Can The Pros Do It?

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I've been skunked in the past at a pond or a lake after some time on the water. I have said to myself, "if a pro like Kevin Van Dam or Bill Dance were here could they catch some bass?" Question is could they use their skills to find the fish better than someone less experienced? Like the FLW had a college tourney the other day. If Mike Iaconelli and Chris Lane were a team, would they smoke the college boys? What exactly makes the pros that much better? I'm asking seriously. :-)

[Darren.]

I would venture to guess everyone gets skunked from time to time.

But I'd also agree that these guys could figure the pattern better than the rest of us...

 

 

[SudburyBasser]

If you ever read "A Day on the Lake" in Bassmaster you know that when presented with a lake they don't know, even the pros can get skunked pretty easy.

 

That said, on average they'll outfish most amateurs because they spent years learning how to read lakes and make educated guesses of where the fish likely are and what's likely to catch them. That's stuff you can't easily learn given the huge amount of variables that come into play when it comes to competitive fishing -- the need to catch a lot of keeper fish in a short period of time.

 

It's like that show that aired on Spike TV a few years ago when they had amateur athletes competing against retired and current pros. Yeah, you might be able to get one past them but you're going against people who've been doing this professionally for years. The numbers eventually stack up hard against people who haven't put thousands of hours of really hard work into their craft.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

That makes sense. The word "pattern" is a good point to remember I see. For example, there is a huge pond we fish with a John boat. It is about 3 football fields in size. It has drops, downed trees, drastic depth changes, all that stuff. You think a pro could figure that pond out cold turkey quicker than one of the FLW college guys? I'd say so because like the above post mentions they have more experience. :-)

[Snakehead Whisperer]

It goes both ways though. I know some amateur anglers that would no doubt place in the money at these Bassmaster and FLW tournaments.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

So what do you guys tell people that say "fishing is just luck"? I tell them it is over 90% skill with countless equipment and weather variables. Does 90% sound right to you all? Just my opinion. ;-)

[Darren.]

That makes sense. The word "pattern" is a good point to remember I see. For example, there is a huge pond we fish with a John boat. It is about 3 football fields in size. It has drops, downed trees, drastic depth changes, all that stuff. You think a pro could figure that pond out cold turkey quicker than one of the FLW college guys? I'd say so because like the above post mentions they have more experience. :-)

Suppose it'd make for some great TV, eh? Wouldn't mind seeing Pros vs College showdown.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Snakehead- I've had some good days on the water when I've caught 3 or 4 hogs in an hour and I was like "being on the Classic" lol

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

DarrenM- that's great!!!!!!!!!!

[slonezp]

 What exactly makes the pros that much better? I'm asking seriously. :-)

If you ever get a chance, go to a seminar. The thought process is different. What makes me a master trademan is what makes them a master fisherman. What makes anyone a master at what they do is what the pros have

[flyfisher]

The key also to being a pro is consistency. They perform at a high level day in and day out. Sure I could put together a great day here and there but to do it day in and day out no matter the conditions or the water that is what separates the men from the boys.

[WRB]

I've been skunked in the past at a pond or a lake after some time on the water. I have said to myself, "if a pro like Kevin Van Dam or Bill Dance were here could they catch some bass?" Question is could they use their skills to find the fish better than someone less experienced? Like the FLW had a college tourney the other day. If Mike Iaconelli and Chris Lane were a team, would they smoke the college boys? What exactly makes the pros that much better? I'm asking seriously. :-)

Experienced bass anglers do not fish memories, they look at the current weather, seasonal periods and try to determine where the bass should be located and what is the prime prey the bass may be targeting. Luanch the boat, check the surface temps, check for bait fish, they already know what the weather is and should have a handle on the seasonal period.

I would check the highest % areas first to determine if the bass are active in those areas, the depth the bass and baitfish are holding and select lures that should work under those conditions .

Tom

[Nitrofreak]

KVD did not get to where he is at by luck, if he did he has one heck of a horse shoe up his a## !!

 

There are tricks and secrets they all have that work for them, but when you get right down to it, it's how bad do you want it, how hard are you willing to work for it, how hard are you willing to keep it.

 

Not one of the pro's are there because of luck, all of them have figured out something the next has not and made them hot enough to get a chance at making it big, Hard work and a dedication like no other, this sport changes day to day, if you are not on top of your game everyday you may not be on top for very long.

 

We do this for the love of the sport, so do they, what seperates us from them, or even the collage circut for that matter, we don't have the everyday access we need to solely dedicate ourselves to doing what we love to do, we don't have the thousands of dollars it takes to work our way up to that chance, we have so many reasons we can't or simply just won't.

 

Make the best of your time on the water, learn from your mistakes, don't ask what the pro's would do, ask yourself what are you going to do and simply make it happen.

[panda_slicks86]

i would like to see pros come and fish my local lake..... ( lake cachuma ) so cal. would always wonder what would happen if pros hit my lake cause im tellin ya when a lake is set up like cachuma it can be really hard to fish..... seems like one of those lakes that are un-learnable...

[Shewillbemine]

So what do you guys tell people that say "fishing is just luck"? I tell them it is over 90% skill with countless equipment and weather variables. Does 90% sound right to you all? Just my opinion. ;-)

 

I would respond to those people that "luck fishing" is putting a piece of bait on your line and casting it out into the water from wherever you are. Bait and wait, I believe is the term.

 

Bass fishing, particularly with lures that require expert puppeteering from us, requires plenty of skill. And when you attempt that feat on highly pressured, super deep, gin clear California waters whoo boy!

[roadwarrior]

Well, I guess I never apreciated just how good some of our left coast guys are.

Seems like we have a bunch of BassResource members in California that knock

their socks off!