2021 Bass Fishing Goals and Resolutions

[NoShoes]

Learn to fish deeper and off the bank. Learn a new trick other than a T-Rig, hopefully a square bill or chatter bait. Try to fish a few new bodies of water, maybe a a weekend trip to Florida (Rodman ain’t but 4 hours from me)
 

10 lber is always the mark. Best 5 was a hair under 30 this year all after June, try to break that this year. 

[A-Jay]

21 minutes ago, MickD said:

A-Jay, please don't take me so seriously.  I'm not doubting your integrity.

I know.

We're good.

Either way, I expect my rig to start getting a little lighter, ride a bit higher and perhaps even be a tad bit faster as time goes on

A-Jay

[22RangerZ520R]

Another DD largemouth and a 7lb+ smallie...

[Sphynx]

Well...let's see...

 

1) Double Digit LMB, have a trip planned prespawn that will provide my window for this. 5lb smallmouth, most of my year will be spent trying to crack this goal. 

 

2) I want to buy my own kayak this year, I have my eye on one I think ought to perform to my needs, but I'm not ready to pull the trigger just yet until I get a chance to do some more research. 

 

3) Electronics  - this is almost a 2A) or a 2.1) really, goes part and parcel with the kayak, but I want to learn one of the electronics systems available.

 

4) Ongoing tackle management/organization, this year was an extremely expensive year for acquisition, unbelievably so, other than a few stragglers that were out of stock or whatever, I am going to kick the bait monkey in the coconuts and use what I have, not go buying a bunch of new stuff (this does not apply to restocking baits that get lost/destroyed, they will be replaced)...this is a goal every year, I don't know if I will ever be happy with any benchmark of time spent looking for stuff, always room for improvement here.

 

Otherwise I have the usual goals, more time fishing etc, but those 4 are enough to keep me busy and limited enough to stay focused on.

[Boomstick]

1) I'd like to catch a 8 pounder or better.

2) I'd like to get my boys new PBs, especially my oldest son who's PB is only 2.83lbs. He came really close to landing a few really nice ones last year but missed one on the hookset, another shook the hook and almost landed a real nice one, got it 95% onto his boat and the knot broke.

3) I'd like to fish a kayak tournament or two, although due to craziness with covid that may become more of a goal for next year, but it is on my to do list.

4) Fish more poppers, spooks and jerkbaits. I didn't fish a lot of these this year because my feet were bothering me with gout a lot of the year and it's much easier to stand and walk a lure.

5) Continue working on my jig fishing game. I've made vast improvements in this area in the past couple of years.

6) Night fish more - I'm not much of a morning person so dawn is rough for me and I usually pack up the kayaks when I have some daylight, but with a headlamp I should be able to night fish.

7) Better tackle management. My tackle bag is actually quite well organized, but I'd like to get it organized in my Blackpak on my kayak so I can change out lures when fishing easier.

[Columbia Craw]

I just want to relax.

[DitchPanda]

1) Catch a 20lb bag from one of my two local ponds

2) See if I can figure out how to fish a dark sleeper-see if it lives up to the hype

3) Catch more smallmouth

4) Help at least 1 or 2 people break a PB...have a buddy in mind...and my lady

[BrianMDTX]

1- start fishing in the year earlier (that’s a given as I may fish this weekend lol)

2- stick with lure types that should work longer, and not switch over to old standbys that I’m confident will catch bass after 30-45 minutes of use

3- catch a verified (weighed) PB between 6-7 lbs

4- catch a bigger PB (over 7 lbs)

5- start fishing other ponds or small reservoirs in the area

6- relax and enjoy it no matter the numbers or weights. I love the competition to try to catch more and better bass, but not at the expense of simply being able to be out on the water with a rod and reel. Because 2020 has shown that some (many) anglers will never have the chance to catch any bass again

 

Happy New Year! 

[Daniel Abram]

I want to fish on some new lakes in wv. Summersville and Sutton are two on the bucket list. Get better on my home lake bluestone. Going after SM hard this year. And want to catch fish with a spinner bait. 

[Dirtyeggroll]

=> win a tournament at any level

=> catch a 7+ lber

[scaleface]

I do want to get more into jerkbaits next year . I havent fished them a lot but after some late season success , I'm raring to go . I think I can get some suspended bass if I get one down to the 8 to 10 foot range .

[TnRiver46]

46 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I do want to get more into jerkbaits next year . I havent fished them a lot but after some late season success , I'm raring to go . I think I can get some suspended bass if I get one down to the 8 to 10 foot range .

You certainly can. They will also travel up in the water column to bite them, I catch a ton of suspended fish with floating jerkbaits. They don’t get stuck as bad. Remember a jerkbait is full of rattles and split rings, they work in muddy water . Bass can find them 

[ABrugs]

- 160 Total SMB + LMB

- 4+ SMB PB

- 3+ LMB PB

- 5:00 AM Alarm > Saturday Morning Fishing

- Fletcher Pond Fall Family Fishing Trip

- Bass Resource Membership (Completed)

 

^ With a traveling job, a wife + two boys (6/4) and another one on the way in July, I’ll be more than blessed to get out by myself early every Saturday of the season, in addition to when we go up north in Michigan. Last year was my first year bass fishing and I caught 80 total, which I was pretty happy w/. I want to double that in 2021.

 

I’ve learned so much on this site and others over the past year that I’m confident 2021 is going to be a great second season. I appreciate you all for sharing your knowledge w/ those of us who are trying to learn!

[soflabasser]

My main 2021 fishing goal is to have a good time while fishing. 

[ICFishing]

Here is my list in no particular order:

 

1. Spend more time with swimbaits.

2. Fish at least 3 new lakes and 1 new river (or 3 new river sections on a currently fished river).

3. Fish with at least 2 people I have never fished with before.

4. Help a random person again (last year I gave a guy a few senkos and TRD's because he wasn't having any luck and I was doing good).

5. Fish as much as possible with family.

[schplurg]

On 1/1/2021 at 8:14 AM, throttleplate said:

my goal is to buy a 1 piece 7.2 foot graphite rod and figure out how to fit it into my 2004 honda 2 door civic withut putting the back seats down.

The back seat is allready packed and i dont want the road noise getting worse from the trunk and the wife likes the air conditioning in the summer and exposed trunk will kill the air.

 

I am currently using ugly sticks new carbon 2 piece spinning rods which to me are fantastic but dont come in a medium heavy.

 

Hold it out the window!

 

My main goal is to fish better fisheries. I'm starting right away by going to Camanche this weekend. Too bad it's Winter and I'll be stuck on shore, but my cousin just moved near it so I'm visiting him. 

 

There is also a three acre pond down the street from his house with bass so we'll probably screw around there instead. Not too many houses in his area (north of the lake).

 

Not sure what to expect. We also may head up the hwy a bit and try some trout fishing.

 

I will probably move out there again somewhere...sick of the Bay Area.

[Dens228]

On 1/1/2021 at 7:42 PM, NoShoes said:

Learn to fish deeper and off the bank. Learn a new trick other than a T-Rig, hopefully a square bill or chatter bait. Try to fish a few new bodies of water, maybe a a weekend trip to Florida (Rodman ain’t but 4 hours from me)
 

10 lber is always the mark. Best 5 was a hair under 30 this year all after June, try to break that this year. 

Same here.   Off shore structure.  I've been watching a ton of "Fish the Moment" videos on Youtube. I'll also be learning to use my electronics better for this.

[throttleplate]

13 hours ago, schplurg said:

 

Hold it out the window!

 

My main goal is to fish better fisheries. I'm starting right away by going to Camanche this weekend. Too bad it's Winter and I'll be stuck on shore, but my cousin just moved near it so I'm visiting him. 

 

There is also a three acre pond down the street from his house with bass so we'll probably screw around there instead. Not too many houses in his area (north of the lake).

 

Not sure what to expect. We also may head up the hwy a bit and try some trout fishing.

 

I will probably move out there again somewhere...sick of the Bay Area.

Hold it out the window!

maybe i could duct tape rod to the roof.

[FryDog62]

I ordered a Dobyns 7’4” Ultra finesse baitcasting rod... I want to focus more on 1/16-1/8 oz hair jigs for smallies at certain times of the year here in MN... so far I dabble with Marabou, but the light went on this Fall, just needed the right rod;)

[Michigander]

To finally install the anchor and trolley that I bought last winter for my kayak.

To give drop shotting a serious go instead of the casual failure of previous years.

[PotatoLake]

Please don't take this as woe as me, as this is just the truth for me. I have a progressive disease that's kicking my tail. My goal is to finish 2021 upright and able fish. Fishing is one of the few elements of life that truly brings me joy besides my family. My PB is 4 oz. shy of 6lbs. If I get a 6 plus, that would be icing on the cake.

[MIbassyaker]

I'm adding a sonar unit with down- and side-imaging to my yak, so I'm going to be learning that.

[king fisher]

Stop hanging out with the Bait Monkey looking for a magic big fish catching lure.  Instead,

becoming more skilled with what I already have, making those lures big fish magic. 

[MN Fisher]

18 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

I'm adding a sonar unit with down- and side-imaging to my yak, so I'm going to be learning that.

I couldn't swing enough for SI...but I'll still have to learn DI anyway coming from a low-end Chirp only unit.

[Miabucman]

On 1/1/2021 at 10:40 AM, TnRiver46 said:

The worst ones that ever got after me were in Alaska. They weren’t massive like the SC version but they made up for it in numbers 

You are absolutely correct.  They are actually the state bird.  Bug juice was a must have on our fishing trips! 

 

#1 Learn a new lake 

#2 Upgrade a rod or two this year

#3 Take my son fishing more!