Entry 277-2
How to Win with James Niggemeyer
Editor’s Note: The famous line from “The Gambler” with country-music star Kenny Rogers, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em,” is especially true for professional bass fishermen. The Strike King Pros’ careers, in many cases, are based on the decisions they make on the water before and during a tournament. This week, we’ll look at how James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, member of Strike King’s National Pro Team, makes the critical decision of when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em to win a tournament.
Part 2: When to Change Lures
Q
uestion: James, if you’re catching bass on one particular lure, and the bass stop biting that lure, how do you make the decision to switch to another lure?
Niggemeyer: Learning to make those kinds of decisions comes from the amount of time you’ve spent on the water. You have to trust your instincts to know when to stay with the lure that’s been catching bass or try a different lure. There are several-different reasons for changing lures. If I’m catching bass in the morning on one particular lure, and I know this lure is the one the bass want to eat, but then the bass stop biting, I’ll probably make a move and change lures to catch a bigger bass with a lure more appropriate for later in the morning.
For instance, at daylight, you may be wearing the bass out on a top-water bait, but when the sun rises, the bass stop biting because they moved deeper. You have to switch to another lure or move to another location. If it’s later in the day, and I’m catching a 3 to a 4 pounder every hour on a particular lure, I may stay with that lure. So, you have to evaluate the time of day and the weather and the water conditions, and decide if the spot you’re fishing is holding a school of fish or just one fish. Many times, you only can make those judgment calls by having years of experience.
Question: Okay, James, let’s say you’re fishing a Strike King Series 3 crankbait and catching a fish on about every other cast, but then the biting stops. What will you do?
Niggemeyer: If I believe the fish are still holding in that spot and they just stopped biting, I’ll probably put down my crankbait, pick up a Strike King Ocho, cast out to the place where I’ve been getting bites and let the bait float slowly to the bottom. Many times if the bass are in an aggressive mood, you’re catching them one after another and then they seem to stop biting for no reason, oftentimes fishing slower will produce a few more bass. I’ve learned that I can depend on the Ocho when the fishing slows-down.
Also, vary your retrieve. For instance, if I’ve been really burning that Series 3 (winding it as fast as I can), I may switch to a fast-wind-stop-sit-wind-again type of retrieve. Oftentimes bass will bite the same bait they’ve stopped biting earlier, if you change the retrieve. 
Or, I may switch to using the Wild Shiner jerkbait, reeling the bait down and letting it sit still for 5 to 30 seconds to give those non-aggressive bass more time to look at the lure, move up next to it and then eat it. Many times when bass stop biting, they haven’t left the area. Their mood has just changed, and you have to change baits to match the bass’s mood.
Question: How long after the fish stop biting do you start changing baits?
Niggemeyer: Usually not within 10 minutes. Generally when you pull up to an area holding bass, the fish will start biting within the first 10 minutes. So, if I don’t get a bite within 10 minutes, I’ll change lures, or if I’m catching bass and then the bass quit biting, I’ll change lures 10 minutes after the last bite.
Contents:
- Part 1: How to Decide to Make a Long Run or Fish Close
- Part 2: When to Change Lures
- Part 3: When to Leave Fish that Are Biting
- Part 4: Deciding When to Fold ‘Em
- Part 5: The Woman Behind the Man
