Josh Smith Posted February 1, 2015 Posted February 1, 2015 Hi Folks, I'm sitting here watching the snow come down from Linus and I'm itching to have a good bass rod in my hand. They're all at my shop! So I'm reflecting instead: The bass I catch... they fight hard. They're scrappy. But even the larger ones (for Indiana) play out pretty fast. Granted, I do use heavier tackle, mostly Ambassadeurs of all years and MH/F rods. I do have one M/F rod, and I catch a fair amount of bass on my ultralight, too. They're fun on the ultralight. Still, they play out fast. I caught a buffalo fish once. The thing was a yard long or so. It bent my MH rod like bass bend my ultralight, and I fought it for a good, long time. The old Ambassadeur I was using had 4.7:1 gearing and I was glad of it. At that time, all that there was on the popular market was mono line. My biggest fear was that it would break. I love bass, though. I guess my question is this: Where can I find bass that fight like these buffalo? I've thought about running up to Lake Michigan, but I don't know the first thing about big lakes and my boat, while a deep v, doesn't have (and won't take) a motor large enough to really fish a huge lake efficiently. It's really geared toward small to medium reservoirs. Is it the nature of bass to play out fast? Or, is it just the northern bass that play out fast due to colder waters etc? Just some ramblings from a cabin fever victim. Thoughts? Josh Quote
Super User Jar11591 Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 Sounds like you need to catch some smallmouth. 4 Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 Google striped bass fishing/ guided trips in Indiana, there are a few lakes upstate from me that can/could put you on some 20 pound fish... It's a blast, done it in Cumberland before the Dam issues and fish kills... 1 Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 If there is a shallow creek near you, a wading trip would do you well. They are convenient to fish when close, as I have one right next to my house, and am able to walk off the couch, put some sandals on and fish. Also, it doesn't freeze over, and so I can fish it right now as I watch the snow fall outside my window, which is why I'm looking at a pair of good waders, as I'd prefer not to lose a leg..... I digress... I usually fish with Medium Spinning Gear with 8# CoPoly or Medium Casting Rods paired w/7:1 Reels, and 12# line, and smallies can give a scrappy fight on either. Fighting smallmouth on my spinning gear is my favorite thing to do on a summer evening, and it's even better with a few buddies. If you have a creek near you, it is worth trying. Also, it's worth noting that you my need to downsize... I'm not sure how you generally fish, but many creek smallies are tight lipped, but you can usually get them to succumb to finesse jigs, stick worms, and the likes..... Quote
FloridaFishinFool Posted February 1, 2015 Posted February 1, 2015 The cold might have something to do with it. I have found that river bass who live their lives fighting the current for every moment of their lives put up a much stronger and longer fight while lake and pond bass seem to give up sooner and don't put up quite the fight I can get out of St. Johns river bass. River bass are some brawlers! I have also noticed 2-4 pound bass are quite scrappy while a 7 pounder or bigger tend to tire out and roll over and give up a lot quicker, but those are just my observations and are by no means scientific! 2 Quote
Super User K_Mac Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 I agree that stiper or striper hybrids will test your skill and equipment. Big catfish in moving water are a lot of fun. Salmon on a Great Lake tributary are also a great time. A big salmon headed downstream is a serious challenge. Your lowly carp is pound-for-pound as strong a fighter as I have found in freshwater. Even big bluegill on ultralight gear will get your heart rate up. It's all good! 1 Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 Grass carp will tug your line a bit... 6 Quote
Super User Scott F Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 River smallmouth caught in current will give you quite a battle. Of course, I don't use use heavy rods and 50 pound test line that allows you to horse in any fish either Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted February 1, 2015 Super User Posted February 1, 2015 Go here ~ The bass here are totally Super Charged ! Even more than Bronebacks - and I've caught a few. And there are at least a couple of fellow anglers on this forum who I think may agree with me. A-Jay 2 Quote
