Is There A "6 Lb Bass" Joke/myth Used On Beginners?

[Slade House]

Because most people wouldn't know a 6lber if it slapped them in the face. Once scales are brought to the table, 6's become 3's, 3's become 14"ers, and so on and so forth.

 

Well SLAP SLAP SLAP Here is the 7.23 lb bass i caught on friday early evening, and here is the 6.09  I caught on Wednesday both on a crankbait on 8lb flurocarbon.  Weighed with my DIGITAL scale.  welcome to Lake Casitas,  where if you're not catching a 5 or 6lb bass a week then you're doing something wrong (so sad cause it used to be if you didn't catch a 10lb bass a week, and will be again when they start stocking trout).  ALSO where a 20lb bag of bass won't even get you in the top 5 at any tournament.  but yeah, unless you have a digital scale you can't ever begin to say "i caught a 5lb bass" 

[Lund Explorer]

Is there a 6 lb bass joke or myth used on beginners?

Heres why I'm wondering. Im new to this. This is my first year fishing. I fish almost every day with several ponds and canals on a rotating schedule. Ive noticed that every single time I learn about a new pond, the person is telling me "I've caught 6 pounders in there". None of these people telling me about these ponds are related or know each other. But they all say the exact same thing.

Now heres the catch- all of the ponds are only 1 acre or less. One of the ponds ive caught nothing but 8 oz bass when one bites at all. Another spot I cant clear 2 lbs. Another spot I cant clear 3 lbs. So I tried a test- I caught my pb of 4 lbs last week. Took a pic of it. Showed it to the pond owner who told me about the 6 lbs he caught in there. I didnt tell him the weight. Just showed him the pic. He said its the biggest fish hes seen out of that pond.

So I'm wondering- why does everyone say "theres 6 lb bass in there". Is it a joke the old timers play on beginners?

Perhaps the better question would be. Why do you care?

There are only two possible reasons. The first would be to learn a pond's potential, and after you've gotten a

few more years of fishing experience, you should be able to figure that out on your own. The second would be if

you ever decide to begin fishing in tournaments, and that's where the scales tell you.

My advice would be to quit worrying about what other's are supposedly catching, and concentrate on learning what

tactics work best for you.

[Bucketmouth King]

Perhaps the better question would be. Why do you care?There are only two possible reasons. The first would be to learn a pond's potential, and after you've gotten afew more years of fishing experience, you should be able to figure that out on your own. The second would be ifyou ever decide to begin fishing in tournaments, and that's where the scales tell you.My advice would be to quit worrying about what other's are supposedly catching, and concentrate on learning whattactics work best for you.

I care because I have wasted countless hours at a one acre pond that I was told held respectable fish and landed nothing but 8 oz fish or less.

Its not my tactics. I can move to the next pond and catch 1-2 pounders all day long. The next pond and catch 3-4 pounders all day. So I am capible of catching fish of up to 4 lbs, and many of them. My thoughts are that in the first pond mentioned- if there truly are 6 lb bass in there, wheres the 1,2,3,4 and 5 lb bass in that pond? Because I havent even landed anything close to 1 lb there.

My original reason for posting this was just thinking back that each time I was told about a pond, the # was always 6. And it made me start to wonder if there was an inside joke among veterans. For example: I once worked at bayliner boat corp. My first day, at the end of the day, they had me running all over the shop asking people for the keys to the basement. Each person sent me to ask someone else. An hr later the janitor finally told me there was no basement. Just a trick they play on each new guy. So I wondered if the "6 lb bass myth" in this situation was the same kind of joke played on the new guy.

[Bluebasser86]

I had a guy go on and on about an 11 pound bass he caught out of the Kansas River one (state record is 11 3/4 and I fish the river often and only seen a handful of small bass from it). Finally said he had a picture in his truck, which he retrieved. The fish was clearly a DRUM, but even when shown a picture of a freshwater drum online he insisted his fish was a bass. There's a reason fishermen have a reputation as story tellers.

[Lund Explorer]

I care because I have wasted countless hours at a one acre pond that I was told held respectable fish and landed nothing but 8 oz fish or less.

Its not my tactics. I can move to the next pond and catch 1-2 pounders all day long. The next pond and catch 3-4 pounders all day. So I am capible of catching fish of up to 4 lbs, and many of them. My thoughts are that in the first pond mentioned- if there truly are 6 lb bass in there, wheres the 1,2,3,4 and 5 lb bass in that pond? Because I havent even landed anything close to 1 lb there.

