The worst thing about bass fishing

[slonezp]

1 hour ago, Junk Fisherman said:

All the d**n tournaments!  Multiple circuits that fish seemingly every Saturday and Sunday on my local waters.  I am not in favor of the whole "Grow the Sport" mantra.  

That's a choice. Pick your water wisely. I fished against this guy competitively for 10 years and it's been 10 years since I fished competitively. https://www.bassmaster.com/angler/chris-groh/

He was fishing the same 150 acre lake I was fishing this past Saturday. You know why he was there? Because there are big fish to be had. #chainrats

 

I know you fish the big pond and there are always a bunch of tourneys going on. Same thing on the Fox Chain. There is other water available. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mobasser]

I love everything about bass fishing, except guys that brag too much, and too much dock talk.

[12poundbass]

Like @A-Jay said, the hard water season. The other would be not being able to go as much as I’d like to.

 

 

[Tennessee Boy]

The vast conspiracy among meteorologists to keep me off the water.  ☹️

[Pat Brown]

3 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Super easy for me, seriously injuring or killing a fish.

 

 

 

100%

 

Doesn't happen much but when it does it really is not fun.

[Catt]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

The worst thing about bass fishing  is not going.

Tom

 

Yes sir ?

 

Tommy T

[Swamp Girl]

It's knowing that it's going to end soon. I turn 67 this summer and with luck, I have perhaps another ten years of carrying my canoe, launching in the dark, and floating atop cool water that's indifferent to my death by hypothermia. Sure, in my 80s, I could hire a guide, but to me, that's half an eternity from commanding my own boat, being alone on some lonesome bog, and casting into the unknowable. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

It's knowing that it's going to end soon. I turn 67 this summer and with luck, I have perhaps another ten years of carrying my canoe, launching in the dark, and floating atop cool water that's indifferent to my death by hypothermia. Sure, in my 80s, I could hire a guide, but to me, that's half an eternity from commanding my own boat, being alone on some lonesome bog, and casting into the unknowable. 

 

You're crazy if you think a person like you has a timeline, that's been thrown out the window long ago with you......find me another 67yr old human let alone woman who fishes in a similar manner  ?

 

You don't exactly conform to conventional wisdom or aging, at middle age I might be able to physically fish in your style, but I couldn't do it mentally......I'd be stark raving mad before I even got on the water sweating by but off trucking through weeds lol.  

 

 

[bowhunter63]

Not being able to go when I want to 

[Junk Fisherman]

9 hours ago, slonezp said:

That's a choice. t

I know you fish the big pond and there are always a bunch of tourneys going on. Same thing on the Fox Chain. There is other water available. 

 

 

That's what I do.  I fish the big water during the week in the summer and will hit smaller bodies of water on the weekend when all their "derbies" are going on.  This has become much worse over the last 2-3 years.  

[padlin]

8 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

It's knowing that it's going to end soon. I turn 67 this summer and with luck, I have perhaps another ten years of carrying my canoe, launching in the dark, and floating atop cool water that's indifferent to my death by hypothermia. Sure, in my 80s, I could hire a guide, but to me, that's half an eternity from commanding my own boat, being alone on some lonesome bog, and casting into the unknowable. 

This is me too, except I won’t be 67 till Dec.

4 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

That's what I do.  I fish the big water during the week in the summer and will hit smaller bodies of water on the weekend when all their "derbies" are going on.  This has become much worse over the last 2-3 years.  

Covid strikes again.

[Woody B]

11 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

All the d**n tournaments!  Multiple circuits that fish seemingly every Saturday and Sunday on my local waters.  I am not in favor of the whole "Grow the Sport" mantra.  

 

I'm with you.  The fishing isn't the bad part.  The boats zipping around at 70+ MPH is downright dangerous.  

 

That, wake boats and jet skis makes me like the winter time.   

[Captain Phil]

I love bass fishing.  It's been a big part of my life since I was 13.  In the early years it was about catching fish.  In my twenties, it was about tournaments. In my fifties, it was about making money.  As I grew older, my body slowed me down.   Today, I am completely at peace with my fishing.  I fish when I want and don't care much about catching a ton of fish.  If I catch one nice decent fish, I'm satisfied.  I enjoy sharing my experiences with other anglers.  I recently agreed to work part time at a local tackle shop.  We'll see how that goes.

