Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 22
  1. #1
    Banned
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    2,641

    When do you rig up your rods?

    Just saw a video with gerald swindle from westernbass. It was a mental game thing and he mentioned how most people are showing up to the lake with their rods rigged up...but that theyre also beat before they even show up because of this. He was talking about listening to the lake and throwing what they want vs throwing what you want.

    I had a moment of clarity (maybe) because I rig up the night before a trip. In my defense each of the lakes I fish are 2 and the other 2.5 hours away, so just seemed like the smart thing to do. Now Ill retie i dont care and actually did that in my 2 recent trips, retied when I got to my spot cuz the water was so clear. But...I do tend to fish what I have tied on for a while and give them a shot. watching that Gman video has me second guessing myself though and starting to thing I should just tie on when Im on the water.

    What do you fellas do?

  2. Member Skeeterbait's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    LA... Lower Alabama
    Posts
    5,796
    #2
    I pre rig specifically because i DON'T know what they are going to want and want to be able to quickly try multiple techniques. So i have a list based on location and season and other shorter term factors that i know i am going to want to try quickly to both narrow down a pattern and eliminate water quickly. I dont want to be spending all that time searching for and tying on lures as i think about trying them. I just want to pick it up and hit a few casts with each in the same area or switch instantly just because i came upon a structure or cover change. But I am not a pro. I don't understand the advantage in what he is saying and that is likely because I am not a pro.


  3. Member Quillback's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Bella Vista Arkansas
    Posts
    44,274
    #3
    I'm rigged and ready to go. I primarily start fishing early in the AM, and don't want to waste prime early morning fishing hours jacking around with rigging.

  4. Member Jeff Hahn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Alliance, Ohio
    Posts
    31,325
    #4
    I have fished the same local lakes for over 35 years. I know what the local fish will bite and I also know my fishing strengths, so I rig the day before a trip accordingly. Yes, there are days that my strengths don't work as well as I'd like and the fish are not hitting the baits that they usually do. But, long ago I realized the futility and frustration of buying and trying to carry every single type of bait, and the rod and reel combos to fish them, that the fish "might" want on a given day. I have also found that my fishing strengths and the major baits that I fish work pretty darn well on waters in other parts of the country.

    Gerald is being paid by his sponsors to get you to buy as much tackle as possible. I don't fault him for doing his job to the best of his abilities. Just be aware of the potential "trap" you are falling into if you try to carry so many different baits and so many different rod and reel combos so that you are CERTAIN that you have all of the possible techniques and lure covered that the fish "might" go hog wild on during any given day on the water.
    "The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

  5. Member Walkabout7781's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Renton, WA
    Posts
    11,979
    #5
    Ol' Gerald also probably has a couple of days of "practice" fishing prior to any tournament, to determine what the fish want. Do you have that same luxury? If not, keep doing what you are doing, based on knowledge of what is likely to work from previous experience.
    Don't bother me, I'm screwing for virginity.

    I killed a 12-pack just to watch it die.

  6. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    MN
    Posts
    3,711
    #6
    I never unrig my rods. They almost always bite the same lures you used yesterday.

    People give fish way too much credit.

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Lancaster Co. Pa.
    Posts
    348
    #7

    USA

    Always rigged and ready to go. My fishing buddy and I have a dollar bet on the first bass in the boat. No way I am going to fumble around when there is money on the line.

  8. Scraps
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Havertown, PA
    Posts
    9,584
    #8
    I feel unprepared if I'm not pre-rigged. But I have had many days where by the end of the day I've totally changed the game plan and rererigged on the go. Seems to happen more in clear water fishing than shallow dirty water fishing.
    2017 Phoenix 819
    2016 200ProXS, s/n 2B359849, Mod 1200P73BD

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Shell Knob/Owasso
    Posts
    1,658
    #9
    My rods are rigged in my boat right now in anticipation of what I'll do next weekend. More than once, though, I've been wrong. This lake can change drastically in 24 hours. This time of year, you rig for where are you gonna go and how do you want to fish.
    2017 Phoenix 618Pro

  10. Dogfish_Jones
    Guest
    #10
    I will usually pre-rig my rod/reels the day before the tournament. I hook up my boat and climb aboard and go to rigging what I think they might be hitting.
    Now... that's not to say i will not change out a few as the day goes on. I never change out my "go too" lures but I will change out some with different colors or even a completely different bait if I have not had nay luck with the one I am changing out.
    My arsenal is around 10 - 12 rod/reels and I never change out maybe 5 of them and the rest is up for what is happening and what I think might be a better choice.

