Do you have it?

["hamma"]

 "To be, or not to be, that is,.. the question" and not to go off on a hamlet rant. This actually does have bass fishing relation. And this question came to me merely minutes ago as my dog was bugging my girlfriend for attention, as she's sitting at the desk, on her computer, completing some important online attention for work. She got agitated, and I asked If I could help her, and her reply was, "Yeah,..give me some of your,..Patience!". And that is what this posting is all about,.."Patience".

 

 Do you have it? do you need it? can you see the relation to bass fishing? do you feel it has a place in bass fishing at all? and what is the end result if you do, or do not?

 

 First do you have it?

  Think about it for just a minute. Some will immediately state they do, when they dont,.. and vice versa. How can I make such a bold statement not knowing everybody, that could possibly be reading this? It's easy, it's human nature to protect and stand up for oneself. Once someone makes a personal assumption of you, who doesnt "know" you, its typically a automatic defensive response to disagree. Please dont take this the wrong way, this isnt a personal attack on you, just an observation, and something I learned many years ago about human nature from a psychologist that I once worked with,.. No it wasnt a shrink for me!,...lol ,... You see, "patience" is one thing that separates anglers from fishermen. Example: Anglers will consider all pertinent factors and conditions to come to a conclusion as to the what, where, and when, of fishing, using the "angles" to pinpoint their attack, hence the term "angler". Fisherman may employ such, but usually not. Most fishermen, are after the catch no matter how they do so. Perfectly content to sit on the shoreline with a bobber and live bait waiting for a hit, no matter what the why, when, and where,..may be. Or,.. blindly trolling along with a bait or lure trailing the boat,.. again, waiting for a hit. Many fisherman actually harbor more patience than anglers do, as they .,.wait. Many "anglers" do not "always" harbor patience, as they are seeking that hit, constantly considering the angles.

 

  Do you need it?

 I do believe bass anglers need it, you may disagree, and thats fine. Why do I say I believe so? Because otherwise, you will be one of the many, and many, of bass anglers, that are flying down the shoreline with the trolling motor on high, just barely making contact with the best looking cover in your search for a active fish. Many think that they will be hitting more area, therefore the active fish will come all the faster., And there may be merit to that theory, but just think of all the possible fish you past by, the ones that weren't quick enough to hit your bait, or, further back in the cover as to not even know your bait is there. Or even worse, just plain old to fat to move that quick at all.

 

  Can you see the relation to bass fishing?

 As some of you may be tourney anglers, and others not,,.. I can see a possible difference of opinion,.. due to requirements, restraints, and opportunities. And how these could and would direct ones thought on patience, depending on whether they tourney fish or not. Tourney anglers aren't just fishing against each other, they are really battling time. Patience is a touchy element when time restraint is paramount. Questions like,...when should I move to another spot, how long do I fish this dock, how much time should I put into this dropoff. etc,...Are a tourney anglers boost or bane, considering how they end up going with these decisions.,.. Its usually the tourney's 1st place winner that considers these important questions correctly and uses the right lure. Eventhough patience may seem like nothing needed in a tourney, it truely can be the difference between in the money and not. Anglers fishing a tourney that "give up" to early, are just contributing to the money winners pocket. Many of the tourneys I've fished it was the patient, and diligent anger that rises above the rest. On tough days they often catch their fish right in the last few minutes, and on easier days? their "kicker" was usually due to shear diligence

 And on the fun fishing bass anglers side of the fence reguarding patience? Could be the difference between a personal best fish, or fish of a lifetime,,...or just another day out catching a few fish,..much like I explained in the "do you need it" paragraph.

 

  Do you think it has a place in bass fishing at all?

This is really a tough question, as many will see this question useless as it really comes down to how you fish. Like,... a finesse type angler would most likely state they have to have patience as its finesse fishing and you are already employing it to begin with.,. A power type searchbait angler will state there's no need for patience as they are after the active fish all day so patience is a mute point. And a well rounded angler will see it as both a finesse, and power anglers view, while fishing each way respectfully. So,........

 My answer? yes, I do,... fishing in a tourney or not, power versus finesse,.I believe it has its place in all scenerio's, and even within every technique I employ.