 

What do I dislike about bass fishing?  For years, a few of us were the only boats on the Harris Chain.  Twenty five years ago, this place was very tough to fish.  There were fish to be had, but the fishing was much different than in Okeechobee or the Everglades.  This taught me more than I realized at the time.   If you always fish where fishing is easy, you will not learn all there is to know.   Since our boat ramp parking lots are always full, I launch my boat in mid morning when everyone else is fishing. I never catch a fish earlier than 9 AM.  I hate fishing in crowds, so I fish where others don't.   Pontoon boats and cruisers don't bother me.  We don't have water skiers, probably because we have large alligators. The most fun I have in fishing these days is talking with other anglers.  Young anglers and people new to our area are hungry for information and I enjoy helping when I can.  Everyone is looking for that secret that will allow them to catch all the fish they want.  In the words of Roland Martin,   "Go early, stay late".  Learn from other anglers. There has never been an angler that didn't teach me something, even if it's what not to do.

[Texas Flood]

Treble hooks

[gim]

So far, the most popular responses here are:

 

- Injuring or killing a fish

- Not being able to go as often as possible

- Inaccurate or bad weather/winter

- Pressure/tournaments

- Recreational watercraft

 

I agree with all of these so far.

 

[ike8120]

People who don't respect the fishing spots, leaving trash beyond, and not fishing with a license

[Alpster]

I hate the $$$cost of fishing gear. Boats, tackle, licenses, etc. I am blessed to have collected some nice stuff over the years that will last the rest of my life. I was thinking about youngsters who are just getting into it. 25 years ago you could buy a fully rigged bass boat for what a 40hp tiller motor costs today. With the high cost of nearly everything, teen agers will be stuck on the bank. Nothing wrong with bank fishing, but I remember when I dreamed of fishing the whole lake.

[gim]

6 minutes ago, Alpster said:

With the high cost of nearly everything, teen agers will be stuck on the bank.

How about a kayak?  You could get off the bank relatively cheap in a basic beginner style kayak.

[Bankc]

For me, it's definitely the wind.  Especially during the spawning season, there's often too much wind on the days I have off to get out and safely fish.  Second would be loading and unloading my kayak.  That takes a long time, both at the lake and at home, and wears me out.  

Lots of other things will annoy me, like wake boarders in the cove, party boats with their loud music, bass boats that think they own the water and try to push me off or beat me to spots, angry strangers that want to confront you over stupid things, and of course, gear failures on the water.  But I can take all of that in stride.  Freezing temps and 100° days aren't much fun either, but I know how to handle them.  Even the crowds can have a positive side.  Sometimes you'll see someone fishing a spot you never thought of, or you'll have to get creative on an old lake to find new spots.  It keeps you learning.  

[LrgmouthShad]

I can get really caught up in bass fishing. Can wind up occupying a lot of my mental energy really fast. That’s fine when I have the time to put forth, but not good when I have things to take care of. I want to own my hobby, not the other way around

[TnRiver46]

5 minutes ago, Bankc said:

For me, it's definitely the wind.  Especially during the spawning season, there's often too much wind on the days I have off to get out and safely fish.  Second would be loading and unloading my kayak.  That takes a long time, both at the lake and at home, and wears me out.  

Lots of other things will annoy me, like wake boarders in the cove, party boats with their loud music, bass boats that think they own the water and try to push me off or beat me to spots, angry strangers that want to confront you over stupid things, and of course, gear failures on the water.  But I can take all of that in stride.  Freezing temps and 100° days aren't much fun either, but I know how to handle them.  Even the crowds can have a positive side.  Sometimes you'll see someone fishing a spot you never thought of, or you'll have to get creative on an old lake to find new spots.  It keeps you learning.  

? Ooooooooooklahoma where the wind comes sweeping o’er the plains ? 

[Mobasser]

48 minutes ago, ike8120 said:

People who don't respect the fishing spots, leaving trash beyond, and not fishing with a license

This is one for me also. I don't like guys leaving trash laying around. But, this applies to everyone who goes to the lakes. Leave No Trace is my motto.

[Darth-Baiter]

waking up, "duck hunting early".  i hate it.

 

second is the bad manners on the lake.  

[Logan S]

Cars without trailers parking in the trailer spots at ramps....I generally try to keep a positive attitude about things and people, but this one will test my resolve.  It's hard not to stew on it while parking in the overflow and then walking back past 3/4 of the trailer lot filled by vehicles without trailers...Especially if I'm solo or if I have my kids with me.  

[gim]

2 minutes ago, Logan S said:

Cars without trailers parking in the trailer spots at ramps

Haha - this is a new one.  The lots at access points here all have signs that indicate "trailer parking only" in those designated spots and "no trailer parking" in standard parking spots.