following fish vs. spot hopping

[bassballer]

Just wondering. How many of you guys determine where you will fish based on the attempt of following fish. For example you caught fish in a southern spot on monday, then a buddy got into them a little north after a certain wind on wed. and you try to determine where they will be next based on wind, bait, tide ect,

VS.

This spot produces for me every june 2-3 hours after the turn, or you have success at a certain spot at a full tide.

I myself do a little of both, but mostly will just hit spots that I routinely have success at at certain times. Curious how other attempt to put themselves on fish.

[FishermanTim]

Since some spots are premium, leaving just to follow fish may be like "chasing a dream". You pick your primary spots due to their (somewhat) reliable production over XX many weeks/monthe/years, and unless you are willing to accept the consequences of leaving that spot in the pursuit of a fish, you may be equally dissapointed.

Me, unless I heaqd out with a "chase" in mind, I will not leave my spot until it's time to head home. That doesn't mean that I abandon the chase entirely, but I have to be in the mood for a "hunt" when I head out.

[Back Beach]

My approach may seem a bit moronic to some, but I determine in advance where I'll fish, when, and how long. Then I give it a go and usually stick to my time limit, which is usually 2-3 hours of total fishing combined with 2-3 hours of total driving. I seldom if ever change up from my game plan once I hit the water. You could call me an all or nothing fisherman....most of the time its nothing, but the "all" nights help soften the pain from the times I'm wrong.

Given my more limited time I simply try to cherry pick the best parts of the tides in places I've had some past success. I rarely try anything new anymore which is probably a mistake. I come up empty often but its no big deal as there's always next time.

Nowadays I'm less obsessed with having to report a successful outing...If I fish and don't catch anything I simply tell everyone I slept in...

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Given my more limited time I simply try to cherry pick the best parts of the tides in places I've had some past success. I rarely try anything new anymore which is probably a mistake. I come up empty often but its no big deal as there's always next time.

Yup.
My fishing to a 'T' right now

[MotoXcowboy]

yup, me too. certain spots, at certain times/tides. Sometimes I will go whenever, if I have the time or just feel the need to fish. Like in the middle of hot summer day just because I need the stress relief it brings. I could care less if I catch anything usually, its more about the getaway.

If I'm trying hard to catch fish very rarely do I ever chase and drive around unless I'm with my uncle and he's driving. That's his style but I'm not crazy about it.. I'd rather get a skunked then drive around all night. if the spot I'm at is unproductive I'll just walk around and fan cast... I typically fish only one sometimes two spots a night.

thats just me

[Frankiesurf]

I do both.

Mostly in the early spring and in fall do I "expect" the fish to be at a certain spot. This is not a truly difficult thing to do on the south shore of Long Island. For example if they are in Montauk in the fall, in a certain area, then give it a week and a half to two weeks and they are in Shinnecock Inlet and so on heading west on the Island. This method is pretty much set up for the migration in spring and fall. Of course if the bass head offshore then that is a deal breaker.

When the fish are residents for late spring/summer/early fall then that is when tides, time, conditions and wind will determine where I am fishing. Much more hit or miss.

Although, I have been fishing one spot exclusively since late May. One skunk and only 5 or 6 shorts in that time. All the rest have been 30" to well over 30 pounds with most in the low to mid 20's range. This is an anomaly at best and does not apply to the majority of spots I usually fish. All of this success is due to the extremely close proximity to very deep water (100 + feet), resident scup population and colder water from three bodies of water that are intersecting here.

[Fly Rod]

I always go to my main haunt every day if nothing there I move on to the next and next and return to my main haunt on the tide change. I can go a minumum of 6 miles to the north, 6 to the southered and almost 3 out. There are a lot of humps within that range. I'm always targeting fish over 34 inches

[bassballer]

Seems the majority have there times and tides there places produce and hit them accordingly. Which is 85% of my game plan as well. Its nice when hit fish one night and have that educated guess on where they will be 3 days later and your right. Although for me their few and far between those nights seem to be the most rewarding.

[MAKAI]

I consult my Oracle.

