Bass fishing myths

[Boomstick]

On 1/23/2020 at 9:10 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Bass dont care about your line, they're only watching your lure!! 

Do you think this one is true or false, you didn't say. This one might start a war but I'm going with that it's false, but not as false as many may think.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

My personal belief,  is false. Line size/type does matter. But I'm in agreement with you, probably not near as important as some think. At least not down south far as I'm concerned. 

 

Basically I was trolling around and this looked like a good topic to get bites.. ?

 

[TnRiver46]

5 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

BUT, have you tried fishing all 100 pound braid?  How do you know it doesn't work?

 

2 hours ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Well 65lb braid catches me ALOT of fish.. sooooo

I’ve tried both in clear water and saw the fish laughing 

[MIbassyaker]

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

 

I’ve tried both in clear water and saw the fish laughing 

 

I expect the environment matters. I fish 50lb braid in water with 15ft visibility and catch bass. But that's in glacial natural lakes with lots of vegetation.  These bass bass spend their lives hunting prey through beds of cabbage, coontail, and milfoil ...why should braided line register as anything other than just another of the millions of tendrils, stalks, or whorls of vegetation that make up their whole world?  That t-rigged worm on braided line is just another critter crawling around the weeds.

 

I am not convinced that bass care about line visibility in any of the places I fish. But that doesn't necessarily mean line visibility won't matter everywhere.

 

1 hour ago, NittyGrittyBoy said:

My personal belief,  is false. Line size/type does matter. But I'm in agreement with you, probably not near as important as some think. At least not down south far as I'm concerned. 

 

Basically I was trolling around and this looked like a good topic to get bites.. ?

 

 

Right, I think that's key:  whether something is "myth" is a matter of degree -- line size isn't a myth because it doesn't matter at all, in an absolute sense...it's that it probably matters less than many anglers think, much of the time.

[Dirtyeggroll]

Line size can certainly effect the action of a bait... if that matters

[MIbassyaker]

2 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Line size can certainly effect the action of a bait... if that matters

YES, true. Running depth as well. 

[TnRiver46]

In the Cherokee elite series event of 2019 (freezing temps in February), I imagine almost zero of the competitors used braided line . This year they are coming in may and there might be a few people using it for some reason but I doubt it 

[Bluebasser86]

9 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

BUT, have you tried fishing all 100 pound braid?  How do you know it doesn't work?

I have 130lb braid on one rod, I would not want to try to fish it for bass.

 

 

You have to fish deep in winter.

 

[Landis Carrier]

I have a tough time believing that fish can see your line but not the huge treble hooks hanging off your lure. ?
 

That being said I usually try to us the best line for the application. 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Eh, everybody has their own beliefs about wether or not line size/type matters. 

"Facts not Feelings" -B.Shapiro

 

Prove to me with facts line size/type matters. I use both braid and mono, not because of the visibility of either, but because they both do different things I want them to do. Line affect the bait, absolutely. But will the line size prevent a fish from biting my crankbait with Trebles on it? 

 

MYTH! ?

[scaleface]

This is  just a single experience , so it doesnt prove anything but ..  I was trying to cach a bass under a dock . I was pitching a plastic craw with mono in 12 or 15 lb test , dont remember and the bass just ignored it . I tied the bait on a spinning combo with light line and then the bass   bit . 

 

What about this . If one could cast and retrieve anchor rope would they get many bites ? What about clothes line , para cord , 200 lb test , 100 lb test , 50 lb , 25 lb , 12 lb , 8 lb..?  Where is the cut off when line diameter doesnt matter ?

 

 

[tracker01]

On line size. Then there is the A-rig. Here comes a wire basket towards their face and they still ignore it for the goodies that are following.

Just say’in.

[scaleface]

Wires , hooks and line are essential .   If they could all be made invisible I would bet every cent I have that they would get more bites .

[lo n slo]

20 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

 

I’ve tried both in clear water and saw the fish laughing 

they probably thought it was me.....again ?

