Popular bass fishing questions

[Glenn]

Hey guys, I pulled a number of frequently asked questions right from these forums, and put the answers in this video.  Enjoy!

 

 

[roadwarrior]

[islandbass]

Nice! I’ll drink to that too, lol. 

[5/0]

Hi Glenn,

A sartorial question. Where did you get the pants used in this video? Particularly the ones with the zippered legs.

 

Joe

[Glenn]

They're the Columbia Gear Silver Ridge convertable pants.  Very comfortable when it's hot out, and the only pair of pants like that design I could find that has two rear pockets.  Plus all the pockets either zip or velcro shut, ensuring nothing falls out, even if you accidentally fall in the water.

 

https://www.columbia.com/mens-silver-ridge-convertible-pant-AM8004.html

[5/0]

Thanks Glenn!

[OCdockskipper]

So I have to ask you about one of your answers.  I pulled up the transcript to make sure I heard you correctly when you said "So, big bass have learned that there's a ratio of how much calories they are gonna burn versus how many they're gonna get as a reward."

 

Where did you find the information that came to this conclusion?  I ask because every study I have ever read portrays the brain of a bass as being unable to do math, much less determine how much calories are in certain critters and how much calories they are gonna burn in chasing them down.  Are the calorie counts for each baitfish printed on the side of the soon to be meal?  Do the larger bass carry pedometers so they can track their own caloric burn?

 

I believe you are anthropomorphizing the basses action.  If it is food & she can get it, she does.  If not, she doesn't.  She really isn't that smart.  Elusive, difficult to catch, yes but those big girls aren't into calorie counting.

 

Also, most everyone can skip a lure longer while standing in the boat compared to sitting.  If you don't believe me, sit at the waters edge and see how far you can skip a stone.  Then stand up and try.

 

[Dirtyeggroll]

44 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

Where did you find the information that came to this conclusion?  I ask because every study I have ever read portrays the brain of a bass as being unable to do math, much less determine how much calories are in certain critters and how much calories they are gonna burn in chasing them down.  Are the calorie counts for each baitfish printed on the side of the soon to be meal?  Do the larger bass carry pedometers so they can track their own caloric burn?

 

I believe you are anthropomorphizing the basses action.  If it is food & she can get it, she does.  If not, she doesn't.  She really isn't that smart.  Elusive, difficult to catch, yes but those big girls aren't into calorie counting.

 

 

Please tell me you are not serious about this criticism.

 

I would bet that a predator can instinctively identify high energy (calorie) targets.

[DanielG]

6 hours ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Please tell me you are not serious about this criticism.

 

I would bet that a predator can instinctively identify high energy (calorie) targets.

Have you ever seen or read "Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy"? In the story, Rats are aliens that run through mazes in scientists labs to study our reactions to this of our species. Maybe bass can calculate? Maybe they're doing the same thing.

BTW, read the story and you'll know the answer to the universe and everything. Really....

[OCdockskipper]

12 hours ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Please tell me you are not serious about this criticism.

 

I would bet that a predator can instinctively identify high energy (calorie) targets.

All predators do not have the same brain power or ability to deductivly reason.   If you believe bass identify targets based on the caloric intake, I'll take that bet.

 

Bass identify targets based on the most simple motivator, hunger.  Be it a crawfish, a hot dog or an abandoned Senko, they just eat it because it is there.  If they pass up a potential meal, it is not because it doesn't meet their caloric needs.  It may give off negative cues that make the fish wary, it may not match what they are keyed in on, many things but not the result of an evaluation of caloric intake versus caloric expenditure.

 

We could go to a scientist to settle this bet, but I'd be happy to hear from a 3 man expert panel consisting of Paul Roberts, WRB, and Catt.

[Dirtyeggroll]

17 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

All predators do not have the same brain power or ability to deductivly reason.   If you believe bass identify targets based on the caloric intake, I'll take that bet.

 

Bass identify targets based on the most simple motivator, hunger.  Be it a crawfish, a hot dog or an abandoned Senko, they just eat it because it is there.  If they pass up a potential meal, it is not because it doesn't meet their caloric needs.  It may give off negative cues that make the fish wary, it may not match what they are keyed in on, many things but not the result of an evaluation of caloric intake versus caloric expenditure.

 

We could go to a scientist to settle this bet, but I'd be happy to hear from a 3 man expert panel consisting of Paul Roberts, WRB, and Catt.

I'm not saying you are wrong. I was mostly just thinking it was a nitpicky criticism. But I suppose its reasonable (and probably even a good idea) to try to extinguish fantastical claims (meaning they are assumed or inferred based on potentially tangential data)if they are not supported by evidence.

 

There are however, plenty of data to support that there is a linear relationship in size of bait eaten and bass size (specifically shad)... the reasoning for that however, whether it is because the bass gets more energy per expenditure or if it can just simply eat bigger bait due to its size or some other reason, is just storytelling at this point.

