What I Hate About Bass Fishing

[F14A-B]

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.

Yup, Salt guys seem to bash bass fishing tactics and gear on here a fair amount.. It's not the battle of the LMB or SMB , but rather the skill behind locating, presenting, then catching the Bass fishes... I fished salt ten years, it's much more simple than Bass fishing, in my experience.

[lmbfisherman]

Yup, Salt guys seem to bash bass fishing tactics and gear on here a fair amount.. It's not the battle of the LMB or SMB , but rather the skill behind locating, presenting, then catching the Bass fishes... I fished salt ten years, it's much more simple than Bass fishing, in my experience.

Yes totally agree.  It was pretty mind numbing for salt water for me.  My brother and parents are still saltwater people and they think I'm crazy.  I use to be like them.  They also think I'm nuts for C&R too.  They catch to eat, I don't. 

[ColdSVT]

ditch freshwater and head down to the keys for some tarpon and permit

Been whipped by both...those 80-120lb tarpon are fiesty! The 130 and fish are bulldogs!!

Got into a few permit over 40lbs and they were nasty!

Caught several smaller permit and they dont quit lol

[F14A-B]

Yes totally agree. It was pretty mind numbing for salt water for me. My brother and parents are still saltwater people and they think I'm crazy. I use to be like them. They also think I'm nuts for C&R too. They catch to eat, I don't.

Yup, thing is, I'm not opposed to salt at all, it is a great fishing experience, sometimes! But fishing for bass has got to be more about the "Hunt" rather than the "Fight" it's funny, salt guys disputing bass fishing guys and gear on a bass fishing forum! Go figure...

[senile1]

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.

 

I think all of us who are serious bass fisherman fish for them for this very reason.  The strategy involved provides tremendous fun and satisfaction.

 

I am no expert on saltwater fishing and only get to do it on occasion, so I have no business speaking of the difficulty, or lack thereof.  I do know that on my last saltwater excursion our guide had to work pretty hard to put us on some fish.  He eventually did succeed and we caught some solid redfish and speckled trout.

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[0119]

Ive never seen bass fishing as a brain game.  Even during the poorest of conditions, they seem to bite out of reaction if the bait is placed in their face.  Of course I only fish relatively small waters never deeper than 6ft. so the hunt really doesnt play into the 'game' much.  I no longer really go after them with even med.hvy gear.  With 10# now heavy for me.  I'm enjoying the game more now than ever and for me the tug is the drug.

[SirSnookalot]

I think all of us who are serious bass fisherman fish for them for this very reason.  The strategy involved provides tremendous fun and satisfaction.

 

I am no expert on saltwater fishing and only get to do it on occasion, so I have no business speaking of the difficulty, or lack thereof.  I do know that on my last saltwater excursion our guide had to work pretty hard to put us on some fish.  He eventually did succeed and we caught some solid redfish and speckled trout.

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Try it yourself with out a guide and see how easy it is.  At times bass fishing is easier and other times inshore fishing is easier.  As much as one needs to know about using different techniques and lures to catch bass an inshore fisherman has to be aware of tides both incoming and out going, what fish are if the area if any.  Just like bass fishing inshore fishermen have to know how to fish certain wind and water clarity conditions.  Being with a guide at stick marsh for bass  or a guide on the keys is a great benefit, they have the knowledge you don't.  When I catch a good fish with a guide or charter, they are the ones that deserve the credit.  Catching them by myself is the time to pat myself on the back.

 

What fish is the best fight is pretty much a moot point for most people, you haven't caught them all.  You could never tell a smallmouth fisherman that anything is tougher, same goes for steelhead, stripers or redfish.  I've caught all those fish but some species have eluded me, and I can't be told anything is going to out fight a jack, permit or tarpon. It's meaningless banter.

 

I get razed by my saltwater friends all the time, "going for pan fish" as they chuckle " gonna use em it for bait?"

I'm no expert but I do fish bass and saltwater nearly every day.  Without being overly bright just the experience of being there everyday, one has to know something.

[senile1]

Try it yourself with out a guide and see how easy it is.  At times bass fishing is easier and other times inshore fishing is easier.  As much as one needs to know about using different techniques and lures to catch bass an inshore fisherman has to be aware of tides both incoming and out going, what fish are if the area if any.  Just like bass fishing inshore fishermen have to know how to fish certain wind and water clarity conditions.  Being with a guide at stick marsh for bass  or a guide on the keys is a great benefit, they have the knowledge you don't.  When I catch a good fish with a guide or charter, they are the ones that deserve the credit.  Catching them by myself is the time to pat myself on the back.

