Has it gotten easier?

[Mobasser]

I think one of the biggest things is electronics. This has made it much easier for anglers to locate bass.Rods/reels are much better now too. One thing which hasn't changed all that is lures. They try to advertise them as the hot new thing, but most are just slight changes on baits that were invented 50, 75, and even 100yrs ago. You can still catch bass today on a Fliptail worm, just like you did 40yrs ago. Despite all modern technology, you still have to learn how to fish it too. A video can show you the basics, but can't take the place of actually doing it. People learn anything through repitition. The more you actually cast, retrieve and hook fish, the better you become at bass fishing

[LCG]

I would say both easier and harder. With the internet, YouTube, and forums the amount of information can be very overwhelming. I know that I fell into that trap and it set me back a bit. Then I learned slow it down and learn two or three new things/techniques each year and above all else practice on the water. 

 

But I am highly grateful for this forum and YouTube for teaching me so much I probably wouldn't have learned. 

[Hammer 4]

Compared to 40 years ago...I'd say it's now easier to learn a given technique, but unlike years ago, there are many more options, which as already said, can be confusing to a new angler. We didn't have in the internet back then, only magazines to go by, then you had to get out and try and perfect a given technique..I recall doing nothing but fishing a texas rigged worm for many months. I fished at a lake where Don Iovino use to fish, and I'd watch him from a distance, trying to pick up tips. I wound up buying some worms from him that he use to pour, great guy.

Anyway, I think if newer folks would pick a presentation and work on it for awhile, they would be better served, vs trying 5 or more things to begin with. 

[Fishin Dad]

My opinion is absolutely it has gotten easier.  Knowledge is power  (remember School House Rock), and the ease of gaining knowledge now is exponentially higher.   Instead of hoping to stumble upon someone who can explain something they heard (I.e-the Ned rig), you can now read more about it and get at least xxxx opinions and examples of it in words, pictures, and video.   Now add in mapping, sonar, side scan, and live this and that, and finding fish and areas to fish is waaaaaay easier.   Grandpa used to teach me to triangulate “the barn”, “big tree on the hill”, and the “water tower”.   Then drop a clip weight and measure it by arm lengths to get a general depth.   

 

With all that said, I HATE “most” technology and don’t have any social media.   I long for the days of old and simple lives, when people actually DID TALK to people instead of looking at phones or computers.  I did catch fish with grandpa, but on a couple lakes we knew well.  Pressure was less and fish didn’t seem to see so many things.  

 

Do I use fishing graphs.........yes

Do I like catching more fish..........yes

Is it easier now.....................YES

 

[Bankbeater]

To me it's like driving.  You can watch instructional videos, and read all about it, but until you get out there and start doing it you're not going to know how things actually work.

[Catt]

Whole lot of knowledge out there...not much wisdom.

 

90% of YouTube is Regurgitation!

[Dwight Hottle]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

Whole lot of knowledge out there...not much wisdom.

 

90% of YouTube is Regurgitation!

Yep and a lot of people ignore the wisdom that is shared with them. They are simply unwilling to learn.

[papajoe222]

I believe that it has gotten easier than it ever was. There is so much information available out there about the fish, forage, structure, migration routes,  cover, etc. In years past, that information was difficult to find and some of the information one could find was counter productive. Your best source for learning was from other anglers, or trial and error. 
Yes, all that information can be confusing if you attempt to take it all in, but if the desire is there and he combines it with sufficient application on the water, I think an angler can go from novice to a competent angler in a a few seasons.

 

 

 

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

It's definitely easier.  Technology has really bridged the gap.

 

The downside though is pressured waters have become even harder because everyone can pinpoint the fish, the baitfish and the structure.  Those who have been fishing for a long time can still go out and catch fish but I bet the under 30 crowd would have a really tough time catching fish without their technology.

 

One area that has really had an impact technologically is for ice fishing.  The new 3d sonars have changed how people fish and I am in the school of thought they should be banned altogether from ice fishing.  Ice fisherman can pretty much go out and clean lakes out in a very quick methodical manner now. 

[Jonny15678]

I definitely think the internet and videos have helped for me at least. Without that information I don’t think I would have learned so much within a short time. But with so much information it has been a bit overwhelming for me.

[BassNJake]

35 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I think an angler can go from novice to a competent angler in a a few seasons.

 

Therefore, there are more competent anglers pressuring the bodies of water which in turn could make it more difficult to find fish in the usual/expected places .... just saying

 

 

 

[Fishin Dad]

8 hours ago, Catt said:

Whole lot of knowledge out there...not much wisdom.

 

90% of YouTube is Regurgitation!

I agree it is regurgitation, but, to a NEW angler, it gives them the knowledge it took others years to find out in one click of the mouse now.  And even that other 10% is helpful in learning quicker and/or more in depth.  

[Mobasser]

The internet can help some fisherman when learning from scratch. But, I'm still sticking to the old way of learning. Casting practice in the back yard, then taking it to the lake is still the best way to learn in my opinion. You can watch 100 videos , but you still need to do it, get a few bad backlashes, and practice it untill you've got it down. Other things come with time. There's really no super easy way to skip over the basics if you want to be good at bass fishing

Anything you set out to learn- a trade, a skill, a new job, anything takes a while to get good at. Like Catt says most of the internet is regugatation. One guys opinion on fishing. That's why I don't care for fishing videos overall. My favorite are videos of my heroes. I gain more inspiration from watching Tommy Martin in the 74 Classic than any new videos I've seen

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, Fishin Dad said:

I agree it is regurgitation, but, to a NEW angler, it gives them the knowledge it took others years to find out in one click of the mouse now.  And even that other 10% is helpful in learning quicker and/or more in depth.  

There is a reason why one doesn't do a residency, and THEN tackle (ha) bio, chemistry and anatomy. Gotta build on the basics, first the foundation, then the walls, then the roof...

[WRB]

No question today's tackle, fishing equipment and instant access to information has reduced the learning curve. Putting what you learned and practiced into catching bass isn't so cut and dry. We all develope skills at a different pace and ultimately to a wide range of levels. Some of us learned fast some never figure it out, most are somewhere inbetween.

I haven't noticed a increase in bass fishing traffic if anything it's decreased over the past 25 years. Over the past 50 years the first 25 increased yearly, now there seems to be fewer each year. Lot more family boating overall.

As far as learning on UTube tutorials, they may help or hinder. Someone thinking they know how to fly doesn't mean they can.

I learned to fish the only way possible by trail and error and still learn the same way.

Tom

[Bird]

Ok maybe this may come across as offensive but leads to this question. 

 

How hard is it really to learn how to fish.?

 

These predatory fish are smacking buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Lol

 

River smallies will hit bare hooks if you jig em'.

 

I fish because I immensely enjoy it but don't see the science. 

Locate fish and most anyone can catch them.

 

Kids all over YouTube slaying citation after citation. Lol

 

It's easy recreation.

[Tennessee Boy]

41 minutes ago, Bird said:

How hard is it really to learn how to fish.?

It’s easy to learn how to fish.

 

It takes a lifetime to master it.

[James Krack]

5 hours ago, MIbassyaker said:

Too many factors to make a blanket judgment. For every change that has made it easier, I can think of changes that have made it harder.

 

Basic information about fishing is more available now than it used to be through social media...but the proliferation of options in tackle and gear, along with general industry marketing efforts, have mostly just added noise and confusion for new anglers. 

 

It is probably easier for a new angler to put themselves in position to accidentally catch a bass here and there. But that's not the same as learning to fish, and to be successful with regularity, which requires putting in just as much time on the water as it ever did.

 

 

 

I can think of one change that def. made it harder. The doing away with smaller 2 stroke motors. I'm fine with 2 strokes and I'm fine with 4 strokes but I'm not fine with 4 stroke carb. I see efi is on the way but very expensive. For me it was an absolute no brainer to go with a used 2 stroke for my first boat, a brand new 1248LW with bear trailer. 

 

A new top of the line 9.9 efi cost more than my boat and trailer with tax and registration. My 1996 Merc. 9.9 is lighter and faster than any 9.9 made today. Looks brand new and cost me 25% of what a new motor cost. That's a massive advantage for the old schoolers who fish smaller boats. 

 

I do think I will buy a new 9.9 4 stroke. Japan makes great stuff. But not until the weight and price goes down and the thrust goes up as well as efi. The old 2 stroke motors had what 80-90 years of know how behind them. Japan has technology on their side but there is only so much you can do to catch up to that sort of know how. Which is how I feel about Mobasser's question. There's just no substitute for know how. No matter how much technology you have at your finger tips.

[MIbassyaker]

I'm reminded of a quote by Rich Zaleski, from his book, Advanced Bass Techniques, that gets at an important distinction:

 

"The paradox is that bass, particularly the largemouth, are among the easiest fish to catch by accident or dumb luck, yet difficult to catch consistently. Once again, the culprit is the fish's adaptability. Because of the species unparalleled flexibility, it sometimes seems any individual bass might be found almost anywhere in a lake and might respond to almost any one technique at any given time. It's why a particular bass-catching pattern is no good beyond the boundaries of the particular environment for which it was developed, and may only be effective for as long as the conditions that precipitated development of the pattern exist." (p.15)

 

I think it's clear modern advances in technology and increased availability of information, while they may have made it easier for an angler --novice or experienced -- to have success at at any given moment moreso than in previous eras -- I'm still not sure it necessarily translates to easier or faster learning, which is more about developing the consistency.