 

      End result if you do or dont?

  Without patience,.. I think one would be off their game, with to many thought's and considerations floating around their mind, clouding up concentration, then losing confidence, and as a snowball rolling downhill gets bigger, so does the impatient anglers losses, and misconceptions, pile up.

  With patience,.. I think one is clearly and decisively thinking in a positive manner, taking their time to thoroughly do as they are doing. Creating confidence in their presentation, intently feeling everything, due to extreme concentration, able to do so as nothing is hindering their processes. Whether you've caught a fish or not, you've proved to yourself that you have presented your offering in a proper manner. And you are now ready for the next cast and what it's to offer,..Again,... in a proper and positive manner, and so on, and so on, as the day wears on.

 

Now,... I'd give my girlfriend anything I can, wholeheartedly, without a doubt, or question, freely,..

 But,.. no matter how much I'd like to, I can't just give her my patience. Its something one acquires, or looses by themselves, and it can be at times assisted by outside stimuli, be it good or bad,...nonetheless,. I'd still do anything for her, eventhough I attempt to be a positive outside stimuli for her to "gain" some patience, I still cant just give her mine.

  

  With that being said,.. I cant just give you any of my patience either,.But I can offer this post to you,.. in hopes that in some way it provides a positive stimuli for you to gain some,. that's if,.. you lack any at all. I feel it's a very important element in bass fishing, it's offered me some impressive catches, good times on the boat with others, and alone as well. Also, has provided me with steps and processes in prepping my boat, and gear, before I even leave the driveway for a days outing. I think we all start off with patience in the beginning of our bass fishing lives, but have seen many get on throwing spinnerbaits, squarebills etc,..and becoming search type anglers, and loosing some patience, seeking and expecting that first hit in haste.

 

 So,.,... whether it's "to be, or not to be" ,.... Do you have it?

 

 

[Catt]

Some of us are born with it, some of us don't ever ever get it!

 

I'm a teacher who is patiently teaching 5 students ranging in age from 10 to 35 how to consistently catch bass.

 

I"m PE coach who is currently coaching 15 boys ranging in age from 8 to 18.

 

I'm mentor who is currently mentoring life lessons to 10 men ranging from 28 to 45.

 

I'm a accomplished tournament angler & from experience I can testify if ya fishing against the other anglers ya probably gonna lose!

 

Ya gotta fish against the conditions that face the bass on any given day!

 

I've caught a couple big bass which requires patience to do consistently!

 

Yea! I may have a small degree of patience

[WRB]

I haven't been known as a patient man. The past few years I have slowed down somewhat and my wife says I am more patient now but that is relative to what I was.

Patience helps when teaching others to learn something and not make others around you feel uncomfortable, so I have been able overcome my inpatients to some degree under some circumstances.

Applying my personality traits to fishing has worked out for me, I am driven to learn everything about whatever it is the activity maybe and to excel doing it, that has help me over the years. When I am on the water you could mistake my focus on being very patient, but I am constantly trying to determine what will work to catch fish and keep making adjustments to my presentations until I am successful. I may appear calm but I am a impatient man.

Tom

[A-Jay]

Patience is a relative term.

I determined a while ago that for me, it was all about the Journey & not simply the Destination ~ in just about every venture.

As it relates to bass angling, everything from the research & advance scouting, to pre-rigging, the fishing itself, and everything in between, I love it all.

When it's all said & done, sometimes there's a bass in the net. 

Patience & Time are my biggest allies; when I have one the other is only a matter of persistence.

Everything seems difficult before it becomes easy. 

 

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

A-Jay

 

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, "hamma" said:

 

 So,.,... whether it's "to be, or not to be" ,.... Do you have it?

 

 

Considering I just spent half an hour reading your entire post, I'd say I do to some degree 

 

-T9

[A-Jay]

2 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

Considering I just spent half an hour reading your entire post, I'd say I do to some degree 

 

-T9

 

I was thinking the same.

A-Jay

 

[Dwight Hottle]

I guess I don't as I couldn't make it through your post. 

[scaleface]

16 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

I guess I don't as I couldn't make it through your post. 

LOL. Me too .

[The Bassman]

To quote the country music/comedy star Roy Clark:  "I'm told that some have it and some don't.  I must have it because they tell me I'm full of it."