 

What fish is the best fight is pretty much a moot point for most people, you haven't caught them all.  You could never tell a smallmouth fisherman that anything is tougher, same goes for steelhead, stripers or redfish.  I've caught all those fish but some species have eluded me, and I can't be told anything is going to out fight a jack, permit or tarpon. It's meaningless banter.

 

I get razed by my saltwater friends all the time, "going for pan fish" as they chuckle " gonna use em it for bait?"

I'm no expert but I do fish bass and saltwater nearly every day.  Without being overly bright just the experience of being there everyday, one has to know something.

 

That was exactly my point.  I think we all should be careful speaking as if bass fishing is the most difficult to strategize and achieve success.  Unless we have tried them all, we really can't know.

[F14A-B]

That was exactly my point. I think we all should be careful speaking as if bass fishing is the most difficult to strategize and achieve success. Unless we have tried them all, we really can't know.

My exact point was this is a BASS fishing forum.

Sure, there's a bit of crossover talk, primarily freshwater species, some like to dabble mostly on salt, I like fishing, for a lot of different fish, however it's about the sport of Bass fishing on this forum, if I wanna talk about the merits of saltwater fish, I would go to a saltwater forum.

[senile1]

My exact point was this is a BASS fishing forum.

Sure, there's a bit of crossover talk, primarily freshwater species, some like to dabble mostly on salt, I like fishing, for a lot of different fish, however it's about the sport of Bass fishing on this forum, if I wanna talk about the merits of saltwater fish, I would go to a saltwater forum.

 

I am in complete agreement with your point that this is a bass fishing forum and, for the most part, we should be talking about bass fishing.  I think everyone seems to understand that, though it doesn't bother me if someone wants to bring their saltwater experience into a conversation.  However, from reading your other posts that wasn't your exact point, but one of two or three points you made.  One of your other points was that saltwater is easier than bass fishing per your quote below.  From your perspective, maybe this is true.  Others might not think so. 

 

Yup, Salt guys seem to bash bass fishing tactics and gear on here a fair amount.. It's not the battle of the LMB or SMB , but rather the skill behind locating, presenting, then catching the Bass fishes... I fished salt ten years, it's much more simple than Bass fishing, in my experience.

 

You also made a point that saltwater guys dispute bass guys and gear on this forum.  See below.  I haven't noticed this, but maybe it has occurred in other threads.

 

Yup, thing is, I'm not opposed to salt at all, it is a great fishing experience, sometimes! But fishing for bass has got to be more about the "Hunt" rather than the "Fight" it's funny, salt guys disputing bass fishing guys and gear on a bass fishing forum! Go figure...

 

I think the OP asked about bass that fought harder, and everyone was just trying to give him some examples of fish he could go after for a good fight - freshwater and saltwater included - probably due to the fact that he mentioned that he enjoyed the fight of a non-bass, the Buffalo.  I don't see any of the other debates that you saw in this thread.

[0119]

I don't dispute bass guys rather I dispute those who think their experience catching bass makes them more of a fisherman than those sitting on a bucket. Bass fisherman as a whole seem to harbor an elitist attitude. The industry propagates that with techno bling gear, gangsta basswear and foolish "pro" adoration. One day all types of fishing will be serious threatened. Our unwillingness to stick together as anglers in general will not help our cause.

[RSM789]

I thought about this a bit and I believe it is the sum of the parts that attracts me (& many others) to bass fishing over other types.  By sum of the parts, I mean the following attributes:

 

• It is active, not passive - Even if the catching is slow, you can enjoy the activity of trying different areas, making targeted casts, etc.
   
• Success is achievable multiple ways - It is often seen in tournaments how multiple, different patterns will catch fish under the same conditions.
   
• Artificial lures can be the most effective tool - The cleanliness, flexibility & non wastefulness of artificial lures is attractive to many when compared to using bait.
   
• Availability - Nearly any creek, pond, river or lake offer you the opportunity to catch a bass.
   
• Fish size - Average sized bass can be caught without specialized equipment with larger fish always a possibility.
   
• Fish spirit - Bass will pull, jump & splash when caught.  Other species may do one of these, but not the others.  For example, many trout species will jump, but other than that, they just kind of wiggle when caught.  Catfish will pull like a truck, too bad they wont jump a foot out of the water.
   
• Landing the fish - Is there anything more cool than grabbing a bass by its open mouth & puling him aboard?  No net, no gaff, just grab him by the lip & then let him go.

