San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Something I have always wondered with fishermen. Do you fish a bait more than another bait because you have confidence in it, or because you are comfortable fishing it? I’ll try to explain.
My COMFORT bait would be a crankbait. I Love throwing cranks year round and on any lake during any conditions. While I do feel like I can always get a few bites on a crank, I wouldn’t call it my CONFIDENCE bait.

To me a COMFORT bait is a bait that you throw and feel like you can get some good bites on it throughout the day. An example would be my last trip to San V on Thu. I threw a swim jig almost all day and got 4 really solid fish on it but I knew I might not get a lot of bites and I felt I could probably get more bites throwing a drop shot or a worm out deep. I stated in another post that a 4”Senko or a Fluttercraft worm would be my CONFIDENCE bait. Meaning I know I can get bit on one of those but they may not be keeper size fish. When I was still fishing tournaments I wouldn’t go to the Senko or Fluttercraft unless it was a last resort type of thing. I would power fish all day long and if it didn’t pan out, I would go to the Senko or Fluttercraft to try and fill out a limit.

I guess what I am asking is why we, as fishermen, don’t always go with what we KNOW will get bites, in favor of something that may be more “fun” to fish? Are we just stubborn? Is it a “fun “ factor? Is it about the size of the bite we expect (think swim bait fishing)? Curious about what you guys think

I think it is funny when fishermen shy away from a bait that they KNOW will catch fish. How many times have I heard "I don't like to Drop Shot, but if I need a bite..."

It’s funny you say that. Back in my tournament days I had a backseater, who was a really good friend of mine, beat my butt at Otay throwing a drop shot. It was the only time he ever threw it because he didn’t like fishing it even though he caught fish doing it!! I guess we are a weird bunch!

Moose wrote: Sat Dec 09, 2023 8:04 pm It’s funny you say that. Back in my tournament days I had a backseater, who was a really good friend of mine, beat my butt at Otay throwing a drop shot. It was the only time he ever threw it because he didn’t like fishing it even though he caught fish doing it!! I guess we are a weird bunch!

I suppose all of us lure fishermen (myself included) are that way, we would rather catch fish on lures than live bait.

The worst might be dry fly fishermen who insist on only catching fish that way. Extreme purists. To each his own.

Non fishermen think we are weird already. Why fish when you can buy them at the grocery market? And why fish only to release them?

My favorite creek bait (3 in bass assassin) is a comfort bait, but not nearly effective in lakes.
"Why are you throwing that dumb thing here?"
"It gets bit."
"You haven't had a bite in a half hour."
"Yeah, but I remember getting a three pounder off that rock wall over there...back in 2016."

My confidence bait is definitely my dropshot, or as Vinny calls it "cheating". I throw a shortened up dropshot that fits most conditions for me! In the late summer and fall, my various tiny flukes are probably my go to..they make me feel confortable!

Drop shots and t rigged plastics always catch me fish. If im getting small ones I up size the bait for example 4 inch worm to 6 inch worm etc.

I like crankbaits,jigs and spinnerbaits. But I never went for the big swim bait craze.

From the shore; Senko, fat Ika, flappin hog & texas rigged worms

Boat/float tube; Drop shot, flukes, cranks, jerk baits, jigs are go to lures that I tend to snag normally from shore that can be retrieved

I'll throw a square bill and spinner baits from shore but tend to never get those back most of the time they get snagged

Obviously most of this has to do on the season but stick baits and drop shot or rigged worms work year round