mistred64 Loc: Grayslake, illinois

I like that thought. I would change lures 2 or 3 times before moving on.

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

Oh man it’s groundhog day!!

hueey Loc: Lake Fork Tx

There is an advantage to have good electronics
Knowing you are in the right spot is a plus.
Then change baits as you fish till something clicks for the fish.
Watch the pros once they spot the fish they will make a couple of casts and if no takers change rods till either the fish move on or bite.

Gmchief Loc: New Hampshire coast

You too?

hueey Loc: Lake Fork Tx

Meeee toooooo also😁😟

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

The time varies based on multiple factors, location, light, time of day, weather and a multitude of other factors. That being said, I have often run into a situation on my charter boat. Many clients want to move to a better spot because they are catching nothing even though they are getting repeated bites. some even say they are on the wrong side of the boat in 100+ feet of water with current. Think about it. The problem is not the location or the bait.
To fairly judge a fishing location or lure, one should give more credence to the number of bites than to the fish in the boat. If you are getting bites you may need a stinger hook or different size lure based on the aggression of the strike. If you have bass (not carp) blowing up around you but no bites, you are in the right spot, just using the wrong lure or presentation. Finally, if you hear over the radio that someone has caught a big fish, don't leave fish to find fish. Remember, you can not catch a fish that is already caught. Good luck.

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Good question, Theregoesanother :-)
For me it depends on what I am fishing for, what part of the year and the weather.
For bass, I usually have a favorite hardbait rigged on a setup and another setup with your favorite plastic. (Or if I did my research and checked fishing reports, I use what other anglers were successful with). When I start fishing a spot, I work the hard bait for any reactive fish and fancast it in the area I feel is holding fish. If no hits, I switch to the plastic setup and work the area the same way. I do different types of retrieves and I try each setup.

For trout, I like trolling from my kayak and I use two setups. One with a crankbait or spoon, the other with a spinner or worm (plastic or live). I try to match the lures for the speed I am trolling.

If I am not getting any hits, I change the colors of those lures/baits, after about an hour.

There are some days where I know I can catch fish with a certain lure(s) and continue to use it all day, because fish like to feed at certain times of the day. What may not work at a certain time of day, it will slay later on in the day. I have experienced that too :-)

Hope that helps!

Grandpa Knows How Loc: OC, California

You also can’t catch fish while looking around to find fish or if you don’t have your hook in the water. I frequently out fish most people on party boats because my hook is in the the water more often than others.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

One of my favorite fishing adventures is to explore new water. I like both bass and panfish with an occasional shot at trout. Prelaunch rigged rods: All rods have 20 or 30# neon lime 832 suffix braid.
1. for trout- weight slide, extra small chain swivel with snap, 3 feet of 6 pound fluorocarbon, black hackle green body wooly worm (I use a silver smile blade in front if fly if murky water.
2. weight slide, 3 feet of 10 or 12 pound mono, a size 1/0 hook and 5 inch wacky yamamoto stick bait in watermelon, 3 slide weight, snap pin,
3. foot rig made up of 1/32 round jig with 1.5" fish fry, 1/16 round jig with 2" yellow body white skirt tube. And last I tie on a snap with 3/16 round jig with 2.8' green pumpkin or larger paddle tail swimbait on the bottom (my preference is kietek).
4. 3 foot 12# floro with 2" black back silver fat rebel attached to very small snap
5. Sinker slide x-small chain swivel, 3 feet of floro, and a nos.4 flicker shad in fire tiger attache with small snap (this rod is usually 8 foot fast tip so that I can extend it out 90 degrees to the boat when trolling
I nearly always keep a fly rod rigged just in case.

These setups cover nearly everything but punching green junk. They also allow for quick weight changes, switching to trolling mode and switching out lures. The biggest disadvantage is the reduction in casting distance due to the couple feet of gear hanging off the rod tip. I use five rigs because I have 4 rod holders on the center console just behind me and three more on the side for my fly rod and fifth rod when running.

Richard J Loc: Lake Arrowhead, Ca

I'm curious if when fishing is good how many of you change lures to see if what hasn't worked before or an untried lure, will work?

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

If fishing is good I don’t change, if the bite stops I might

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

The better the fishing gets, the more I experiment. It is about becoming confident in what I use. Only when the fishing is really good can you do quantitative comparisons with meaning. Nearly any bait will get a fish occasionally. Just because a bait catches a fish when your go to has fails, does not make it a better bait. Luck does play a role. If however, you catch noticeably more fish on a new bait over your go to, on multiple occasions, it becomes a trusted go to. That being said, the second place bait is still a viable alternative when your new favorite is not producing. You should now have confidence in both.
It is really great when you can use a 2 hook drop shot set up. It allows comparisons under the exact same conditions. Example: I have preached using a yellow with white tube skirt tube on micro jigs hooked drop shot style for years as other colors did not work as well on perch and crappie. Last year at potholes, people were doing well o crappie with small fry crappie baits. I tried one and it outfished the tube 3 to 1. I switched the upper and lower baits with the same results. I now fish one of each. Had I only caught a fish or two, I would still be doubtful, but with the fishing good, I was able to get a good comparison. I now look forward to trying the double set up at different locations and time of year, to see if the results are consistent or just a unique timing when fry were very active. Again this can only be done when the fishing is good. a fish or two results may just be by chance because both baits will catch fish. Note: If the fishing is good, I often switch to topwater with or without fly rod. I would rather catch one fish with a visible strike than three below the surface. Knowing fish are there and feeding gives me more confidence in generating a surface strike. HINT: How many times did I say confidence? Good luck

Rheatown Loc: Greeneville tn

👍👍 sounds about right lol

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

In conjunction with my upper statement, I also fish a two hook set up when bottom fishing for flatfish. I nearly always put a 2" camo Gulp sandworm on the bottom hook. The upper hook I experiment with, even though the bottom hook is wacking fish. There are times when a 2 inch gulp minnow outfishes the sand worm. That usually happens when the scope is covered with bait fish. The advantage to that second different bait has proved itself on those few occasions(found by experimenting) when the sandworm is successful, but not as successful as a grub or minnow imitation. Using the same experimental approach, I have also put things on the upper hook such as 4 inch gulp grub. To my surprise the bottom was covered with 3 pound sole rather than the the usual 1/2 to 3/4 pound sand dabs. Experiment whenever you can. You never know what is lurking down there until you give it what it wants, expecially in salt water where different species feed on different things.

hueey Loc: Lake Fork Tx

I agree
I did catch a bass that about 2 hours earlier I hooked with a worm and broke the giant off.
2 hrs later went down the same bank a rock bluff and caught a 14” one that had a hook and same color worm as I was using. Someone knew my secret 😜😜
True story as my buddy in the back of the boat will never let me live down how big she was when broke off.