In a world of instant gratification, where gigabytes and download speeds affect buying habits from computers to cell phones, patience is quickly becoming a forgotten commodity. Professional anglers are no different. They demand the best electronics, the fastest boats, the finest tackle and the newest baits. Power fishing seems right at home in this environment running the bank, keeping the trolling motor turned up, and casting jigs,spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jerkbaits as fast as they can be thrown. But Elite Series anglers also recognize that sometimes they must step off the merry-go-round and take a more deliberate approach to power fishing.
It’s important to note that “patience” is a relative term. Aaron Martens’ definition might not match the interpretation of Rick Clunn. Though Clunn is considered a very patient angler, he was quoted recently as saying, “I
don’t have the patience to tie the knots Aaron uses, let alone fish like him.” Mike Iaconelli and Shaw Grigsby have their own views on the subject, just as they have their own favorite tournament strategies. But all four anglers agree that patience is crucial to this form of bass fishing.
BASS Times interviewed these four pros, and here are their Top 5 keys to patient power fishing. Although they explain it in their own ways, each of these Elite Series pros realizes that patience — even when power fishing
is crucial to bass fishing success.

1. Don’t confuse power fishing with speed fishing. “When most people think of power fishing,” said Martens, “they picture someone moving quickly through an area picking off the active fish and covering a lot of water. But you don’t have to always fish fast.” Iaconelli agrees. “Just because you’re throwing a jig or a crankbait doesn’t mean you need to move fast and run and gun. Sometimes slower is better.”

2. Develop a routine and stick with it. At times, Clunn uses several lures when power fishing. “I want to present my baits with the best opportunity to trigger strikes,” said the four-time Classic winner. “I will throw at the same target multiple times with each lure and give the fish multiple looks from multiple angles.” Martens uses a heavy drop shot rig and sticks to a routine that he duplicates with each pitch. “If I’m fishing vertical structure, I’ll make sure that when my bait hits the water I let out more line so it falls exactly where I pitched it,” said Martens. His patented “line strip” is an automatic part of his pitching routine that forces him to be patient.

3. Fish the moment. A master of fishing the moment, Iaconelli believes an angler must find out what the fish want and then capitalize on that knowledge. “I don’t get caught up worrying about why the 8-pounder I saw in practice isn’t there. I just make the adjustment to current conditions and move on to the next spot or pattern.” All anglers struggle to catch fish, according to Martens. “When my day isn’t working out, just getting one bite might put me back on a pattern,” he said. “Sometimes I have to abandon my plans for the day based on that one bite.”

4. Be thorough in the presentation. Grigsby explains how patience applies to pitching a jig. “If I have limited cover in an area, I settle down — like if I’m targeting a tree limb: I pitch to it, then I make another pitch to it, then another, then I fish it slow. And then I shake it. Yesterday I pitched to one tree 10 times. Then, on the 11th pitch, one hit it, but he didn’t really eat. Finally, on the 12th pitch, he ate it, and I caught several more fish in the next few minutes pitching to the same tree.”

5. Adapt to water and weather conditions. Clunn carries several different colors and sizes of his signature crankbaits in order to adapt to changing water conditions. “Sometimes I just feel the bass want smaller baits or slower presentations. I have to adjust to different water color, too.” Martens breaks it down even further. “I sometimes adjust to how the fish are positioning. Instead of moving quickly through an area, I might pitch to the opposite side of the same structure, to go from the shady side, for example, to the sunny side looking for a bite. That’s how I adapt.”

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Nice read about being involved in what you are doing, however no where is the definition of "Power Fishing" explained. Is power fishing just being alert to changes, or is power fishing a style? Can you elaborate as to what is Power Fishing? I'm not breakin chops here, I am curious as to why the author felt to include the term with out a foundation to relate to. Is power fishing Tournament style fishing? Then why is finesse fishing used in tournaments as well? Is Power fishing evrything other than finesse fishing? What is soaking a senko, Catatonic fishing? Offer me your interpretations, please

This is Mikes explanation:

Power Fishing: Flipping & Pitching
by Mike Iaconelli

This is my strength. The essence of power fishing. The ability to present lures quietly and efficiently into heavy cover. It's one of the "must know" techniques. It relies heavily on the mechanics part of the technique. This is great because we can practice even in situations where we're not on the water (winter time). In fact most of my mechanical techniques were learned as an employee of [censored]'s Sporting Goods, flipping and pitching down the isles.


Learn Every Cast With Both Hands!
Different situations present themselves during the fishing day. In fact, different situations pop up on any given stretch of bank. I can compare this to baseball and hockey. In baseball, you sometimes may have to bat left handed or right handed depending upon the pitcher. In hockey, there are times when a slap shot from the point is best, or a wrist shot in front, or times when you can only get off a back hand. Well the same goes for fishing. There are times for a longer pitch. There are times for an up-tight flip; or times for an overhand roll or a pitch-skip cast. Learn all of the casting techniques, with both hands (left and right), and you'll become a better fisherman ready for any situation that presents itself.


When To Do What
Flipping - best for stained to muddy water or extremely heavy cover. This is more of a short line technique. It's quieter and more accurate than any of the other cast, but can not achieve the distance sometimes needed.

Pitching - best suited for clearer water situations. Can achieve the same quiet precise entry with a lot more distance. Better for sparser cover.

Over Hand Roll - A good technique for getting just under objects or in between branches.
Pitch-Skip - the most ideal for getting way back under objects (docks and laydowns). Also even in open water, this cast presents the bait in a natural skipping/fleeing motion.


