Thank you, Bass Resource community.

[Swamp Girl]

I recently came across a Massachusett bass fishing forum and one question there was "What do you think of Bass Rescource?"

 

And poster after poster shared how WELCOMING and BASS-WISE this community is and how much they've learned here.

 

This is going to sound like a commercial, but it's true:

 

Prior to my joining Bass Resource in 2022, in a great year, I might catch five four-pound bass in a year. Last year, through learning here and being encouraged by the great guys at Bass Resource, I caught double that number. Then I spent the winter reading and learning more and in 2023, just mid-way through June, I've caught at least a dozen 19-inchers (four-pounders), several 20-inchers (five-pounders), and two 21-inchers (six-pounders). And if were to look at the tips of my rods nowadays, you'd see lures I didn't even know existed and if you were to watch me fish, you'd see me doing things that I learned here. 

 

FWIW, I've long had the skills to catch lots of bass, but the men of Bass Resource have put bigger bass in my boat. Sometimes it's the smallest comment that makes a difference for me, like T-Billy (Tim) reminding me to chuck my paddletail into weeds. Honest-to-goodness, I didn't even know that I could do that and I've since caught hundreds of bass since doing just that. Or AlabamaSpotHunter (Alex) urging me to buy a scale. Note how I put both length and weight in the prior paragraph? That's because I can both measure and weigh fish now. And someone else told me to buy a bump board. Again, prior to the suggestion, I was clueless. 

 

So, thank you Glenn and mods and thanks to the rest of you too. You guys are the best. 

[Jar11591]

Some incredible sticks and even better people. The amount I’ve learned here can’t be quantified. And the interaction with other fishermen and down to earth folks doesn’t get better anywhere else. 

[Pat Brown]

I am grateful for this community.  The number of no BS, pragmatic and seasoned bass anglers here is staggering and the regional perspectives we often get as students of one location or area are always quite rewarding to experience.

 

I find my northern bass fishing or west coast angler cousins from afar often have regional wisdom that holds true in my waters and is not often used just to name one functional application of this particular phenomenon.

 

The amount of science and biology and fish behavior observation collectively being shared here is probably the most thorough in existence about largemouth bass specifically.

 

I also appreciate that you hear a lot more about bass behavior and fish behavior than lures here.  Reading things of that sort led me to a 9 lber in February and hopefully a double digit soon!

 

The fish behavior stuff is the real juice and lots of guys preach that almost exclusively and it's appreciated.

[Swamp Girl]

4 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

Some incredible sticks

 

^Here's^ something else I've learned here, new vocabulary like "sticks." When I first joined, I spent so much time Googling. Only upon reflection do I realize just now that I've learned most of the words. However, I still don't know all the lures.

 

@Pat Brown shared the specifics of the water he fished to land his many 8-lbers. and one 9-lber. and how that water is pounded, but he takes the road less traveled. Everyone else is pitching wacky worms, but Pat is successful because of his creativity. I don't have that challenge, for I'm fishing lonesome bogs, but I made a note of what Pat does just in case I'm ever fishing water with jet skis and a Dairy Queen. 

 

Okay, I'll quit jabbering and walk the dog!

[WRB]

We all enjoy reading your posts and sharing experiences in a way only you can

do...please stay with BR?

Tom

[AlabamaSpothunter]

What draws me to this place like a month to a flame is the folks who populate it.

 

Katie was one of the first posters that stood out to me when I joined, I was amazed, entertained, and super impressed by a woman going straight spartan mode catching 50-100 fish a day, and doing it for days on end.   

 

Place is full of people like Katie, those who are incredibly talented, supportive, friendly, and overall positive people.   

 

It's a crying shame tech forums are dying due to FB, and other new social media....nothing compares to a good tech forum.    

[Darth-Baiter]

i like the Banter!  most times i am in an online work meeting, and i am just listening.  

 

like now!!  BR saves my mentality.  and i am a better fisherman to boot.

[Swamp Girl]

11 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I was amazed, entertained, and super impressed by a woman going straight spartan mode catching 50-100 fish a day, and doing it for days on end.

 

Once upon a time, I could do that, but now I MUST rest. Even two mornings in a row or an evening and then the next morning have me moving like I'm 76 instead of 66, Ah, to be 46 again, sleeping on the rock of the Canadian Shield, and rising at four each morning to cast to rising bass.

 

Alex, I have so many lures in my tackle box because of you. I caught a fine one last night on a 6th Sense squarebill, one of many Alex Lures (TM). 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

43 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Once upon a time, I could do that, but now I MUST rest. Even two mornings in a row or an evening and then the next morning have me moving like I'm 76 instead of 66, Ah, to be 46 again, sleeping on the rock of the Canadian Shield, and rising at four each morning to cast to rising bass.

 

Alex, I have so many lures in my tackle box because of you. I caught a fine one last night on a 6th Sense squarebill, one of many Alex Lures (TM). 

Your truly wonder woman, and "unicorn" will always be the first thing that went through my mind when I saw your fishing style ?

 

You prove age is just a number, it doesn't matter how old you are, fishing the way you do backcountry, spartan style, totally unpowered on the water makes me exhausted just thinking about it.  