[BassDawg]

i'll see what the conditions dictate and determine my starting point from there. i also predetermine what kind of night, hunker down or sniff 'em out, i'm going to fish based upon my available window, time of year, location, whether i'm going solo, and shared intell.

and then, i let the SPOT dictate my night to some extent. if it's nothing but cookie cutter feesh and nothing larger than 30#-35#, then i'm gone to the next one. the worst is when "everything" is in alignment and you are getting nuthin'~~ the dilemma of "should i stay or should i go" with a proven producer.

however, if i am hitting a spot for less than the hundreth time that can mess me up as well, due to the compiling of data aspect. usually i'll end up checking out "new" spots because it's some place that i've found, someplace that i've heard to be good, and my "known" spots aren't living up to their billing. sometimes it's good, most times it's bupkiss. guess that's what keeps HOPE alive, believing that MY fish of a lifetime is only the next spot away?

i STILL, 5 yrs in, love the CHASE!! when it pays off, it can be glorious; yet, even when i'm humbled by Monsieur LePew i am gathering log info and dialing in my choices for the next haunt. there is also the sunrise factor after a good skunking.

kinda God's way of saying, "Hang in there, Kid, it's not always about the Trophy. Here's a li'l sumthin' to keep you coming back, remember my Son and share my Spirit,,,,,,,,,,," Thanks be to Him, for each and every opportunity to revel in His splendor of Nature and to be Blessed by His graceful Provision.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by BassDawg

if it's nothing but cookie cutter feesh and nothing larger than 30#-35#, then i'm gone to the next one. .

just to be sure I interpret this correctly, if your catching fish in the 20 to 35 lb range, you leave the spot to find larger fish?

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

just to be sure I interpret this correctly, if your catching fish in the 20 to 35 lb range, you leave the spot to find larger fish?

I'm hoping he meant "'s not #'s.

Maybe It's me... but I'm not leaving a school of 30's (lbs)

[bassballer]

Originally Posted by BassDawg

30# to 35#'s, yes! i will leave those fish once the BITE has peaked.

especially at three of my spots that are Dominant Fish First spots.
rarely has it worked in reverse at either of those loacalites, and
the TRUTH is i'm looking for MUCH bigger fish than 35# to 45#'s.

YES, POUNDS, to be clear,,,,,,,,,,,,,

as Mike said, i do definitely run the risk of a BIG gurl swimming by while i'm on the move,,,,,,,,,but don't i also run the risk of missing HER as the first fish at another spot, should she not be the last fish where i just was?

and i would be moving as the tide dictates, for both spots. also, once i've marked those fish and they're not getting bigger i'll move to the nearest preferred lie, usually within a mile or less either up or down the coast, to keep that next spot honest.

a veritable "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. sure hope that this storm brings a change. it has been s-l-o-w up the Other Cape, for me anyways~~~

Jess, your honestly telling me that if you got your spot hit (4) 30# plus in 6 casts you would turn around and leave?????????????

[Joe]

A formulated strategy works better than a spontaneous one. Once you realize what works (and when/where/under what conditions) you realize that other spots of similar structure often share the same profile. Before you know it, you've got lots of spots that get very little pressure. Then you have a kid and it's difficult to go, and you realize the most precious commodity is time.

[Back Beach]

Be a hope-er, not a hopper.

[RIJIMMY]

those are quite impressive catches and I'm sorry i doubted you. I recall seeing a pic of you once with a pb that was low 30s, I may be mistaken. Lets see some pics of those high 30s you got! I am sure I speak for many of us when I say we'd enjoy seeing them

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

those are quite impressive catches and I'm sorry i doubted you. I recall seeing a pic of you once with a pb that was low 30s, I may be mistaken. Lets see some pics of those high 30s you got! I am sure I speak for many of us when I say we'd enjoy seeing them

the pix are in my other pc~~~

soooooo, i'll just post the ones from this yr, awite?
besides,,,,,,,,just dig deeper from two yrs ago and you'll see the 38.5#'er

stay tuned: "30#'s is the New Schoolie, on the Road to Fiddymanjarro!!!"

[JohnnyD]

If someone told me that I'd have to be skunked 10 times in order to have a chance at a few hours of consistently catching 25-35# fish every other cast, I'd gladly sign up for 10 long nights of the skunk.