 7lbs (never caught a 10+lbs with crankbaits, though). One time, I caught 5 fish in the first 5 casts, so I started counting up to 50 casts. I ended up catching 45 or 46 bass in 50 casts. And, probably caught 25 more in the next 50 casts. If that kind of thing happens to you, you would be throwing crankbaits. I've never experience anything really amazing by using jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits...,, so I don't use them much, and I can't build up confidence in them. I would love to diversify my technique, but I (and I think most other fishermen) stick with what I (they) think work well.

If you get a school fired up, you can certainly have a lot of fast and furious action with a crankbait much more so than a jig.

I've caught very few fish on deep diving crankbaits (15 ft+). I need to fish with someone like you to learn and gain confidence.

I would suggest giving jigs more of a shot. I would wager almost any state's top X list of biggest bass caught will have a preponderance of those fish on jigs. Since you mentioned soft plastics, I would tell you to give the MB Sleeper Craw a shot as a "soft" jig. I have caught fish from 12 inches to 6+ lbers on that bait this year and lost one in the 8-9 lb. range right at the boat. .

[DirtyD64]

Mine is almost opposite. Utmost confidence in jigs and plastics. I can almost fish them like a bobber, cast, leave it, maybe move a bit, and will eventually get a bite. Same goes for smaller cranks though, they will draw it.
I had not caught a single bass EVER on a spinnerbait until about a year and a half ago. Finally caught one on a Jackall Deraspin, and now the floodgate has been open. I just wasn't using them enough, now I really enjoy them.

For non-confidence lures, I would say top waters. I just cannot get hit on our river system with them. I had one good day recently using the tiny Whopper Plopper and a Pop Max, then never again. Really not too confident with chatterbaits, but I have caught fish randomly with them. Also really lost confidence in lipless cranks, just stopped working for me.