What makes Bass fishing different compared to other fishing?

[JediAmoeba]

17 hours ago, pondhopperNJ said:

Hey all. 

 

Recently I had this question asked by a father taking his son out fishing and I was bank fishing next to them. 

 

"How is your style of fishing different than the average joe going for bluegill/anything" 

 

I think it comes down to our level of devotion and pure passion compared to fishing for other species. Anyone can go to wallmart and get some nightcrawlers and a 15 dollar combo. But to bring out different techniques for different scenarios and knowledge on how the target fish (Bass) behave at certain times. 

 

That's passion and determination. 

 

What do you guys think? How is Bass Fishing different than going after other species/anything? 

 

 

 

 

 

Honestly a fly fisherman targeting trout is probably way more dedicated than any bass fisherman.  The 500 combo you have is nothing compared to a fly combo.  Bass fisherman complain about 1 knot, maybe 2 holding up but fly fisherman may have 7+ knots to get down to a tiny little fly they spent an hour tying themselves.  They spent countless hours practicing a cast so when they fly into what ever area they are fishing they can nail that cast to a small 1'x1' area...

 

I fly fish from time to time but those dedicated fly fisherman that spend hours and hours tying knots, tying flies and practicing casts are the apex in passion and determination.

[JediAmoeba]

There are also Muskie fisherman that are way more dedicated than bass fisherman.  The lures are heavy and the time spent fishing per fish is faaaar greater than time spent per bass.  If I go bass fishing for an hour and don't catch one I am p.o.'d.  if.i go muskie fishing and don't even have a bite in 8 hours, I am not surprised.

 

And dedicated carp fisherman spend a lot of time and money on their craft too.  Bite alarms, special poles and making chum and baits.

 

Bass fishing isn't alone

[Spankey]

12 hours ago, WRB said:

Bullheads are only 1 catfish, channel, blue and flatheads grow big and strong and all 3 of the big cats are predators that eat other fish and can be caught on lures. I have caught channel and blue cats when bass fishing on crankbaits, spoons and jigs.

The top of the freshwater gamefish maybe musky's followed by salmon and steelhead trout, bass are not the only species anglers have pro tournaments.

Tom

I really don’t fish for Catfish or Muskies. But I’m generally good for a couple a year on my smallie lures. A few crankbaits are good producers depending on water clarity. 

[813basstard]

Just the right amount of challenge and reward.

Think of it like the NFL. America is football crazy because it only happens 16 times a year for your team. 

Just the right amount of action (casting, maneuvering etc) and options as far as bait goes. 

 

 

[TriStateBassin106]

12 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Readily available, grow fairly large, aggressive, variety of ways to catch them, can be caught year round. Those are some of the reasons I chase them. I love fishing for lots of different kinds of fish, some I would target more than bass if they shared all or most of the same features I listed, but none of them fit the bill.

It doesn't get any better than that!

5 hours ago, scaleface said:

Bass lures .  As far back as I can remember I've been infatuated with bass lures . If I went to a store that had a fishing dept ., heck with the toys , I went to stared at bass lures and  still do today .

Literally me everytime I'm in a wallmart or other store shopping for stuff hahahaha I always check the fishing department first 

4 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

Honestly a fly fisherman targeting trout is probably way more dedicated than any bass fisherman.  The 500 combo you have is nothing compared to a fly combo.  Bass fisherman complain about 1 knot, maybe 2 holding up but fly fisherman may have 7+ knots to get down to a tiny little fly they spent an hour tying themselves.  They spent countless hours practicing a cast so when they fly into what ever area they are fishing they can nail that cast to a small 1'x1' area...

 

I fly fish from time to time but those dedicated fly fisherman that spend hours and hours tying knots, tying flies and practicing casts are the apex in passion and determination.

Fair point. We could also add the guys who almost break their backs and arms trying to catch Goliath Grouper. 

[soflabasser]

22 hours ago, Logan S said:

Bass are easy enough to catch that beginners won't be turned away due to lack of success...But hard enough to support the enthusiast level fisherman who want to 'master' the sport. 

I agree with you 100%. Small-average sized bass are a easy fish to catch in most states. Larger bass are still relatively easy to catch when compared to other species of fish. Trophy bass can present a challenge to even the most talented bass fishermen, but trophy bass are much easier to catch in places like Florida, Texas, California, etc compared to other states with smaller sized northern strain largemouth bass. Some bass fishermen are so fond of bass fishing that they start traveling the USA for different species of bass, that in itself is a very unique type of bass fishing.

7 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

There are also Muskie fisherman that are way more dedicated than bass fisherman.  The lures are heavy and the time spent fishing per fish is faaaar greater than time spent per bass.  If I go bass fishing for an hour and don't catch one I am p.o.'d.  if.i go muskie fishing and don't even have a bite in 8 hours, I am not surprised.

 

And dedicated carp fisherman spend a lot of time and money on their craft too.  Bite alarms, special poles and making chum and baits.

 

Bass fishing isn't alone

If you are good at catching big bass you will most likely be good at muskie fishing. Both types of fishing have a similar mindset. Carp are fun to catch and I have caught several over 40'', which is very fun on light line!

[Deleted account]

On August 27, 2019 at 1:24 PM, pondhopperNJ said:

What makes bass fishing different than other fishing?

The gooey grey stuff between the ears of LMB guys. Fishing is fishing.

[Shimano_1]

The dedication has nothing to do with the species.  That's all in the guy fishing for whatever species he prefers.  Honestly probably not much different about it other than the gear and techniques.  The fact that bass fishing has exploded and there's so much money involved these days is the only thing I could see setting it apart.  That's what hooked me. I enjoy fishing and have always enjoyed bass fishing,  but when I realized I could win hundreds or thousands of dollars simply by being the best on the water that day, the competitive nature in me came flooding out. Is kinda foolish to say "we" are more obsessed etc. Is what sets it apart. Plenty of fly fisherman and salt water guys that are just as obsessed with what they do.

[JustJames]

I think I became one of the average joe going for bluegill and crappie.

Seriously if I lived in FL, bass might be the fourth, fifth, sixth specie I would target.

[MassYak85]

I wouldn't say that bass fisherman in general are a more passionate breed of fisherman, but the culture and industry built up around it allows you to dive as far down the rabbit hole as you want and I think that's what makes it so appealing. Plus all the different avenues within bass fishing. Whether it's local tournament fishing, professional, kayak pond clubs, trophy hunters who grind and grind for that one bite...and forums like THIS. No matter what your fix is, there are other people who share it and will be there to give support. I know some of the trout and pike/musky guys are pretty hardcore, but you'd be hard pressed to find a group of guys targeting trophy panfish for decades.