Bass Hunting

[GRiver]

It has changed the sport….. I was fishing up in one of the creeks that dump in the St Johns. Three young men were going by, two were up front, face down looking at the three screens they had up front.  The other one was sitting in the back sit texting…… they didn’t even acknowledge me, not sure they even saw me. I’m sure they missed out on a lot more than seeing me.

Although I’m pretty interesting and I did have a Dos Equis this afternoon. 

[Swamp Girl]

If I were a dishonest tournament angler, I'd buy underwater drones, each the size of a 10-lb. bass, and park them off points and by humps, after programming them to ascend and descend and move a little to the left and a little to the right every half minute or so.

 

I'd call my strategy the rope-a-scope.

[Tennessee Boy]

I absolutely love FFS even though I’m past middle age.  I love observing nature and FFS has opened up the underwater world and makes time on the water much more interesting.  Fish (not just bass) are interesting creatures.  I have so many stories of things I’ve observed on the screen.  Many of them have nothing to do with catching fish.  The technology is also teaching us that much of the conventional wisdom about bass behavior is wrong.   I recommend everyone watch the first hour and 15 minutes of day 3 of the Toledo Bend tournament.  Rick Clunn is the commentator and shared his thoughts on FFS and the state of Professional Bass Fishing.  I always appreciate his wisdom.  Here’s the video.

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

23 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I have so many stories of things I’ve observed on the screen.

 

I'd love to hear your stories. 

[king fisher]

    I don't care if they keep it or ban it in tournaments, because I don't fish tournaments.  I don't care if they keep or ban it for recreational anglers in the US because I bass fish in Mexico.  I just want one week fishing on my local big bass lake, using FFS with someone who knows how to use it. If only to see what the lake is truly capable of.  This lake has produced most of my trophy bass.  90% of those bass were caught offshore in 30-40 foot water suspended  in trees. I have been successful blind casting to these suspended bass.  I am sure with just one day of casting to specific targets , I would break my PB more than once.  After that, I could spend my days preaching to others about the virtues of Zen fishing, with only my senses, and instincts to guide me, but I dream of having a few days fishing the dark side of the force.  If I never get my chance to fish my lake with FFS, and some one else eventually does, I will consider every bass they catch, caught by un sportsman like means, and in my mind they will forever be thought of as a cheater.  If I get my chance and catch a new PB utilizing FFS, there will only be lots of pictures of DD bass and big smiles.  For those that would call me a hypocrite, please don't ask me my thoughts on fluorocarbon fishing line. 

 

Also, if anyone with a boat, and FFS. wants to learn the location of my remote, underfished trophy bass lake, come pick me up in PV, I will take you to the lake, let you make the first cast at every new target, and provide lunch for as many days as you want to fish. 

[Swamp Girl]

I always enjoy your wit, @king fisher.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I've was so close to fishing the dark side for the first time last week......met up with the friend who has a 4-5k setup never used, installed by a low IQ person and it didn't work.   

 

We all have darkness in our hearts 😂

[Swamp Girl]

So true, Alex. You'll notice above that I wrote, "I'd love to hear your stories," which is my way of wanting to glean from the screen. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I can't deny the fact that I owe a huge bit of success I've had over the winter from watching countless hours of FFS footage.    Specifically strolling minnows.

 

At the same time I've developed a sub addiction to catching good ones on those pixie wands out in the open water where you can truly appreciate their fight.   

 

I have little doubts I'd be addicted to scoping within a week of usage.   It suits perfectly for the type of fishing I do, I prefer to fish off the banks, and bait chasers.  

 

A GLS10 is Pandora's Box in real life.  

 

 

[TnRiver46]

I fish like this but I ain’t about to get mad at somebody fishing a different way, really not any of my business. I also have some motor boats but one has oars and oar locks and the other one you drive the trolling motor with your hand and the depth finder is at the steering wheel 

[PhishLI]

13 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I have little doubts I'd be addicted to scoping within a week of usage. 

My buddy has a fully loaded bass boat, and he has everything. I think he's up to $35K in electronics now. Screens everywhere, even in the back. I've been out on it in big upstate NY lakes. Yes, it's cool watching a bait drop down to a fish, but where I live even cheap fish finders are basically useless after June.

 

My brother and I don't even use our Striker on the jon boat much anymore having already mapped out and made mental notes of the contours of local lakes we're allowed on early in the season before they're completely choked with veg. I really have no dog in this hunt. I'm not even offended by the pros using it actually. If not for Randolf crying about it constantly I probably wouldn't even consider the debate. It's out of my hands anyway, and I enjoy watching tournaments, so it is what it is. If they keep it, whatever. If they limit or ban it, fine.

 

Anyway, last week my bass boat buddy was talking about a pro guide he goes out with who recently expressed sponsorship woes. Electronics came up, and he made a point of mentioning how addicted that guide is to his screen now. He'd been out on trips with him before FFS was a factor. He went on to admit the same thing about himself too, as that it's all he does now, just staring at the screen. I know this guy well, and I can tell that this is diminishing the fun factor for him. I could tell by his tone which was somber and disappointed. This is contrasted directly against his excitement as he'd incrementally build up and upgrade his gear over the past 4 years.

 

I didn't ask if he regretted it and neither did I run down FFS in any way. I just listened then changed the subject. I'm in no way claiming that my friend's experience is the bellwether for how anyone else's longer-term experience might go, however, I could see some who've done it the traditional way coming to the same conclusion.

 

Some time back a few years ago, and in one of my less civil moments, I made a stupid crack on this forum that if I were to catch my PB whilst trolling, I'd wear a bag over my head for the selfie. Kinda mean? Probably. But I laughed as I wrote it then, and I just laughed again visualizing that absurd picture. The bag has a sad face drawn on it. Personally, I'd have a similar feeling about accomplishing an all-time-for-me PB using FFS. No bag on my head this time for the selfie, but there'd be asterisks flanking my smile.

[Pat Brown]

10 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

If I were a dishonest tournament angler, I'd buy underwater drones, each the size of a 10-lb. bass, and park them off points and by humps, after programming them to ascend and descend and move a little to the left and a little to the right every half minute or so.

 

I'd call my strategy the rope-a-scope.

 

 

I think you're describing 'defensive strategy' in the sport of professional tournament bass fishing!  😂😂😂😂

 

Please DM Randy Blaukut somewhere and give him this idea.  

 

It's funny that something as far fetched as 'decoys' COULD actually be defensive strategy in 2024, when years ago, the idea of doing this to increase your odds of winning would be laughable.

[Mobasser]

I don't have FFS, and won't be getting it. If someone has it that's fine, and it won't affect my fishing either way. When FFS first came out, I wondered if it would divide us. In some ways I think it already has.

[Woody B]

It amazes me how hot of a topic this continues to be.    Many of the complaints are about how boring it is to watch people fish.  I've always thought it was boring to watch other people fish. 

 

Interesting things happen on "the screen".  My units have the capability to record sonar.  I need to figure out which buttons to hit, and post some videos.  

 

@king fisher  I'm not coming to Mexico, and I'm certainly not a "scoping" expert.  If you end up in the Carolinas you're welcome to stare at at a screen in my boat.   This invitation goes to everyone.   

[scaleface]

I took  a young cousin out a couple years back . I graphed a point , tossed a buoy and told him to cast that direction . Dont cast behind us because its to deep , bass will be up on the point . He fires a cast out in deep water and catches a suspended fish , largest bass of the day, a 4 lber. It was a 1 in a 1000 cast , he kept trying but never caught another. It got me thinking that an angler with FFS could clean up on that point. No wasted cast. I would like to use one at least once.

[gim]

I could put it on my bass boat tomorrow if I wanted to.  And there's at least a reasonable chance I'll have it at some point.  I aint mounting 8 graphs and 3 ducers though, that's never happening.

 

Most of my largemouth and muskie fishing is in shallower, weedy waters and around/under docks.  Maybe I'm wrong, but live sonar doesn't seem to have much of an advantage here.  The fish I target and catch are in the weeds and vegetation.  My understanding is that live sonar excels better in more open water and offshore.  Some of my smallmouth fishing is of this manner so that's where I could see it being beneficial.

[Swamp Girl]

@TnRiver46: Brother!

 

@PhishLI: If I were still a writing teacher and if you walked into my classroom as my only student, I'd say, "I have nothing to teach you. You have pre-earned an A. Class dismissed."