My original reason for posting this was just thinking back that each time I was told about a pond, the # was always 6. And it made me start to wonder if there was an inside joke among veterans. For example: I once worked at bayliner boat corp. My first day, at the end of the day, they had me running all over the shop asking people for the keys to the basement. Each person sent me to ask someone else. An hr later the janitor finally told me there was no basement. Just a trick they play on each new guy. So I wondered if the "6 lb bass myth" in this situation was the same kind of joke played on the new guy.

If you think about it, what you're saying is that you just spent countless hours looking for the key to the

basement again.

All I'm trying to say is that you should focus more on what is right in front of you rather than chasing something you have never seen. Like a Six Pound Bass. The more time you spend fishing various bodies of water, you will

hopefully learn what it takes for that lake, pond, or river to produce a certain size of fish.

[Bucketmouth King]

If you think about it, what you're saying is that you just spent countless hours looking for the key to thebasement again.All I'm trying to say is that you should focus more on what is right in front of you rather than chasing something you have never seen. Like a Six Pound Bass. The more time you spend fishing various bodies of water, you willhopefully learn what it takes for that lake, pond, or river to produce a certain size of fish.

I agree 100% !

[deep]

Ditto.

 

In the north it's "5lbs". As you go progressively south it goes up: "6", "8", "10".

 

 

Haha it's 10# here. Which is crazy, since the lakes I fish have NLMBs, and a DD NLMB is a huge fish. Comparable to a teener FLMB I'd say.

 

Now I don't doubt for a second that there are a few DDs swimming in the lakes I fish; heck, that's why I fish those particular lakes. At the very least, the 8's and 9's I have caught (and weighed) over the years would be DDs now, unless someone caught and ate them that is. My contention is that a small 50 or 100 acre lake, even a very healthy one, can support only so many really big fish. Not enough for everyone and their brother to catch (and keep) one.

 

Or maybe we all like our egos stoked. Here I am, spending long hours on the water with big fish baits, working real hard and catching only nice fish, and some yahoo throws out a nightcrawler, cracks open a 40 oz, and catches a DD after a while lol.

 

Actually I'm really interested in learning something. How many DD NLMBs can a healthy small fishery (say 100 acres) with zero fishing pressure (to idealize conditions) in VA support?

[SirSnookalot]

Never could really understand the fixation, tournaments or possible PB aside, of having to know the exact weight of a fish down to a fraction of an ounce.  Once that legitimate 6# has been caught it seems pointless to weigh a fish you know is but 15".  Keeping one for the table is measured in inches not weight.

[Darren.]

Never could really understand the fixation, tournaments or possible PB aside, of having to know the exact weight of a fish down to a fraction of an ounce.  Once that legitimate 6# has been caught it seems pointless to weigh a fish you know is but 15".  Keeping one for the table is measured in inches not weight.

 

Pretty much agree with you here. I usually weigh a fish if I'm curious whether my guess was accurate or not. Or if I'm just not sure what it could be.

 

Generally, I just release most bass that are not "chunks" either by girth and/or length (as opposed to weighing every one). I'm pretty good with my guesstimates as I've tested (as mentioned above) the guess. Those who use spring scales, even the Boga scales only get weight to 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz or to the pound. My PB was at the 7 and 1/2 mark on my spring scale. Digital scale would have been more accurate, but not necessary to weigh my PB (IMO).

[Jolly Green]

I don't use it much anymore but I keep a scale with me in case I catch something I want to weigh, like this:

 

"Dottie" August 1st, 2-5

 

 

Same fish, September 22, 2-12

 

 

If I kept a more detailed fishing log, I would probably weigh more fish just to have more data, but my best fish for an outing are easily eyeballed at 1 to 2 pounds.  I shamelessly look forward to putting the legendary six pounder on the scale.

[Lund Explorer]

I agree 100% !

One other thing to think about.

If you're fishing a small pond and actually catch that elusive 6lber, would you tell everyone? Just to see how

many more people were beating the water to a froth the next time you showed up. That might be a great question to ask the next guy who tells you this. If he says he just wants to share his hotspots, ask him to tell you where

his morel mushroom spots are!

[Senko lover]

Oh man. Never a weight someone tells you unless it's someone you know and they have a scale. They will exaggerate the snot out of any fish. A 2 1/2 pounder becomes a 4 pounder, ect. ect.

