Anyone else not fish for bass very often?

[king fisher]

I captain  a private boat, for a living.  I fish for saltwater sport fish for work.  I fish for bass for fun.  Like most people, my work seems to get in the way of my fun. I grew up fishing for bass, and even though I didn't catch a bass for 20 years, I always tried to keep informed on techniques, and baits. For some reason I can't explain, bass have always been my favorite fish.    I now live where I can fish for bass again, and am very happy.

[redmeansdistortion]

I mostly fish trout even though I live near the best smallmouth lake in the country.  Since I have no boat, trout fishing is much more accessible for me since I'm fishing in waders or on the bank.  

[Ogandrews]

15 hours ago, redmeansdistortion said:

I mostly fish trout even though I live near the best smallmouth lake in the country.  Since I have no boat, trout fishing is much more accessible for me since I'm fishing in waders or on the bank.  

One of the best musky lakes in the world too especially for numbers of fish. I would kill to live next to that great of a fishery, take advantage of it. It is a huge lake but I know there’s parts you could access with a small boat or kayak. Get out there and get after those giants.

[nmatthes]

12 hours ago, Ogandrews said:

One of the best musky lakes in the world too especially for numbers of fish. I would kill to live next to that great of a fishery, take advantage of it. It is a huge lake but I know there’s parts you could access with a small boat or kayak. Get out there and get after those giants.

Are you talking about Mille Lacs? I thought the muskie fishing had went down the drain for numbers? I know there are monsters in there but lacking numbers. 

[Vilas15]

24 minutes ago, nmatthes said:

Are you talking about Mille Lacs? I thought the muskie fishing had went down the drain for numbers? I know there are monsters in there but lacking numbers. 

Lake St Clair is mentioned in his profile.

[gim]

1 hour ago, nmatthes said:

Are you talking about Mille Lacs? I thought the muskie fishing had went down the drain for numbers? I know there are monsters in there but lacking numbers. 

The population of muskies in Mille Lacs has never been very dense.  They estimate that there's only one adult for every 40 square acres of water.  Its not about quantity in that lake, its quality.  There is quite likely the state record and even potential world record swimming in that lake at the moment.  The primary reason for the massive size of these fish is the population of cisco/tulibee they feed on.

[ArthurLK11]

Me. Honestly there are so many fish out there I get bored just targeting one. Bass are great, but I can't fish for one species for too long. Always like mixing it up and challenging myself to catch new species. 

[TnRiver46]

On 5/1/2020 at 6:26 PM, keagbassr said:

Wait what? There are other fish besides bass? What the heck for?!?

Exactly 

[Ogandrews]

10 hours ago, nmatthes said:

Are you talking about Mille Lacs? I thought the muskie fishing had went down the drain for numbers? I know there are monsters in there but lacking numbers. 

St Clair is an amazing musky fishery. Doesn’t have quite as big of fish as some of the low density Minnesota/Ontario lakes and rivers, like vermilion, Mille lacs, eagle, Rowan, lac seul, Georgian bay and the Ottawa and Saint Lawrence rivers, but it’s got insanely high numbers of fish in that 40-low 50” range with potential for mid 50’s. Definitely on my bucket list of places to musky fish. Not to mention the smallmouth and walleye fishing.

[Oregon Native]

Been blessed to have caught and chased almost everything around these states from salt to fresh.  Twelve foot sturgeon to blue gill.....LOVE em all at their perspective times....even hundreds of salmon and steelhead....Bass is my favorite though...love working on the tackle...planing for a tourney (not so much now) so many new toys...

Thank God for choices

[Steveo-1969]

I target smallmouth from April through October. Then walleyes from November through March.

[mrmacwvu1]

Since I moved to Florida I never fish for bass anymore. When you start catching snook, redfish, tarpon and others it is hard to get back into fresh water fishing. 

[redmeansdistortion]

On 5/3/2020 at 11:59 PM, Ogandrews said:

One of the best musky lakes in the world too especially for numbers of fish. I would kill to live next to that great of a fishery, take advantage of it. It is a huge lake but I know there’s parts you could access with a small boat or kayak. Get out there and get after those giants.

I used to fish musky often 20 some years back.  A friend of mine fished the musky tournaments back then and I was always out there with him for his pre-tournament warm-ups, even fished a couple of tournaments with him.  The musky fishing is outstanding.  There are so many in the lake you're pretty much guaranteed to get one or more if you book a charter or go with a good musky fisherman.  I have been wanting to get a kayak, and I could fish the mile roads (in St Clair Shores) pretty well in one.  

[Fallser]

I'm a fly fisherman, but I spend very little time fishing for trout.  SE PA is certainly not a trout fishing mecca but does have plenty of warm water and salt water opportunities within an easy drive .  Depends where I'm fishing sometimes I'll specifically target smallmouth or largemouth, but I just enjoy fishing and catching and wherever there are pan fish there are bass.

[Captain Phil]

I've lived in Florida all my life. Fished for everything that swims.  Offshore, inshore, reservoirs, lakes, ponds and rivers.  I've been fortunate to have traveled the world fishing.  Caught 600 pound marlin, 4" bluegills and everything in between.  I've caught big sailfish and tarpon on a fly rod.   I've caught 10 pound Walleye and 25 pound Northerns.

