How Many?

[Quarry Man]

I just caught my 85 Largemouth bass of the year. How many have you guys caught so far? I live in PA, I don't ice fish, I am 16, is this a good number? I want to hit 300.

[AdamV _bassin]

hey that is great I have honestly never counted, but I have caught many this year and 4 over five pounds so far. 

keep fishing and tight lines 

[scaleface]

zero . I havent been yet . Just too many sick people in my family all at once . I'm a month behind in work . 

[ICFishing]

Largemouth - 16

Smallmouth - 144

[flyingmonkie]

22 minutes ago, scaleface said:

zero . I havent been yet . Just too many sick people in my family all at once . I'm a month behind in work . 

 

Oooof.  Sorry scaleface.  Hope everyone gets well, and you can get caught up on your fishing and THEN your work.

[OCdockskipper]

Numbers caught really is relative, depending on how much you fish, your experience and where you fish.  Don't be intimidated by large numbers that others may post, their circumstances may be different than yours.  If you like the goal you set, that's cool.

 

That said, my 2017 totals as of today are 349 in California, 52 in Georgia & 11 in Texas, for a total of 412.  My California numbers are down about 30% from the past few years, my home lake has been a bit off since a weed abatement program was done late last year.

[Quarry Man]

8 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

Numbers caught really is relative, depending on how much you fish, your experience and where you fish.  Don't be intimidated by large numbers that others may post, their circumstances may be different than yours.  If you like the goal you set, that's cool.

 

That said, my 2017 totals as of today are 349 in California, 52 in Georgia & 11 in Texas, for a total of 412.  My California numbers are down about 30% from the past few years, my home lake has been a bit off since a weed abatement program was done late last year.

 

Wow, do you fish everyday?

[Wayne P.]

So far this year 717 largemouth---all in Virginia. It's been warmer than normal.

I don't have a goal, I just go fishing.

[Bankbeater]

So far this year I am at 1 green sunfish, 2 crappie, and 39 bass.  Now that we are in May I am expecting the bite to start picking up.

[OCdockskipper]

3 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

 

Wow, do you fish everyday?

 

No, once a week or so on a lake that is closed to the public.  It is completely surrounded by about 300 homes whose residents all have access to it, but less than a handful of those homes have anyone there who fishes for bass.

 

For 2017 I am averaging about 20 bass per trip.  That is down from over 26 bass per trip in 2015 & 2016.  

 

Those numbers reflect the fishery more than my prowess... 

[Steveo-1969]

So far in 2017 I have caught exactly ZERO bass...

[georgeyew]

1 minute ago, Steveo-1969 said:

So far in 2017 I have caught exactly ZERO bass...

 

No where to go but up!!

[Hog Basser]

I don't keep a firm count, but I would estimate about 30-40 so far this year.  Sadly, that was mostly on warm days during duck season in January.  I've only been once since then.  Just moved into a new house down by the river and hoping I can start slipping out more and doing a little bank fishing out the back door, have to finish moving in first, which is why I've been too busy to fish. 

[lonnie g]

that's as great start! cool goal , bet you will make it.

[RoLo]

I don't mean to come off sounding like the grim reaper,

but 'quantity' (number) and 'quality' (size) are diametrically opposed.

 

When a fisherman tells me about his 40-bass day, he doesn't have to bother

telling me about their average size, because whether he knows it or not, he already did 

Not surprisingly, I do not count fish, but I do weigh a few.

 

Roger

[Dwight Hottle]

The only ones I count are the big ones which makes it easier on my aging mind. 

[RoLo]

16 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

The only ones I count are the big ones which makes it easier on my aging mind. 

 

 

Dwight, maybe that's why you & I no longer count heads.

Maybe our aging minds simply can't maintain the running tally.

Then again, I have no real excuse, because most days I can rely on my 10 fingers,

and there are only a few days when I need to call upon my toes       

 

Roger

 

 

[OCdockskipper]

2 hours ago, RoLo said:

...'NUMBER' (quantity) and 'SIZE' (quality) are diametrically opposed...

 

When a fisherman tells me about his 40-bass day, he doesn't have to bother

telling me about their average size, because whether he knows it or not, he already has...

 

No offense Roger, but I am going to disagree with you.  Those stereotypes you list are often repeated by the guy who gets skunked every other trip, but rationalizes it by saying "I'm targeting the biggest fish in the lake".  Odds are that guy could throw a Ned rig all day and still end up with an empty live well.

 

While it is true that specific techniques or specific places will tend to produce higher numbers or larger sizes of fish, they are not mutually exclusive.  On the Elite & MLF tours, how often have you seen KVD have days where he catch's large numbers of fish as well as the biggest five (or has the biggest average)?  

 

Personally, last July I had my highest number day for the year (60 keepers).  That number included a 8.0 (second largest of the year for me) and a 5.5, which were both caught on what some folks describe as "numbers only" baits (Zman TRD & a GYB 4" Senko, respectively).

 

I fully understand when someone like WRB talks about the methods he used to catch some of the historically large bass in his resume, that is indeed trading numbers for size.  However, those were fish of a lifetime, fish that no longer exist in the lakes that Tom visits.  I would say that history is more of an exception, a specialty, that most fisherman wouldn't do even if presented the opportunity.

[Quarry Man]

3 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

 

No offense Roger, but I am going to disagree with you.  Those stereotypes you list are often repeated by the guy who gets skunked every other trip, but rationalizes it by saying "I'm targeting the biggest fish in the lake".  Odds are that guy could throw a Ned rig all day and still end up with an empty live well.

