Little Fish Or Skunked?

[Diggy]

catching>>not catching ...when it comes to fish

colds and diseases is another story

[roadwarrior]

Targeting big bass doesn't always eliminate the little guys.

Saturday on the Tennessee River below Pickwick Dam:

We didn't have good water to start with and then TVA cut it back. Still, we had a big day for numbers.

Our two big fish were green, a 3 and +/- 5. Everything else was small except for a gar and drum. The

only two species we didn't catch were stripes and white bass.Total count was somewhere north of 70

fish between 11:00 and 4:30. We went through 3 lbs of minnows and quit fishing early when we ran out.

[MFBAB]

RW - You said in the first post, if you never caught another fish under 3lbs that would be OK w/ you, right?

Then, in this last post, you guys caught 70 multispecies the other day, with the 2 largest bass at 3 and 5.

Can you honestly say that your trip would have been just as much fun if you just scratched the other 68 and those 2 fish were the only ones you guys caught all day?

I'm really not trying to be a stirrer, but I've had many days fishing over there very similar to the day you described; and yes, the days you get a big smallie probably stand out a little more, but those 70 fish days are still a blast, especially when TVA is jacking around with the water flow. At least to me they are

[roadwarrior]

The fun fish was the gar. The fish struck out about ten yards from the bank,

then bolted in front of the boat heading for the middle of the river. This run

was classic BIG SMALLMOUTH. When she started to come up, man our hearts

were racing, game on! Then she broke the surface. "Cheap Thrill" no doubt.

[ww2farmer]

Even when I am fun fishing, I am dissapointed by a day full of fish less than 3lbs. I will take a handfull of good bites all day over numbers. I learn more from a skunking than I do catching a bunch of dinks and 12" fish.

[YOman!]

most days its quanity ove quality, some days its quality over quanity.

[Arv]

I'll take bites over no bites any day of the week. However, I do know the feeling of catching 8-10'' fish all day. After a point you're basically reeling them in just to get them off. As of now, for me, anything over 1lb is decent.

[weekendfisherman]

I would have agreed w/ simply catching dinks over being skunked last year. This year though, my catches have been fantastic and I can honestly say that I never want to go back. Lol! I have had two over 8 lbs. and several in the the 6lb. range...along w/ many other great bass! This all came on a lake where only 10% of the bass are LM and most are smaller due to the cold, clear water. I read an article by *** about fishing at "first light," and it changed everything! I have caught more and better fish from the bank than our tourney fishermen have on this lake this year! That came in part to help I received on this site (see "Many Thanks in Fishing Reports")...

[alexczarn]

I will take a bunch of dinks over being skunked any day. I just love to catch fish, size does not matter to me one bit.

I totally agree.

[Amoore9900]

Here in Indiana if I'm fishing the public lakes up north I know I'm not going to get the size so i would be happy with a few 15 inchers....here on my lake depends on the time of the year in the Spring march-may we were getting 4 to 5 pound fish everyday trip so we got to the point that we weren't interested in anything under 5 pounds..spolied I know...as the year went on we wanted to catch fish decent size 14 in above and were still trying for the 7 pound and above fish...The goal as most bass fisherman have is 10 pounders....got 1 and lost 2 or 3 in that range...

[Big-O]

LOL... nice topic and is it OK if I vote for neither I'm fine with spending my time searching for large models regardless of the bite or catch count. On the waters I normally fish, I have that option so It seems more interesting that way.

If I catch small fish where I believe the big fish should be, I consider it a plus because it's a sign for me to move on to the next spot faster and possibly ck back later.

[rmcguirk]

By myself or with other people who fish, I'm always trying to catch the biggest fish in the lake. If all I was looking for was numbers, I'd hook a nightcrawler (or part of one) under a bobber and fish along the weedline. And that's what I do when I take kids out for some fun. In most of the lakes I fish, you'd get bit all day long. No doubt, many would be some type of sunfish, but you'd have non-stop action.

