Fast vs Slow

[DADAKOTA]

Like others I have caught big fish with fast and slow baits and some in between.  What I can say without a doubt is that when using any type of touch bait (jig, worm, senko, soft plastics, etc. with the exception possibly of a fluke) or a suspending stickbait, that I catch more fish and big fish by slowing down.  I can't tell you how many fish I have caught or bites I have gotten when I talk on the cell, eat a sanwich, get a drink, etc.  All cause me to slow down a gear or two and the fish love it.

[Johnsfolly]

For me personally it seems to come down to water depth. The deeper the water I would imagine that a slower retrieve would be the ticket. My largest LMB came out of a small lake in 6-8' of clear water and a slow twitch and drop with a sluggo (remember them). That fish took its time to inhale that bait. Whereas my largest trout and smallmouth have come out of rivers with clear water less than 5' deep and on active fast retrieve baits. In shallow water they just don't want to let that bait get away, especially if there is a depth change like a ledge going from deeper to shallow water. I don't fish rivers that are that deep to be able to say if slowing down the bait would get bigger fish.

One thing is certain that whether you are fishing or hunting you are likely to get a strike for a shot opportunity when you least expect it, like taking a bite out of a sandwich, or answering the phone, or nature's calling.

Also I used to love the Banjo minnow, except for its price.

[Mitch f]

I've never used the Banjo minnow actually, but what the inventor said intrigued me. 

But I will say, I like the idea of their nose hooking method. It will track truer. I suppose it's like towing a boat, you tie on the nose ring and it tracks true. But if you towed it with the rope tied to the front seat pedestal, it would dart from one side to the other, almost identical to a tube bait. I actually went thru a stage where I nose hooked Super Flukes, but scrapped that idea after I got hung up so many times. I'm curious if the little rubber band dealie on the Banjo helped it be more weedless or not?

[jpb2187]

I never had the Banjo Minnow, but got these as a kid. I actually thought they worked pretty well. Now they're selling those Berkley Backsiders and Jackall Cover craw... same concept.

[Coosa]

1 hour ago, jpb2187 said:

I never had the Banjo Minnow, but got these as a kid. I actually thought they worked pretty well. Now they're selling those Berkley Backsiders and Jackall Cover craw... same concept.

I remember those!  I had few but I was really young and uneducated to fishing. Judging by this picture it's no wonder I didn't like them.... I had it rigged backwards!!!  Lol

[Johnsfolly]

Mitch - The rubber band did keep it somewhat weedless. The action was best in open water or along structure or weedlines and not for busting through heavy weeds. The plastic in the nose could have been a little tougher to keep the baits attached to the screw. Once the bass tore the bait off of the nose a couple of times it didn't stay in place much further. The bait also lost its effectiveness if you trimmed the front of the bait. As I mentioned, the price was a lot more than flukes that I have since replaced the banjo minnow.

[Terrierman]

My theory about big fish is they want what they want.  And it varies, there's really no hard and fast rule, or even much of a guideline if you ask me. 
If you want to catch big fish, fish a lot.  And then you'll get your share.  Really don't think there's another way.  But I'm kind of a rookie so might have that all wrong.

[rps]

My largest walleye hit a worm moving somewhere around 1.2 mph. The second largest struck a trolled crank bait somewhere around 2 mph. My largest bass hit a spinner I speeded up to get over a snag. My second largest (from Table Rock) hit a trolled crank bait. The third largest inhaled a WTD bait.

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

45 minutes ago, Terrierman said:

But I'm kind of a rookie so might have that all wrong

Right!!!

[Mitch f]

I would also say that slowing down is a key for pressured fish, which is what you mostly get on these Ozark rivers.