[lo n slo]

generally, yes

[Columbia Craw]

I'm not patient, not at all.  It's not in may nature. I am however tolerant but with limits.  I am pretty curious, a problem solver and an observer. I'm also a bit analytical but come to a reasonable conclusion pretty quick. This translates to my approach to fishing for bass. 

 

I do not define a good fishing day by the catch rate.  In fact, some of the most enjoyable days, the catching just wasn't good.  I love to share the experience with someone else.  I don't always look forward to going fishing just to go fishing but look forward to going fishing with people I enjoy to be with. Some are accomplished anglers and some are backlashes just waiting to happen. I feed off their enthusiasm and excitement. 

 

Many years ago I was steelhead fishing with a very good friend. I had hooked and lost 11 fish in about four hours. I became very frustrated and came withing an inch of throwing my rod in the river and scream in a profanity laden diatribe ( cuss out ) at my failure to land even one fish.  My buddy was two for two. I had to sit down and reflect on my attitude and to ask myself why I was acting like that.  I was robbing myself of a lot of fun. I changed my outlook. My live-well became half full so to speak. Now I look to fish with people who enjoy the experience and do not measure the success of the day SOLELY on the creel count. Now, I can't wait for it warm up so I can get out....with my God-son.  I enjoy being on the water with him. Life is like a box of chocolates......you have to eat a cream once in a while to get a caramel. 

["hamma"]

LOL,...I get the time constraint thing, and those are some witty replies. I got a good laugh. thanks for that by the way,..But,.. I did notice something that I didnt expect.

   Catt replied he did have patience, and Catt is quite successful as a bass angler, anyone have any doubt? I dont.,

 WRB, catches some huge bass in California, but he states patience isnt a strong trait for him,. Any doubt on Toms abilities?,...Me either!

  A-Jay see's patience a "relative term",. Did you see the pics of A-Jay's late season smallies? anyone doubt his abilities? I dont either.

 

 I always figured that we all as bass anglers have to at least have some patience.  I could be wrong. .But ,.just for the mere fact that we:  

  Will subject ourselves to a myriad of conditions, to,.. do what we love to do.

  Get up at god awful hours in the am to be on the water before sunrise, to do,... what we love to do.

  Spend all kinds of money, to do what,... we love to do.

  Put forth a diligent effort to educate ourselves, to do what we,.. love to do.

  Bass Fish, and sometimes to only sqweak out just 1 fish

  I once knew a angler that had most horrid organization skills, garages tools everywhere, and either rusty, or greasy. Cellars mancave just looks like a bomb hit it,.. But, as a bass angler? That boat and tackle was simply immaculate.,.. And,.. when I'd tell him to clean up his act? he replied, "Check out my boats compartments, their spotless" and I still fished with him.,... God knows ,...I have patience,....lol

 

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[Team9nine]

As you touched on, like most things in life, the spectrum of patience will vary considerably across anglers, yet there are really good anglers at both ends of that spectrum, and everywhere in-between. We learn to compensate or adjust for our inherent behaviors, good or bad. Do WE all have it - probably to some degree, otherwise we probably wouldn't be here and still interested in this sport. I'm reminded of kids I've tried to help catch fish in various scenarios - many get bored and just give up after 10  or 15 minutes if they don't get a bite. A lot of instant gratification at play now days based on our technology and the way we live - similar to the post where G-man talks about kids tearing through presents. A lot is changing with this sport, and I'm not certain it's all for the good.

 

-T9

[WRB]

Which angler is more patient, Mike Iaconelli or Mark Davis? Patience comes with experience.

Tom

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

 

Fish every lure you own, but stick on a spot you KNOW holds or attracts bass.

Or

Stay with a bait or group of lures and cover tons of water, constantly moving and making big moves every 15 minutes.

 

Both have worked and NOT worked for me!

 

My preference is fishing on a river and moving all the time. When a fish is caught, IMMEDIATELY motor upstream and fish that area again. Smallmouth are NEVER loners.

 

[The Bassman]

6 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

 

 

 

 

 

My preference is fishing on a river and moving all the time. When a fish is caught, IMMEDIATELY motor upstream and fish that area again. Smallmouth are NEVER loners.