[Trox]

If the cows are down, the fishing is gonna be tough. If the cows are grazing, good day for fishing...

 

Myth or not, I choose to believe this one. Mainly because every time I see a cow, I start thinking about fishing, and that makes me happy  

[jimmyjoe]

   Wind in the south blows the bait in the fish's mouth.

   Wind from the west, fishing is the best.

   Wind from the east, good fishing is the least.

   Wind from the north, fishermen should not go forth.

 

   True. No myth.      jj

[gim]

Myth: a jerk bait is only effective in colder water for smallmouth.

 

Fact: it is also effective in warmer water for largemouth.

[scaleface]

11 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Myth: a jerk bait is only effective in colder water for smallmouth.

 

Fact: it is also effective in warmer water for largemouth.

I am not a jerkbait master by any means . My best jerkbait day came in the summer when bass were just slashing  at crankbaits . I tied on a Rapala X-Rap and the bass engulfed it .

[DanielG]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:39 PM, Dirtyeggroll said:

Line size can certainly effect the action of a bait... if that matters

Size does matter. I once knew a woma...... Hey, what? this is the bass forum? Oops, nevermind.....

[Hawkeye21]

On 2/16/2020 at 10:58 AM, TroxBox said:

If the cows are down, the fishing is gonna be tough. If the cows are grazing, good day for fishing...

 

Myth or not, I choose to believe this one. Mainly because every time I see a cow, I start thinking about fishing, and that makes me happy  

That's a pretty good one actually.  Cattle tend to lay down before a storm front moves in.  It's just a sign of weather to come which could give you an idea of what the bass might be doing.

[Scott F]

Myth; Moon phases have an effect on spawning, freshwater, fish.  Guys fish during a full moon, see bass spawning and come to the conclusion that the moon had something to do with it. There have been scientific  studies that show that bass spawning is not effected by the full moon or any moon phase. Zero studies that show the full moon will trigger the spawn.

[RB 77]

On 1/23/2020 at 6:10 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Bass dont care about your line, they're only watching your lure!! 

 

Yup. Ive seen  them "nose down" on 5 LB flouro so I know they can see your line. How much does that matter in the grand scheme of things, who knows. Line diameter plays a part in a baits action. I have had days where light line has made a difference and others days where they eat the paint off the boat.

[schplurg]

14 hours ago, Hawkeye21 said:

That's a pretty good one actually.  Cattle tend to lay down before a storm front moves in.  It's just a sign of weather to come which could give you an idea of what the bass might be doing.

Myth. According to science, cattle lay down when it is cold because it keeps them warmer (body heat), storm or no storm. It is often cold before a storm so that's how it got started. 

 

The Daily Mail and Farmers Almanac may say otherwise, but there is no scientific evidence that cows predict weather in such a manner.

[Jig Man]

On that cattle thing,  cattle lie down when there bellies are full.  They have 4 stomachs they have to chew their cud.  Cattle start eating before dawn.  Well fed cattle will graze for a few hours then lie down.  By 9:00 or so they should be getting full and go lie down.  In 4-6 hours they have digested their food and are up and grazing again. That is an every day event no matter the weather.

[the reel ess]

On 1/23/2020 at 9:10 AM, NittyGrittyBoy said:

Bass dont care about your line, they're only watching your lure!! 

I watched a video of Gerald Swindle where he was typing a jig on and said "Why would a bass care about your line's tag end when they don't care about the other 100 yards tied onto it". Then he cut the tag end off his fluorocarbon line and cast it out. LOL. But I'm in agreement. I was fishing with a guide and we were working down the bank flipping to sparse patches of pepper grass. I said "We're mighty close. Aren't they aware of our presence?" He said "Yeah, don't worry about that. When you drop that jig in their face in that small space they can't ignore it. Instincts won't allow it."

On 1/23/2020 at 9:34 AM, flbassmaster said:

LOL Haven't seen any yet. but they are everywhere. iguanas, peacock bass, tarpon, snook. take your pic. come down to florida. I just wish we had busch latte cans down here. 

and gators and pythons