Peak bassing?

[Swamp Girl]

Are you at peak bassing? If so, why? If not, when were you?

 

I am at peak bassing. I don't have youth's vigor and strength, but I do have decades of experience and that savvy matters more than vigor and strength. Of course, I miss being able to launch at four in the morning and fish until eleven and launch again at five and fish until ten for a total of 12 hours a day, day-after-day, but I'd bet against my younger, peppier self besting my older, tattered, cagier self. 

 

Caveat: I do think I'll be past peak in a few, short years, as you do need a modicum of energy, strength, and agility to consistently catch bass.

[gim]

No, not anymore.

 

I would say I was at my peak fishing days in my late 20's and early 30's.  My brother and I would start fishing right at midnight when our season opened and we fished until day break.  I did this for 10 years straight (targeting walleyes with lighted bobbers).

 

There is absolutely no way I could do it now.  It would screw up my energy and sleep habits for days.  Not to mention my wife probably wouldn't like it either.

 

Bout 5, maybe 6 hours is my max nowadays.  Sometimes I feel like I could fish longer, but I have other responsibilities in life too.

 

No one can defy Father Time.  Except maybe Tom Brady and @T-Billy.

[Catt]

I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was!

 

Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance.

[FryDog62]

Knowledge wise - reading maps, data, electronics, lure presentations I've feel like I'm at or close to my peak... much better than the Type-A, ADHD bank-beating fisherman I was in my 20's-40's. I had 5-6 hand/wrist surgeries 8-10 years ago that slowed me down awhile, but am now probably 90+% healed.

 

I exercise an hour daily and feel great physically, but side effects from statin cholesterol medicine have left me with permanent aching legs. I have to sit 50-75% of the time now whether it be in a boat or kayak. The aching can scale the 10 hour days on the water back to 6-7 hours.  Between that and an unpredictable consulting business, I had planned to enter some Bassmaster Kayak events next year, but now not sure. 

 

You'd like to think you're more efficient and get better results in less time now. That may not be the case many days, others maybe yes. But I ain't gonna quit and pick up golf or something stupid like that instead   

[TOXIC]

My “Peak” was when I was guiding and some tournament fishing and traveling doing grand openings for Bass Pro and Cabelas when working for a rep group out of Kansas and I had a full load of sponsors that I was doing retailer visits and demonstrations.  I pretty much overloaded myself with fishing related activities which included my pro staff requirements with Bass Pro.  I was deep into it.  I have cut back and now concentrate on a few of my sponsorships and have stepped back from retail obligations.  As far as my fishing, I may spend less time on the water but with age comes wisdom and my time is much more productive. I am lucky enough to be financially able to travel and fish more for the fun of it and to enjoy the experience more.  I have taken, and continue to take trips to locations away from my home base.  Lake Powell, Lake Lanier, Okeechobee, Kissimmee, Headwaters, Wolf River, Waupaca Chain, Big Green, St Clair, St Lawrence River, are just some of my trips with a lot more on the horizon.  I fish most every week year round and enjoy it much more now that I’m doing it strictly for me.  So in some respects, I’m in my prime now more than when I was in the industry up to my ears. 

[T-Billy]

I think my peak as a fisherman has yet to come. My peak as a bass fisherman has likely past. I've largely moved on to a bigger and meaner fish. 😉

[Swamp Girl]

5 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I think my peak as a fisherman has yet to come. My peak as a bass fisherman has likely past. I've largely moved on to a bigger and meaner fish. 😉

 

They are big and they are mean and you are teaching them to respect the furry hat.

[WRB]

Peak fishing would have been in my 50’s when the local trophy bass lakes were peaking and I was healthy.

Making annual trips to fish off shore Marlin and tuna in Baja down to Cabo.

Casitas and Castiac were producing giant bass. My in-laws had their Lake of the Woods home for musky fishing. All my fishing buddies were alive along with my family, life was good!

Now in my 80’s everything has changed, enjoy life while you can.

Tom

[Mike L]

I don’t look at it as age related.
Considering my overall peak, all things considered is past. 
There are limitations now that I didn’t have even 5 yrs ago. 
However there are certain things that I think I reached and some I never will. 
 

 

 

Mike

[A-Jay]

Being at my Peak in bass fishing, guess it may depend on how we define Peak.

If it's centered around making long drives and then the physical ability to be & stay on the water

for long periods of time, then I'm a bit past that.

If it's based on knowledge & experience, I am clearly a work in progress.

Either way, it's been quite a ride so far with plenty of ups & downs.

Admittedly far more downs, but when a trophy class brown bass of over six pounds is the goal,

it's part of the game.  The satisfaction of putting it all together a few times a year and holding a fish few bassheads ever even see, is overwhelmingly satisfying. 

Location, Timing, Presentation and boat Loads of dogged Persistence, always ends up being worth it. I've still got plenty to learn and if I can keep myself in shape I'll stay at it as long as I can.

Fish Hard.

https://youtu.be/l4JGH21R93Q

A-Jay

[gim]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

physical ability

 

We've all seen your workout videos.  You're still at peak. 

[Fishingmickey]

I've maybe hit a plateau and will continue to try and maintain. I feel like I have a ton of knowledge and I continue to learn everything I can. I wish I had more time to fish. Work and life's obligations.

I fish, so there for I am.

FM

[king fisher]

If I don't consider the arthritis in my joints, my poor eyesight, loss of hearing, and other obligations taking up most of my time, I might be at my peak, not sure, I can't remember.  I do know I enjoy bass fishing as much as I ever have.

[MediumMouthBass]

My peak for numbers was 3 years ago, then they nuked the lake with chemicals and the bass must have hopped on bus and went somewhere else.

 

My peak for giant bass was 2 years ago, this year they also used a chemical to treat this different large pond/small lake....

 

And its not just me, the guys on the bank, kayaks, and bass boats barely catch any bass or big bass at both lakes after they treated them. Very sad.

Lake #2 used to be cast after cast 3-6lbs if you knew where to fish for them in spring. Now its spend all day fishing the whole place and if you catch one 2lber its like winning $1000.

 

It took me a while to realize that my actual peak in bass fishing isnt how many i catch, nor how big of a pb i catch, its how much knowledge i learn each season, along with how happy fishing makes me.

Ive learned to enjoy the days where just being on the water is more than enough.

[Reel]

If you consider PEAK BASSING as catching more fish - Yes I'm at my peak.  If you consider Peak as having more energy and fishing long hours with no problems No.

[Functional]

My peak will hit the day after I start retirement. Until then I'm at the mercy of available time and crowded weekends. 

[Craig P]

I suppose I am not at my bass peak yet as I still enjoy it.  With my personality, once I master something, I get bored and move onto the next thing. I’ll never stop fishing mind you, I’ll just move to another species.

 

I use to be a wild trout nut for many many years but it got boring for me, there wasn’t much left to achieve there so I moved to Bass……not realizing how much pricier it was! lol 

[T-Billy]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

 

We've all seen your workout videos.  You're still at peak. 

I keep my ripped physique covered up with a layer of blubber. I'm not a show off like @A-Jay. 😂

[Skunkmaster-k]

Yep. I’m at the summit. Nowhere to go but down. 

[TheSwearingAngler]

I didn’t fish from (about) 1997 until July 3rd 2022… I may have missed my peak but I also may be in it now because I just had an unreal season after thinking last season was unreal. If I can keep this pace a few more seasons I’ll be happy.

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

They are big and they are mean and you are teaching them to respect the furry hat.

Fur hat season is just around the corner. Those big slimy beasts would be wise to head for deep waters!!! 😂

[gim]

1 hour ago, T-Billy said:

I keep my ripped physique covered up with a layer of blubber.

Instead of Free Willy its Free T-Billy!

 

[Buzzbaiter]

I fell off. My fishing interests change, and I find myself more focused on other species than bass nowadays. I also have less time to fish, which doesn’t help. But again, interests change. If you give me a season or two, I might just catch the bassin bug again.

[MIbassyaker]

I'm definitely not the physical specimen I was in my 20s (such as it was), but i've never fished better, mainly because I'm much more knowledgeable and dedicated now. As long as I can stay reasonably healthy, I gotta believe my Peak Bassing years are still ahead of me.

[Susky River Rat]

I just chuck and wind.