My Theory For Beginning Fisherman

[roadwarrior]

Well, my very best days are putting guys on their new PB! Just a couple of

years ago I scored twelve in one season. I don't claim to be the best fisherman

in Tennessee, but that's kick'n azz.

 

So, if you are new and your goal is a 5lb+ smallmouth, we are going to do it

my way. I won't just help, I will quit fishing if that's what it takes. You can use my

gear, I will rig you up and demonstrate EXACTLY what I want you to do.  No

competition here with me, we are going to fish as partners.

[Canyon explorer]

I would say that your advice is spot on. Maybe you are not seeing the response results you are looking for because you haven't figured in the datum for the fisherman . Being new they have yet to invest in the time, physical, and mental commitment to become successful. You have kindled their interest. Your success will become contagious as they watch, emulate and read. Bass Resource.

[J Francho]

Jeez, take it easy. I'm not busting anyone's chops. I asked what you do

when all your knowledge fails you. When the blind squirrel on the back of

your boat finds a nut, or the guy in your club that ONLY does well when the

good sticks do poorly, what do you do? Is that beginner suddenly an expert

because they did better than you? Probably not, and not even that day. But

do you try to figure out what it is that set those bites apart from yours?

If so, what questions do you ask? How do you add to your knowledge.

Instead of challenging my status as a global moderator (Hint: I didn't get

the job because I'm a better fisherman than you), or telling everyone how

great a fishing mind you have, and that your never out fished, try being

open minded. Answer the simple questions I asked, without the ego. It's

hard to do, and I'm as guilty as anyone of letting my ego get in the way,

but this thread looks as good as any lately to address this. What do you

with the information when you fail? What information do you even process

when you fail? Is a cast into oblivion really ill advised?

Some guy on the back of my deck casts out the "wrong side" into open water.

I roll my eyes, it's directly post spawn.... We're on a strongly defined

weed line - those early stands of milfoil that hold fish when they scatter

from the shallows. Dude catches a fish. A good one. OK, woopty-doo you

say. Me too. Dude catches four more. I caught a dozen or so, grinding out

my finesse pattern - wacky jig, 4" worm, weed line, move super slow. This

guy caught a limit in twice as many casts, in nothing water. They're all

big - lucky this is a team format tournament, lol. Thanks co-angler! When

I ask why, he says he happened to see bait balls on the console DI unit as

we came off plane. I wasn't looking at that, and was more focused on

quietly slipping into my pattern that was already working well. Now, this

guy was new, and I had been explaining how to read the DI. I think his

actual words were, "I was curious if a bass would go out there for that

bait, if it was bait that I even saw."

As far as fishing against each other, we can do that - doesn't matter to me.

I fish Port Bay, Sodus, Oneida, Lake Ontario, heck, I'd even fish that

toilet Onondaga, lol. It's been since last fall. PM me, I'm not too hard

to get in touch with. Probably be easiest to meet, and fish off your boat.

My Bullet is in process of a sale, and I haven't even registered the Xpress

this year. I got lunch after.

[Fun4Me]

?

 Never mind. I give up.

[scaleface]

Correct  me if I'm wrong but I think the message Lucky is conveying to noobs is not to let lady luck dictate if they are successful or not . 

[LuckyGia]

Thank you for clearing that up for me. If you had written all this , I would have understood what you were asking me.

My point about many friends just tying on a rapala and casting aimlessly wasn't a direct point that I meant to make. My point was they don't put into place a thought process for each cast.

As to what do I do.

Firstly I scratch my head and think " it worked yesterday "

Then I get busy opening my rod vault and layout every type of presentation I might throw. I always have at least 5 rods or more out with something different on each. From top to bottom level.

Then I just start hitting the spots that I do know and work each type of lure / presentation.

I will throw everything I have until I can figure out a pattern.

If I can't figure out a pattern after 3 to 4 hours, I call it a dud and go home to try again tomorrow.

Probably not much different than most here.

If I am not familiar with the lake. If I have time I like to take time to learn that lake.

I have now started hitting the north end of Cayuga. This is a new place for me. I look at my maps, I look at my gps graph. I determine where " I " think they might be and work my go to lures first. From there I work away from my comfort zone.

I never claimed to have a superb mind. I said I learned to try and think like a fish. From a early age I did this.

If that is bragging, well I am a bragger.

And yes, I do out fish ALL my friends. But you haven't met my friends

None of them take fishing as serious as I do.

As far as fishing with you. I would like to start with a clean slate and say that I seriously would fish with you.

Jeez, take it easy. I'm not busting anyone's chops. I asked what you do

when all your knowledge fails you. When the blind squirrel on the back of

your boat finds a nut, or the guy in your club that ONLY does well when the

good sticks do poorly, what do you do? Is that beginner suddenly an expert

because they did better than you? Probably not, and not even that day. But

do you try to figure out what it is that set those bites apart from yours?

If so, what questions do you ask? How do you add to your knowledge.

Instead of challenging my status as a global moderator (Hint: I didn't get

the job because I'm a better fisherman than you), or telling everyone how

great a fishing mind you have, and that your never out fished, try being

open minded. Answer the simple questions I asked, without the ego. It's

hard to do, and I'm as guilty as anyone of letting my ego get in the way,

but this thread looks as good as any lately to address this. What do you

with the information when you fail? What information do you even process

when you fail? Is a cast into oblivion really ill advised?

Some guy on the back of my deck casts out the "wrong side" into open water.

I roll my eyes, it's directly post spawn.... We're on a strongly defined

weed line - those early stands of milfoil that hold fish when they scatter

from the shallows. Dude catches a fish. A good one. OK, woopty-doo you

say. Me too. Dude catches four more. I caught a dozen or so, grinding out

my finesse pattern - wacky jig, 4" worm, weed line, move super slow. This

guy caught a limit in twice as many casts, in nothing water. They're all

big - lucky this is a team format tournament, lol. Thanks co-angler! When

I ask why, he says he happened to see bait balls on the console DI unit as

we came off plane. I wasn't looking at that, and was more focused on

quietly slipping into my pattern that was already working well. Now, this

guy was new, and I had been explaining how to read the DI. I think his

actual words were, "I was curious if a bass would go out there for that

bait, if it was bait that I even saw."

As far as fishing against each other, we can do that - doesn't matter to me.

I fish Port Bay, Sodus, Oneida, Lake Ontario, heck, I'd even fish that

toilet Onondaga, lol. It's been since last fall. PM me, I'm not too hard

to get in touch with. Probably be easiest to meet, and fish off your boat.

My Bullet is in process of a sale, and I haven't even registered the Xpress

this year. I got lunch after.

[LuckyGia]

Correct  me if I'm wrong but I think the message Lucky is conveying to noobs is not to let lady luck dictate if they are successful or not .

I am still trying to figure out. .. who or what is noobs ?

[scaleface]

" If I can't figure out a pattern after 3 to 4 hours, I call it a dud and go home to try again tomorrow. " 

 

8 hours for me. 3 or 4 hours I'm still in elimination mode .

[scaleface]

I am still trying to figure out. .. who or what is noobs ?

Beginners , like in the topic title .

[LuckyGia]

" If I can't figure out a pattern after 3 to 4 hours, I call it a dud and go home to try again tomorrow. " 

 

8 hours for me. 3 or 4 hours I'm still in elimination mode .

Yeah I used to do that.

Bad back limits my time on the boat.

[Cgolf]

I am surprised by the OPs bravado. After following the elites the last few years and watching arguably the best stick ever, KVD miss this years classic tells you fishing is tough and even the best of the best can't always figure it out. Same with Ike, love or hate the dude, but he is a solid stick too that has had it share of troubles.

If those guys can't always figure it out after days of practice, I don't feel too bad if I blank on a weekend trip and can't pattern the fish. I go out with a plan and evolve it on the water as the day unfolds. If I fail I chalking it up to learning.

[J Francho]

Cayuga Lake... I don't bother with the north end, unless it's prespawn, close to spawn. I like the deep weed lines north of Red Jacket. Launch from Deans Cove, turn left, fish the next six miles. You will find some stuff there.

[K_Mac]

I knew this was going to turn sour when I read, "I outfish everybody I fish with." There are many good fishermen. There are a few great fishermen. Nobody is the best every time out. LuckyGia if you are always the best, you need to find some new partners. Better yet, take RW's advice and teach some others to beat you occasionally. Then everyone will be better, including you.

[WRB]

The title of this thread will attract new young anglers to read it.

Imagine what they think! Put your egos aside and post something helpful that may improve a new angler (noob) to achieve some success.

Tom

[greentrout]

I am surprised by the OPs bravado. After following the elites the last few years and watching arguably the best stick ever, KVD miss this years classic tells you fishing is tough and even the best of the best can't always figure it out. Same with Ike, love or hate the dude, but he is a solid stick too that has had it share of troubles.

If those guys can't always figure it out after days of practice, I don't feel too bad if I blank on a weekend trip and can't pattern the fish. I go out with a plan and evolve it on the water as the day unfolds. If I fail I chalking it up to learning.

You know I willing tell you I don't have all the facts as I usually do so instead I'll comment on KVD not making the Classic using my gut. KVD is a hyper kind of guy who likes to sling spinnerbiats in cover and other scenarios like that in shallow water. He does not like a slow presentation or something without cover. Most tournaments this year, I think,  were on bodies of water devoid of cover like huge lakes that favor baits like swim baits needing thorough knowledge of structure. Not his element. Notice more tournaments up North than usual with again a lake kind of proposition. A very good basser I know told me guys like KVD don't do well with modern electronics and fish finders. He was serious.  Well, KVD perhaps is also on the way to becoming an Old School Basser. Good fishing.

 

The Old School Basser

[LuckyGia]

I knew this was going to turn sour when I read, "I outfish everybody I fish with." There are many good fishermen. There are a few great fishermen. Nobody is the best every time out. LuckyGia if you are always the best, you need to find some new partners. Better yet, take RW's advice and teach some others to beat you occasionally. Then everyone will be better, including you.

Trust me, if I could take back the " I out fish everybody " comment, I would.

I regret using those words.

I should have said,,, Most of the time when I fish I tend to bring in more fish than my partner.

Hope that is better.

But I am not at a point in my life that I am looking for new friends that might, and I emphasis " might" catch more fish than me

Look, I am the kind of guy, either you love me or you hate me. I am okay with that.

[Senko lover]

You know I willing tell you I don't have all the facts as I usually do so instead I'll comment on KVD not making the Classic using my gut. KVD is a hyper kind of guy who likes to sling spinnerbiats in cover and other scenarios like that in shallow water. He does not like a slow presentation or something without cover. Most tournaments this year, I think,  were on bodies of water devoid of cover like huge lakes that favor baits like swim baits needing thorough knowledge of structure. Not his element. Notice more tournaments up North than usual with again a lake kind of proposition. A very good basser I know told me guys like KVD don't do well with modern electronics and fish finders. He was serious.  Well, KVD perhaps is also on the way to becoming an Old School Basser. Good fishing.

 

The Old School Basser

 

Preeeety sure KVD does just fine with modern electronics and fish finders, trust me. They're a tool that every elite series pro almost certainly knows how to use with confidence.

 

KVD is a professional angler, he has to adjust to fish his strengths on any body of water the tour may be stopping at. This last tournament, at Lake St. Clair, is his favourite place in the world to fish; he's fished there a lot, knows the lake. He just isn't catching them as well this year, not making the right decisions, I guess. An exception would be Kentucky Lake, where he finished in the top 5 fishing deep and not sometimes utilizing a slow presentation. I don't think he was fishing cover either.

[Catt]

We are all from different backgrounds, have a wide range of ethnicities, and personalities that are enumerable.

We will from time to time step on each others toes, bump each others elbows, and bruise each others egos. We as adults need to suck it up and get over ourselves; this thread is too helpful to others to let egos get in the way.

I aint addressing anyone in particular so don't let it go to your head!

[Fun4Me]

My theory for beginning fisherman

 

Try and read as much information as you can, to think like a fish, and hope that you're lucky enough to find an angler like roadwarrior who is willing to put his own ego aside, put his own gear in your hands and teach you the proper way, even if it means he catches no fish. 

[K_Mac]

Trust me, if I could take back the " I out fish everybody " comment, I would.

I regret using those words.

I should have said,,, Most of the time when I fish I tend to bring in more fish than my partner.

Hope that is better.

But I am not at a point in my life that I am looking for new friends that might, and I emphasis " might" catch more fish than me

Look, I am the kind of guy, either you love me or you hate me. I am okay with that.

I understand the love/hate thing. I am an opinionated guy who isn't loved universally!

I do agree that paying attention while fishing, and studying the habits and patterns of bass to better understand our quarry is key to success at every skill level.

[hatrix]

I have always had some soft of purpose in the casts I make for as long as I can remeber. I always kinda knew places that would likely have fish but couldn't give you all the details why when when I was just a kid. There was no internet and any fishing info I could really get way a basspro catalog and stuff like watching Roland and Bill on weekend mornings. Now I know so much more about conditions and why and where to look for fish but even that still didn't really dial me in. I would have to say realy what made me better was fishing big swimbaits. Lots of times for all you know is it might be a one chance deal to get this fish to bite. And if not you had better think that way really if you want to start catching more consistently. This can be really true when casting pretty much anywhere except like submerged structure in open water or something. You need to or should have a plan of attack and go rght for it first cast. You can work a spot and after some casts get to the cast that really struck you as the place to cast. That's prett ok when fishing normal baits but I totally noticed I hooked better fish consistently setting everything up perfectly and getting it all right on the first cast. I am not sure how many people really try to break down the angle you need to come across something at and peolw who are new to fishing it probably never crosses their mind. Even if you have the angle what speed and depth if possible do you fish it at. That also can be a huge factor. Then when you do get to your target what do you do? Do you even know when you are actually right next to it or over it. Do you just keep fishing like nothing has changed or do you kill it? Maybe a few quick turns of the handle or rip it hop it ect? It is also just not knowing how to work baits right. You can really say there is a "right" way but there are things you can do that help you get bit. Just this winter / early spring fishing I was fishing with a buddy of mine a bunch. He had a fairly good grasp of what was going on but didn't really know the little tricks you can do. Like fishing traps and me telling him every once in a while kill it for a split second then give it a long drag and let it die for another split second and start feeling again. Or casting to a spot and me say watch I am going to let it sit for a little then give it a quick hop or crank it down really quick for a second. That is just such a huge part. Peolw who are new have terrible technique or no past experience they can relate to on what has got them bit before. There have been lots of times I have fished with people and there might be 3 or 4 of us all using the same lure. I have caught say 6 fish so far they all have none of maybe someone got one or maybe just missed one and they ask why. I will tell them straight up that it's cause you suck and a huge part is your terrible at casting. The angle you approach something at along with your casting accuracy can play a enormous factor in catching fish. The way you work a bait also plays a big factor but even with flawless technique of you blow the cast of come past a fish that has its back to it or is on the other side of something and never gets to see it or it's just to far to late you probably won't catch it. If you have someone better then you to fish with who can give you pointers or tell you why this or that your fishing can really explode all of a sudden. I have a buddy who moved this year pretty and I never really see him. He is kinda new to fishing and has a few years under him but we didn't fish much. Before he moved we fished constantly together for a good little stretch. We usually put a hurt on some fish and now he is out there solo and still doing pretty good. It is the best year he has ever had he said. He is catching way way more fish and bigger one and more often. He knew what he was doing before because he is not completely oblivious to what is going on around him but he didn't really know. He didn't think about it the same way he does now. He also never had those key bites r enough of them before were it just clicked. You really have to have to right mindset and how you break it down to be successful on a constant basis. It also really helps to fish with people who are better then you are and learn from them.

[scaleface]

Older anglers had an advantage in that we  did not get a lot of bad advice from the internet . LOL

[Paul Roberts]

Hmmmmm... trying to distill this thread has been a challenge. But I think I get it. Easier, since I was out fishing yesterday.

 

I know where my lure is at all times, from cast to re-cast: how far the cast, how high or low it flies, it's angle to the sun, exactly where it's headed (often a matter of inches), the lure's relation to structure and cover (distance, angle), splashdown, pause interval (if at all), line bow with breezes or currents, line angles (rod position), where in the water column the lure is, retrieve speed, triggers imparted, and any info imparted through the line, or seen in or at at the water's surface, etc...etc.... Yesterday, I located a pod of feeding bass in a dying milfoil patch revealed by two wakes. I caught 4 there, and none in the surrounding expanse of milfoil.

 

It's all about noticin' stuff. It helps to know what to look for. When you do, you'll find it can pay off to notice just about everything.

[LuckyGia]

Hmmmmm... trying to distill this thread has been a challenge. But I think I get it. Easier, since I was out fishing yesterday.

 

I know where my lure is at all times, from cast to re-cast: how far the cast, how high or low it flies, it's angle to the sun, exactly where it's headed (often a matter of inches), the lure's relation to structure and cover (distance, angle), splashdown, pause interval (if at all), line bow with breezes or currents, line angles (rod position), where in the water column the lure is, retrieve speed, triggers imparted, and any info imparted through the line, or seen in or at at the water's surface, etc...etc.... Yesterday, I located a pod of feeding bass in a dying milfoil patch revealed by two wakes. I caught 4 there, and none in the surrounding expanse of milfoil.

 

It's all about noticin' stuff. It helps to know what to look for. When you do, you'll find it can pay off to notice just about everything.

Please be very careful. The veterans will accuse you of being a know it all.

Funny, in going back over this post which I have not read in a while. Most people agreed with what I said. All except 2 really. One of them I blocked. No brainer. He was a sidekick looking to provoke. The other is a member with authority.

And after reading everything, I feel like a shmuc for backing dowm.

I stand by everything I wrote. It was just taken out of context.

I also feel the moderators job is to diffuse situations, not light the fuse.

Popcorn time Watch, I'll get banned

[the reel ess]

This is a sure-fire, tried and true method for beginners (children and women). Put them in the back of the boat with a beat up Zebco 33 on a mismatched rod, some lure you never use from the bottom of the tackle box like a white grub or Mepp's Comet Minnow & tell them to just keep casting. They're almost guaranteed to beat the pants off you. Works every time. You'll beat the water all day for a few bites from bass and they'll fill the livewell with all species. Then they'll shame you into cleaning them for dinner.