Of course, I was guilty of this prior to getting a scale.

[hatrix]

I agree unless you have caught a number of fish weighing a specific weight then you probably don't know what it weighs by guessing. I only weigh a small of amount of fish anymore and funny enough those are ones I suspect wil go 6 or more. I have caught enough of other fish that I don't care what there weight is any ways it is nothing special anymore but I can fairly accurately judge what it will weigh. I don't catch enough fish consistently to judge fish that will go more then 6# since that's a really big bass out here.

[DogBone_384]

My Grandfather used to say, "Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see."

[Dwight Hottle]

I don't use it much anymore but I keep a scale with me in case I catch something I want to weigh, like this:

 

"Dottie" August 1st, 2-5

 

 

Same fish, September 22, 2-12

 

 

If I kept a more detailed fishing log, I would probably weigh more fish just to have more data, but my best fish for an outing are easily eyeballed at 1 to 2 pounds.  I shamelessly look forward to putting the legendary six pounder on the scale.

 

 

I liked your " dottie " reference.

[OK Bass Hunter]

Most people don't really have an idea what 6 pounds look like.

[F14A-B]

Hehe, looks like a 10 to me, better check that scale!

[OK Bass Hunter]

I have some sand in the springs and it might affect the weight but I wouldn't go 10, lol.

[F14A-B]

Lol! Nice fish!

[Paul Roberts]

Perhaps the better question would be. Why do you care?

There are only two possible reasons. The first would be to learn a pond's potential, and after you've gotten a

few more years of fishing experience, you should be able to figure that out on your own. The second would be if

you ever decide to begin fishing in tournaments, and that's where the scales tell you.

My advice would be to quit worrying about what other's are supposedly catching, and concentrate on learning what

tactics work best for you.

 

I care. Real weights can carry meaning. In that there are waters that produce big fish, and those that don't. And there are year classes that grow large and offer a run of good fishing. I keep close accounting of my small waters. I appreciate good info. I don't appreciate bad info. In this I'm not comparing myself to others catches but deciding where to spend my precious time.

 

All I'm trying to say is that you should focus more on what is right in front of you rather than chasing something you have never seen. Like a Six Pound Bass. The more time you spend fishing various bodies of water, you will hopefully learn what it takes for that lake, pond, or river to produce a certain size of fish.

 

Again, there are waters that I am MUCH better off spending my time at, and I simply can't be everywhere. I appreciate good info. Here's an example. I had a local insurance guy tell me he and his wife had taken several bass over 6lbs from a particular small res. (In CO I have LOTS of small waters to comb through). He seemed honest and knowledgeable. I checked it out. Got out of the car and walked up to the edge and right up to good 20" bass. I walked a little further and there was another! I had the shakes by the time I got back to the car and had a hard time tying a worm on. In all I spotted 4 around 20" that morning and caught 3 of them. I then drove over to check out another pond I knew held potential. (I "knew" bc a couple weeks previous I was fishing a neighboring pond and heard all this whoopin and hollerin. I looked over and two guys were dancing and holding 5+lb bass.) So, after catching those 3 CO lunkers that morning I hit this other potential pond and took another 20". That was a mighty good day and if I hadn't cared I'd have been catching 1-3lbers.

 

Haha it's 10# here. Which is crazy, since the lakes I fish have NLMBs, and a DD NLMB is a huge fish. Comparable to a teener FLMB I'd say.

 

Now I don't doubt for a second that there are a few DDs swimming in the lakes I fish; heck, that's why I fish those particular lakes. At the very least, the 8's and 9's I have caught (and weighed) over the years would be DDs now, unless someone caught and ate them that is. My contention is that a small 50 or 100 acre lake, even a very healthy one, can support only so many really big fish. Not enough for everyone and their brother to catch (and keep) one.

 

Or maybe we all like our egos stoked. Here I am, spending long hours on the water with big fish baits, working real hard and catching only nice fish, and some yahoo throws out a nightcrawler, cracks open a 40 oz, and catches a DD after a while lol.

 

Actually I'm really interested in learning something. How many DD NLMBs can a healthy small fishery (say 100 acres) with zero fishing pressure (to idealize conditions) in VA support?

 

The place to ask that question would be at Pond Boss. Or directly to Pond Boss owner Bob Lusk. In fact, he has an article on this site about just how rare a DD is. Worthwhile read if you haven't already seen it.

