What is your fishing Dogma?

[DaubsNU1]

Dogma: a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.

 

What say you?

 

I'll go first...

• Never leave fish in order to find fish
• Braid is better than mono, and fluorocarbon (there, I said it!)
• First light = top water
• There is absolutely no replacement for time on the water
• A closed tackle box is a happy tackle box!
• When the big motor is running, the PFD is always on...and so is the kill switch
• 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water
• T-rigged worm will always put fish in the boat
• Jitterbug is the greatest top-water lure ever
• When all else fails...green pumpkin

[LrgmouthShad]

Do stuff that makes sense

[Pat Brown]

Even blind squirrels find acorns every once in a while.

 

I'd rather be making a stupid choice and be right than make the smart choice and be wrong.

 

Find your own fish when you go fishing.

 

Throw bait at object.

 

Keep moving.

 

Where is that doggone bait at?

 

What's the weather been like the last week?

 

What's the weather like right now?

[Tennessee Boy]

• Treat everyone you encounter on the water with respect even if they don't show you respect.
• Follow the law.
• Put your life jacket on before you launch and take it off after you trailer your boat.
• There are three way to determine if the water is deep enough to run at speed.  1 - Personal experience. 2 - The chart on your fish finder.  3 - Navigation buoys.  If you don't have two of them telling you it's safe then stay at low speeds.
• Most of the opinions of other fishermen (include professionals) are based on bad interpretation of data and/or superstition.
• The color of your lure doesn't matter but pretend it does anyway.
• A wet lure will always catch more fish than a dry one.

[Jar11591]

-Always poop before you get on the boat. 
 

-never wait on a hookset when using a frog any longer than it takes to drop the rod tip and reel the slack

 

-if you’re wondering if you should go fishing, you should 

[Gera]

Wow, these fishing topics are getting deeper all the time. 

 

[Zcoker]

I say me....

 

• Night time is just like day time with most tactics
• Less is more when it comes to kayak fishin, less tackle, less clutter, less "things"
• Cast and cast and keep casting and when ya think there's no fish around, cast again! 
• The most overlooked spot is usually where the giants hang out
• A fishing "check list" can save the day (or night)
• Always have a portable phone charger handy
• Firepower can be a good power
• Think outside the box. There's ALWAYS another way to skin a cat!
• Learn what moves you forward, not backwards
• Common sense is the best sense, make your own decisions, be your own person
• Have FUN! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gim]

Don't complain if you're a guest in someone else's boat.

 

Don't leave lures or hooks laying about on the floor of the boat.

 

No bare feet.

 

Don't be stubborn; if someone else is catching fish and you aren't, switch to what they're using.  Don't just toss whatever hasn't been working, hoping it will eventually pay off.

 

Don't waffle at the access.  Load/unload your boat in a timely manner, get ready before its your turn, and don't tie your boat up to the dock in the access area so that the next person has to wait while you go park or use the restroom.

[LrgmouthShad]

33 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Throw bait at object.

*Caveman noises of approval*

 

[king fisher]

1-You can't catch a bass if your line is not in the water.

2-Never leave home without toilet paper

3-Trying to get that last few feet out of every cast by adding more muscle, is prone to backlash, but why not give it a shot.

4 Bass do not live on dry land or high up in trees, but why not try?

5. If I can't catch numbers than I will catch big ones, If I can't catch big ones than catch numbers, if I can't catch anything, blame it on the moon.

6-  If fishing is good it is because of my amazing angling skills.  If fishing is bad, blame it on the weather, state fish and game, the moon, or all of the above.

7- If I catch a big bass, it is because of skill, if someone else catches a big bass it is because they are lucky.

8- There is a magic lure, and the only way to find it is buy more lures.

9-  Bass do not live close to launch.  The longer it takes to get there, the better the fishing will be.

10- It's better to be lucky than good.

[A-Jay]

Situational Awareness is a life style.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

An average basshead fishing on an above average body of water,

can suddenly become very skilled.

