Equipment vs. Experience

[Masaccio]

18 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Hello and congrats on your first post here on Bass Resource ~

IMO, the bold texts above go hand in hand and it's pretty much how we all started at some point. 

Perhaps a change in perspective could help.

Understanding that you have much to learn and being willing to endure the process can help. 

Believe me when I say, it will pay off in spades (or bass) in the end. 

It's a rare occurrence to go out and hammer giant bass, especially without much knowledge or experience.  I'd recommend planning on getting as much of the above as you can, and you don't actually need company to get it. 

No such thing as a bad day on the water if we learn something.

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

 

Thanks A-Jay.  Good stuff here.  I've learned this lesson in other areas and it's good to hear it said back to me.  Patience and forbearance = progress.  Now, I'm going to buy myself-that Medium-light, fast action rod that I'm looking for.

 

18 hours ago, NavyToad said:

If you’ve already been catching a few fish, did a particular lure/technique produce better than the others? If so I’d concentrate on using that technique for a while and when you either you get tired of it or it stops producing, switch to something else. Or if you have a technique that you enjoy more than others just stick with that for awhile. I love throwing a spinnerbait and could do it all day even if my results weren’t the greatest. You’ll figure it out, just keep at it. If it was that hard, alot of us would have given up long ago. YouTube is your friend.

   

16 hours ago, scaleface said:

If all he uses is a Mepps and a Rapala ,you will be outfishing him badly in no time . 

And worms, don't forget those!  He caught a really nice bass, and I caught my nicest bass to date a couple of weeks ago on a worm and bobber.  I get your point though.  Thanks!

[Masaccio]

3 hours ago, Fishingmickey said:

Welcome aboard!

     I think one of the best things to do when your learning is how to divide techniques. IMHO the first thing to learn to fish a  a Texas rigged worm.  Just keep fishing it until you can detect a bite. You'll learn what it feels like when a fish hits the bait. It will feel alive, not like you dragged it into something underwater.  It will teach you how to keep in contact with your bait through out the entire cast. Watch your line, how does it move as your lure is sinking, if you see it moving to the side or stopping before it hit bottom. It is likely a fish has sucked it in. 

     What does it feels like when you hit weeds, wood or pick up bottom slime. The thing is when a fish hits or picks up your bait you can tell. Also if you aren't sure if it if a fish or weeds, set that hook. Swings are free!

     Once you've learned how to fish a T-rig, fishing a jig is the same technique. Now you've learned how to fish bottom contact baits! 

Good luck!

Fishingmickey

Awesome.  You pegged me right where I am at the moment.  The lake where we usually fish is pretty weedy so my buddy doesn't bottom fish at all and I really want to learn it.  They say you have to just stick with it it until you get success. I've read that you shouldn't even allow yourself to deviate until you start feeling this technique and getting success.  I can Tex-rig worms and swimbaits and I've tried wacky style a few times.  Not much success yet.  My past "wins" have come from moderate-diving rapalas.  I want to branch out on using soft baits - I've got quite a collection.  I feel that the missing link in my rods is a Medium Light, fast action rod about 7'.  I'm looking at the Shimano Expride or the Dobyns Champion XP.     

Thanks to everyone!  I've found a great place here.  I can feel your support and encouragement to keep the faith.  

[Big Rick]

4 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

My brain just broke trying to figure out what this comment means

He posted this on another thread as well.....

 

Interesting contribution. 

17 hours ago, Deleted account said:

23:59

 

[Tennessee Boy]

11 minutes ago, Big Rick said:

He posted this on another thread as well.....

 

Interesting contribution. 

 

I think it’s the new kinder gentler @Deleted account.  He now waits until 24 hour after someone joins BR before he makes a smart a$$ remark on one of their threads.  ?

[Sphynx]

20 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Jason Christie won the Bassmaster Classic this year. He came in just about dead last in the next tournament. A short memory is a good thing to have. Just dust yourself off and grind.

This is a really good point, in this sport you can do everything right and be the best bass angler in a tournament on paper and still come up with nothing to show for it, because the fish simply weren't playing by the rulebook that day. That's no indictment of an angler either, fishing not catching! 

[DaubsNU1]

In 1996 me and a bunch of buddies who worked at Cabela's were invited down to fish Lake Fork in Texas. A mutual friend of ours lived down that way and wanted to host us for a few days. 

 

Of course we rolled in to town cocky and sure of ourselves. We threw everything we had...got skunked for day and a half.  

 

Finally talked to a few locals who suggested we either 1.) hire a guide to show is the ropes, or 2.) get some shiners, slip bobbers, and start fishing the timber.  

 

We opted for option #2 and started slaying them. Boated an 8 lb bass and multiple in the 5-6 lb range. 

 

There is no substitute for wisdom / experience.

[Masaccio]

Wisdom and experience is great.  As many of you stated, it's important to go your own way (while keeping eyes and ears open for sage experience and advice).  Whatever anyone thinks about a particularl fishery, it may be important to hear that, but ultimately ya just have to put the pedal to the metal and follow your own muse. 

I'm getting serious about checking out alternate fisheries in my area.  Regarding poles and lures, I'm realizing that lots of dots need connecting before plunking down money.  It seems tedious, but also interesting. Time-consuming, but addictive. 

Question:  is it reasonable to think that because of the short growing seasons in my area (northern NJ, USA) that bass generally don't get as big up here as in more southern states?  And if that's reasonable, do I need to ask about the value of expert fishing advice as pertains to more southern climates.  For example::::  I want to learn shaky head.  A good beginning, according to what I've read is a long straight-tailed worm.  I get that.  It looks good to me.  But is 6" too big for the bass that I'm most likely to find in my area, as opposed, to, say, Florida.  Should I got with a 4.5" instead? I'm all about "go big or go home", but that can totally be self defeating.  July is such a great month to explore finesse techniques and I'm really excited about this. Thanks.     

PS:  Is there a setting that allows email notification of responses to a post?  

[TOXIC]

In reverse order…

Yes at the bottom of your post there is a notifications button that you can click to receive responses.  There is also a “follow” button at the top of your very first post that will allow you to get notifications.

 

As for size of baits, there is no rule of thumb.  Small bass hit big baits and big bass hit small baits.  Bait choice is more dependent on local water conditions.

 

You are correct in that there are 2 strains of largemouth, one northern and one southern.  The northern tend to be smaller but are less affected by weather/temperature conditions.  There is now a hybrid of northern and southern but that is a whole different topic.  

[softwateronly]

5 hours ago, Masaccio said:

Wisdom and experience is great.  As many of you stated, it's important to go your own way (while keeping eyes and ears open for sage experience and advice).  Whatever anyone thinks about a particularl fishery, it may be important to hear that, but ultimately ya just have to put the pedal to the metal and follow your own muse. 

I'm getting serious about checking out alternate fisheries in my area.  Regarding poles and lures, I'm realizing that lots of dots need connecting before plunking down money.  It seems tedious, but also interesting. Time-consuming, but addictive. 

Question:  is it reasonable to think that because of the short growing seasons in my area (northern NJ, USA) that bass generally don't get as big up here as in more southern states?  And if that's reasonable, do I need to ask about the value of expert fishing advice as pertains to more southern climates.  For example::::  I want to learn shaky head.  A good beginning, according to what I've read is a long straight-tailed worm.  I get that.  It looks good to me.  But is 6" too big for the bass that I'm most likely to find in my area, as opposed, to, say, Florida.  Should I got with a 4.5" instead? I'm all about "go big or go home", but that can totally be self defeating.  July is such a great month to explore finesse techniques and I'm really excited about this. Thanks.     

PS:  Is there a setting that allows email notification of responses to a post?  

 

My experience with Northern LMB says don't be afraid to use big baits.  They might be relatively smaller but their forage base includes panfish, perch, and rough fish and I spend a lot of time in MI catching bass on 6-8" swimmers and 8-13" straight tail worms.  That said, there's plenty of times when a more finesse approach is best.  This site plus time on the water has greatly improved my catch rate, hope you have a similar experience.

 

scott

[PhishLI]

7 hours ago, Masaccio said:

Question:  is it reasonable to think that because of the short growing seasons in my area (northern NJ, USA) that bass generally don't get as big up here as in more southern states?

The gene pool in any body of water will set the terms for size if the forage base exists along with a number of other important factors. There's a good chance you can find 6-8lb fish in the right spots. If you search around the web you'll find NJ guys holding up fish that size. This isn't an everyday thing up north, but it isn't super rare either. The hardcore boys know how to find them and catch them. The casuals typically don't unless they get dumb lucky.

 

Your best bet you have to get the pointers you're looking for is if you paint a clear picture of a place or two you're mostly likely to put some real time into. Give us everything you can regarding green cover like weeds reeds, pads, depth, bottom composition, current or lack thereof. Inlet/outlet/culverts, etc.

 

In my opinion you should concentrate on decoding only one or two spots instead of bouncing around, at least until you've figured a number of things out. You really need to look at the near future as practice. You need time and reps to build your base and confidence.

[Masaccio]

9 hours ago, PhishLI said:

In my opinion you should concentrate on decoding only one or two spots instead of bouncing around, at least until you've figured a number of things out. You really need to look at the near future as practice. You need time and reps to build your base and confidence.

Thank you.  Good advice.  I'm sort've collecting possible spots in my head this weekend, and want to scout out the ones that seem most interesting. From there, I guess I'll just choose one (and not necessarily ditch it if it doesn't come through on the first day). 

 

11 hours ago, softwateronly said:

 

My experience with Northern LMB says don't be afraid to use big baits.  They might be relatively smaller but their forage base includes panfish, perch, and rough fish and I spend a lot of time in MI catching bass on 6-8" swimmers and 8-13" straight tail worms.  That said, there's plenty of times when a more finesse approach is best.  This site plus time on the water has greatly improved my catch rate, hope you have a similar experience.

 

scott

Thanks Scott.  I really needed to hear that.       

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, Masaccio said:

Thank you.  Good advice.

?

2 hours ago, Masaccio said:

I'm sort've collecting possible spots in my head this weekend, and want to scout out the ones that seem most interesting.

Don't necessarily exclude certain places completely. Store everything away for when you get good at this.

2 hours ago, Masaccio said:

I guess I'll just choose one (and not necessarily ditch it if it doesn't come through on the first day). 

Good move.

 

Patience. Lots of patience. Not that they don't exist somewhere, but I have yet to come across a lake in this region having a population density that would reveal anything about itself quickly. Not in a day, not in a week, or a month, unless you're a cyborg who doesn't require sleep and could fish it 24/7 non stop. Then you have 4 seasons to decode, which is another wrinkle altogether. In addition, bait selection, size and color, is a very distant consideration compared to understanding bass behavior and habits in a "specific" lake. Lakes fish differently, even when they're across the street from each other. 

 

Nobody figures this out quickly. Had I excluded a few places around my area based on short term failure, and because of "all" of the regulars and casuals I met telling me they sucked because they sucked at fishing, I would've missed the multiple big fish I've caught out of them after I learned them completely. The regulars are flabbergasted by what my crew and I catch on a consistent basis, but this took time and work. Patience.

[Deleted account]

00:00

Plenty of big bass in Tool town...

I've caught several over 6 in Monmouth and there abouts, and I only fish up there once in a while.

[LrgmouthShad]

@Deleted account you’re weird

[Deleted account]

20 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

@Deleted account you’re weird

Yeah...

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, Deleted account said:

I've caught several over 6 in Monmouth and there abouts, and I only fish up there once in a while.

That's 'cause you're a (b)asskicking machine.

[Bankbeater]

The experience you pick up fishing now will help you decide on the equipment you'll need to use for any upcoming fishing trip.

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

That's 'cause you're a (b)asskicking machine.

LOL, my fishing nickname is the fishing machine (in spanish), my soccer nickname was El Basurero.

[Sphynx]

On 7/22/2022 at 11:55 AM, Masaccio said:

Wisdom and experience is great.  As many of you stated, it's important to go your own way (while keeping eyes and ears open for sage experience and advice).  Whatever anyone thinks about a particularl fishery, it may be important to hear that, but ultimately ya just have to put the pedal to the metal and follow your own muse. 

I'm getting serious about checking out alternate fisheries in my area.  Regarding poles and lures, I'm realizing that lots of dots need connecting before plunking down money.  It seems tedious, but also interesting. Time-consuming, but addictive. 

Question:  is it reasonable to think that because of the short growing seasons in my area (northern NJ, USA) that bass generally don't get as big up here as in more southern states?  And if that's reasonable, do I need to ask about the value of expert fishing advice as pertains to more southern climates.  For example::::  I want to learn shaky head.  A good beginning, according to what I've read is a long straight-tailed worm.  I get that.  It looks good to me.  But is 6" too big for the bass that I'm most likely to find in my area, as opposed, to, say, Florida.  Should I got with a 4.5" instead? I'm all about "go big or go home", but that can totally be self defeating.  July is such a great month to explore finesse techniques and I'm really excited about this. Thanks.     

PS:  Is there a setting that allows email notification of responses to a post?  

This forum (and possibly others like it, this is the only bass fishing forum I belong to so I couldn't say) is the closest thing I can think of to having a direct tie to other anglers equally (or more) passionate about the sport as you are. It's sort of like having an out of state cousin or uncle or something to bounce ideas off, then you go try some of those ideas using the experience you have as a guide of when something isn't likely to work. Prime example, fishing smallmouth on the Columbia is about the worst environment ever for a frog in my experience, but I go to AL or FL to fish with friends and I absolutely destroy them on a frog. Your question about shakeyhead fishing is a prime example, when I was stationed in TX we used to fish T-rigs and shakeyheads with big old 7-10in worms, often in colors like junebug or black/insert color but where I'm at now it's way too clear to use colors that bold or worms that large. Fishing a 4.5-6in worm in green pumpkin or watermelon with a bit of chartreuse on it? Buckle up because they will rip the rod out of your hands. You will learn these kinds of things quickly if you put in time on the water.

[LrgmouthShad]

52 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

my fishing nickname is the fishing machine

No that’s Richard Gene ?

[Masaccio]

10 minutes ago, Sphynx said:

This forum (and possibly others like it, this is the only bass fishing forum I belong to so I couldn't say) is the closest thing I can think of to having a direct tie to other anglers equally (or more) passionate about the sport as you are. It's sort of like having an out of state cousin or uncle or something to bounce ideas off, then you go try some of those ideas using the experience you have as a guide of when something isn't likely to work. Prime example, fishing smallmouth on the Columbia is about the worst environment ever for a frog in my experience, but I go to AL or FL to fish with friends and I absolutely destroy them on a frog. Your question about shakeyhead fishing is a prime example, when I was stationed in TX we used to fish T-rigs and shakeyheads with big old 7-10in worms, often in colors like junebug or black/insert color but where I'm at now it's way too clear to use colors that bold or worms that large. Fishing a 4.5-6in worm in green pumpkin or watermelon with a bit of chartreuse on it? Buckle up because they will rip the rod out of your hands. You will learn these kinds of things quickly if you put in time on the water.

Thank you for that, Sphynx.  I appreciate you filtering through all of the attempts to hijack this thread.  The commitment of the members here is shining through all of the unfortunate BS.  

[Deleted account]

24 minutes ago, Masaccio said:

The commitment of the members here is shining through all of the unfortunate BS.  

I'm starting a new counter...

[scaleface]

One thing that most  inexperienced anglers  do wrong  is not match up their lures with their equipment very well . I see it all the time and made the same mistakes myself . Its hard to be successful  if one cant present lures  effectively and effortlessly .

[DitchPanda]

51 minutes ago, scaleface said:

One thing that most  inexperienced anglers  do wrong  is not match up their lures with their equipment very well . I see it all the time and made the same mistakes myself . Its hard to be successful  if one cant present lures  effectively and effortlessly .

This is a very good point. My buddy showed up one day with a 1\2oz red eye shad tied of his medium spinning rod with 8lb test and a 1\4oz popper tied on his medhvy slx casting rod with 14lb test. I kindly told him hey bud...your backwards there.

[Big Hands]

On 7/18/2022 at 3:42 PM, roadwarrior said:

Our guys are not using a cane pole or a bobber.

If I make it to the tackle store today after my dentist appointment, this shop will have 2 less of these in stock.