Expert

[J Francho]

None of those activities are similar to fishing like hunting is. It's like comparing a race boat driving champion to a pro fisherman. Driving a high performance boat can be part of fishing expertise, and you might be at some measurable expert level, but it doesn't match up easily with the multiple disciplines that fisherman accumulate skill in. I'm not saying one is more or less an achievement than the other, just that it's not really good parallel. Your free to argue with yourself though. 

1 hour ago, ajschn06 said:

I realize they are pretty humble guys.... but if @A-Jay and @J Francho don't qualify as experts then I don't think BR has any....

There's a couple things I have accumulated some knowledge and wisdom - one or two related to fishing even - but there's always someone to show you something and learn new things. Despite it not really being my favorite rig, I will out fish you using a drop shot, unless your nickname is "No Good," lol. 

[WRB]

Fisherman don't have a goal to reach to become an expert, that is my point.

Being a skilled caster doesn't make you a good fisherman anymore then a skilled shooter is, but the skilled shooter has a known goal to achieve to become an expert, anglers don't.

You obviously never had to qualify as a shooter, it"s mandatory in the military and in some States. Fisherman just fish, something all of us here do regardless of our skill sets. Do I qualify as a

expert bass angler? Can't judge without a set of goals.

Tom

 

[soflabasser]

Everyone knows people who consistently catch fish regardless of weather and other adversities. These are the people I consider to be true experts in fishing. Anyone can catch fish when the bite is good but not everyone can catch fish when the bite is not good. For example I know a lot of people that complain that it is hard to catch bass in canals when it rains heavily for weeks yet there are people that thrive in these conditions. Others complain about cold fronts yet people still catch fish even during the worst of cold fronts. The best thing we can do is to continue to improve ourselves and step up our bass fishing game and accept that bass fishing is a hobby that you will learn for a lifetime no matter how good you are.

[scaleface]

Watching pros like Andy Montgomery cast a bait in the tightest places  makes me look like Fred Flintstone trying to cast .

[DitchPanda]

I will also throw out the it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert on something. By my calculation I should be an expert bass angler 2 or maybe 3 times over! Am I an expert? No way. But I study, research, tinker and fish hard. I believe I am a good angler...on my best days slightly above average. But far from an expert. I can say with some certainty that my job involves alot of problem solving and trouble shooting...which both skills have benefited me greatly while fishing. I think this is a hobby where you can take it as easy or as serious as you want..to get better its not the hours you put in but the work you put into the hours. 

As far as experts go yes I believe they exist. Rick Clunn is an expert bass angler no doubt in my mind. Even younger guys like Brandon Paliunic or Jacob Wheeler..they just get it.

[Spankey]

I’m no expert, never claimed to be. I don’t know it all, and never will. There are a lot of guys that are great at their craft of fishing. I’ll but some in that expert category. Quite a few tournament guys. 
 

Some of those guys who have TV shows, I’m not sure if I put all them in any kind of expert class. Anybody can make a 1/2 hour program. Actually 20 minutes worth after commercials. They spend a week filming on a body of water and never change their clothes. On some private pond where the bass never seen a lure before. I guess it can make you look like an expert. Majority of the experts will never get a TV show. 

[NYWayfarer]

Expert is a relative term. Compared to my fishing buddies I am an expert. They would define an expert fisherman as someone who rarely, if ever gets skunked when Bass fishing.

 

That’s fine as long as they don’t define an expert fisherman as someone who catches big Bass. Then I am a novice ?

 

To me an expert would be someone with knowledge of fishing gear, lures, techniques and science who is adept at applying those in real world conditions. 

[ww2farmer]

I have never met/seen/or know of an all encompassing "expert" in bass fishing. And anyone who would tell me they are one, is someone who's opinion I would instantly discredit and avoid. That's a title best reserved to be bestowed upon you by your peers only when you have achieved a level of excellence and success at your craft.

 

Every angler has their strengths and weaknesses, at every level.

 

I strive to be able to catch quality fish of both species (largemouth and smallmouth) consistently from ice out to ice up, on every lake in my little rotation of home lakes. I'm generally pretty decent at it. I'll never claim to be an expert, as there's always room for improvement, and new challenges to face/overcome. 

[soflabasser]

43 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Expert is a relative term. Compared to my fishing buddies I am an expert. They would define an expert fisherman as someone who rarely, if ever gets skunked when Bass fishing.

 

That’s fine as long as they don’t define an expert fisherman as someone who catches big Bass. Then I am a novice ?