  11. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Mobile, Alabama
    Posts
    6,551
    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Dogfish_Jones View Post
    I will usually pre-rig my rod/reels the day before the tournament. I hook up my boat and climb aboard and go to rigging what I think they might be hitting.
    Now... that's not to say i will not change out a few as the day goes on. I never change out my "go too" lures but I will change out some with different colors or even a completely different bait if I have not had nay luck with the one I am changing out.
    My arsenal is around 10 - 12 rod/reels and I never change out maybe 5 of them and the rest is up for what is happening and what I think might be a better choice.
    This works for me.

  12. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Mississippi
    Posts
    113
    #12
    If I remember correctly Swindle is the same angler that I saw in an interview several years ago saying how he doesn't even spend time retying lures from the last tournament

    I understand what he's saying though. Example trying to make them bite a jig next to cover when fish are on transitions chasing bait and wanting a crankbait instead. I always have numerous rods pre rigged in boat ready to go based on weather, water conditions, structure, cover, etc. Only way for me to tell what a fish wants is pick a rod and start rotating
    Last edited by deadadrift89; 08-27-2019 at 05:35 PM.

  13. Member jamey1e's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Mount Croghan, SC
    Posts
    1,242
    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hahn View Post
    I have fished the same local lakes for over 35 years. I know what the local fish will bite and I also know my fishing strengths, so I rig the day before a trip accordingly. Yes, there are days that my strengths don't work as well as I'd like and the fish are not hitting the baits that they usually do. But, long ago I realized the futility and frustration of buying and trying to carry every single type of bait, and the rod and reel combos to fish them, that the fish "might" want on a given day. I have also found that my fishing strengths and the major baits that I fish work pretty darn well on waters in other parts of the country.

    Gerald is being paid by his sponsors to get you to buy as much tackle as possible. I don't fault him for doing his job to the best of his abilities. Just be aware of the potential "trap" you are falling into if you try to carry so many different baits and so many different rod and reel combos so that you are CERTAIN that you have all of the possible techniques and lure covered that the fish "might" go hog wild on during any given day on the water.
    Could not have said it better myself. I only fish the same 2-3 lakes and have for many years. I've built up a lot of experience and rarely am I off on my lure selection. Even when I go to a new body of water I rig up with what's working on my home waters and it's usually close. You've got to start with something!
    USMC Vet!

  14. Member edwonbass's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Columbia, MD
    Posts
    628
    #14
    Mine are always still rigged from last time. I at least like to have a Spook tied on to start with since I usually go early.

  15. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Westport, Washington
    Posts
    1,508
    #15
    My boat has at least three and usually four different ‘basic’ rigged poles in the locker with easily switchable ‘other’ and spares in with them. If one thing doesn’t work, and fairly soon, I switch up until something works. I would not do it otherwise. If I am taking kids or adults out I will try and get out the day before to see what works and have a couple rigged with that to start with.

  16. Member ifishinxs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Southern Utah
    Posts
    6,401
    #16
    I always rig up the night before but having said that my rods stay rigged up year round. The night before I may change up a bait on one rod and usually retie all baits. Nothing like setting the hook first thing in the morning and have a knot or line break on a fray..
    2024 Phoenix 818, Mercury 175 (3B414035) Trick Steps, 3 Garmin 106 SV,s, LVS 34. BoatEFX dual bow mount. Ionic 12V 125AH, 2 12V 100 ah LiTime’s for the TM. Minn Kota 345 PCL charger,

  17. Member basscatcher89's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Ottawa, IL
    Posts
    7,690
    #17
    I'll keep mine rigged up with empty hooks till I get to the water. I'll have a carolina rig tied up or a texas rig tied up and wait till I get there to see what everything looks like before picking a plastic to put on. But I'll always have a reaction bait of some sort tied up cause 9 times out of 10 I'm going to start with that to try and get a feel for the fishes mood that particular day.

  18. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Tampa, FL
    Posts
    7,036
    #18
    My rods stay rigged. I fish my golf course ponds almost every day so I will try different techniques during the week but the night before I take the boat out I take a look at the lake I’m going to, pick my first 3-4 spots based on the weather, and rig my rods accordingly.

    I have no problem changing lures but usually I have a decent starting point.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  19. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Sunnyvale, California
    Posts
    3,109
    #19
    I don't get where Swindle is coming from. If he's going to rig everything he's using that day at the lake it would be faster to have everything rigged and make changes to the things he won't use due to current conditions. Those guys carry so many rods they should have a few things in the locker that will work to start the day.

  20. Banned
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    2,641
    #20
    rigging up tonight for tomorrow! LOL

    glad im not the only one. Plus my lakes 2 damn hours away, so every second on the water is valuable because of that. just gotta adjust when necessary

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast