i love when this happens

[cheezyridr]

it's happened to me before, but not for a looooong time. 

today i walked up to the bank at one of my fishing holes.  there was a guy there, i said "catchin any?"  he says no, he's about to pack it in.  i walk over a little ways to give some polite distance.  2 casts later, a 3lb largemouth.  it was a feisty one, it fought hard, jumping and everything.  i put it back in the water, waved to the guy and moved on.  luck, i know.  but i love it, cause it makes it appear as if i know what i'm doing. hahahaha! 

the last time this happened to me, i had taken my son (then about 7 or 8 ) camping.  it was raining when we got up but was still pretty hot.  same thing, i walked up to the lake, some guy was there, he said he wasn't catchin any.  first cast, a nice 2 lb bass. very next cast, a bigger one.  2  or 3 casts after that, a nice 5 lb bass. in about 100' of bank i bet i caught 2 dozen bass, all nice ones.  every single one of them hit a white spinnerbait the second it hit the water.  the guy was watching, and was visibly a little ticked off at our amazing luck.  my son was reeling in a few big ones too. 

 stuff like this happen to you guys too?

[Glaucus]

I love catching bass. I don't like being the jerk that makes someone feel bad, however. The little wave was an unnecessary insult to a guy who wasn't even rude to you.

[Brew City Bass]

One of my favorite things is trolling by someones dock or boat and nail a good bass and they watch the show. Always get a clap or two and some attaboys. It's silly, I know, but it's the closest I have ever come to feeling like a pro haha.

[LionHeart]

All the time.  I'm usually the guy getting waved at.

[Arlo Smithereen]

that guy who said he didn't catch anything might have been me. Because no matter if Ive caught zero bass or fifty bass, my answer is always the same when someone asks me if I caught any. Nope!

[geo g]

I often fish from the bank, and one lake has a Flangan's restaurant across the lake with outdoor seating.  I walked up to my spot, made about four casts, and pulled in a 6 lb bass.  There was big time applause, and howling, from the outdoor seating area, with plenty of drunks.  I felt like I just won a big tournament!  Take that Ike!  Lol

[DINK WHISPERER]

No, I don't take pleasure in someone else's misfortune or bad luck. I would've offered the guy some of whatever bait I was using or at least advise on what I thought the fish were doing. Unless they were being crappy to me first of course. 

[The Bassman]

Really don't think the OP was trying to put the razz on anybody.  I'm always tempted to show off when people are around but then I think "Do I really want to be tipping my hand?

[Bluebasser86]

I caught my largest bass in Kansas out of a brush pile right behind another boat that had just fished the same pile. The language being shouted across the lake as my BIL netted it for me could have made a sailor blush. 

[papajoe222]

Years ago, I was fishing a club tournament. With about 15min. left, I pulled up to a spot shouting distance from the weigh in. I already had my limit and was looking for a kicker.  I caught three nice fish off that spot, culled and headed in.  I didn't win (came in second by 3oz.), but hearing the guys on the dock cheering me on felt better than a win would have.

[TOXIC]

In Wisconsin I fished a drizzly day down a long stretch of docks and was catching a fair number of bass both largemouth and smallmouth.  On this particular lake there is always 2 weedlines and if you can pattern them, you can catch them at will.  As I fished I saw a Bassboat tied up to a dock and about 5 guys sitting in an outdoor screened in porch.  They watched me catch 2 fish as I got closer to their dock.  A couple of them walked out and asked me how the fishing was and before I could answer they said they had been there a week and caught 4 bass (with a proud tone) and I told them that I caught 4 bass on the last 2 docks alone (smiling).  I told them I was a guide back in Virginia and how I enjoyed fishing that particular lake.  One of them piped up and said that if I was that good, I should be able to be able to catch one while they watched (good natured talk) as their other buddies walked out on the dock.  I said no problem and proceeded to yank one out from in front of the dock they were standing on.  Everybody laughed.  Then the same guy said that if I was any kind of good guide, I should be able to call my next fish.  I told him no problem and that there was a fish 6 feet out from in front of the next dock.  His response......prove it.  So.....I did.   After that catch I asked them if they wanted to know how to catch them and by this time they were all ears!!  I trolled over to their dock and gave them a few packs of 5" Senkos, some EWG hooks and showed them how to rig them.  I happened to be going past that dock later in the week and they waved me in to show me the 20 packs of Senkos they cleaned out of the little tackle store on the lake and to thank me for turning them on to a bait they had never fished.  That is the power of the Senko.    

[livin2fish]

I particularly like to catch a nice jumping bass behind an idiot that has just cut in ahead of me and come up empty, while I am fishing a nice stretch of water in my boat.  I just ignore him and go on about my business.  I found nothing offensive with the OP's friendly wave when departing.

[fishwizzard]

My best encounter like this happened at a park I fish at a lot. It’s got a decent pond and an enormous playground, so it’s full of kids all the time.  I was fishing the bank between the parking lot and the playground when a group of about fifteen kids all around 4-5 walk by with their daycare providers. One of the kids shouts “When are you going to catch a fish?”   

 

I reply “Soon I hope!” and then a split second later I get a hit.  It was a nice 3lb class LMB.  It was a super active bass, jumping and running.   

 

The kids all went insane.  The daycare workers tried to control them, but three adults vs fifteen exicted kids is no contest.  The kids swarm me and it’s all I can do to land and unhook it while keeping them from stepping on my combo.  Once I got it unhooked and all the kids who want to got  to touch it, I release it and start to get my gear sorted out when one of the kids runs back over to me and says that I had caugh “a very important fish” and that he “was very proud of me” and then sticks his litte hand out for me to shake.  

 

So I shook his hand and when back to fishing.  

[Scott F]

This has happened to me a few times. Where I live, they release some rainbow trout in the spring for some put-and-take fishing. I get to an open spot on the bank next to 2 couples who have apparently been there for a while. They tell me they haven’t caught a thing yet. These hatchery raised trout have a habit of swimming in a big school and circle the small lake. You can tell where they are because you can see where people are catching them. As I set up, I can see they are half way around the lake. That gives me time to bait up. I was using Berkley Trout Power bait which always gets them. A little ball on a hook below a float is all you need. When I see the school getting close, I toss out the bait and within a minute, I have my first one on. The people next to me were amazed. They again got nothing. By the time I got the fish in and unhooked, the school had passed. I didn’t even put my line back in the water as I knew it would be a few minutes before I’d get another bite. I again see the school coming, toss out the bait and within seconds, I had the second fish on. Now these people think I’m some sort of magician. I give them a big hunk of Power Bait and the next time around, we all get bit. I don’t want the fish I caught so I give them the ones I got and the rest of the jar of trout bait and head home. 

[Krux5506]

I guess I get sick jollies when I'm leisure fishing on my home port among tournament guys who are often extremely rude (fishing within casting distance of my boat, cutting me off, etc) and I'm catching fish and they aren't. Sometimes it's funny when those types of people see you catch fish and all of the sudden they want to be your best buddy. Truth is though, I'm always friendly to people on the water, but often times it's not mutual until someone sees that maybe you might know what you're doing. 

[813basstard]

I throw my favorite top water in the nearest tree I can find. Then I show off my skills of climbing said tree as the boat drifts gently and I step on as if practiced.

[OCdockskipper]

I was skipping a Senko under docks one day when I hooked up & brought in a bass.  As I release it, a guy walks out and says "Darn, I wanted to take a picture of it for you".  He was visiting from Chicago, we chatted a little and he asked how do I make a bait skip.  As I told him, I illustrated my instructions by skipping under an adjoining dock.  As I told him the next step is to watch the line, sure enough it starts to zip to the left.  I set the hook, pull the bass out from under the dock and land it, as my new friend stands there with his mouth open.

 

He later emailed me pictures he took of the 2nd fish with the note "it is amazing how you can catch bass on command".

[JustJames]

23 hours ago, LionHeart said:

All the time.  I'm usually the guy getting waved at.

That's me too lol.

[cheezyridr]

On 7/29/2018 at 1:53 PM, Glaucus said:

I love catching bass. I don't like being the jerk that makes someone feel bad, however. The little wave was an unnecessary insult to a guy who wasn't even rude to you.

 

On 7/29/2018 at 5:21 PM, DINK WHISPERER said:

No, I don't take pleasure in someone else's misfortune or bad luck. I would've offered the guy some of whatever bait I was using or at least advise on what I thought the fish were doing. Unless they were being crappy to me first of course. 

the guy i mentioned in my post wasn't upset,  as you guys seem to be.  i didn't wave at him to rub his nose in it or anything like that.  he smiled and said "nice fish".  i even told him i was lucky to land it as it was barely hooked.  like i said, i just enjoyed it because it makes me look good, when (as i also said) it was blind luck. i'm certainly no expert.  the other guy i mentioned in my post, i didn't intend to tick him off either, but at the end of the day, i'm not responsible for his feelings anyhow.   had he come up to me, i gladly would have shown him what i was using. i always carry spares, i might have even gave him one.  however, that day, i don't think it mattered anyhow.  every fish i caught swirled on it soon as it hit the water.   i think i could have throw a stick with a hook on it and caught bass that day.  why he wasn't catching them, i have no idea.

 

i was using a 1/2 oz spinnerbait with large willow blades and a white/grey skirt both times.  it's my go-to color for muddy water, and it seems to work for me. i fish a spinnerbait  90% of the time, because it works for me, and is somewhat snag resistant.

[OCdockskipper]

14 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

My best encounter like this happened at a park I fish at a lot. It’s got a decent pond and an enormous playground, so it’s full of kids all the time.  I was fishing the bank between the parking lot and the playground when a group of about fifteen kids all around 4-5 walk by with their daycare providers. One of the kids shouts “When are you going to catch a fish?”   

 

I reply “Soon I hope!” and then a split second later I get a hit.  It was a nice 3lb class LMB.  It was a super active bass, jumping and running.   

 

The kids all went insane.  The daycare workers tried to control them, but three adults vs fifteen exicted kids is no contest.  The kids swarm me and it’s all I can do to land and unhook it while keeping them from stepping on my combo.  Once I got it unhooked and all the kids who want to got  to touch it, I release it and start to get my gear sorted out when one of the kids runs back over to me and says that I had caugh “a very important fish” and that he “was very proud of me” and then sticks his litte hand out for me to shake.  

 

So I shook his hand and when back to fishing.  

That is a great story.  The last kid is destined to be grow up to be either a politician or motivational speaker ?

 

I had a similar situation on a smaller scale one spring when some of the bass were on beds.  Coming back to my house, I saw a large female on a bed, 2 houses down from my dock.  I made a couple of casts towards her & the male, but they were distracted by a gardener working just feet away from them.

 

So I docked my boat, went over to my neighbors dock to get a better look at her.  My neighbors 4 grandkids come out of the house (they know me) and ask what I am looking at.  I pick each of them up, have them put on my sunglasses and let them see the bass.  By this time, my neighbors come out of the house, as does my brother out of my house, so a crowd has gathered.  As the gardener is leaving, one of the kids ask if I can catch the bass.  I tell them I will try, but don't get their hopes up because she is most likely more interested in spawning than biting.

 

I pull my boat back out and get in a position where I can see the female but she can't see me.  First cast is perfect, just past the nest on to the edge of the seawall.  I gently pull the Senko into the water, right into the center of the nest.  The female wheels around, goes nose down & I see her gills flare.  I set the hook & as she makes a beeline towards deeper water, my "audience" makes a roar of approval.  She does a couple of headshakes that get some oohs & aahs, and they all start clapping when I pull her from the water.

 

I went back to the dock to weigh her (5lbs, 4 oz) and to let the kids get a closeup look at her.  Best of all, as I release her, she goes straight back to the nest and the kids started clapping again.  I almost felt like I should take a bow...

[cheezyridr]

that was a great story!  i would have clicked like 2 times if i could

[Arcs&sparks]

My early PB story was like that;

  

  Around the time I first started getting big into fishing, I threw 1 rod in my truck with a ~7” swimbait tied on, my telescoping  rubber net, and a small tackle bag,  so I could stop at my fav bridge for a few minutes on my way home from running errands.

 

  When I finally pulled up to the bridge,  I saw another man soaking a bobber at the canoe launch.  From where I parked I could no longer see him,  because of the overgrown bushes,  or I would have waved and said hi. 

 

  I was was in a rush so I grabbed my gear and headed strait to the opposite side of the bridge from him and threw out my bait.  First cast and within 10 seconds I saw the fish come up slam my lure. After some splashing around,  I got it in the net and immediately started (semi-calmly) shouting at the man who I could not see, to come over here.  He rushed over, not knowing what was going on, to see me lift the net out of the water with the big bass in it and his jaw hit the floor.  Without hesitation I handed him my phone to get a quick picture, and then told him to grab the scale out of my bag. It hit 4-12 and was my personal best at the time,  and the biggest bass either of us had seen in person lol.  I Gently got her back into the water and we got a good laugh over the situation.  He had been there for two hours and caught a single small perch.  He was amazed I caught a fish on such a big bait, and how it was the first cast. He was nearly as excited as I was,  so I didn’t need to apologize for shouted orders at him haha.