 

I think of learning to fish as being much more about developing the skills to recognize conditions, make appropriate adjustments, select strategies, prioritize targets, as well as honing basic perceptual and motor fishing mechanics, control of retrieve speed and depth, retrieve variations, feeling the bottom and cover elements, detecting strikes, etc., and even mindset skills like simply learning to concentrate and be observant, all of which most certainly still require time on the water to the same degree they always did. Getting "tips and tricks" on a youtube video are great for getting ideas of things to try, but provide no shortcut to real-time practice.

 

 

 

[Catt]

Give a man a fish, & you feed him for a day.

 

Teach a man to fish, & you confuse him for a lifetime!

[The Maestro]

Hard to say. There have always been fishing shows and magazines. It's just that now you can pull up exactly the information you're looking for instantly. I think advances in equipment like rods and line have made it easier to detect bites. Senkos might be the single biggest advantage that an angler starting out today has vs. back then. They're so easy to catch bass with that they'll help you're confidence and bite detection when you move to other baits.

[WRB]

10 minutes ago, Catt said:

Give a man a fish, & you feed him for a day.

 

Teach a man to fish, & you confuse him for a lifetime!

^^^this is the best ever^^^

[Catt]

Has it gotten easier?

 

Easy: achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties.

 

[schplurg]

I've learned just about everything from Youtube and the internet. I just started less than 2 years ago so maybe I'm a good "case study".

 

I didn't even know a palomar knot 2 years ago.

 

I first began with stripers because I lived by the Delta. I tried for black bass but never got any in my area (bank fishing). While I striper fished I watched a ton of bass fishing videos, including most of the ones here at BR. I mean it was like hard core research. I had a lot of free time and I watched sometimes a few hours worth a day, easily.

 

I didn't see what the fuss was with black bass until I caught my first LMB. He smashed a popper and boy I was more hooked than the fish after that! NOW I get it!

 

Oh I came across the Googans and some of that. I actually liked the enthusiasm of some of the young anglers, didn't like some other things. I found Roland Martin, Tactical, and BR. Bass Resource was a biggie. No BS here, just fishing instruction. Thanks, Glenn!

 

Then I moved back to the Bay Area about 6 months ago. I've been bass fishing every few days like clockwork since I moved here. The only problem is that the fishing here really sucks.

 

After spending time on the water I've narrowed down the baits and presentations I like. For now. My most successful are cranks, T-rigs and poppers. In fact almost every bass I've caught has been on one of those.

 

I'm starting to try jigs more now, and I've played with buzz baits and others. I've never caught one on a stick worm. There IS a ton of info but I sorted it out, just like everything else on the web. Over time you figure out what is comfortable for you and what you might try later in the future.

 

I concentrate more on bass behavior. To me it's the most important thing. I feel I can catch them on a number of baits if I know where to find them. Bank fishing is limiting, but I managed to pull a 5.25 pounder out of the ponds here, and that's a d**n fine fish for this area. Got another half-a-pound less a month later, same exact spot.

 

The hard part is getting through the skunks. That is where experience and confidence pays off I think. I worry "What if I never catch another one? What if I'm just a big phony as an angler?" The confidence would at least keep me more positive, and I'll bet a lot of anglers quit at that point.

 

But I fish constantly and am focused on it. I love it and I never give up. I went to one lake 24 times before catching a bass. It's only 2 miles away, but even then I'm surprised I never gave it up.

 

Actually I did quit that lake but I went back a few days later and caught more bass than I've ever caught in an hour. What the...?

 

I've watched some tourneys and I think I've learned enough to not be a pain in the butt back-seater on a bass boat.

 

I've also watched my progression in my own videos. I can tell by my own behavior that I'm more capable, handle fish better, don't freak out every time I get one (I am like a kid though) than in my older vids.

 

Finally, I don't think this is causing the lakes to fill up with noobs because I really don't see many people outdoors at all. When I was a kid we'd take the boat skiing, and on the way to the lakes we'd pass by other boaters and as kids we'd wave back and forth to each other from the cars. I rarely see boats going anywhere now, at least here.

 

In Cali less people fish every year. I think the trend is for people to sit on their phones instead. Cali is also doing its best to keep people from having any fun at all, especially on the water, so there's that too.

 

I guess this post is long enough.

 

ETA:

To answer the question - yes I think the internet is extremely beneficial to new anglers. Sure time on the water - but at least you know some things you can try when you get there.

 

I almost feel guilty because I can hold a pretty good conversation about baits, techniques with any bass angler and not feel like I'm in over my head, so to speak. I think it would have taken many years to achieve the same level 40 years ago.

 

The only real difference between the web and books and TV from the past is that there is a ton of info readily available at any time. There's always been "too much info".

[Bluebasser86]

It's easier to know a lot of what "should" be working or going on while you're on the water, but how often do we get out there and for some reason they're not following the program at all? The basics and even some of the advanced stuff is for sure easier to pick up with the way technology is now, but you can still only learn so much staring at a computer screen. That doesn't teach decision making, it doesn't teach patience, it doesn't teach the casting accuracy, how to skip, boat control, ect.