 

This site is proof that the Bass universe is incredibly diverse, literally no two of us fish alike, yet we all chase the same awesome fish.   

[Swamp Girl]

4 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

This site is proof that the Bass universe is incredibly diverse, literally no two of us fish alike, yet we all chase the same awesome fish.   

 

So true.

[LrgmouthShad]

This site has definitely changed the way I fish, especially with regards to structure fishing

[WRB]

We have never met and a world apart yet I know you.

My wife was from MN and her family spent summers at Lake of the Woods, Canada. Kay’s dad was a pioneer and had a float plane to explore all the lakes within flying distance and lived to hunt and fish. Kay’s families pace of life was far different from mine driven by competition and deadlines.

Two family friends of Kay’s were Mil and Chuck. Mil loved to canoe fish using a fly rod and Chuck was her close friend and expert canoeists, both were old when I met them.

Mil lived by herself after her husband passed on a remote island in a log cabin. Chuck lived closed by on another island and were friends long before Mil’s husband passed. 

Both Mil and Chuck taught me so much about life at a slower pace and how to see life. Mil and Chuck were both wonderful people and what appeared to be enjoying a simple life were in fact both well educated with doctorates, Mil Head Professor at Illinois University retried and doctorate of animal husbandry from Illinois and ran the Vail Ranch in cattle program SoCal.

You can never judge a book from it’s cover and sharing time on the water having Canadian shore lunches story telling reminds me of you on a remote island listening to loons camping out on a flat Canadian Shield rock island ?.

Tom

Tom 

 

[GaryH]

Beautiful write up Kate. Keep sharing your fishing journey as it always brings joy to so many of us. ?

[Swamp Girl]

8 hours ago, WRB said:

Kay’s dad was a pioneer and had a float plane to explore all the lakes within flying distance and lived to hunt and fish.

 

Whoa! What a life!

 

8 hours ago, WRB said:

Mil lived by herself after her husband passed on a remote island in a log cabin.

 

Again: What. A. Life.

 

8 hours ago, WRB said:

You can never judge a book from it’s cover and sharing time on the water having Canadian shore lunches story telling reminds me of you on a remote island listening to loons camping out on a flat Canadian Shield rock island

 

So true, Tom

 

When I was 15, my father left me on island north of Chapleau, Ontario for five weeks. Some people with little enduring memory of what's in the wilderness ask if that was a punishment, as if being far from jet skis and Dairy Queens was deprivation. 

 

We all come from the wilderness and I believe that our collective, ancient history is carried within us, some more than others. I pity those who've forgotten, who aren't at home with an osprey above them and bass below them.

 

Thank you, @GaryH.

[Skunkmaster-k]

I’ve learned some stuff here too. It’s a good forum. 

[bowhunter63]

Wealth of information on here. Good people too 

[Columbia Craw]

I had a very good friend who passed many years ago. He said something to me that stuck. “You have what I need.” Walter was talking about life and relationship.  I value what you bring.  

[BrianMDTX]

I’ve said it before. I think BR is likely the best forum on the Internet. It’s the people who post, who reply and who moderates the site that make it what it is. So many great forums have become shells of their former selves or disappeared entirely as either the original owners of the site (or subsequent owners after a sale) lowered standards and raised costs or peppered the site with pop-ups due to only caring about the $$$$. With Glenn, that is not the case. Any other owner but Glenn and this site could become crap. In the end, it all comes down to Glenn. 
 

Great post, Katie! 

[Kirtley Howe]

I doubt that most people realize the time, effort, and money that it costs to maintain a forum like this. Glenn and all the others involved do, indeed, deserve a lot of credit, and that can not be stressed enough.

But the members of the forum should also get a bit of credit for contributing their knowledge, experience, and time. Almost all members are respectful and inciteful and follow the rules which makes the forum fun and educational. And most have a great sense of humor, which adds a lot to the experience. 

[Fishin Dad]

This site is the best!   I know I can come here and talk about fishing and fun experiences.  The mods do an amazing job of holding members and others to a high standard of positivity.   I don’t have to worry about politics, complaining, or negative ideas here.  I always leave with knowledge or a story that makes me feel good.  Thanks for the hard work!

[crypt]

there is way more to Bassresource than fishing.............way more. Big thanks to all. 

[Bigassbass]

Thanks Katie, for posting insight into fishing and this forum.  I too have learned a lot from lots of people on here and I like to read the responses different people have.  Nice to know some women like to fish, I've been fishing since I was 5 my brother took me brim fishing and I've been hooked forever.   

 

My tackle box has filled up and I have a good selection of rods and reels, thanks to BR.

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, Bigassbass said:

Thanks Katie, for posting insight into fishing and this forum.  I too have learned a lot from lots of people on here and I like to read the responses different people have.  Nice to know some women like to fish, I've been fishing since I was 5 my brother took me brim fishing and I've been hooked forever.   

 

My tackle box has filled up and I have a good selection of rods and reels, thanks to BR.

 

I think it's sad that more women don't fish. However, I feel lucky to know a few like me. I think some women might fear that men wouldn't welcome them. They'd be wrong. 

[Bankbeater]

Some great people on this site and enough info to fill volumes. 

[Susky River Rat]

There is some great info and people here! I’m pretty useless when it comes to info but, love the thought provoking conversations