Nothing trumps being at the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing;

sometimes that's just pure luck, other times, it's by design.

I'm a big fan of both of those. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[herder]

Never eat White Castle Jalapeno burgers the night before fishing  

[slowworm]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

• Put your life jacket on before you launch and take it off after you trailer your boat.

 Wearing a PDF in a sinking truck can seriously hamper movement and ability to escape.

 

When in the truck launching or retrieving it's PFD off and windows down and seatbelt off.  I don't intend to test the amphibious capabilities of my truck, but if I do, I'm not staying with it a moment longer than necessary.

 

  

[BucksBasser]

If you want to catch bass you should be fishing in water that actually has bass.

If you want to fish from my boat you don't hook the captain with an errant crankbait cast.

Always set the parking brake when exiting the truck on the boat ramp.

[LrgmouthShad]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Situational Awareness is a life style.

That’s an interesting take

I think I agree

[rgasr63]

My carma ran over my dogma. Lol

[Bird]

I never catch a sizable fish if the net is ready and accessible, you have to dig for it.

If you leave your cell phone / camera in the vehicle you'll have an epic day on the water.

All lost fish are potentially a PB.

[Susky River Rat]

Every fishing story gets bigger and better the more time goes by. 
 

Whoever said a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work has never been in my shoes at times. 
 

Never fish angry.

 

Hook sets are free. 

[Swamp Girl]

3 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

• Most of the opinions of other fishermen (include professionals) are based on bad interpretation of data and/or superstition.
• The color of your lure doesn't matter but pretend it does anyway.
• A wet lure will always catch more fish than a dry one.

 

Three of my favorites.

 

My dogma:

 

Pay attention. There are indicators beyond FFS screens.

 

Listen to your gut. Fishing for more than 50 years means your hunches come from vast experience.

 

You can catch bass where you launch, but you have to be quiet.

 

Speaking of quiet, be quiet after you launch too.

 

Pattern schmattern. When you catch a bass on one lure, try to catch a bass on another. 

 

Regarding @A-Jay's comment about "average bass heads," you sure can't descry someone's skill set from Bass Resource threads. 

 

Unless you've fished with someone, you can't tell whether they're below average, average, or above average. And you have to fish with them in different places and different weather to really comprehend whether they have the right stuff.

 

When they get stumped, can they crack the code? Do they have the passion to fish when it's cold and howling? Can they feel the bite that's as light as a gnat alighting on their line? Can they keep their cool when a bass has burrowed into weeds? Can they cast into the one pocket that's weed and wood free? And on and on and on. 

 

[GreenPig]

- Fish differently 

- Be flexible in your approach 

 

[Bankc]

1.  Have fun.

2.  Come home safe.  

 

As long as I meet those two requirements, it was a successful fishing trip.  

 

[Crow Horse]

Treat your environment with respect. Treat it as if it was the holiest of holy and know that you are a guest in it.

Saturate your senses with all the messages that nature privies you to. Listen carefully and know that your time on the water is just an excuse to reconnect, recalibrate, and recharge.

Leave wherever you are better than when you arrived.

Always have gratitude and give thanks for the privileged of experiencing Creation to the higher power of your understanding.

Learn and understand all the lessons presented. The thin veneer of obvious meaning has many deeper levels of understanding.

Have fun. If that is difficult, just imagine if feathers tickled birds.....

Duck when the lead flies.....

[Mobasser]

Dont always follow along with everything you hear in bass fishing. Fish your style, your way.

[FishTax]

Have fun.

Stay safe.

Pick up trash. 

Be kind. Never know what someone is dealing with. 

Shaky head bite is always on. 

[Mike L]

Be ready to….

Improvise, Overcome and Adapt to changes in everything you do and see. 
 

The thought process you make to decide what combo and line choices you make as conditions change to throw the lure you  decided to throw. 
 

The subtle nuances of working a particular lure in a certain spot. 
 

The decision to set the hook or not

 

Reeling the fish in

 

Landing

 

Handle and then release a healthy fish 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike