I’m sure most of you are familiar with the phrase “junk fishing.” It was made popular years ago by former Bassmaster Classic Champ, Woo Daves. He used it to describe his approach in tournaments where he was unable to put a solid pattern together.
The truth is, it was his approach much of the time.
While the rest of us were busy eliminating water, hoping to establish a consistent bite, Woo would simply fish what was in front of him … on the fly, so to speak. And he did it with complete confidence.
He had the uncanny ability to consistently find and catch bass in random situations, from all types of cover — some obvious, some not so obvious. An approach that carried him to 17 Bassmaster Classics and an eventual win in 2000 on Lake Michigan.
Shooting from the hip
Since then, Woo’s style of fishing has become a common approach for countless competitive anglers. And like him, they too have mastered it.
You see it at all levels of competition — from high schoolers to seasoned pros. Generations of anglers who think nothing of dropping the trolling motor in unfamiliar water and picking apart whatever is in front of them.
They shoot from the hip, and they’re deadly accurate.
Some may start by junk fishing, while others resort to it only when their original game plan falls apart.
Whether it’s due to a change in conditions or excessive fishing pressure that kills the bite, today’s competitors are quick to abandon what had been working and transition to junk fishing. They do it seamlessly, too. Oftentimes to a healthy paycheck.
The lures they use will vary, just as they do during practice. As if they’re on the water for the first time. In fact, they may have a dozen or more rods on the deck, all rigged differently. But more than a broad tackle selection, they have the versatility and confidence to make them work. They’re good at reading water, and they know which lure and technique to apply in any given situation … all while keeping an open mind.
Making it work
Many of my best finishes have resulted from junk fishing — tournaments where I was on nothing, yet I ended up with a solid catch. Or times when I was on a solid pattern — catching them almost at will — only to have the conditions degrade to the point I had to scrap that plan and fish “new water.”
When it pays off, it’s usually due to fishing the lures and techniques I have the most confidence in … in places where I feel the most comfortable. In a sense, I’m fishing to my strengths. But that doesn’t always work. At times it requires an open mind, using an unfamiliar approach. And even if that fails, you usually learn something in the process. So it’s not all bad.
As the Elite Series progresses this season, I’m sure there will be days when I’ll resort to junk fishing. The key will be doing it with confidence. The same amount of confidence Woo Daves built his career on.
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