 

To me an expert would be someone with knowledge of fishing gear, lures, techniques and science who is adept at applying those in real world conditions. 

I agree with your definition and your friends definition of a expert and will add that a true expert can catch bass in any state they visit without relying on someone taking them fishing or hiring a guide. 

[roadwarrior]

Okay, but as much as I like "fishing", I like "catching" a lot more. Hiring a great

guide will put you on fish in his back yard. I have had bad guides, good guides

and great guides. I like fishing with men that have the skill, personality and 

experience to manage the boat and find the fish, especially on that special

lake. 

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On 11/12/2020 at 11:45 AM, Glenn said:

Then Aquaview came out, and that changed everything.  It was a shocker to learn how many fish simply ignored our proven and go-to baits at times. It changed our perspective, and was humbling at the same time. The key takeaway was that we didn't know as much as we thought we did, but we learned a lot more with that discovery.  It made us both better anglers.

 

Never. Stop. Learning.

 

I think the term "Expert" applies to people who are very experienced but they continue to learn themselves, knowing they're not a "know it all".  The best ones are willing to share what they do know in order to help other "Experts", but are knowledge-seekers themselves.

I think the term "Expert" is relative.  They are very experienced anglers who have expertise in certain areas.  There are Master Mechanics, Master Machinists, Master Chefs and so on, simply because the methods and procedures required have been proven by the scientific method.  When it comes to fishing there are to many variables that are far less tangible to us.  The aquatic world is alien to human beings.  We know more about the surface of mars then we do about the depths of our oceans.  We can only theorize how a fish perceives his environment.  I strongly believe that is what makes fishing so great is you really never know what's going to happen.

Without failures they would be no success.  What's the fun in catching fish using the same baits every time.  Every year I try to become proficient with new techniques or improve techniques that I have little confidence in.  There have been quite a few times where I think I have a lake figured out and the fish don't stand a chance, only to be humbled time and time again.  

I don't think you need to share any knowledge to be considered an "Expert."  There are pros that are considered "Experts" by many, but good luck getting them to tell you how he's getting his limit faster then competition when money is on the line.  I have no idea how many times someone has asked me, "howjadoo?" and no matter how well I've done, I reply "rough day" without even thinking about it.  I've gotten better over the past years as far as sharing goes.  I don't care if people think I'm an expert or not, I'm fishing for fun not praise.  

 

[WRB]

If sharing detailed lure presentations ,the ability to catch bass from multiple states that you never fished before using every lure type known qualifies as a expert angler then the majority of pro bass anglers are experts.

Tom

[OCdockskipper]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

If sharing detailed lure presentations ,the ability to catch bass from multiple states that you never fished before using every lure type known qualifies as a expert angler then the majority of pro bass anglers are experts.

Tom

I would agree with this, for there isn't a limit on the number of people who can become an expert.  Being an expert is different than being elite at something, for expertise is based on the ability to acquire skills while being elite means you are among the top of a group of experts.

 

Experts can often "call their shot", in other words they can get into situations where they know what is going to happen before it does.  Not because of luck, not because of confidence, but because of a combination of acquired skills and experience tell them that doing certain things will result in a particular result.

 

I would suggest that a good number of anglers on this forum are experts, even if we aren't professional or fall into the elite class.  Sometimes that expertise may be on a certain body of water or a region, but it is expertise nonetheless.

[WRB]

19 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

I would agree with this, for there isn't a limit on the number of people who can become an expert.  Being an expert is different than being elite at something, for expertise is based on the ability to acquire skills while being elite means you are among the top of a group of experts.

 

Experts can often "call their shot", in other words they can get into situations where they know what is going to happen before it does.  Not because of luck, not because of confidence, but because of a combination of acquired skills and experience tell them that doing certain things will result in a particular result.

 

I would suggest that a good number of anglers on this forum are experts, even if we aren't professional or fall into the elite class.  Sometimes that expertise may be on a certain body of water or a region, but it is expertise nonetheless.

^^^this^^^Well stated!

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

I don't know that I'd want to be an expert at bass fishing, seems like it would take a lot of the fun out of it.

[Catt]

I've never been one to put labels on things or people.

 

Some really good anglers are better than others simply because they have the opportunity & ability to spend more time on the water.

 

Then there are some anglers who regardless of how much time they have on the water simply don't get it & never will.

 

[Bigassbass]

I remember when Aquaview came out, back then I had a boat and thought well leave it to someone to take the fun out of everything.  Fishing is fishing, it's not called catching but catching sure is fun and that's why we do it!  Expert is a relative term.

[Bird]

I fish by myself 99% of the time so have nothing to compare to.....comforting. 

[Jaderose]

On 11/12/2020 at 10:53 AM, Shimano_1 said:

I totally believe this is a topic that will be all about one's perception.  

 

Completely this although I would add the words "and access".  Am I an expert bass fisherman?  Good Lord, no.  Not even sorta.  BUT to some, I am.  I'm sure I am not the only person on this site that is known in their local area or job as a "bass fisherman" and has people ask for their opinion about or tips for fishing and usually I can answer them without just making up some BS.  Why would they ask ME about all this?  They have access to me.  They don't have access to the guys on here or the pros they know about.

[OCdockskipper]

14 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I don't know that I'd want to be an expert at bass fishing, seems like it would take a lot of the fun out of it.

I don't believe being an expert & having fun at something are mutually exclusive.  If one's goal is to become an expert, than I could see what you mean, but if the expertise is gained as a byproduct of doing something you like and the passion to learn more about it, that would seem to be fun.

 

For example, I consider you & Team9nine to be experts on the Ned rig and I am aware that both of you look at Ned Kehde as the true expert for that technique.  While you two may never gain Neds expertise, that doesn't mean you aren't experts yourself.  I would be willing to bet that if Ned ever spent a day in a boat with either of you, there would be something you did that made him go "Hmmm, hadn't thought of that, that makes sense".  In other words, I believe experts can still learn in their area of expertise.

 

As Jaderose mentioned, access is a good part about why others consider someone an expert.  5 years ago, I had no way of conversing with Ned Kehde, but I did have access to you & Team9Nine.  I was able to use that access to learn a technique that changed the way I fish and has influenced the other techniques I use.  Ironically, while I wouldn't consider myself an expert on the Ned rig, there are people who fish my lake that do.  It is most likely one of those "can't see the forest for the trees" things, if we are close to a situation, our perspective is skewed.

 

Back to keeping things fun, I believe that comes down to how one uses the expertise they have gained.  In fishing, I have no interest in participating in tournaments (although I enjoy following them), I just enjoy the outdoor experience and don't want competition to change that experience.  Now when it comes to bowling or poker, those are interests where I find the competition is what makes it fun for me.  Just bowling a good game or series isn't enough, the fun comes in trying to beat someone else head to head under the same conditions.  But fishing, for me, just being outdoors is the fun for me & if someone considers me an expert at what I'm doing, that is a cherry on top.

[geo g]

An expert is a term I seldom use when talking about bass fishing.  We are all good at certain techniques on bodies of water we are familiar fishing.  When I think of an expert it is a professional with a long history of producing on water bodies all over the country.  They use multiple techniques on shallow southern bowls, deep mountain lakes, out west rocky lakes, and the huge northern smallmouth lakes.  They have put in the time and experienced it all.  They have paid the price, often with many professional and personal sacrifices.   They are history's elite fisherman the ones the other pros always look to and try to emulate.  They are used to the pressures of the road, adoring fans, and all the bumps and potholes that come with that life.  There are many pros, but very few that fit that profile.  They are the true experts!

 

[WRB]

What qualifies a angler to be Expert?

1 skilled using every type of rod & reel.

Fly fishing

Spinning

CastinG

Fresh water

Salt water

off shore blue water

inshore 

Trolling

Kite

Fished the entire north America From Canada to South America

Pacific,Atlantic Nd Gulf coast.

World Records

Multiple lake records

Boat and Engine knowledge 

Boat handling skills

Sonar electronics skills

Navigation skill 

Knot tying

Fish behavior

Catching all fish species consistently
What are the qualifications?

Tom 

 

 

 

 

[Smells like fish]

The list that Tom wrote above describes my favorite angler, Larry Dahlberg. 
 

 

[MGF]

Without a specific objective metrics to define "expert" it becomes a subjective term. That's ok. It's just a word that you can use if and when it's useful. When seeking information or maybe a guide I might go to somebody that I consider an "expert" on the topic or the water/species in question. Somebody else may or may not agree with my assessment. 

 

Being subjective it's also probably going to be relative. Who decides whether or not you are an expert? I would say that it's your peers. If they consider you an expert I guess you are an expert relative to them.

 

 

[CrankFate]

Yes, there are experts. The pros travel everywhere and way outfish most people.