 

There may be certain types of fish or certain types of fishing that are better than bass fishing in one or two aspects, but when you take the entire package, it becomes obvious why it is the most popular fish in the U.S.

[Josh Smith]

Hi Folks,

 

I have limited smallie experience.  I do need to fish the rivers more, and am hoping I get the opportunity this year.  I love to wade. 

 

The hunt and active fishing with lures is what it's about for me, too.  I just want to lay into something that fights, too.  I suppose if I had access to 5+lb bass all day long, this would be ideal.  This is Indiana, though, and they grow slower.

 

Maybe I need some FL or TX bassin'?  I dislike still fishing.  The buffalo fish that laid into that inline spinner was a brute.  Only time I still fish is if I'm going to get to eat catfish when I'm done!

 

Regards,

 

Josh

[SirSnookalot]

Before anyone places a target on my back I don't believe I bad rapped bass or saltwater fishing.  There are similarities as well as differences, one venue is neither easier or more difficult, the conditions at hand dictate that.  I find both types of fishing satisfying, but I do favor the salt.

 

0119 IMO made an excellent point about elitism.  Quite often I notice saltwater fishermen viewed as 2nd class anglers, understandable as this is a bass forum and people tend to be protective of their own sport.  I assure you that in saltwater there are nice boats, great gear, highly skilled fisherman that use a variety of techniques, some have been adopted for bass like umbrella rigs and drop shotting.  If one thinks all you have to do is put a live shrimp on the line, then ya haven't done much salt fishing, I'm not talking about a blue runner or sand perch.  To catch fish here you have to hunt them just like being on the lake looking for bass.  Have had many days going skunk both inshore and offshore.

[J Francho]

Do most salt water fisherman chase a single species, year round? Or do they take what's available where they can fish, within their means?

Elitism? I don't disagree. The beauty and attraction of bass fishing is that it is well within most peoples' means to specialize and persue throughout the seasons. Try that with trout and salmon. How about reds and specks? Tuna? Marlin and other billfish? Tarpon?

There is a DIY ethic in bass fishing that isn't there in many other forage. If there is, it takes a significant amount of money.

So if you want to call it elitism, go ahead. The common man rarely gets to be considered elite. Thanks for the compliment!

[SirSnookalot]

Good question about taking what's available or targeting year round, addressing the Atlantic as I have no real experience on the Gulf.  Probably some of both as many species are some what migratory or they follow the bait, and  certain weather conditions bring them in too.  As far as targeting snook are very similar to bass.  Snook are present year round but not too active in the winter, bass are the opposite active in winter and much slower in the summer, I target both species year round.  Right now I target bass but still get out to snook fish, in the summer it's snook every morning, and still a little bit of bass fishing, ya gotta go with what's hot.

 

The common fisherman fishing salt is no different than the bucket bass fisherman, same Walmart type of equipment, nothing too sophisticated.  Instead of digging up worms they throw a sabiki to catch their bait.  Most on BR tend to use artificial, for the inshore fishermen that chooses that route it can be quite affordable on any budget.  For example a Penn Fierce mounted on a Calico Jack using Walmart spoons, $5.00 bombers and bucktails, all of that will get the job done for a modest price.  As with 50k bass boats and 10 combos on the deck, that can be done in salt too.  Price out Yellowfin or Grady White with 2 or 3 OB and the "right gear" and see what that sets you back.

Bass or salt it can be reasonably priced or sky high, BTW Viking fishing yachts start about 900K, now your talking elitists. 

[senile1]

Do most salt water fisherman chase a single species, year round? Or do they take what's available where they can fish, within their means?

Elitism? I don't disagree. The beauty and attraction of bass fishing is that it is well within most peoples' means to specialize and persue throughout the seasons. Try that with trout and salmon. How about reds and specks? Tuna? Marlin and other billfish? Tarpon?

There is a DIY ethic in bass fishing that isn't there in many other forage. If there is, it takes a significant amount of money.

So if you want to call it elitism, go ahead. The common man rarely gets to be considered elite. Thanks for the compliment!

 

Jon, those are good points about how bass fishing has appealed to the common man.  Obviously, the reason the word "elitism" was used is because some bass anglers can come across as thinking they are better than other types of fishermen and women.  Unfortunately, the poster referred to bass anglers as a whole, rather than the few who act this way.  I do get his point though.

[J Francho]

I don't bother shouting from the rooftops about how humble I am. Seems a little insincere, lol.

I think when you're worried about how someone thinks of you, there may be a bigger problem staring at you in the mirror.