[Glenn]

You completely missed the point I was trying to make, and took my comment out of context.  Fact is, big bass don't grow to trophy size if they expend more calories than they consume.

 

So the point is: Big bass tend to eat bigger, slower-moving meals than smaller bass. Nothing more.

 

If want to go on a tangent and nitpick over the reasoning skills of a bass (or lack thereof), have fun with that.  Fact is, they don't have reasoning skills.  We aready know that. 

 

So technically, yes, I misrepresented the brain power of a bass in the video. But when you only have seconds to convey a complex concept (the feeding tendencies of big bass vs. smaller bass), then you go for the easiest way to explain it in a meaningful way that the viewer can understand.  The video was not intended to be a seminar on bass biology.

 

Now if you have scientific evidence that shows giant bass become trophy size by eating less calories than they expend, then I'm all ears.  Otherwise, you're making a mountain over a molehill.

 

[OCdockskipper]

Hey Glenn, no reason to get upset, I understand your situation.  You are correct, trying to shoot a video and get information across can be difficult, especially if one isn't a trained actor and doesn't have a script.  I thought it was clear I was having a little fun with you when I mentioned pedometers and forage having calorie amounts printed on them, I apologize if you took that seriously. 

 

@Dirtyeggroll may have hit the nail on the head when he wrote that the reason bigger bass eat bigger forage (especially shad) might be just because they can.  Very simple explanation that is probably correct.

 

Now about that being able to skip a lure further while sitting down claim...  

[Glenn]

Thanks for the explanation.  I appreciate it.  I get a lot of negative and downright vicious comments on YouTube, so my lens is a bit slanted in that direction.  No worries.

 

As for skipping, yup, I get it.  Some guys are way better at skipping while standing up than sitting down.  I had a fishing partner that could skip MUCH better than any pro I've ever had the honor to share a boat with.  He was simply amazing. But he couldn't do it sitting down. 

 

I'm just the opposite.  I used to fish from a rubber raft and canoe for years, and that's where I learned how to skip. And it all came back to me when I had the privilege of being the first bass angler to fish from a SeaDoo Fish Pro. I was skipping that bait deep under bushes and branches from a sitting position like no other. So I was speaking from personal experience, as I often do in my videos.

[12poundbass]

48 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

Hey Glenn, no reason to get upset, I understand your situation.  You are correct, trying to shoot a video and get information across can be difficult, especially if one isn't a trained actor and doesn't have a script.  I thought it was clear I was having a little fun with you when I mentioned pedometers and forage having calorie amounts printed on them, I apologize if you took that seriously. 

 

@Dirtyeggroll may have hit the nail on the head when he wrote that the reason bigger bass eat bigger forage (especially shad) might be just because they can.  Very simple explanation that is probably correct.

 

Now about that being able to skip a lure further while sitting down claim...  

Glenn wasn’t the only one who didn’t pick up on your humor. A well placed emoji (doesn’t even have to be well placed) or a lol will help drive home your comedy bit. ?

[jbsoonerfan]

And here I sit, much smarter than any bass out there, yet not smart enough to limit my caloric intake enough to know dang good and well that I won't be able to burn it off. Oh well, shall I ever be caught, I won't be accused of having a bucket mouth and skinny body. More like a football.

[Sam]

Excellent. On of the best explanations of available jigs and how to use them.

 

 

[Glenn]

Thank you Sam!

[JediAmoeba]

On 12/31/2019 at 3:19 PM, Glenn said:

Thanks for the explanation.  I appreciate it.  I get a lot of negative and downright vicious comments on YouTube, so my lens is a bit slanted in that direction.  No worries.

YouTube comment sections are pretty toxic.  I would take all comments in them with a grain of salt.

[LCG]

On 12/31/2019 at 3:19 PM, Glenn said:

Thanks for the explanation.  I appreciate it.  I get a lot of negative and downright vicious comments on YouTube, so my lens is a bit slanted in that direction.

On behalf of members on your site, we appreciate what you do and the knowledge you share. I would still be lost if it wasn't for this forum and your channel. A sincere thank you goes out to you. 

[Glenn]

Well thank you LCG. I appreciate the kind words. But I wasn't really looking for compliments.  My biggest thrill is helping others the best I can.

 

There's nothing better than making the world better for other people. Nothing!

[flbassmaster]

Bass cannot reason. they are conditioned to their environment. they only have 3 ways to feed. when they are defending a territory, when they are hungry or reaction bite.  if the water is too dark they primarily hunt using their lateral lines which detects movement in the water. 

 

the big bass like to hang out in shallow water, next to a log or pile of rocks and with  a drop off to deep water near by. bass aren't that smart. next time you go fishing take that in mind and you'll catch more.