Hypothetical Experiment: Skill Vs. Equipment

[Globadoc]

In this experiment would we be able to use a Zebco 33 Classic or Revo Winch on the Ugly Stick?

To stay within the spirit of the experiment, you have to use the Zebco 33.

[Globadoc]

^{Skill and knowledge will take you a lot further than owning expensive gear.}

^{I've felt this way my whole life because of a family story.}

^{When my father was "courting" my mother he was invited to go fishing with my mom's dad. Now it wasn't bass fishing and it was on a party boat but fishing never the less.}

^{My grandfather was an old salt in the fullest sense of the word. My dad on the otherhand, was more of a land lubber.}

^{Dad wanted to impress so he went out and bought the latest and greatest gear out there. When he met up with my granfather at the boat all Grand Dad  had was a hand line. My grandfather proceeded to outfish my father and every other person on the boat with that hand line.}

^{I really wish he lived longer because I would have loved to go fishing with the man. Instead, I think I inherited his fishing genes.}

 

^{Unfortunately as a result I was the kid down at the local pond with a cane pole. I still outfished my peers. (No bass in the pond. Just panfish, Bullheads and goldfish (gasp).}

^{To this day I'm more of a bankg for the buck type of guy when it comes to fishing gear.}

 

^{PS - My personal best was on an ugly stick.}

Funny story that I can identify with. I have been fishing several times with my father-in-law (God rest his soul) and his bent 9 foot bamboo cane pole with the yarn and old hook. No matter what equipment my son and I took with us, he ALWAYS caught the largest fish of the day. ALWAYS. The old man could really get it done.

[Sam]

No, not really.

 

The more sensitive equipment can give you an advantage but overall I have done well with BPS Extreme rods.

 

It is your technique, bait selection and understanding of how a bass thinks that separates the masters from the pretenders.

 

My fishing buddy always bought cheap rods and reels and threw them away when they broke. He is an excellent fisherman and will outfish just about everyone using the inexpensive stuff.

[Crookedneck]

There is a time and a place for all types of gear. 

 

First you have to fish where the fish are.  Doesn't matter what gear you have, if you are fishing in a mud puddle in your drive way, no gear is going to catch fish if they aren't there.

 

Some techniqes gear may be less important.  Others gear can make a huge difference. 

 

I have found that finesse techniques is where the biggest difference is noticable.  And that difference is multiplied with weather, water current, water depth and bottom make up.  

[Hooligan]

#1 reason I wouldn't fish an ugly stick- weight. #2 it simply isn't as sensitive as even lower end graphite. I will guarantee you that you miss fish, you cannot, and I mean 100% cannot feel a lift bite on the drop on an ugly stick. The physics of the rod make it next to impossible.

You may feel that you're successful with it, and that's fine, but declaring that it is sufficient for all presentations is simply ridiculous.

Skill has its limitations, and you cannot replace those lost senses. A progressive taper rod like the ugly stick cannot account for so, so many things. You cannot feel the transition from one bottom type to another. You cannot feel the light tick of hanging on a stem of grass. You cannot feel the light push of a spot moving your jig to you. Skill alone cannot tell you those things, either.

Is it necessary to spend $450 on a rod to feel those those things? No. Is it necessary to have a adequate feel and transmission in a rod to be able to feel them? Yes.

If the Ugly Stick is so sensitive and so adequate, why does not a single angler on any major circuit fish them? Even by comparison to other modern rods they lack the most essential qualities to be deemed even a workable bass rod.

So you're happy fishing them, fine. But to claim that an ugly stick will do everything a $150 to will do, and do it better is asinine. The laws of physics alone deny that claim.

In limiting your ability to delineate structure and other items by fishing sub par rods that are incapable of transmitting those changes you limit your ability to increase in skill.

You might be fine with moving baits on an ugly stick, but I will guarantee you you're missing fish on them when it comes to bottom contact techniques. That, or you have super human senses and reaction times.

[derekxec]

i only use custom built rods now (because i build them myself) and mid/high end reels right now but if you take durability out of it there is still a lot of difference to me...i have used low end stuff and i can tell you that most high end stuff is a lot lighter and stronger and also tailored to the kind of fishing you are doing

 

when i was using the low end stuff i would be wore out at the end of the day just from the weight of the rods casting them 12 or so hours a day and the higher end stuff is a lot more sensitive

 

but if you put in durability the high end stuff kills the low end for example ive had a shimano trinidad since 2000 or 2001 ($420 which isnt even the top end) but ive used it in saltwater maybe 4 times a week since i bought it and have never rinsed it off or cleaned it, oiled it or replaced anything on it and it feels brand new still (besides a bunch of scratches on the outside haha running down the beach after it before the ocean/fish takes it)

[JEC]

IMO skill is more important than equipment   would I catch less fish with downgraded equipment? sure I would because a lot of the bites I get I would never even feel due to sensitivity of the rods but if u took KVD and gave him an ugly stick and a zebco he would still out fish me no question