[ABW]

Around where I fish, older dudes always tell me that someone caught an 7 or 8 pound bass the other day. I highly doubt it. Most recently, some guy told me he saw a 10 lb bass hanging around a dock. I have the pics or it didn't happen mentality lol

[Jolly Green]

 

 

I liked your " dottie " reference.

 

Couldn't resist.  A mere 23 more pounds to go!!

[Lund Explorer]

I care. Real weights can carry meaning. In that there are waters that produce big fish, and those that don't. And there are year classes that grow large and offer a run of good fishing. I keep close accounting of my small waters. I appreciate good info. I don't appreciate bad info. In this I'm not comparing myself to others catches but deciding where to spend my precious time.

Head Shakes - Rattling Sounds!

The OP clearly stated that the information he got wasn't working, hence it was bogus. It's a pretty simple

concept that a person can learn where to fish on their own instead of relying on second hand non-confirmed

bragging by others!

I am still of the opinion that any true fisherman isn't going to tell you about the pond full of hawgs he's found unless the guy is off his rocker. Of course in Colorado, perhaps all you need to do is hold up a bag of Taco Bell in front of them when they've got the munchies.

[Bassun]

Head Shakes - Rattling Sounds!

The OP clearly stated that the information he got wasn't working, hence it was bogus. It's a pretty simple

concept that a person can learn where to fish on their own instead of relying on second hand non-confirmed

bragging by others!

I am still of the opinion that any true fisherman isn't going to tell you about the pond full of hawgs he's found unless the guy is off his rocker. Of course in Colorado, perhaps all you need to do is hold up a bag of Taco Bell in front of them when they've got the munchies.

 

 

Wow -- I understand that tournament fishering it's nice to have a honey hole...but let's step back for a second and think about what the OP is talking about.  He is a new angler asking about local ponds - he obviously is looking at his ability to catch the potential of the pond.  You say "any true fisherman isn't going to tell you about the pond...", I say why not?  Why not help a new angler become more successful by telling them good places to fish. I can out fish Bill Dance, Roland Martin and KVD all at the same time, as long as they are fishing water with no fish and I'm fishing a good ole' farm pond full of bug eating bass... In my opinion helping put new anglers on fish is a huge benefit both to them and the sport.  Imagine if no one ever shared good places to fish, or good techniques, with each of us when we first started - or if the magazines kept everything a secret - if forums didn't exist where people give advice... I'd be wiling to wager that some wouldn't be here sharing their stories today.

 

Let's be honest -- how many seceret spots are there that only one person knows about.  Unless it's on private property, probably very very few.  Sure there may be spots we "think" only we know about, but reality suggests that spot has been fished by many other anglers with varying levels of success over the years. 

 

Personally, I love to see new anglers catch fish, especially kids.  I will gladly tell a new angler a few "hot spots" to try in an area if I know of any...what do I have to be afraid of?  Maybe they will catch a bigger fish than me?  Good for them!  I'll gladly give up my next 5lb'er to a new angler if it means they will get to enjoy a sport for the rest of their life and hopefully pass along more advice to the new anglers they meet over their life.

[Felixone]

Personally, I love to see new anglers catch fish, especially kids.  I will gladly tell a new angler a few "hot spots" to try in an area if I know of any...what do I have to be afraid of?  Maybe they will catch a bigger fish than me?  Good for them!  I'll gladly give up my next 5lb'er to a new angler if it means they will get to enjoy a sport for the rest of their life and hopefully pass along more advice to the new anglers they meet over their life.

 

This is the attitude more people need to have.  I too have never understood why fishermen tend to be so secretive.  Sure if we were talking tournaments then it might be different, but most of us will never compete.  I am a new angler, and I share everything I learn.  I fish a local pond that almost everyone I talk to says you can't catch bass there.  I have had some luck there, about 8 bass total over the past couple months.  Now most of you will shake your head at that, but remember I am new to this.  I have only just moved to having to use my toes to count the total number of bass I have caught so having most of them come from a pond experienced anglers say you can't catch from is an accomplishment to me.  Here is the thing though.  I don't care if the person is standing next to me on the bank, or out on the water near me.  If they ask I tell.  I will show them where, what bait I used, and if needed what technique I used.  I have found that being open and honest about what worked for me pays itself back.  When I share people seem to share with me.  It has gone a long way to helping me learn to catch more fish.  This is a wonderful family friendly non-violent hobby that almost everyone can enjoy, we all should be working to help people enjoy it.