Tackle vs. Knowledge

[OkobojiEagle]

You arrive at your next bass tournament and the director hands everyone two packages of 7" green pumpkin straight-tail worms and announces you can use any hook or unskirted jighead, but you're limited to only the two packages of worms he gave you.  How confident are you that you'll finish in the money?  Bait or bass knowledge... what do you depend upon to catch your bass?

 

 

oe

[scaleface]

 Only two packages . I'll be out of baits by 10 .  Those seven inch worms will turn into six inches , then five.  Just kidding , they should last me til noon . 

 

I always wanted to fish a tourney like that . Everyone has to fish the same lure .  Of course  knowledge ,confidence  , and experience is more important than lure  . I think every body    except maybe beginners depend on experience and knowledge . 

[Team9nine]

I'm in good shape and already figuring out what I'm going to spend the money on, because as Buck Perry stated, "Knowledge is the key to success" - not tackle. 

 

-T9

[2tall79]

Knowledge....every time.

[Mike L]

To me it doesn't matter what you throw...Its all in where, when and how you throw it..In that order

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

I'm in good shape and already figuring out what I'm going to spend the money on, because as Buck Perry stated, "Knowledge is the key to success" - not tackle. 

 

-T9

 

The #1 key to consistently catching bass is between your ears not between the folds of your wallet!

[Deleted account]

Knowledge, not even a question.

[Smokinal]

2 hours ago, reason said:

Knowledge, not even a question.

Yup. I love finishing ahead of the guys in the most expensive boats with the most expensive equipment. Just me, my 16ft Nitro and $50 rods....

[Megastink]

Knowledge trumps bait selection, but ONLY if used effectively in tandem with MECHANICS. Those baits won't get bit if you can't put it where the fish live. I'm a pretty accurate caster and can skip well with spinning and casting gear, so I'm confident I'm getting a check that day.

[Bankbeater]

Knowledge.  You can buy new baits every day, but you have to know how to use them.

[scaleface]

Wait , I thought Senkos made everybody equal .

[Catt]

[Jeff H]

Confidence soars, love the worm, am a longtime spoonplugger without the spoonplugs(knowledge and experience)...I got this!

[Raul]

TWO packs ?!? ..... hell, that's one pack too many.....

 

 

8 hours ago, Smokinal said:

Yup. I love finishing ahead of the guys in the most expensive boats with the most expensive equipment. Just me, my 16ft Nitro and $50 rods....

 

 

wanna bet ? 12 ft can.

[LxVE Bassin]

Knowledge over everything. Are there actually tourneys where everyone has to use the same bait?

[Bluebasser86]

17 minutes ago, LxVE Bassin said:

Knowledge over everything. Are there actually tourneys where everyone has to use the same bait?

Yes, there's a tournament in Texas that anglers can only use Bill Lewis Rattle Traps (and now the Echo squarebills). There's some tournaments that are frog only tournaments in California I believe? 

[Mike L]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Yes, there's a tournament in Texas that anglers can only use Bill Lewis Rattle Traps (and now the Echo squarebills). There's some tournaments that are frog only tournaments in California I believe? 

 

I would love to fish in one of those!

Unfortunately I've never heard of anything like that down here.

 

Hey, if any of you Florida guy's hear of one pm me, I'm in!!

 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

Back at the beginning of the B.A.S.S. Classic all contestants were put on a plane & were not told what lake they fishing until the plane was airborne. Before that they were given a small tackle box that they could load with a limited amount of tackle for a lake unknown.

 

Today they have a 21' bass boat with all the tackle, gear, electrons, they can stuff in it & twice that much in their tow vehicle.

 

Yea they've gotten better

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

Back at the beginning of the B.A.S.S. Classic all contestants were put on a plane & were not told what lake they fishing until the plane was airborne. Before that they were given a small tackle box that they could load with a limited amount of tackle for a lake unknown.

 

Today they have a 21' bass boat with all the tackle, gear, electrons, they can stuff in it & twice that much in their tow vehicle.

 

Yea they've gotten better

 

I think that as long as the playing field is level, the rules won't have much effect on the outcome, with the possible exception of potential coincidental advantage that lines up the conditions, bait and angler strength to an individual. We are fairly successful salt water tournament anglers, and while most are biggest fish wins, sometimes its biggest 3, slot, keep alive, or some other criteria. That is where knowledge, experience, confidence, and execution all come into play. Showing up in a fully wrapped 33 foot Center Console with triple outboards and matching gold reels does not contribute to catching fish (it will get you there in a hurry though)

[Quarry Man]

I am relatively new to fishing, so with a limited amount of baits (my choice) i could likely catch fish.

 

I like to do every thing possible in order to maximize my fishing outputs. I am now spending less money on new stuff, only the tried and true. I also spend as much time preparing to fish as i actually fish.

[davecon]

Since when is choosing the right tackle not considered knowledge ?  Go ahead and make it harder on yourself if you want to but experience should tell you what to use when and where ! If you don't believe that, good luck with your fishing cause you are going to need a lot of it !

[Catt]

54 minutes ago, davecon said:

Since when is choosing the right tackle not considered knowledge ?  Go ahead and make it harder on yourself if you want to but experience should tell you what to use when and where ! If you don't believe that, good luck with your fishing cause you are going to need a lot of it !

 

Please re-read the original post

[davecon]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

Please re-read the original post

At the end of the original post was a question "Bait or bass knowledge, what do you depend upon to catch your bass ? " My point was and is that tackle/bait selection is part of the knowledge, not just how to use it. If that weren't the case why would an experienced fisherman have more than one bait/rod/reel ? 

[K_Mac]

I think the point of the question is if you had to choose one, knowledge of bass and their habits is better than a new boat filled with tackle. You certainly don't need high-end gear to catch fish. Yes, with knowledge and experience we learn different techniques and the best gear for those techniques.. No one is saying having the right gear is not an advantage. It certainly adds to the pleasure for most of us. 

 

I can (and have) catch fish with Walmart gear from my old tin boat or with high-end gear from a shiny new 20' bass boat with 250 hp. Why? My knowledge of bass and my experience catching them. You can't buy that.

[davecon]

For years fished tournaments, 3 or so per month. Full sized boat, 80 + miles per hour, all the bells and whistles. Did quite well at it too.Downsized to a Gheenoe, switched to small waters, carry 1/10th the tackle I used to (still use the best rod and reel combos I can afford). Am catching more bass and larger bass than ever. Won't post results because I would be called a braggart or liar or both. Over the decades I have learned what lures to use when, where, and how. So I truly believe knowledge of lures is as important as knowledge of how to catch fish. It all goes hand in hand.

 

Have also become addicted to snook. Same thing applies - what lures to use on what tides complicates it even further.

 

It all comes down to your overall knowledge, including boat handling, something not previously mentioned. The list goes on. Takes a lifetime to learn this stuff and all of a sudden you are an old man and health prevents you from going as much as you used to. Life can be a bi**** but you learn to make the best of it.