 

 

I know this is straying from the topic but it brings to mind how many times I've witnessed hooked smallmouth being pursued by others in the pack.  Don't recall ever seeing that with LM.

[OCdockskipper]

4 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

 

...how many times I've witnessed hooked smallmouth being pursued by others in the pack.  Don't recall ever seeing that with LM.

 

Happens quite often if the largemouth are schooling and you are using a lure that is difficult for them to choke.  Countless times with jerkbaits & walking surface lures I have had other largemouth trying to take it from the hooked ones mouth.

[The Bassman]

49 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

 

Happens quite often if the largemouth are schooling and you are using a lure that is difficult for them to choke.  Countless times with jerkbaits & walking surface lures I have had other largemouth trying to take it from the hooked ones mouth.

 

Come to think of it I have caught doubles on treble hook lures when LM fishing. It just sticks in my mind seeing smallmouth competing in clear water.  P.S.  Really didn't mean to detour the OP's topic.

I'm actually a very impatient person.  That's one reason I limit my tackle so I'll give the technique I'm using a chance to produce.

[Airman4754]

Sort of? In general I have very little patience, but it depends what it is. Hunting for instance I have zero patience. I won't sit in a stand for a second. It's go go go no matter what. I conpletely taught myself how to play guitar and that took well over 1,000 hours and most of them were awful.

 

As for fishing if I know I am good water I will be patient. I'm not particularly patient with a specific bait or technique. If you know they are there and they aren't biting what you are throwing then patience is worthless in that situation. They will bite. Find what will make them bite. I am patient while I am finding what that is though.

 

There is a very thin line between patient and stubborn.

[CTBassin860]

I was born with absolutely zero patience.I have more patience fishing than with anything else.Still not completely there though.Id probably catch more fish if I slowed down and took my time more often than I do.Should probably try it with life too.

[Gundog]

I just skimmed the original post so my answer is yea and no. Nobody is born with patience. If you remember being a kid or have ever fished with one you know it. I have more patience now than I did a year ago but not as much as I will have next year at this time. 

[K_Mac]

Interesting post. I made my way through it, so as others have said, I guess I must have some patience. 

 

The older I get, the less I am driven by results. What is interesting about that is I have become a much better fisherman as a result. That is not to say I am not focused. I am. I just have the confidence that if I do my homework, and pay attention I will find fish. I think there is an important correlation between confidence and patience. There is also comfort in knowing that some days the best you can do is just enjoy the day.

[N Florida Mike]

I am thought to be patient by many,but I know better.Overall,its probably the one trait I struggle with the most.I worked with kids at church for around 30 years.So I thought I was patient.

Then my mom came to live with me.I took care of her the last 5 years of her life.As close as we were,and as sweet as she was,she got on my nerves.A lot.

And driving is the worst.At least I don't confront people like I used to.But I would love driving if it wasn't for all the other drivers.

I have had good success with fishing,but when I don't I can get impatient with myself because maybe IVE OVERRATED MYSELF.So I will fish faster when I'm not having success,and that usually leads to more lack of success.Sometimes if I have been very successful in a particular body of water,and then have a few bad days there,I get real grumpy and impatient.Its like I get spoiled by success. I was the same way with baseball because IT MATTERED to me.I golfed ONCE, and laughed at myself the whole time.Why? because it DIDNT MATTER to me.So I get impatient with things that matter to me ( like fishing and people I wish would change),but not so much with things that dont.

but the Lord isn't done with me yet!?

[Catt]

It is said "patience is a virtue" but what is not said is how much patience is required to be a virtue!

 

To consistently catch bass we need to understand our strengths but more importantly we must understand & accept our weaknesses!

 

Accepting the fact we are not patient is the first step to becoming patient!

[kickerfish1]

I would like to think I have patience. 90% of my fishing is with jigs and plastics. Doing so means less casts and longer amounts of time to get the bait in and less water covered vs the chuck and wind reaction bait stuff. Fishing in the heart of the city means small lakes, lots of anglers, and highly pressured fish. Sometimes they like the reaction stuff but 9/10 times a plastic or jig will get bit and also account for larger fish.