Do You Get Disappointed?

[slonezp]

I started to write this as a reply to the quantity/quality thread but didn't want to hijack.

Do you get disappointed when you catch a large fish of a species you are not targeting? You're bass fishing and hook into a 10lb pike(happened to my son this past weekend) His heart was set on a trophy smallie but the fishing gods did not cooperate. We catch good fish all the time while bass fishing. 36" musky, 6lb walleye, 15lb flathead, 12lb carp, lots of channel cats in the 5-10lb range etc. just from this year alone. I get a little upset if I'm fishing a tourney but my son gets angry. Tourney or no tourney, he's ticked. He fishes with "bass blinders" on. He caught his first musky a couple years ago during a tourney and spent the day upset because he was sure it was a huge bass. Only appreciating the fact he caught his first musky a day or two later. Same thing with the big cats, but we can normally tell when they're on the line by the fight. So, does catching a quality fish of another species leave you disappointed?

 

Here is his most recent disappointment http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/125828-my-son-got-a-nice-pike/

[BassinLou]

Yeah, I hate it down here in S. Fl. when you are targeting LMB and one these come along:

 

 

Sorry... I couldn't resist. But slonezp, to answer your question, I can see when you are targeting a specific fish, and the fish you keep coming across is not the game your after, can be annoying.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I use too.  Anymore I like catching fish.  If I'm bass fishing and catch a pike.  I see it as just a cool bonus.  Or like at the road trip when I caught that big drum.  Fluke and I laughed about it.  It was a good conversation fish.  LOL

[J Francho]

An average drum during a tournament can be a let down.  Big pike and musky can be a time waster, but they're still fun. If my bag stinks, I'll stick the pike in the weigh bag as a little surprise for the weigh master, lol.

[quanjig]

If I'm fun fishing, no big deal. In a tournament, sometimes. Occoquan res has a phenomenal flat head population, state record being caught here right around 66lbs. I've hooked into and caught some over 40lbs! Sometimes it's disappointing, but in the end, like you said, can't beat the rush of a giant on the end of your stick!!

[AK-Jax86]

I don't have that problem down here in Jacksonville. Other than bass I've caught 2 big catfish and that's it. All I catch is bass. But if I lived in South FL I would get annoyed with catching snakeheads instead of largemouth or peacocks

[LMB ANGLER]

i live in south Florida and all we do i catch big bass i don't have that problem it plus lake Okeechobee and everglades is known for monster bass  

[A-Jay]

It comes with the Territory fishing up here.

 

And although I hate to admit it, but my PB Pike, Walleye and Rainbow Trout ALL, came while "bass fishing".

 

Oops ~

 

A-Jay

[AK-Jax86]

This happened to me a lot more when I was fishing in NJ. Pickerel, pike, and crappie were among the culprits that would take my lure instead of bass... Pickerel and pike will eat anything lol

[Darren.]

Kinda sorta sometimes...

 

Since I don't do tourney's, mostly it doesn't bother me because it saves a skunk day otherwise.

[Ratherbfishing]

Yes and no. 

 

I was once fishing a small river with a Rebel crawdad.  Casting into a fallen tree, I hooked into something that HAD to be a record smallmouth.  Turned out to be a 30 inch Musky instead.  (I was simultaneously elated and disappointed).

 

Another time on a flowage in Wisconsin I hooked something big using a Rat-l-trap.  Thought I had a big old musky on the line and I was disgusted when it magically turned into a tail-hooked Carp.

 

Was dropping a Texas-rigged Chiggercraw down into a flooded tree.  Felt a tap and set the hook on what was surely a nice bass.  Turned into a 14.5 inch black crappie instead .  That was awesome!

[dave]

The older I get and the more I fish,  I am glad to catch fish.  I can see where in a tournament it may be an issue but,  not for just fishing.

[CountBassula]

depends. i used to get super excited when i hooked into a nice snakehead while bass fishing. now i find them to be mostly an annoyance, they are too easy to catch and get in the way sometimes. once i caught a really large Mayan Cyclid while bass fishing. didn't bother my one bit, in fact i was surprised how it managed to inhale a lizard on a 5/0 EWG hook, and how hard it fought.

[gastler]

I fished 6 local tournaments this year and caught 8-9 lb. channel cats in 3 of them. I thought I had the big bass of the tourney wrapped up, but instead I had a nice catfish supper. Those cats just love the squarebills!

 

[senile1]

I wouldn't say I get disappointed.  Sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised.  It is a slight downer when you think you have a good bass and then you realize that whatever it is you have hooked, it is pulling like a train on the bottom of the lake.  That is typical of catfish and drum. 

[WRB]

Fun fishing other species are usually not an issue. Tournament fishing other species take time to get in the boat and tend to shutdown your bass bite, so it does bother most anglers.

Caught a 26 lb musky smallmouth bass fishing and was trilled, fun fish jumped several times and my wife was with me. Caught a 30+ lb Channel cat, snagged under the pectoral fin with a jig, thought it was a giant bass and was very disappointed to see a big cat instead of a giant bass come up after a very hard battle due to how the cat was hooked.

Tom

[Felix77]

Tournament or not I am always happy to catch fish.  I don't consider it a downer when targeting bass and get into a Pike or otherwise.  I always like to think that I am getting close to the "Big One".

[Fish Murderer 71]

I'm usually surprised and only get irritated when money is on the line. Other than that I have a great time with any fish on.

[Brian6428]

I always target bass, so yeah, I do get disappointed. The other day I caught a 1.5 lb white bass. It fought harder than any one of my three 4+ lbers this season. I was sure I had a new pb, then I see its a white bass and got pretty disappointed. Fight was good, though.

 

Brian

[bigbill]

I fish for bass to see what lure and presentation will fool them today. If I'm catching pickerel, which I enjoy there fight too, plus I'm feeling really good that I'm fooling more fish than the bass and that's a good thing. When any fish interrupts my picture

perfect Oscar winning presentation I feel great about it.

Sometimes were the windshield and sometimes were the bug being the windshield is much better. Better to win than lose.

[RAMBLER]

I like to catch most anything, EXCEPT mudfish, dogfish, or bowfin, whatever you want to call them.  They fight great, but, they tear up tackle and are slimey and mean.  If I catch one on plastic I have to replace it.  I have never caught a bass on plastic that a mudfish has hit. 

[tomustang]

With all the skunk around here, catching a twig is even exciting

[FD.]

I am the central Fl reigning mudfish KING!  Fishing in this part of the country you are likely to catch; Bass, Catfish, Mudfish, Pickerel, and even Warmouth perch.  It does not matter what technique.

 

I have caught 10 lb mudfish and 20 lb catfish in tournaments, that's disappointing sometimes.

[K_Mac]

During a tourney it is a pain, other than that I don't mind. I am starting to get an attitude toward musky though. I don't mind catching them, it is the ones I don't catch that aggravate. The last couple of trips to Kinkaid here in southern IL. has cost me two good crankbaits to the toothy varmints. The last one was probably a keeper (48") that took a 100 series Bandit as soon as it hit the water. I had him to the boat twice before he bit me off. All I wanted was my custom colored bait back...

[Oregon Native]

Love going fishing and feeling the tug. My dad used to say it's just good being out here even if there not biting. I go fishing to catch and enjoy the day. I go golfing to just enjoy day!

Tight Liness