But, if you're asking me if I'd rather get skunked or catch a dink, I'll take the dink every day. Like most have said, I'm out there to enjoy the day. Fishing, alone, is a enjoyable; catching is the cherry on top, even if it is a dink.

[LCpointerKILLA]

A day fishing is always better than a day working, so it really does not matter.

[jignfule]

I wanna caught fish when I go fishing & I could live on 3 pounders all day long in Idaho.

[Fish Chris]

A good skunking motivates me. I'll fish all day for one big fish.

There you go ! Couldn't have said it better myself

Heck, I can (and have, on too many occasions to count) gone out and caught a few, or a bunch of small fish, and when the trip is over, I feel pretty much skunked anyway.

Dinks just don't count for anything,

Fish

[mg4u2nv]

I can weigh in(pun intended) on this topic. Being a recreational fisherman big fish are considered a bonus. My situation is very different than a lot of peoples. I fish from shore in urban areas most of the time down here in south florida. Whether the fish is 1lb or 6lbs i still get all excited when my fluke, crank, spook, frog, worm, or whatever gets hammered! again its just my own personal experience.

[PABASS]

I like to go catching, not fishing lol..

Bank fisherman here so I don't have the fancy electronics and anti sink devices to put me on fish, with that said I would rather catch something than nothing at all especially with my limited time I have to fish. Now If I could fish 5-7 days out of the week than I would be chasing those Wal-Mart girls lol, but I don’t and twice a month if I am lucky so to catch anything is fun for me. Plus for me when I catch a few small ones I can establish a pattern and go after the big ones and even weed out the small ones.

I would rather catch a smaller small mouth than a larger black bass, especially in the river man what a fight. I hate when black bass just roll over and let me pull em in evan the 3 ponders what a bore, wont get that with a smallie..

[Fish Chris]

rmc

By myself or with other people who fish, I'm always trying to catch the biggest fish in the lake. If all I was looking for was numbers, I'd hook a nightcrawler (or part of one) under a bobber and fish along the weedline.

Agreed, except not usually under a bobber for me.

Funny thing is, while in certain X's and places, crawlers can be unbelievable for numbers of smaller fish, they can also be the ticket for a monster..... again, in the right time and place, and of course, fished the right way

Peace,

Fish

[alienfishermen]

I hate getting skunking, but it has make me fish harder and am a better fisherman now

Where I fish ever other one is aleast 3lb

but on a good day your only going to catch 3-4

I go fishing down south la on lake verret and you'll catch 40-60 in a day but only 1 or 2 over 14in, after a short while you get tried of the fish flying by u when setting the hook

[wisconsin heat]

Same here. 3# is a big fish, 5# is a monster. A couple weeks ago I was in the shallow weeds and caught 8 in less than an hour. The largest was 12".

Bob

thats how it is in my neck of the woods, ive caught maybe 4 fish that have gone over 3lbs, 2 of them are my PB's topping at 3-9. and this is in 4 seasons of bass fishing

[SirSnookalot]

I catch my share of fish that have a bit of size to them not to mention some incredible fights, but it doesn't happen near as often this time of year. Not that I give up fishing saltwater but I spend more time bass fishing now than I would in the summer. It's always nice to stick a big bass, but that isn't the real goal, the objective is to be outdoors and have some fun, bass fishing is the perfect medium because seldom will I go skunk. Is my level of enjoyment any different with a 2.9# or a 3.1# bass, probably not. I don't weigh them anyway, I'm not consumed with a PB or strictly targeting larger ones, they happen all on their own usually when I least expect it. Sure it's fun, but enjoying the outdoors is even better, even if I do get skunked.

[Bankbeater]

Seems like I catch larger fish in the colder months, but not as many of them. When it is warm out I see a lot of dinks.

[J Francho]

When it's warm, the bigger bass are often resting in deeper water, so you won't "see" them, unless they are feeding shallow.

[wrat]

I cant stand getiing skunked

[bassfisherjk]

Hate to say it but I would rather catch a little bass instead of getting skunked.