"Elitism" is almost always a tag designated from outside the circle, and stems from (sometimes innocent) ignorance.

Anyway, it matters little to me. I just like chasing bass. If you think what I'm doing is easy, elitist, over thought, over done, etc., the so what. I'm having fun at no one's expense but my own.

*******************************************

Northern pike put a good fight, and eat bass lures. Try those if you want a hard fighting fish.

[lmbfisherman]

I don't dispute bass guys rather I dispute those who think their experience catching bass makes them more of a fisherman than those sitting on a bucket. Bass fisherman as a whole seem to harbor an elitist attitude. The industry propagates that with techno bling gear, gangsta basswear and foolish "pro" adoration. One day all types of fishing will be serious threatened. Our unwillingness to stick together as anglers in general will not help our cause.

I actually find the opposite.  The salt guys come to me and say look at this I caught yadda yadda and it was 100lbs.  Silly person trying to catch a 1lb fishy.  This from people I know.  Heck, the salmon and trout fisherman think I'm wasting my time. But I don't care really. 

[SirSnookalot]

Jon, those are good points about how bass fishing has appealed to the common man.  Obviously, the reason the word "elitism" was used is because some bass anglers can come across as thinking they are better than other types of fishermen and women.  Unfortunately, the poster referred to bass anglers as a whole, rather than the few who act this way.  I do get his point though.

Where I notice elitism, it that's the correct term for it, are the tournament fishermen.  Anywhere from top of the line equipment, to multiple combos, fishing a variety of techniques, etc.etc.etc., like recreational fishermen don't do the same things.  My perception is that they put what they do on a pedestal of importance with higher skill level compared to what the average weekend warrior is doing just to have some fun.

[J Francho]

The average tournament fisherman is a weekend warrior looking to have some fun.

[senile1]

I don't bother shouting from the rooftops about how humble I am. Seems a little insincere, lol.

I think when you're worried about how someone thinks of you, there may be a bigger problem staring at you in the mirror.

"Elitism" is almost always a tag designated from outside the circle, and stems from (sometimes innocent) ignorance.

Anyway, it matters little to me. I just like chasing bass. If you think what I'm doing is easy, elitist, over thought, over done, etc., the so what. I'm having fun at no one's expense but my own.

*******************************************

Northern pike put a good fight, and eat bass lures. Try those if you want a hard fighting fish.

 

I'm not sure if this was addressed to me or not, but I am answering based on that assumption.  You are confusing false humility with a determination to concentrate on the facts.  That means accepting the truth where you find it, whether it supports your preconceived ideas or not.

 

Fact:  No saltwater angler bashed bass anglers in this thread.

Fact:  One poster made a point about bass anglers being "elitist" but referred to bass anglers as a whole doing this, rather than a small subset.

Fact:  Jon stated that bass angling had appealed to the common angler for many reasons, which is true.

 

I am not perfect or the arbiter of truth, but whether I agree with a person or not, I will try to acknowledge any facts one might state in an attempt to keep a conversation civil.  It is a common problem in the world that those who share a common hobby, political stance, religious view, etc. sometimes use that affiliation to see themselves as better than others.  I can't always just stand by silently when this happens though I typically try to stay out of such debates.  I am a bass angler.  I love bass fishing and identify with bass fishermen, but there were no saltwater anglers bashing bass fishermen in this thread and to say so was untrue, and in my opinion, unfair.  So I spoke out.  If I was worried about people liking me I wouldn't have said anything. 

 

It is unfortunate that this thread is off the tracks and my comments have been part of that.  I'm doing my own "Irene" thing and dropping out of this one.

[J Francho]

Nothing in my post was directed at you.

[Josh Smith]

I wouldn't mind trying saltwater fishing.  After seeing SirSnookAlot's name, I looked snook up (this was a while back).

 

It's a nice looking fish.  Most of what I am used to seeing (on TV) pulled out of the briney deep don't appeal to me.  Snook and a couple others do.

 

Unfortunately, I'm landlocked and am at a stage in my life where I don't have freedom of travel.

 

Bass will remain my main focus with walleyes secondary, but I think I'll branch out to pike and musky when I get time to study up on 'em.

 

Josh

 

PS:  I never did mean for this to turn into any arguments over elitism etc.  All sports have their snobs, and I don't think any of you here qualify as such.  At least, I have nobody on my ignore list.

 

Now you want to get talking guns, I can show you snobs in that field!

[Mainebass1984]

Everybody play nice and go catch some fish how ever you would like to catch it.