northern vs southern anglers ?

[scaleface]

Do you think its easier for northern tournament anglers to go south  where  largemouths are dominant or southern tournament anglers to head north  where smallmouths are the main focus ?

[gim]

I’ve thought about this too especially when I watch the Elites. Seems like there’s a lot more southern anglers on tour so my guess would be that it’s easier for them to head north than it is for the northerners to do well down south.

[WIGuide]

Knowing the nature of smallmouth, I think it'd be a little harder for southern anglers to come north. I think people down south don't realize just how many largemouth live in the northwoods. Although they don't get gigantic like they do down south, we have tons of very healthy fish. You always hear comments from southern anglers when they come north about how healthy and stocky the fish are, regardless I think most people up here are pretty comfortable fishing for both.

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

I’ve thought about this too especially when I watch the Elites. Seems like there’s a lot more southern anglers on tour so my guess would be that it’s easier for them to head north than it is for the northerners to do well down south.

I think the biggest reason you don't see more northern guys on the elites is the fact that the qualification process is much more expensive. Using me as an example, I live in north central Wisconsin. The "central" opens don't usually get any closer than Oklahoma or Missouri and from there stretching down to Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi so I'd literally be driving across the country to compete. The eastern opens are all out almost completely on the east coast so again much further to travel. I'd be looking at a ballpark of 8 thousand miles of travel for 4 tournaments. There's added monetary cost involved, but that also adds an additional time cost. Instead of having a day or less of travel to get to an event, I'd have close to 4 days overall and that's in addition to the time I'd have to take off for prefishing and the tournament itself. Although it's not impossible, it's pretty close to it for a lot of people up here.

[gim]

Valid points WIGuide

[TnRiver46]

Smallmouth is king where I live in the “south”

[BassNJake]

Largemouth is the girl you want to take to a party, Smallmouth is the one you want to make your wife

[soflabasser]

I have fished in northern waters and southern waters for bass and without a doubt Florida strain largemouth bass in Florida are much harder to catch than smallmouth bass. Northern strain largemouth bass are also much easier to catch than a pure Florida strain largemouth bass. It is easier for a Southern bass fisherman to adapt to northern bass fishing. Smallmouth bass are fun to catch but I prefer catching peacock bass since they are a much more beautiful fish and fight harder.

[BrandonK105]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Smallmouth is king where I live in the “south”

I haven’t been able to get on any Smallmouth on the Clinch South of the d**n or Melton Hill!!! Not from lack of trying. It’s been a bit of an adjustment moving from northern West Virginia to Tennessee. 
P.S. @TnRiver46, my cousin Paul sent me the picture of you with that giant rock fish a long time ago. 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, BrandonK105 said:

I haven’t been able to get on any Smallmouth on the Clinch South of the d**n or Melton Hill!!! Not from lack of trying. It’s been a bit of an adjustment moving from northern West Virginia to Tennessee. 
P.S. @TnRiver46, my cousin Paul sent me the picture of you with that giant rock fish a long time ago. 

Paul cupfer???? The clinch is tough, a lot easier upstream of Norris dam in the lake. Between highway 61 bridge and the city of Clinton is nearly void of fish, except maybe in spring migrations. From Highway 61 bridge up to Norris dam is pretty much only trout and Stripers . I’ve only caught two bass lifetime on that stretch 

[RoLo]

 

I've spent lots of time chasing bass in both the north and south.

In my opinion, the difference between the north and south pales in comparison

to the difference between northern-strain and Florida-strain bass.

 

When I lived in the tri-state area, I thought I was a pretty descent bass angler.

That is, until I was confronted with Florida-strain bass, which made me feel like a beginner again.

The Florida-strain bass is a crotchety, unpredictable, boor, which is why I luv'em.

Even KVD expressed his fear of Florida bass, which I found heartening  ?

 

Roger

[BrandonK105]

6 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Paul cupfer???? The clinch is tough, a lot easier upstream of Norris dam in the lake. Between highway 61 bridge and the city of Clinton is nearly void of fish, except maybe in spring migrations. From Highway 61 bridge up to Norris dam is pretty much only trout and Stripers . I’ve only caught two bass lifetime on that stretch 

Yeah, Paul Kupfer. We moved down to Tennessee a few years ago and live on the Clinch below Melton Hill Dam (basically Watts Bar) by Breasher Isalnd. Fishing the Ohio River my whole life I thought I was gonna be able to catch Smallmouth down here. That was the farthest from the truth. I’ll run in to some every once in a while. I’ve had no issue with largemouth during all seasons. It’s hard to keep up with the 16-17 pound bags of smallmouth guys are weighing in on Melton Hill during winter tournaments. 

[TnRiver46]

13 hours ago, BrandonK105 said:

Yeah, Paul Kupfer. We moved down to Tennessee a few years ago and live on the Clinch below Melton Hill Dam (basically Watts Bar) by Breasher Isalnd. Fishing the Ohio River my whole life I thought I was gonna be able to catch Smallmouth down here. That was the farthest from the truth. I’ll run in to some every once in a while. I’ve had no issue with largemouth during all seasons. It’s hard to keep up with the 16-17 pound bags of smallmouth guys are weighing in on Melton Hill during winter tournaments. 

Did Paul show you this?? I think that was about 3 years ago, he was in the back of my boat throwing a 2 foot crankbait over 20 feet of water right next to the boat ramp haha. Small world! 

[WRB]

So eastern and western anglers don't count?

Using MLF contest that fish equal events in the north and south who are the anglers leading those events. 

Tom

[Cdn Angler]

Northern have less time to fish too so might not see it as a "career" option. Hard to fish tournaments when the lake is frozen. 

 

Also other fish to target like walleye, muskie, pike that get far bigger. In general things here are less bass centric. Bass Pro Shops would not be a name chosen for a business starting up North. 

[WRB]

You might think money competive bass debies started in Alabama with Ray Scott B.A.S.S. You would be wrong. Bass fishing tournemnts started in Texas, Ray Scott figured a way to prevent cheating by incorporating the blind draw concert. Give credit where it's due, Ray Scotts All American Tournaments in Alabama that became B.AS.S. The heartland of Texas, Arkansas, Alabama is the center of competitive bass fishing in late 60's and remains the heart beat of tournament bass fishing. If you area serious tournament bass angler you fish in the heartland.

Tom

 

[TnRiver46]

I’m fishing in Alabama right now and it’s very difficult, just like most years we come here. The bass here have been watching lures go by frequently since the 60s 

[roadwarrior]

The biggest advantage for Southern anglers is the opportunity to fish year around.

Our "season" is 1/01 - 12/31.

 

[TnRiver46]

5 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

The biggest advantage for Southern anglers is the opportunity to fish year around.

Our "season" is 1/01 - 12/31.

 

Amen. Even if they ain’t bitin, I’d still like to be out there trying