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Posts: 430
| Solo fishing. Is if more efficient to run and gun looking for the active fish or is it better to pick fewer spots and keep fishing them till they go. Basing this question on the fact that you only are able to have one bait in the water so trying different baits leads you to fishing fewer spots more times |
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Posts: 2274
Location: Chisholm, MN | I run and gun with a bucktail normally. The lakes I fish are low density so I just need to find a fish first. Then worry about actually catching it. I find that I prefer to fish with a partner more and more these days. Have to cover water. |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I run (well, with a 9.9 it's more of a jog) to where I've seen fish before, then I pick it apart with jerkbaits, bucktails, topwaters. Then, jog to the next hole and repeat. m |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | It's dependant on where you are fishing. LOTW run and gun. Lakes like Webster not so much. |
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Posts: 359
Location: SW Ohio | I fish solo most of the time. On our local lake the fish have a tendency to stack up in a few small areas but these areas are known and crowded at times. They are definitely seasonal spots. If I want to catch a fish I'll hit those areas as long as there's not a line of boats. I like trying new, promising spots just to get away from the crowds as well so i'll move from spot to spot.
I enjoy the solitude and time to myself. Yes, a partner helps in some respects (ideas, extra lure in the water and net guy) but I need my alone time, time to unwind and decompress from work. Most of my fishing partners aside from my wife are coworkers and we always end up talking about the stuff I'm trying not to think about while on the lake. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Most of the time when fishing solo, I run and gun with a bucktail. There are a few times/areas I might slow down and pick apart . |
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Posts: 32784
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I fish annoyingly slow for most people. Comes from years fishing creatures, I guess.
"Cast over by that rock. there's always a muskie by that rock." |
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Posts: 430
| So Steve, does that mean you tend to fish fewer spots hoping you are there when they go?
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Posts: 463
Location: Sw Pennsylvania | I used to fish a lot solo, now not as much. Usually when I still do its this time of year or later and I definitely pick fewer spots and fish slower overall.
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Location: Eastern Ontario | Run and gun but run slowly and troll between spots many of my larger fish have come trolling.Trolling between spots allows you to recharge. Someone once said and I forget who "when you are casting shoreline weeds the big fish are behind you"
I know someone who rarely fishes water less than 50 feet deep with big lures, doesn't care if he goes many trips with out catching fish... however most of his fish are over 40 pounds.
Edited by horsehunter 11/17/2019 3:59 PM
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Location: Athens, Ohio | One more thing, whether running or casting, I wear my life preserver. There's a reason they call it that, and when I'm by myself, I figure it's like a seat belt in a car: by the time you think you need it, it's prolly too late to put it on. m |
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Posts: 668
Location: mercer wi | I fish 90% of the time solo. I usually only have 4-5 hours to do it so I fish proven spot and pick them apart. When I have someone with me I usually have all day. So we fish fast and look for new spots them come back to proven spot on windows. It good to try new spots if you have time with multiple baits. |
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| Living on a lake, I fish solo most of the time. The one thing I always do is the same as "mikie", I wear a self inflating life jacket. How I fish varies from day to day. Some days I cover a lot of water. Other days, I might just go to a couple spots and spend a lot of time there. Nice thing about being retired, I do what I feel like that day and that includes how I fish. |
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Posts: 343
| I fish solo 95% of the time and almost always I'm wade fishing. I carry about 4 lures I have faith in and hit areas I've previously had success. If it is a new body of water I either fish a floating crank fast with a lot of twitches, or a small bucktail fairly fast. I've been pretty successful as I've caught and released over 700 muskies and tigers (about half and half). If I locate fish or know there are some in an area I'll throw a tailspin topwater, my favorite lure type ( I'm a topwater addict). |
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Posts: 430
| Great answers. Let me add to the question. What if you had limited time say a 3 day weekend in northern wisconsin on a lake you fish regularly. |
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Posts: 3469
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I'd run and gun the beginning of the day...locate fish and catch the ones actively biting. Then, as the day progresses, go back and visit fish you contacted using various trigger techniques, different lures, etc, depending on the activity of the fish. If aggressive but didn't bite, I'd try downsizing with same speed. If lazy, slow it down with something more erratic with pauses (a twitch bait, glider maybe?). Wind switch or weather approaching, though....gun and go.
Steve |
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Posts: 7
| I make sure I do solo fishing at least 3 times a year. It's my way of contemplating at the same time since my goal if I do this is not to catch so many but to catch at least 1 large. |
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Posts: 20178
Location: oswego, il | 
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Posts: 357
| What I'd say is whether run and gun or whatever is to make sure to fish spots thoroughly. If you fish a spot that seems like there should be fish there, then i'll turn right back around and fish at different angles or speed, or depth. If not particularly "feeling" a spot I'd move on rather quickly.
Or sometimes make a run of key spot on spots then go back and fish the bigger spot.
One of the things i really like to do when fishing solo is to get really tight parallel to a weed line or break line and cast ahead, and 45 degrees to and away from the structure. This can really help get a picture of where the fish are locating. So its still fishing fast but really is pretty thorough.
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Posts: 1172
| At 59 I've out lived my dad and most my fishing friends so once a year it's off to God's country.
I can get my mom and sister to come but when it comes to fishing I'm on my own.
Rent a SUV , cabin and a boat.
So fishing solo I can pick a part weed bed with the best of them. But I'm happiest out on a reef or better yet in the middle of nowhere. Come home empty more times then out. Of course if I need to catch a fish a good resort has perch fishing off the dock.
My nephew does not like to fish with on big water or it's "where are weeds" |
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Posts: 58
Location: South Elgin | ToddM - 11/26/2019 6:33 AM
:)
Impossible! |
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Posts: 7009
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | sworrall - 11/17/2019 11:41 AM
I fish annoyingly slow for most people. Comes from years fishing creatures, I guess.
"Cast over by that rock. there's always a muskie by that rock."
You have never experienced fishing "annoyingly slow" until you have fished with Steve Worrall. Yes, I admit I fish too fast some of the time but.... |
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Posts: 8
| I do a lot of solo musky hunting and I tend to hit all my primary spots with a at least one fast presentation (Bucktail) and one slow presentation (jerkbait, rubber, etc...) In the same pass or two successive passes. If I get a follow on the faster presentation I'll tinker with color and action but usually keep the same lure type, same goes for the slower presentation. If I can't get follows or catches with this tactic I'll pick a bait I'm very confident in and fish a variety of structures with it for at least 2 hours before trying a different bait. When doing this I fish very thoroughly for instance I'll fish the edge of a structure and on top of it.
Check out my article on the topic at http://muskyblog.com/index.php/published-articles/
I don't claim to be an expert but this has helped me a lot!!
-Dustin |
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Posts: 32
| I do both. Run and gun, but typically with only one bait per spot. I rotate baits / color / presentation style between them.
I also hit the same spots more frequently though, going back to ones I have already fished with a different bait until confident in what’s working.
Only been a musky regular for about 6 years though so I am definitely still learning and also curious what others suggest. |
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Posts: 1080
Location: Aurora | Slamr - 12/30/2019 11:47 AM
sworrall - 11/17/2019 11:41 AM
I fish annoyingly slow for most people. Comes from years fishing creatures, I guess.
"Cast over by that rock. there's always a muskie by that rock."
You have never experienced fishing "annoyingly slow" until you have fished with Steve Worrall. Yes, I admit I fish too fast some of the time but....
Proof the strongest couple's relationships have balance, even on the water.
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Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | Juhas - 11/19/2019 4:28 AM
Great answers. Let me add to the question. What if you had limited time say a 3 day weekend in northern wisconsin on a lake you fish regularly.
Let’s say the average sized lake in Wisconsin has about 5 good spots. Out of those 5, maybe there’s 2 you really love and are bigger spots. I’d run all 5 with what I think is the best bait, and as I am progressing will start to take notes of what’s working (or not working). Then you can rerun the 5 spots and adjust.
If I am in Canada, I’m running the no huddle spread offense and looking for a biter of what I am throwing, solo or not |
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Posts: 430
| Interesting |
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Posts: 3773
| Fishing solo provides the opportunity to make lightning quick changes in your approach depending on very specific conditions and more importantly, quickly changing conditions. No worries about frustrating a pard as you change your mind. Be ready with rods rigged for big rubber, cranks, bucktails and jig/creatures. Pay attention to how you feel about what you're doing, learn to listen for and to that intuition. |
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Posts: 535
| Id rather fish with someone than by myself but sometimes you just gotta get out there. With that being said ill do milk runs throwing my best baits usually a bucktail or just getting out and trolling for a few hrs hoping to hit a window. |
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Posts: 482
| i fished with partners only for a few years now (did not get out much ) but next summer i will go alone finally and get the feel of the water witout having to care that the other is getting his share of oportunitys , like Ranger said i have 5-6 rods rigged with different baits to cover as much water as possible from deep and slow to fast etc.. and to really use all the signals available then , ZEN time , LOL
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