 

While it is true that specific techniques or specific places will tend to produce higher numbers or larger sizes of fish, they are not mutually exclusive.  On the Elite & MLF tours, how often have you seen KVD have days where he catch's large numbers of fish as well as the biggest five (or has the biggest average)?  

 

Personally, last July I had my highest number day for the year (60 keepers).  That number included a 8.0 (second largest of the year for me) and a 5.5, which were both caught on what some folks describe as "numbers only" baits (Zman TRD & a GYB 4" Senko, respectively).

 

I fully understand when someone like WRB talks about the methods he used to catch some of the historically large bass in his resume, that is indeed trading numbers for size.  However, those were fish of a lifetime, fish that no longer exist in the lakes that Tom visits.  I would say that history is more of an exception, a specialty, that most fisherman wouldn't do even if presented the opportunity.

 

Id rather catch 1 and 2  pounders all day than one big fish. I like to stay busy.

[OCdockskipper]

1 minute ago, Quarry Man said:

 

Id rather catch 1 and 2  pounders all day than one big fish. I like to stay busy.

 

The great news is you don't have to make that trade.  Large fish are indeed different than smaller fish, but they do exist in the same lake and bite lures that you have on your deck.

[Dereck W]

Nice numbers guys. Gonna have to agree with OC. As long as you're throwing a bait you never know. Take this past Saturday, fishing home lake here in Virginia. Caught smallmouth, largemouth, spotted bass, a flathead and a crappie all while throwing known bass baits. If it swims it eats.

[RoLo]

 

No offense Roger, but I am going to disagree with you.  Those stereotypes you list are often repeated by the guy who gets skunked every other trip, but rationalizes it by saying "I'm targeting the biggest fish in the lake".  Odds are that guy could throw a Ned rig all day and still end up with an empty live well. While it is true that specific techniques or specific places will tend to produce higher numbers or larger sizes of fish, they are not mutually exclusive.  On the Elite & MLF tours, how often have you seen KVD have days where he catch's large numbers of fish as well as the biggest five (or has the biggest average)?  Personally, last July I had my highest number day for the year (60 keepers).  That number included a 8.0 (second largest of the year for me) and a 5.5, which were both caught on what some folks describe as "numbers only" baits (Zman TRD & a GYB 4" Senko, respectively).  I fully understand when someone like WRB talks about the methods he used to catch some of the historically large bass in his resume, that is indeed trading numbers for size.  However, those were fish of a lifetime, fish that no longer exist in the lakes that Tom visits.  I would say that history is more of an exception, a specialty, that most fisherman wouldn't do even if presented the opportunity.

 

 

I'm never offended by disagreement, and provided the rebuttal has merit, that's what a healthy forum is all about.

When you say: "Those stereotypes you list"; I'm not sure what stereotypes you're alluding to.

 

If you're referring to Quantity versus Quality, that's a fishing fact that's been affirmed & reaffirmed repeatedly,

before you and I were born. If you're hunting for a trophy fish of any species, it's important to select a waterbody

that 'does not' have high population density. There's no shortage of reports of forty fish per day,

but you'll never see a report of forty 6-lb+ bass per day. Do a limnological study of world-class waters for different species of fish, and it soon becomes obvious that world-class waters

are typified by low population density of that species. I'm not aware of a single exception (i.e. Quantity vs Quality).

 

If you're referring to 'counting fish', well, that's a lame endeavor that I stopped doing about 40 yrs ago.

After you've boated over 100 Boston mackerel in one day, over 100 red hake, over 50 summer flounder (fluke)

or over 50 bluefish, you begin to realize what an empty, meaningless endeavor counting fish really is.

It's nothing to catch 100 snapper blues, but a day with 15 slammer blues (blues over 10lbs) is a red letter day.

After I land a legal limit of bass, I lose tract of number, and someone else will have to count my fish, it won't be me.

High numbers of fish in one day is an indication of high population density, favorable fishing conditions or both.

If it was a measure of angling prowess, why can't you do it "every time"?

 

Do I target big fish and get annoyed at snagging small fish?  Yup, guilty as charged.

Although I've caught more than my fair share of double-digit bass, I'm always working hard

to land one more, and I have no interest in the numbers game.  Go big, or go home 

 

Roger

[Bluebasser86]

No idea how many I've caught total this year. I've had 2 100+ fish days so far though. 

 

I'd trade a big numbers day for a few big ones any day though. My best most recent day I don't know if I even caught 20, but my biggest 5 went over 20 pounds so it was a really good day for me. 

[JustJames]

I do agree with both OC and Rolo, the quality is the best but let me have fun with quantity first.

meaning, I normally don't just target big fish, but once in a blue moon I would take my big swimbait out. If I can constantly catch 10-15 fish every trip I would not mind getting skunk once in a while for one of those giant bass. BTW I don't even bother to take pic for fish less than 2 lbs unless it caught on special occasion.

 

To answer the question here, I did not count my catch but most of the time I caught just one or two per trip, I fish roughly 3-4 times a week 2-3 hours each trip. I'd say 40 fish so far for 2017. 

 

[NYWayfarer]

I have decided to keep a fishing log this year. My goal is to go fishing at least once a week.

 

So far I have had 11 outings. On 4 of those trips I got skunked.

 

I have a total of 27 fish caught so far.

 

I have caught a total of 5 different species.

 

Biggest fish caught was a 2lb Largemouth Bass.

 

I expect the numbers and quality to go up once I get my canoe registered and on the water.