Things we have learned from FFS

[txchaser]

Inspired by @Bass Junke who suggested this thread, lets go for it.

 

- Sometimes the really big fish hunt in packs and they are moving very fast when they are active. Like watching four submarines go by on FFS. You get one cast at them. 

- Big crappie can inhabit the same part of the ecosystem as a bass. They look kinda the same as a bass too... not exactly, but close. And when it's setup solo off the crook of a tree, crappie isn't what comes to mind. Anyway they are eating bass lures, living in bass spots, solo. Always chunky. 

-Better to be a little high than a little low with your presentation.

-Bass on the bottom at 20ft deep, in 3' visibility, can sense a jerkbait hitting the water and can come up off the bottom to get a look. 

 

 

[TnRiver46]

Dang it I just typed it all on the other thread…….

 

 

[Susky River Rat]

I learned if you ain’t scopin you’re just hopin

[Tennessee Boy]

I’ve learned that the vast majority of bass ain’t buying what we’re selling.  I’ve read many scientific studies over the years that suggested this was the case but I needed to see it with my own eyes to believe it.  The unanswered question is why.  Are we only catching the hungry ones or the dumb ones?  My working theory is we only catch the dumb ones, the ones that are so hungry they do something dumb, and the ones that let their curiosity get the best of them.  I think the followers are mostly following out of curiosity and being able to observe them greatly increases the chances of catching them.  Most bass can tell that most lures are not food.

[greentrout]

Roland Martin's 8 reasons why the LMB strikes still holds true today:

 

1. Hunger

2. Reflex Action

3. Anger

4. Protective Instinct

5. Curiosity

6. Competition

7. Territorial Instinct

8. Killer Instinct

 

Most of my bass have been caught early early in the morning. I believe FFS is here to stay. 

 

Good Fishing

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/how-to/news/strike-zone-2/#:~:text="I believe hunger is the No. 1 motivation,in the early morning or late afternoon hours.

 

 

[WRB]

Fish do not have the brain development to be emotional so anger isn’t possible.

The basic behavioral traits for individual bass are active, neutral and inactive with transitions in between each trait every day.

Active bass are catchable and inactive bass are not with neutral bass requiring the lure or prey to be close within sight window. 
What have learned watching bass react to lures with FFS-Live Scope what behavior trail the bass are in at that time and place. 

This is my observation decades ago visually watching bass react to both lures and live bait in gin clear water.

Timing is very important after you have located the bass. The new technology aids is quickly locating bass.

Tom

 

[Choporoz]

I do not have FFS.  But, a couple of mysteries I am hoping you folks might shed some light on in coming months and years:

 

-What will we learn about bite windows?

-Are there actually some bass that are more school oriented than we previously thought?

 

We are learning more about bass behavior faster than ever before.  It is hard to comprehend.  The fact that tournaments are regularly dominated by anglers with zero consideration for structure or cover is sort of mind blowing. 

 

[Woody B]

I haven't fished clear water much, but when I did I always had trouble catching Bass I could see.  I just assumed the clear water Bass were spooky and I was doing something to spook them.   One thing that Active Target done for me was "turn murky water clear" in the sense I could see the Bass.  Occasionally I'd see one come out of no where and smash my lure, or hit something on the way down.  Just like clear water I was unable to catch most of the Bass I "seen" with FFS.  It got the point I'd locate the area Bass were in and turn my screen off.  Finally I figured out I was simply trying too hard to catch them.  As my lure got near a Bass, regardless of whether it had shown interest or not I'd slow down...pause, and basically dangle my lure in front of them.  They would either ignore it, or swim away.   I'm still working on technique but I've had many more strikes and catches using the mind set that, once my lure was near a Bass I wanted it to get away.   A lure that appears to be trying to escape has gotten me a bunch more strikes than trying to make one "easy to eat".   

Does this make sense?  

[Reel]

12 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I do not have FFS.  But, a couple of mysteries I am hoping you folks might shed some light on in coming months and years:

 

-What will we learn about bite windows?

-Are there actually some bass that are more school oriented than we previously thought?

 

We are learning more about bass behavior faster than ever before.  It is hard to comprehend.  The fact that tournaments are regularly dominated by anglers with zero consideration for structure or cover is sort of mind blowing. 

 

I have fished clear water all my life.  I have FFS but it's recent and I have been fishing for visible fish (large smallmouth bass)  for the last 25 years without it.  We have a closed season so these fish are not on a nest and they are not tied down to one spot.  What I see now on FFS corresponds to what I have seen in shallow water, except the fish are not so shy when they are deep.

 

- From what I have seen, in clear water, bite windows are way larger than what most fishermen think.  On lots of days, 15 feet is the norm.  A roaming visible fish will turn around and head for a ned rig from that distance.  It reacts and turns as the lure touches the water.  The fish did not see it yet but heads for it.  