 

I always come back to bass fishing.  Bass fishing with artificial lures is as challenging as it gets.  Caught my first when I was 10.  Caught my last two days ago.  Every bass I catch reminds me of the first.   My grandfather introduced me to fishing.  I sat on the canal bank next to him and watched bass swim by.  I dreamed of catching a big bass some day.  Since then, I've caught more than my share.  I'm sure I've caught tens of thousands of bass by now.  I can never catch too many bass.  :>)  

[mrmacwvu1]

On 5/12/2020 at 3:41 PM, Captain Phil said:

I've lived in Florida all my life. Fished for everything that swims.  Offshore, inshore, reservoirs, lakes, ponds and rivers.  I've been fortunate to have traveled the world fishing.  Caught 600 pound marlin, 4" bluegills and everything in between.  I've caught big sailfish and tarpon on a fly rod.   I've caught 10 pound Walleye and 25 pound Northerns.

 

I always come back to bass fishing.  Bass fishing with artificial lures is as challenging as it gets.  Caught my first when I was 10.  Caught my last two days ago.  Every bass I catch reminds me of the first.   My grandfather introduced me to fishing.  I sat on the canal bank next to him and watched bass swim by.  I dreamed of catching a big bass some day.  Since then, I've caught more than my share.  I'm sure I've caught tens of thousands of bass by now.  I can never catch too many bass.  :>)  

Do you ever make it down to my neck of the woods. I live about a five minute ride from boca pass, bull bay and turtle bay. Once I started fishing the flats my life changed.

[Captain Phil]

2 hours ago, mrmacwvu1 said:

Do you ever make it down to my neck of the woods. I live about a five minute ride from boca pass, bull bay and turtle bay. Once I started fishing the flats my life changed.

Yes, I have fished all over Florida.  Except for the Keys, most of my inshore salt water fishing has been on the West Coast from Everglades City to Flamingo.  

 

Freshwater fishing is different.   I have friends who are die hard salt water anglers.  They can't understand how I can get excited about a fish the size of their bait. Bass fishing with artificial lures is as challenging as it gets.  I consider each one I catch as a small miracle. 

[roadwarrior]

I like the salt, but my biggest issue is the gear. I just hate the big tackle. Trolling for monsters is a one

day deal for me. My last fish was a 75lb jack which just kicked my tail. The Yellowfin tuna (125) was 

cool, but I am done with that. My favorite (PB) was 12.4  largemouth at ToHo in January, this year.

 

[N Florida Mike]

Ive loved fishing all my life. My dad was mostly after saltwater fish and I started with that. But I caught my first bass at 14 and I have persued them ever since. Dont get me wrong- I love all kinds of fishing Ive done, including offshore,inshore and surf fishing saltwater. My son is much more in  love with saltwater. We fish mostly live and dead bait ( rarely use lures) for Reds, Flounder, Sheephead, Trout, black drum etc. I still get excited catching whiting etc. Half of it is knowing theres a meal coming from it at the end.

I also love catching bream, catfish, specks, whatever’s biting in freshwater.

But I love bass fishing the most for some reason I cant explain.

[Loomis13]

Rarely fish for bass. Usually crappie and walleye. Bass are targeted if we are having a tough day.

[scaleface]

I fish for bass mostly the last three or four years but I use to fish for anything and  everything . Had a camper on Mississippi river backwater where  I honed my carp fishing skills  . I miss that .Done an awful lot of catfishing , crappie , white bass and bluegill . There was even a time when I would take large chubs and fish for gar on the sandbars .

[gnappi]

Nowadays I target snakeheads and catch a few bass yearly by accident. I "KNOW" that snakeheads supposedly do not out compete bass for resources but everywhere bass were once plentiful few are found.

 

NP snakeheads fight and taste better, there's no catch limit nor size notch anyway.  

[redmeansdistortion]

I fish trout most of the time, but I still love bass fishing, just not as much as I used to.  I love the sense of adventure that comes with hiking the backcountry to that good trout hole, something you don't get in bass fishing.  The serenity coupled with the sounds of nature and the lack of traffic is as relaxing as it gets.  Most of the time I'm fishing trout, I see nobody else out there other than the person or people accompanying me.  The most rewarding experience comes in early to middle spring.  Walking along those game trails, stumbling upon a patch of morels, then catching a limit of brook trout.  The meal itself is almost as good as the adventure of obtaining it.  Brookies pan fried in bacon grease with a side of sauteed morels, you'll never find that in a restaurant.  Sometimes you pay with blood, especially late spring into summer when the mosquitoes are active, but man can it be surreal at times.  

[Teal]

Threads like this make me miss SirSnookAlot on BR.  That guy would target fish for anything and everything and did not care as long as he was getting a line wet. He just loved targeting all different species and was pretty good at it all.   We would see pics of several species every week!

 

I personal enjoy striper fishing and crappie fishing.  I'll go catfishing too.. mostly for me is targeting bass, but if I cant find em, I'll target what Evers biting.  Friday for example, I couldnt get many bites, but caught a nice 27" inch pickerel on a Jackhammer, and stayed on the pickrel pattern for most of the day.  I landed 4, but probably missed a dozen and got broken off a couple times.  But it was worth it because they we quality sized fish..and those toothy guys put up a fight.  

[J Francho]

I fish for other species, when the time is right.