# Anyone fish for all species including panfish?



## senkosam (Oct 20, 2022)

I used to mostly target bass. Tournament fishing got old after 10 years and I sold the bass boat once the motor died and there was no one near to fix it.
Tournaments and bass fishing hype aside, I found it a challenge to catch all species and liked the challenge of feeling light strikes from any fish followed by a possible hook set. Heck, 100 fish caught_ per outing_ is preferable to catching - maybe - fewer larger species of fish (though a few times I caught over 40 smallmouth in two different outings).

There is also the challenge of making my own lures along with modifying old ones.


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## Popeye (Oct 20, 2022)

I have never really targeted bass. I added salmon fishing gear to include 4 gunnel mounted rod holders and a board with 2 down rigger mounted on it to my Tracker ProTeam 190TX so I could run 6 rods on Lake Michigan for Coho and King Salmon. I also like to go to the Illinois Chain O' Lakes and fish for Walleye, Crappie and Blue Gills. Though it's been a couple years since I've been on the Chain. Hopefully next spring I'll get out there again. Late next year I'll be moving to the Corpus Christi area and will they use my boat on Lake Corpus Christi (providing it has enough water to use the ramps) and also see about running in the saltwater flats for Flounder and Redfish.


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## FuzzyGrub (Oct 20, 2022)

We primarily fish the NY section of the Susquehanna River. Smallmouth bass is our primary target, with some walleye and muskie. But, when the river turns high and muddy, we switch to channel cats. Catching is always prefered to just casting.


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## Lost But Happy (Oct 20, 2022)

Love me some crappie.


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## TnMtns (Oct 21, 2022)

Like you I Bass fished for years. But in the last couple of years have been targeting in the early summer, shell crackers,Blue gill, red breast and crappie. Been using ultra light line and fly rods and making my own lures having a blast. I recently started fishing 90+ deep water in the Tennessee river and having fun with the big cats.
Bass fishing is the easiest here in the south east but have not broke that 10 lb mark yet but am close. Small mouth are fun and catch them when stripper fishing.
This is a normal size cat and kinda small. 70 lbs and up are the trophy fish and fun in heavy current.
Tight lines!


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## senkosam (Oct 21, 2022)

Nice catches!
What kind of lures do you make? Mine are soft plastics.


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## LDUBS (Oct 21, 2022)

For a long time I have been single minded about rainbow trout. It has been too many years to count since I targeted bass. For rainbows, this year has been the worst. I don't know if it is low water levels or what. I do occasionally pick up the odd crappie while trolling for trout. I like eating them. Might need to learn how to fish for crappie. Or, I can always chase blue gill I guess. 

Low as our water levels are I might have more fun walking the banks to snipe for snagged lures. lol


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## senkosam (Oct 21, 2022)

> Might need to learn how to fish for crappie. Or, I can always chase blue gill I guess.



My recent reply to the same desire expressed to catch certain fish species:


> I love chasing panfish of all types. Who am I kidding I chase all types of fish and usually am fishing for what ever I can beg to bite.



You said it all right there! The right lures used the proper way in the right location(s) always have the potential of catching whater has gills and fins from 4lb suckers to the smallest fish you ever caught. The more fish of any one species in a body of water, the more of them you are likely to catch.

*LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION - #1 *That's what _patterns_ are all about and they can vary from week to week, seasonally and from one water to another.
examples of two _location patterns_:
*lake #1*
fish were found in the channels and off the edges of large, dying lily pads. Depth 6-7'. Open water - forget it.

*lake#2*
fish were found mostly in _open water_ in 7-8', half way down (nothing special about the bottom). Trolled to a spot and anchored when fish were caught in a certain direction. Picked up anchor and repeat when fish were found again.
Depth per the sonar and direction of the rod fighting a fish in open water on a windy day no less!:









What lures were used: the same ones I cast all year long? : _*soft plastics on light jigheads*_.

How presented:* slow with pauses*

Fish caught: 3 species of sunfish, a few crapppie, small bass, y. and w. perch and one large pickerel. Total catch since last week between the two waters/ two outings? *59 fish* per my counter.

The only way to target fish is by using lures that either fit in their mouths or don't. If I wanted to target bass, the lures would be on the large or heavier side; if I (like you) want to catch any size fish that can be provoked into striking, small to medium size lures get it done.

Lure design is very important regardless of water temperature. My aim is to _use_ _whatever lure has the most action on the slowest retrieve_. These little buggers and many like them were chomped on by different fish species.
Crappie Magnet tails:












Another lure had some tube tails attached:














Both tail shapes_ quivered_ with least action applied or movement.
These and other lures with the same finesse action sometimes got struck *3 x* on the same retrieve.

Hope the above helps in some way or another.


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## Douglasdzaster (Oct 22, 2022)

I also did nothing but bass fish for years. Then started fishing for and selling Triton boats. I was in heaven. Always in a new rig fishing tournaments all over. Then one day it hit me and I had took something I loved doing and it was now work. I finally went back to my old job and remained with out a boat for 20 years. Now I have my first tin boat. A 1982 Monark 16/52 with a 1992 40hp Yamaha. It took several months to get it ready but I have really enjoyed fixing it up.
I have a front deck for a bass or two but I’ve been after catfish and crappie. I’m still learning how to hunt them. I really enjoy catching the wind just right and drift fishing peacefully. I’m in Texas so I can fish year round and it’s about time for crappie on lake Somerville. I live right between two good bass lakes. Bastrop known for quantity and Fayette county known for big bass. Haven’t caught the first catfish out of either one but Fayette has some big blue gill. 
I could care less about doing 70 or 80 mph on the water anymore. Lol
Yall keep your line tight and enjoy catching some good eating.


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## Douglasdzaster (Oct 22, 2022)

TnMtns said:


> Like you I Bass fished for years. But in the last couple of years have been targeting in the early summer, shell crackers,Blue gill, red breast and crappie. Been using ultra light line and fly rods and making my own lures having a blast. I recently started fishing 90+ deep water in the Tennessee river and having fun with the big cats.
> Bass fishing is the easiest here in the south east but have not broke that 10 lb mark yet but am close. Small mouth are fun and catch them when stripper fishing.
> This is a normal size cat and kinda small. 70 lbs and up are the trophy fish and fun in heavy current.
> Tight lines!
> ...


Man that looks like fun!


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## TnMtns (Oct 26, 2022)

senkosam said:


> Nice catches!
> What kind of lures do you make? Mine are soft plastics.


 Mostly Balsa wood poppers and spooks. The fun thing is the painting with the air brush. I am just learning but have caught fish with them. Kinda satisfying.


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## TnMtns (Oct 26, 2022)

Douglasdzaster said:


> I also did nothing but bass fish for years. Then started fishing for and selling Triton boats. I was in heaven. Always in a new rig fishing tournaments all over. Then one day it hit me and I had took something I loved doing and it was now work. I finally went back to my old job and remained with out a boat for 20 years. Now I have my first tin boat. A 1982 Monark 16/52 with a 1992 40hp Yamaha. It took several months to get it ready but I have really enjoyed fixing it up.
> I have a front deck for a bass or two but I’ve been after catfish and crappie. I’m still learning how to hunt them. I really enjoy catching the wind just right and drift fishing peacefully. I’m in Texas so I can fish year round and it’s about time for crappie on lake Somerville. I live right between two good bass lakes. Bastrop known for quantity and Fayette county known for big bass. Haven’t caught the first catfish out of either one but Fayette has some big blue gill.
> I could care less about doing 70 or 80 mph on the water anymore. Lol
> Yall keep your line tight and enjoy catching some good eating.


Use the blue gill as bait for the Catfish. The best bait here is skip jacks but have used live blue gills and caught them as well.
Good luck!


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## airshot (Oct 26, 2022)

Those bluegill pics bring back fond memories !! I met a guy that was in a wheelchair that turned out to be a really skilled bluegill fisherman.. He invited me to go with him on a BG excersion, man was that fun !! He had acess to a small lake that had no public acess so the lake was not heavily used. He had been fishing this lake since he was a young lad fishing with his dad. We became great friends as I not only enjoyed his company, I could make his fishing trips much easier due to my ability to do a lot of the grunt work to make his fishing much easier and more enjoyable. All we ever used was a rubber spider with rubber band legs. Larrybused a fly rod and I used an ultralite spinning outfit. We most generally made our 30 per man limit and only kept gills that were over 9" in length !!! We fished together for over 10 years, until his health took a sudden turn and he passed away. His xasket was filled with little rubber spiders from all the visitors that he had taken bluegill fishing. Those were some of my fondest fishing memories to this day, and often think about how good those fillets tasted !!!! Thanks for the memories !!


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