Fast vs Slow

[Mitch f]

On a different forum, I posted a statement that I heard from the guy who invented the Banjo Minnow. The Statement "Fast lures catch active fish, slow lures catch big fish" seems to be true for me personally. I recount the days when in the last few years when my friends and I have caught the biggest fish, and with a few exceptions (Al, with his WTD baits) the largest fish have come with a slow moving jig. What are your experiences?

[snagged in outlet 3]

I agree and I bought that banjo minnow when it first came out.  One exception is when the wind is blowing and the fish are real active.  Last fall my son and I caught a cloudy windy day and you couldn't jerk a fluke fast enough to get it away from em.  I've had similar experience when trout fishing in the winter.

[bagofdonuts]

Guess my experience has been different. Most of the big fish i catch are on reaction type baits (buzz bait, swim jig, crankbait, etc.).These baits are going fast as I can move them or ripping them out of grass to get a reaction. Probably personal preference/confidence thing. I'm just more comfortable power fishing than finesse fishing. I'm mostly lmb fishing tho.

[Old plug]

I believe both ways can catch big fish.,but from expronce here on LOZ and in the lakes of SE Mo It seems to me the greats percentage of fish over 5 came from a slower retrieve. I think aging has a lot to do with it.mandcthe habitat they occupy  as they age. 

[jpb2187]

If I had to pick I would probably agree with you Mitch, but I have caught bigger fish both ways. 

I personally feel like bigger Bass like it either really slow, or really fast. The middle ground is where I feel you catch a bunch of rats. Big Bass are caught draggin C-rigs and FB jigs deep, and also caught with a quick pitch to a bush before they have time to think about it. I either catch my big bass on crankbaits reeling as slow as I can while bumping rocks on the bottom, or by burning it past wood and bouncing it off logs and branches. 

[Greasy B]

Most days on the river start out fast and on top and progress to slow and on the bottom. Last week the brother and I were throwing weightless senkos to fish scattered over shallow bedrock ledges, without giving it much thought I was fishing my bait kind of slow as I typically would trying to keep my bait in the zone. Dan was skittering his bait across the surface. The fast moving bait was much more effective Under those conditions.

[Coosa]

I know I have a couple of buddies who I fish with with that love to fish jigs and wacky worms. When we go together it seems like they usually get me in numbers but I usually get them in size. I throw a lot of wtd baits, spinners and buzzbaits. I really have a problem with fishing slow which I'm sure is partially due to my gear. Bait casters and braid. Fishing slow is something I'm trying to work and I'm in the market for a good spinning reel. I have never really seen either one of my slow fishing buds catch anything really big but we don't fish together all that often. I know one guy that is always wanting to float with me but he fishes SO SLOW I can't hardly take it. I like to cover 10-15 miles in a day where I think 5 miles with him will be a long day.  I guess maybe I should try it with him once, might learn something.

[Mitch f]

29 minutes ago, jpb2187 said:

I personally feel like bigger Bass like it either really slow, or really fast. The middle ground is where I feel you catch a bunch of rats.

Yea, this statement seems right on.

[moguy1973]

My biggest fish, while not super big relative to other people's big fish, have come on reaction baits.  My biggest smallmouth came on topwater and my two biggest largemouth came on squarebill cranks. 

[Old plug]

Fast are slow and all speed between have one heck of a lot more variables. When I see post like this a lot of questions come up in my mind instantly. Your talking about the retrieve/ presentation period of your cast  is a lot of information to grasp and apply to a given situation. 

COOSA  You do not ever want to get into a boat with me. Retrieves that 3 minutes are longer and spending 1 hr or more plunking around a brush pile are not uncommon. For me here on LOZ