following fish vs. spot hopping

[FishermanTim]

Since some spots are premium, leaving just to follow fish may be like "chasing a dream". You pick your primary spots due to their (somewhat) reliable production over XX many weeks/monthe/years, and unless you are willing to accept the consequences of leaving that spot in the pursuit of a fish, you may be equally dissapointed.

Me, unless I heaqd out with a "chase" in mind, I will not leave my spot until it's time to head home. That doesn't mean that I abandon the chase entirely, but I have to be in the mood for a "hunt" when I head out.

[Back Beach]

My approach may seem a bit moronic to some, but I determine in advance where I'll fish, when, and how long. Then I give it a go and usually stick to my time limit, which is usually 2-3 hours of total fishing combined with 2-3 hours of total driving. I seldom if ever change up from my game plan once I hit the water. You could call me an all or nothing fisherman....most of the time its nothing, but the "all" nights help soften the pain from the times I'm wrong.

Given my more limited time I simply try to cherry pick the best parts of the tides in places I've had some past success. I rarely try anything new anymore which is probably a mistake. I come up empty often but its no big deal as there's always next time.

Nowadays I'm less obsessed with having to report a successful outing...If I fish and don't catch anything I simply tell everyone I slept in...

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Given my more limited time I simply try to cherry pick the best parts of the tides in places I've had some past success. I rarely try anything new anymore which is probably a mistake. I come up empty often but its no big deal as there's always next time.

Yup.
My fishing to a 'T' right now

[MotoXcowboy]

yup, me too. certain spots, at certain times/tides. Sometimes I will go whenever, if I have the time or just feel the need to fish. Like in the middle of hot summer day just because I need the stress relief it brings. I could care less if I catch anything usually, its more about the getaway.

If I'm trying hard to catch fish very rarely do I ever chase and drive around unless I'm with my uncle and he's driving. That's his style but I'm not crazy about it.. I'd rather get a skunked then drive around all night. if the spot I'm at is unproductive I'll just walk around and fan cast... I typically fish only one sometimes two spots a night.

thats just me

[Frankiesurf]

I do both.

Mostly in the early spring and in fall do I "expect" the fish to be at a certain spot. This is not a truly difficult thing to do on the south shore of Long Island. For example if they are in Montauk in the fall, in a certain area, then give it a week and a half to two weeks and they are in Shinnecock Inlet and so on heading west on the Island. This method is pretty much set up for the migration in spring and fall. Of course if the bass head offshore then that is a deal breaker.

When the fish are residents for late spring/summer/early fall then that is when tides, time, conditions and wind will determine where I am fishing. Much more hit or miss.

Although, I have been fishing one spot exclusively since late May. One skunk and only 5 or 6 shorts in that time. All the rest have been 30" to well over 30 pounds with most in the low to mid 20's range. This is an anomaly at best and does not apply to the majority of spots I usually fish. All of this success is due to the extremely close proximity to very deep water (100 + feet), resident scup population and colder water from three bodies of water that are intersecting here.

[Fly Rod]

I always go to my main haunt every day if nothing there I move on to the next and next and return to my main haunt on the tide change. I can go a minumum of 6 miles to the north, 6 to the southered and almost 3 out. There are a lot of humps within that range. I'm always targeting fish over 34 inches

[tattoobob]

My rule is if I don't catch at a spot for 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour I move
sometimes on foot others I drive depending when and where I fish

I may even head back to a spot later in a tide also

[SurfCaster413]

Am kind of a run and gunner, I fish the best tides with the best opportunity to catch fish. One place isnt producing on to the bext spot.