What worked this year, what did not. Sometimes the lure is no surprise but the cadence is: dead, slow, medium. Have even heard that people jig on the bottom but then give some thought to how they pump and jig it back-Cadence is not sold like lures so it is not given much attention, IMo
Thanks
A jerk bait worked for quite a long time for me when the season started. Generally there is a time period when they become less effective in early June, but I continued to use one all the way until midsummer this season with great success.
Honestly, after 2 years of below average fishing during Covid, heightened fishing pressure, etc, I re-thought a lot of big picture things instead of just tackle/techniques.
Two things that helped me a lot:
1) Exploring new lakes/new waters further out and away from the metro. Like 1-2 hours out. My wife’s health is improving and I was able to get out for longer days since she is able to drive again. Even did a couple overnight trips 3-4 hours away. Also fished with a couple guys from this site – JW, fishthumper, etc… always learn from others and a few new destinations along the way.
2) In 2021, I added 360 imaging and it really clicked for me when fish moved off shore to structure, rocks, etc during the second half of the season. Livescope is most helpful the first half of the year, but 360 shines after the 4th of July until ice up. It was the same in 2022.
I learned that in the Fall chatterbaits really work. Maybe I should’ve worked em harder earlier in the year. Rat-L-Traps still work after about a 5 year hiatus from much use in my boat. Drop-shot wasn’t as good for me as in the past. Learning to skip a jig with a baitcaster takes a lot of practice.
The Z-Man Billy GOAT and Toadz were straight 🔥 for me finishing #1 and #2 as bass fishing baits for the year despite not getting my hands on either one until mid-July. Also, I like that lure as a chatterbait, jig, spinnerbait, and buzzbait trailer. Just phenomenal that GOAT line of baits. The only downside is that Elaztech does not play well with all rubber and jig skirt formulations.
The Z-Man Billy GOAT and Toadz were straight 🔥 for me finishing #1 and #2 as bass fishing baits for the year despite not getting my hands on either one until mid-July. Also, I like that lure as a chatterbait, jig, spinnerbait, and buzzbait trailer. Just phenomenal that GOAT line of baits. The only downside is that Elaztech does not play well with all rubber and jig skirt formulations.
I agree, I had a solid month+ using the Toadz around pads and it was nothing short of spectacular. That was the new lure of the year for me too!
For me it wasn’t a great year for numbers but size was much better than previous few years for me. Here’s what I caught most fish on:
-Texas Rigged Rage Bug on docks and shoreline structure
-Neko Rig on deep weedlines (surprise, I know)
-Frog (which I was thrilled about because it’s been non existent for me the past few years)
-Weightless Wacky on docks (when the rage bug didn’t get them this would)
-Jig (This has never been a strength of mine but I stuck with it more this year and it paid off on a few trips)
-Dropshot (It’s so painful to me but it catches them)
It was my best tournament season ever also. I fished a solo series for the first time against some guys I would consider pretty good sticks and finished the season with one win and three top three finishes, good for 2nd for AOY. It was really cool to know the decisions were all on you and it gave me some good confidence that I do kind of know how to bass fish, sometimes….. 
using the Toadz around pads and it was nothing short of spectacular. That was the new lure of the year for me too!
I gave that thing a fair amount of time starting in July and couldn’t get a fish to bite it. I may have been a little late to the show though. I’ll try it again next season, a little earlier.
Beetle spins for bass from opener till end of June were killer on the bass for me. Spinnerbaits and fast moving baits got hit but not like they used to the fishing pressure on lakes is really showing. Got 1 bass on a frog all year.
It was a rather tough but still fun year for me. High water in the early part of the year kind of messed up the normally good early season Bite. The normal summer patter that has been so good to me the last few years, just did not seem to set up well all summer. Did not seem to get out and fish Bass as much this fall. Part of that was because the Fall Walleye bite was so good. Overall I would give it about a 6 out of 10 foe me. I did get a chance to get out with Frydog from here and we had a really fun outing. That’s 2 years in a row now that I got out with someone from here ( Tim Hurley ) the year prior. Its always fun to fish with new guys and I hope to do so more next season. There are lots of guys with some great fishing skills and knowledge here on this site. Always fun to watch what others do and what they use.
The Z-Man Billy GOAT and Toadz were straight 🔥 for me finishing #1 and #2 as bass fishing baits for the year despite not getting my hands on either one until mid-July. Also, I like that lure as a chatterbait, jig, spinnerbait, and buzzbait trailer. Just phenomenal that GOAT line of baits. The only downside is that Elaztech does not play well with all rubber and jig skirt formulations.
I’m going to pick up and use some of those next season for sure. Its been a few years since I last did much topwater and slop fishing. I think it may be time to get back to doing some of it next year.
This is a great post! Fun to learn from each other.
people actually fish for bass!!!! 
people actually fish for bass!!!!
Only the smart ones who like a challenging hard fighting fish
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FryDog62 wrote:</div>
using the Toadz around pads and it was nothing short of spectacular. That was the new lure of the year for me too!I gave that thing a fair amount of time starting in July and couldn’t get a fish to bite it. I may have been a little late to the show though. I’ll try it again next season, a little earlier.
The Toadz was on fire for a bout a month for me, and then about the time you and I talked and I encouraged using it – the next week it just died. In fact, I went out with fishthumper right after talking to you and I fished it a lot the first hour or so we got on the water – to my detriment. “Ya know, it worked last time so its gotta work again” until you’re getting out-fished 3:1. Stubbornness at its finest. But I would give it a shot again next year post spawn to mid-July… I know I will !!
Tim talks about cadence and that can be everything. But rate of fall/lure weight can be an important and overlooked factor as well. During the late cold water season just ended, a deep retrieved jig/craw were killer…but a 5/8oz and 1/2oz got bit better than a 7/16oz, especially when the wind blew a little. Retrieving with the rod held high, even at a slow speed, was a no-no. Maintaining contact with bottom was a key, which the heavier jigs and lower rod position did better. I’m also thinking that a sinking braid (131) was part of the equation for more success vs. a floating braid but can’t substantiate that theory without more experiences. Scent when using these slow moving baits is also a possible factor. We’re talking smallies here.
I learned the importance of rate of fall on other species as well. On one particular early season crappie trip this spring, my fishing buddy outfished me 10:1 using the same lure! Only difference was he was casting a 1/32oz jig and I was casting 1/16oz. I was too stubborn and prideful to change over, so got a lesson that is not to be forgotten instead. So dumb…. Same lesson learned on the previously described smallmouth trip.
BrianF Makes a great Point. I find that sometimes the retrieve Cadence or rate of fall makes as much of a difference as does the lure choice or color of the lure. Sometimes just a slight change in the retrieve or a small change in the weight can have a huge effect on the # of bites you receive. I also tell people if you getting out fished by someone else in the boat, Take a few Minutes to stop and watch what they are doing different. I sometimes have to make a cast the same distance as my partner and duplicate his cadence and make sure my cast is ending at the same time as his to determine just what he’s doing different. Sometimes the simplest difference can make a huge difference.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
Only the smart ones who like a challenging hard fighting fish
well i guess i’ll be a doofus and catch fish that tastes good!!!!!!
although my brother smokwd some and werent to bad!!!!! 
Tim talks about cadence and that can be everything. But rate of fall/lure weight can be an important and overlooked factor as well. During the late cold water season just ended, a deep retrieved jig/craw were killer…but a 5/8oz and 1/2oz got bit better than a 7/16oz, especially when the wind blew a little. Retrieving with the rod held high, even at a slow speed, was a no-no. Maintaining contact with bottom was a key, which the heavier jigs and lower rod position did better. I’m also thinking that a sinking braid (131) was part of the equation for more success vs. a floating braid but can’t substantiate that theory without more experiences. Scent when using these slow moving baits is also a possible factor. We’re talking smallies here.
I learned the importance of rate of fall on other species as well. On one particular early season crappie trip this spring, my fishing buddy outfished me 10:1 using the same lure! Only difference was he was casting a 1/32oz jig and I was casting 1/16oz. I was too stubborn and prideful to change over, so got a lesson that is not to be forgotten instead. So dumb…. Same lesson learned on the previously described smallmouth trip.
One of the best alterations I’ve done was to my dock pitching setup. I switched from a 1/8th bullet sinker to a 1/16th. That slower fall rate increased my bites 2x over. Fall rate is definitely a big deal.
Good point 14-fall rate is cadence-sometimes a faster fall is a trigger for bass in warmer water, sometimes slower-Keeps it interesting. Fun to watch ice fishing vids, you can see how common it is for fishermen to pull a lure away from an active fish, or not give it enough to keep the fish interested.
I have learned that many of you have far more knowledge than I so I just read – thank you.
This was my third, full season of getting back into fishing.
I really tend to concentrate on learning and perfecting techniques with a couple different lures each year.
This year was the 5′ diving crankbait, squarebill and the jig/crawler combo.
I had success all summer long with both here locally and up on Rainy Lake several times.
On days when the fish are slow to bite I go to my old tried and true methods with tube baits around structures and dropped off the ledges, Neko is always killerand I switch out weights according to where I am in FOW and noticing when they are hitting it.
Next spring and summer will likely be more of a Carolina and Texas rig in some known producing spots so I can refine my speed, color and technique.
Honestly, I catch fish every time I go so I don’t get real hung up on much other than time of day, weather conditions, water temp, “where” I am fishing and practicing on technique so as much as possible of my efforts are consistent each time with the environment and elements with the lure/presentation being different so I can learn and make adjustments.
Usually at least one of my outings is playing around with electronics and making sure sure I understand them completely too.
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people actually fish for bass!!!! 