- All the fish I see are not alone.  They are in small schools of 3 to 5 individuals.  Schools of small fish are larger.  Schools of big fish ( 4/5 pounder ) are smaller.  They roam together as a group like a bunch of baitfish.  They turn at the same time and move quite a lot.  Most of the time they go back and forth .  I had one group that would circle around a small island over a distance of about 500 hundred yard.  They do not stay in one place even if it offers the best cover.  I think they work together to catch prey.  

[Bass Junke]

Wow! Thanks again @txchaser. IMO with regard to all the folks here this is just a useful tool to provide insight and to help the folks who have it become more successful in their quest. 

 

Everything already posted is awesome. 

[Buzzbaiter]

Being a bank fisherman/wader, I don’t have FFS. Even if I could get it, I don’t know that I would. Whenever I’ve fished ultra clear water, I was always amazed to see how apathetic most bass are. I feel like FFS would make me less confident, and therefore a worse fisherman lol

[greentrout]

Fishing Tackle Retailer >> 

MEGA Live Sonar Imaging Technology - Humminbird (johnsonoutdoors.com)

Good Fishing 

[Bankc]

FFS has taught me that I need a better paying job.  Preferably one that I don't have to show up to so I can fish more.  Maybe I should get one of those honorary positions where the qualification is having lots of dirt on someone with lots of money and power.  Oh!  If only I had a photo of Elon Musk peeing his pants in the third grade!  That would have been the life!  

[gim]

Great info @Reel.  Can I ask what part of the country you're smallmouth fishing?  Great Lakes region?

[Reel]

The place I'm talking about is the St-Lawrence river.

[txchaser]

On 3/19/2024 at 4:11 PM, Choporoz said:

 

-Are there actually some bass that are more school oriented than we previously thought?

100%, and sometimes they are really big and aggressive.

 

I'll add this to the list - bass know about even the wee little tiny baits, and big fish can and will (often) chase a presentation down that looks like a single little lost shad. Watching a jig with no trailer or a damiki pull a big fish out of a brushpile is wild. And that same fish wouldn't budge for an a-rig.

Lots of big bass guys with spinning rods all over the deck.

[TnRiver46]

Things I’ve learned from FFS: it turns old guys into keyboard warriors 😂 

[Texas Flood]

My FIL just put livescope in his boat. Next month is our first bass tournament of the year. Im very excited to see what this bad boy can do.

[BucksBasser]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Things I’ve learned from FFS: it turns old guys into keyboard warriors 😂 

So true.  At least some old guys.

This old guy is now thinking of getting FFS because it seems to be a great learning/teaching tool.

 

[slowworm]

3 hours ago, BucksBasser said:

So true.  At least some old guys.

This old guy is now thinking of getting FFS because it seems to be a great learning/teaching tool.

 

Me too, but I just bought a Garmin Force and the CFO say's that's all the capital expenditure allowed for the year.

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, BucksBasser said:

So true.  At least some old guys.

This old guy is now thinking of getting FFS because it seems to be a great learning/teaching tool.

 

I could never cipher it, I’ve had side image for 2 yrs and never used it to my advantage 😂. Oh hey look there’s a rock . Cool. Back to fishing 

[BucksBasser]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I could never cipher it, I’ve had side image for 2 yrs and never used it to my advantage 😂. Oh hey look there’s a rock . Cool. Back to fishing 

I might be old but I would consider myself tech savvy.  48 years as engineer at Motorola including 34 as engineering manager of a design department.  Now that I'm retired I want to use this stuff I spent decades developing without some 2nd tier pro angler telling me what I can do.  And if he tries to tell me this crap about tradition I'll remind him I was fishing many years with a cane poll before he was conceived.  That I spent many decades working as a volunteer with TU.  And that I routinely fish from my kayak that has no electronics.

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I could never cipher it, I’ve had side image for 2 yrs and never used it to my advantage 😂. Oh hey look there’s a rock . Cool. Back to fishing 

Hey Tn my reply to your post has promoted me to minnow.

I feel blessed.  Thanks.  Now I hope some young gun with FFS doesn't out me to that 8lber lurking beyond the rock.

 

[GaryH]

I think Punxsutawney Phil should be replaced with a FFS unit popping out of the water, to see if we’ll have 6 more weeks of debating whether or not we approve of FFS. 🤔

[BucksBasser]

12 minutes ago, GaryH said:

I think Punxsutawney Phil should be replaced with a FFS unit popping out of the water, to see if we’ll have 6 more weeks of debating whether or not we approve of FFS. 🤔

 Punxsutawney Phil is usually wrong.

BTW my daughter attended IUP and her freshman year at  Punxsutawney.

It's more of a drinking event than anything else and I suspect Phil imbibed as well.

I'm going to get a FFS unit.

I'll report if I see Phil underwater at Yellow Creek.

[Happybeerbuzz]

Anyone with FFS have anything definitive on bass reacting to fluorocarbon vs mono?   Do they care?