 

My only question for you, Phish, is this: You catch your PB while trawling. What do you draw on your bag?

 

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Please DM Randy Blaukut somewhere and give him this idea.  

 

I'd use my FFS unit to make my decoys really mimic bass. I'd have them follow a lure. Even dart at it. I'd really hook the competition on fishing for my decoys. 

[Nitro 882]

Just more evidence of the potential impact of FFS on the future of bass fishing.

I saw a video in which Chris Zaldain was interviewing a young man who claimed to be a tournament fisherman but mostly was a guide in Texas. The question was about the value of FFS to his reputation as a successful guide. The guy stated that during his last 90 outings and using his new FFS his clients had boated 87 bass over 10 lbs. When Zaldain asked how many over 10 lbs. does he think he might boat without FFS the answer given was 8 or 9 maybe.

FFS had made him a highly sought-after, and profitable guide but he commented that he was seriously concerned for the future of bass fishing. Having the ability to identify and then target the "big mamas" in a lake would, no doubt, have a negative impact on future recruitment in that body of water.

Please understand, I'm not for or against FFS. I'm simply noting that it dramatically changes "angling" as we knew it.

[TnRiver46]

@Nitro 882
I don’t think the guy you are referring to is concerned about the bass because he’s still out there catching them everyday, he smashed a school of 8-12 lbers with a crankbait this week . If he actually thought they would all be gone, he’s shooting himself in the foot everyday 

[king fisher]

 

 

Lord, please let me have FFS for just a few days.  After I catch my big un, I promise its all old school flashers, mono, and Jitterbugs for me. 

[Swamp Girl]

18 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

If he actually thought they would all be gone, he’s shooting himself in the foot everyday 

 

Shooting oneself in the foot would be nothing new for humanity or fishing. I just read, "Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World," and it detailed the demise of the Grand Banks, perhaps the greatest fishery of all time. Marine biologists kept thinking/hoping that the fishery would reboot and every year, they still go out and look for cod. Not only don't the marine biologists find them, but the few remaining cod are both much smaller and are now predicted to go extinct in the Grand Banks. As the fishermen plundered the Grand Banks, they were warned and warned that they were emptying it, but immediate gratification is humanity's Siren. 

 

2 minutes ago, king fisher said:

 

 

Lord, please let me have FFS for just a few days.  After I catch my big un, I promise its all old school flashers, mono, and Jitterbugs for me. 

 

I will hand deliver your FFS, but I'm also coming with my decoys. 

 

Your buddy,

 

The old Cricket

[Catt]

[Logan S]

I can't speak for EXACTLY what anyone else means with they say it's boring, but I think reducing it all the way to the common counter-points of, "They've always been looking at graphs...You always see their backs...It's always boring to watch people fish...etc" is missing what I think many people are actually saying or implying (whether they realize it or not).

 

It's boring because we know exactly what they are doing.  They are not making a presentation until they KNOW it will land exactly in front of fish and once they identified where the fish are, it's just chasing them around until you catch them (or conclude they aren't catchable or are not bass).  If you can't see how that's fundamentally different from how it used to be, even though it looks the same on camera, then I can't really say anything else that would change your mind.  

 

IMO, there are levels to FFS usage too...There's a BIG difference between a 'basic' FFS setup with a single transducer on it's own screen and the 6 or 7  screen, 3-6 transducer setups we are seeing right now.  The first is an add-on, the second is essentially like a video game cheat-code.  Anyone who says otherwise either doesn't understand how powerful a setup like that can be, or is intentionally being deceptive about it.  

 

What's it going to look like in another 5 years?  A line has to be drawn somewhere right?  Many people are starting to say we need to figure that line out now.  I don't think I'd be OK with a total ban, but I do think it needs to be addressed.  

[Tennessee Boy]

3 minutes ago, Logan S said:

Anyone who says otherwise either doesn't understand how powerful a setup like that can be,

Well I guess I need you to explain how it’s that much more powerful.  To me it’s like 250 hp outboard compared to 100 hp.  You can go faster and fish more water but in the end it doesn’t give you that much of an advantage in a tournament.

[Swamp Girl]

5 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Well I guess I need you to explain how it’s that much more powerful.  

 

I'm guessing that scanning in all directions means that there's nowhere the bass can hide.