Josh Smith Posted February 2, 2015 Author Posted February 2, 2015 I've not been after smallies in a while. This past summer was really too wet to do much wading, so I concentrated on the one lake. If it's drier this summer, I'll be able to wade my favorite place, where the Salamonie River meets the Wabash. Last summer it was always flooded out that way, and when it wasn't, that crap seaweed was all over the rocks. Never seen that before, either. I love to wade with an ultralight setup, though I have been wanting to try it with a baitcasting setup again, too, and I really need to get my fly rig out there. It's seen no real action in years. Josh Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 River smallies on UL gear are a blast, but if you want a really hard fight, consider a steelheading trip. Quote
hawghound Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 Did I hear you say that there was something you don't like about bass fishing? Bite your tongue. Up here in NH I find the Smallmouth more fiesty and I just thrill when they do their aerial dance. Strange as it sounds, I think the 2-3 pound largemouths fight harder and longer than the bigger ones. I don't know if they tire out quicker or give up thinking that they are big enough to handle whatever is at the other end of the journey. I don't know, do bass even think? Quote
Super User everythingthatswims Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 If you want a truly hard fighting fish, don't target largemouth. Outsmarting them is what I enjoy, you can't find a more dynamic fish out there to to pursue. 2 Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 A hard fighting fish is relative to what one normally catches. 1 Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 Smallies on UL gear, or foul hook a carp. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted February 2, 2015 Global Moderator Posted February 2, 2015 On the rare occasion I target carp I usually opt for light tackle and 6 pound test. Hook a 10-30 pound carp on that gear and you're truly in for a test of your gear and fish fighting skill. Smallmouth in a river are about the hardest pulling bass I've caught, but there's lots of other, harder fighting fish out there. Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 would agree with catching some smallmouth. also have to throw the spotted bass in the mix. sometimes they make me feel like Ike talking about "a monster" "a giant" "a beast" and then a 2.5lber spot comes to the surface....... Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 Grass carp will tug your line a bit... Have to ask- what line did you use? Quote
Super User Master Bait'r Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 Also... Smallmouth in a current. Quote
Mass Bassin' Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 4 pound smallies give you a run for your money Quote
Super User Goose52 Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 Have to ask- what line did you use? I've caught 9 grass carp between 35 to 48 pounds in the last few years - all were landed on 10lb test - BPS Excel nylon mono for one, Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra-Soft for the other eight. A properly adjusted drag is your friend... Quote
Super User J Francho Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 I don't fish for bass for the fight. If it's a fight I'm after, there are plenty of opportunities for bigger fish. The problem is catching them is generally a chuck and wind affair, and doesn't take much skill. Bass are a brain game. 2 Quote
MIbassin Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 ditch freshwater and head down to the keys for some tarpon and permit Quote
Super User lmbfisherman Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 I don't fish for bass for the fight. If it's a fight I'm after, there are plenty of opportunities for bigger fish. The problem is catching them is generally a chuck and wind affair, and doesn't take much skill. Bass are a brain game. This! This is why I love fishing for bass. When I fished ocean waters, it was easy to catch anything basically. I got big skates, sharks, cods, perch, bass, octopus..etc...whatever was in the waters i was able to catch (No offense to your saltwater guys!). Until I moved in Ontario, Canada wife wanted to move to her home country. For the first time I was land locked, no OCEAN! I started bass fishing and I regret I didn't get into it earlier in my life. It has been more exciting for me and I keep learning something new all the time. 2 Quote
Super User senile1 Posted February 2, 2015 Super User Posted February 2, 2015 In my area, stripers and wipers are hard pulling big fish, that can be caught with lures. There are, of course, catfish and carp that can be caught by other means and will occasionally bite an artificial bait. If I lived on the gulf coast, I suspect I would be addicted to fishing for redfish (red drum). That is the hardest fighting inshore saltwater fish I have done battle with. A 20 - 25 inch fish on medium bass tackle can provide a 15 - 20 minute fight. The larger 30 - 40 inch fish, and above, provide battles well over 30 minutes. Quote
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