Crucial Elements Of The Cast
The Initial Fall - This is the most critical part of flipping and pitching. It's the number one thing people do wrong. The fact is that 80 percent of my strikes occur on the initial fall. Think about that! Knowing this, I concentrate on that initial fall more than any other part of the retrieve. The two most common errors made with the initial fall is either having a totally tight line or having too much slack in the line. With a totally taut line, the bait swings back away from the cover. With too much slack, you lose control of the bait and miss all the strikes occurring on the fall. You must learn to fish with a "semislack" line. This allows the bait to fall vertically next to the cover and allows you to visually pick up on strikes on the fall. The line might tick or jump to one side. Or your line might stop falling four feet down in eight feet of water. Learning the visuals and movements of your line become as important as the casting technique themselves.

Become A Line Watcher! - With time and practice it becomes almost a gut feeling when to set the hook. Remember, it is better to appear the fool then be the fool. Set on anything that seems different.

The Bowing Technique - The use of the "bowing" technique helps throw the initial amount of slack needed for the semi-slack fall. In shallow water you don't need to do anything else. Just bow to the bait after the cast. In deep water, say water deeper than 5 feet, you must keep stripping off line at a rate to achieve the semi-slack bow. This is like patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time. You will get use to it after a while.

Be A Lure Watcher - The other very common mistake I see in flipping and pitching, is in what people look at during the cast. Just as in other sports such as baseball where it is critical to keep eye contact with the ball, it is also critical to keep eye contact with the jig. My general procedure is that I first eye up my target. I make a mental note on where I want my bait to go. I imagine how that bass is positioned in the cover and how he is going to eat the bait. I then watch(follow) my jig as it proceeds to the target. Because I know what my bait is doing, I can make modifications during the cast to either slow it down or speed it up. Make your lure work for you. Don't fight it. Command you lure to get into the places you want it to.


Lures
Although I use many lure types, the Stone Jig is my number one choice. The Stone Jig is the perfect bait to complement all of the casting techniques mentioned. The shape of the head is unique. It incorporates a thee dimensional ridged head. This not only looks and feels real, but also traps air and gives off a different vibration. The flat stand-up head makes it perfect for rocks and is perfect for Pitch Skipping. Also the integrated, vertical, line tie makes it tremendous for weeds and helps protect the knot. I'll use all four sizes of the jig depending on the conditions and casting technique. The 1/4-ounce and 3/8-ounce are best for shallower water and pitch-skipping. The 1/2-ounce and 3/4-ounce are better for deeper water and thicker cover. The best all around sizes are probably 3/8-ounce and 1/2-ounce. I choose lure color on the two basic guide lines, forage and water clarity. The white jig is an awesome shad imitator. Not many people flip or pitch baits designed to imitate shad. Mike's Special is an awesome unused and unseen color!


Trailers
I select trailer type depending on how I'm fishing the jig. If I'm swimming the bait or I know that most of the hits are occurring on the fall, then I will use an action-type trailer like a twin tail grub or a action-type Uncle Josh Craw Frog or Flippin Frog. If most of the bites are occurring after the bait has been sitting on the bottom or for less aggressive fish (cold water), I will use the traditional types of Uncle Josh Pork Trailers like the 11A, Spin 101, and Big Daddy or J-Frog plastic trailer.
Besides the Stone Jig, I also like to use plastics like the Draggin Series by Mann's. I'll use the IT for creature applications, the Flippin Tube for a more subtle fall, the Lizard in the any of the Spawn phases, and a craw especially in thick matted vegetation.


Tackle and Equipment
I use four different rod lengths and actions. But two of them really stand out as all around rods. My number one choice is a Team Daiwa 7-foot 3-inch Pitchin rod. It is the perfect in between length and action to do all of the casting techniques mentioned. It has a 80/20 ratio. My second choice is a Team Daiwa 7-foot SLT. This rod has a 70/30 ratio.
I also use a straight flipping stick (Team Daiwa 7-foot 6-inch SLT) and a smaller pitchin rod (Team Daiwa 6-foot 6-inch SLT) on special occasions. In reels I need a reel that is slim and compact and fits in my palm nicely. I want the reel to disappear in my hand. I also need a reel that has a super fast ratio and quality anti-reverse. I use the Team Daiwa TD-X with a 6.3 to 1 gear ratio.
My number one line concern is the type of cover I'm fishing around. 75 percent of the time I'll use 17 pound original Stren in clear. If the cover is extremely thick I'll step up to 20. For cover that is dangerous (barnacles, sharp metal, zebra muscles) I'll use Stren FloraCarbon or Extra Strength in 17 or 20. In sparser cover I'll step down to 14 pound Original Stren in clear. Use clear line because visual line detection is such an important part of the strike.

Source

Power fishing, The title,Quote,heading is a little confusing in my opinion. It says fish hard or fish fast.
I read the articles and I think its still, a new way off saying run and gun.

Me personally have no choice but to fish thoroughly in in any particular section on a larger lake because I only have electric motors. So when I pull up to a descent looking area where there should be bass I cast to the same area numerous times and with different lures and techniques to me that's being versatile and patient not power fishing.

If I do turn the power on high and go down a certain shore line I'm usually throwing a reaction bait trying to locate bass, now is it power fishing ????

The title power fishing to me really is hard to explain.

I am also getting mixed feelings. Power fishing is fishing tougher conditions using heavier tackle and covering your area not necessarily fishing like a maniac. Sort of like fishing Fort Pond............LOL

It nice to see that I'm not the only confused person for a change. I always thought that power fishing was moving through cover quickly, using heavy tackle, a style made for efficiency in the tournament setting. Skipping a wacky into a treetop on 10# wouild appear to qualify now as well. Hopefully other opinions will come to play to clear up the murkiness here.

Power baby. I tell Ya Power Baby.............