The Right Place-The Right Time

[Mobasser]

I fish a lake near my home, from my canoe, and two to three bank trips per week.              It's an old quarry lake, seven acres, and very clear water. The lake has produced some good size bass over the years.                                           There's a man Ive seen fishing here. He brings a lawn hair, sits in the blazing sun, and cast a white spinnerbait. I've never seen him stand, fan cast, or vary his retrieve.                                      Last night, I went up there to fish from the bank for the last hr before dark, and saw him sitting in his chair, casting his spinnerbait.                   We had this conversation: How's it going, catching any? He quickly replied, oh yes, it's been great. I caught a 71/2 pound bass two nights ago".                     He quickly got his phone and showed me some photos of this fish. The photos were selfie photos, and I could tell from the background that he caught this fish in that spot, sitting in his lawn hair.                                Now, I've been trying on and off to target a big fish in this lake all summer, and I haven't caught the 8lb or better fish I'm after.  He came close, with the most unorthodox bass fishing style I've ever seen.                          My only explanation is that he was in the right place at the right time, and Lady Luck was there with him.                 In my past post, many commented on timing as an important factor, when targeting bigger fish. It's a fact. And, a little luck doesn't hurt things either.                              I don't think I'll be bringing an old lawnchair, sitting in the hot sun, and casting a spinnerbait though.Its just not my style.          And to sum up here, this was the biggest bass he's ever caught, and the man was elated.                                        From an old lawnchair, in the burning sun, sloppily casting a spinnerbait.                        You just never know...

[Choporoz]

Questions that come to mind before reducing this to pure luck....

 

Number of casts per year?

Chair positioning?

Knowledge of bait movement,  weather, etc?

Oh...and just out of curiosity,  what brand, size and color of chair?  Asking for a friend 

 

[TnRiver46]

Happens like that all the time, which is why I don’t go down rabbit holes with fancy new stuff . I could sit there and throw his spinnerbait for decades and catch one bluegill 

[Team9nine]

Buck Perry always said you need to be in the right place, at the right time, and fishing in the right manner to consistently be successful. But, as the old saying goes, even a “broken clock is right twice a day.” Congrats to the old man for the perfect alignment of those factors, even if just “lucky.” But what I really want to know is whether he was using straight braid, braid with a leader, or straight fluorocarbon with his spinnerbait? ? Lol

 

We so overcomplicate this sport…

[Choporoz]

Probably mono....because ....stretch 

[Mobasser]

1 minute ago, Choporoz said:

Probably mono....because ....stretch 

And, it was probably old dried out mono. 

 

10 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Buck Perry always said you need to be in the right place, at the right time, and fishing in the right manner to consistently be successful. But, as the old saying goes, even a “broken clock is right twice a day.” Congrats to the old man for the perfect alignment of those factors, even if just “lucky.” But what I really want to know is whether he was using straight braid, braid with a leader, or straight fluorocarbon with his spinnerbait? ? Lol

 

We so overcomplicate this sport…

Agree. We do tend to make things harder than need be. I'm happy for the old guy

[TOXIC]

It was his time.  

[Catt]

Sometimes it is as simple as being in the right place at the right time.

 

Aiden caught this bass under the dock we're standing on. In the background is a boat launch.

 

Aiden asked if I could tie a jig on for him, so I did. He took the rod flipped the jig under the dock. I just started to shake my head when he set hook.

 

He had seen the bass before asking for the jig & had been watching videos about flipping docks. He said, I saw a dock, a bass, & figured all I need is a jig!

[Tennessee Boy]

This is why all tournaments forbid an angler form getting out of the boat and fishing.  His chair should probably be banned from competition. ?

[DitchPanda]

One of the biggest bass I've ever caught was caught out of a pressured public body of water in the middle of summer on a spinnerbait. While it normally wouldn't be my first choice I brought it along because it was a confidence bait for me and it paid off. Spinnerbaits are big fish baits IMO...under the right circumstances that is.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Old timer probably knows there is a piece of structure that attracts baitfish where he continually casts over.   He might not even know why he always happens to catch his fish in that same area, but he does, thus he continues.

 

There is always going to be two types of fisherman as well....1.) folks that join forums, read all night, sleep with a tackle monkey, and spend countless amounts of energy and thought on chasing fish.

2.) folks that genuinely don't care how productive their fishing is, rather the mere act of fishing itself is the primary goal.

 

Dude could of been in the second category, happy to catch a 8lb Bass.....just as happy to sit by the lake casting a lure.   He's gonna walk away a winner every time.   

[LrgmouthShad]

18 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

Spinnerbaits are big fish baits IMO

That’s kinda what I was thinking but I’m biased as heck. I just think they have a habit of catching a really nice fish once in a while, sometimes when you least expect it. 

 

 

[Zcoker]

Sounds like this old dude is there ALL the time, day and night. That's another big part of the equation of right place, right time. The more one can be on the water to fish, the more the chance of running into something phenomenal. Actually, that would count for more, in my book. Right time and right place, sure, but being on that water with a bait out is about as good as it can get! 

[Bankbeater]

I have heard old timers say that sometimes bass will school up and move around ponds close to the bank.  If you can get in front of them you can catch them.  It could have been that this guy was getting his spinnerbait in front of them as they were approaching.

[T-Billy]

On 8/31/2022 at 5:12 PM, DitchPanda said:

Spinnerbaits are big fish baits IMO...

Big bass seem to have an affinity for jigs, be they standard, have a shaking blade on the front, or a wire sticking out of it with spinning blades on it. They just seem to get an above average number of big bites.

[JustJames]

I always believe in “luck” especially for myself that happened to be there at right time and right spots very oftentimes ???. All I need are, one setup, a bag of plastic/hook and pure luck.

Some of this year’s luck for me all from different spots though.

[Dwight Hottle]

On 8/31/2022 at 5:12 PM, DitchPanda said:

Spinnerbaits are big fish baits IMO...under the right circumstances that is.

 

I agree. 

[roadwarrior]