English Report....Guess What My Topic Is?

[Troutfisher]

I have to write an English report worth over 900 points and an entire class grade on an informative topic of my choice.  Guess what my topic is going to be on?  Yes, bass fishing, and everything and anything close to it.  I wanted to see if I could get some input from you guys such as any suggestions, tips, help, etc.  I also wanted to see if I could have one of the mods of Bassresource.com PM me some sort of site "authenticity," or site verification.  My teacher wants to have authentic sites only, preferably a .org, .edu, or .gov site.  However, when I think "bass fishing,"  I think of www.bassresource.com.  I believe that if I have some sort of statement from one of the mods that it will work.  She mainly doesn't want us going to some site where someone has thrown something together where the information can't be trusted.

Thanks for your input.

[fishbear]

First thing came to my mind is the State Fish and Wildlife sites for all the states that have a  big bass fishing population.... those would all be .gov sites for your paper.

[Troutfisher]

Yep, I'm using some of those as well.  Thing is, you have to have a bunch of sites, so I am probably going to cite some different sources.  I especially wanted to cite the site here, as there is a rich variety of informative articles I could use to base my report on.  I of course would give the proper parenthetical citations, and give BassResource.com the proper credit for the articles.  

[Crabcakes]

One tip I would give you is to stay away from too much discussing fishing methods, buzzbait blades, the superiority of one line to another etc. To us that's very interesting to your teacher it very likely won't be. Stick more with the history, biology, ecology, conservation and social aspects. A section on pro bass fishing might be informative.  You might want to consider a section on bass biology as that can bring you some scientific journals and accredited sources without having to look too hard. I imagine it has to be fairly long since its worth the entire class grade.

[Troutfisher]

Yeah, four pages, twenty minute oral report, the works.  I had planned on perhaps sticking to some simple things to involve my audience.  She said to do some interactive things with my listeners, I was thinking maybe I could hand out some swedish fish candies to the class, bring in some lures and explain their purpose, etc.  I had thought about the economic perspective of bass fishing, and thought about pro fishing.  Back in 6th grade I did a report on the Economics of Fishing in West Virginia, I was going to pull a few things from that, but that was a while ago, and the info may be outdated.  They said that in my junior year next year the oral will have to be 40 mins long.

[Pond-Pro]

I did 7 pages on the formation of B.A.S.S. and its affect on society. That was fun.    

I was thinking maybe I could hand out some swedish fish candies to the class, bring in some lures and explain their purpose, etc.

That would be pretty cool.  For english class I did an instructive report on how to fish different lures. It was fun and I got a good grade on it.  

      I have done a bunch of other reports on fishing. Fishing makes school so much easier.  

[Bass XL]

talk about the records, that would get my attention..

[Troutfisher]

Good idea!  I will have to write that down for an idea along with several other things.

Fishing makes school so much easier.  

It does.  I wear fishing shirts every day!

[edbassmaster]

I dont know if you can submit a short video, but if you can I would show some video of someone like Iaconelli to educate your fellow students on the growth of the sport. I tell people I bass fish and they automatically assume " hillbilly ". I live in philly so bassers are scarce. Showing a new outlook with someone like Ike would be cool and catch interest.

[BassKing813]

Try writing about the history of fishing and how it has grown and developed. You might also want to include how it has contributed to the economy and society. It would be more fun to write about techniques and such, but I did a paper on fishing about that sort of thing and got a bad grade because of it. With this kind of thing, you have to discuss an aspect of it that shows thought and that makes a point, otherwise you will just be rattling off how to catch bass, and someone who reads this paper, if they don't know anything about fishing, won't understand it.

[Hooked On Bass Fishing]

Heck id kill for a fun project like this im gettin killed right now in all these hard classes. I would almost ask the teacher if some demonstrating outside could happen heck might even get you out of class.

[Troutfisher]

I just sent a PM to Glenn requesting the use of some clips of some of the articles on BassResource's homepage, with proper credit given to BassResource.com, of course.

My teacher gave me the o.k. to use this site for my report, given that I print her off a copy of the main page to let her know it is a valid site with reliable information.

With this kind of thing, you have to discuss an aspect of it that shows thought and that makes a point, otherwise you will just be rattling off how to catch bass, and someone who reads this paper, if they don't know anything about fishing, won't understand it.

That was my initial thought; people in my class have the impression that the only type of fishing that exists is bobber fishing with live bait.  Very few people I know even realize the amount of money bass fishing as a whole actually generates, let alone the professional aspect of the sport.

[Troutfisher]

Alright, I just receieved a PM yesterday from Glenn o.k.-ing me to quote some articles from BassResource.com's home page and the variety of articles in it.  So far, I have seven sources from the Internet, including here, West Virginia's DNR site, and several other sites.  The project is coming along smoothly with no hitches.

[Claude]

Post it here when you are done ok?

Or does it have to be hand written (I don't know since I am home schooled, and all mine have to be typed)?

[Troutfisher]

Typed, and when I have the rough draft done, it'll come here.  

[Troutfisher]

Finally finished the rough draft! Enjoy! Also, a special thanks to Glenn for letting me quote some things from the homepage of BassResource.com.

The Unique Sport of Bass Fishing

Bass fishing differs from other sports because of its professional and economic aspects, and the fact that nearly anyone can do it. Just what is bass fishing, though? Bass fishing is the sport of angling for the North American gamefish known colloquially as the black bass (Sport Fish of West Virginia 2). This sport is unique, because unlike other sports where the main concept involves some sport of ball, such as baseball, football, or racquetball, the main objective in bass fishing is to catch the prized species of black bass, and catch them consistently on any basis. Bass fishing generates a lot of money as well, as does professional tournaments. Some tournaments pay out over $1,000,000 in cash. Of course, if professional bass angling is not for you, you can always head down to your nearest body of water and go after one of the most popular group of sport fishes in America.

     One of the first and foremost aspects of bass fishing is the one most focused on by the media and fans across the country. This is the professional part of the sport. Both tours are nationally televised on networks like ESPN and Fox Sports Net, and covered extensively by endemic media such as another site and others (Bass Fishing 3). Bass anglers usually target the three main species of bass while fishing. These are the Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass (Bass Fishing 1). Bass fishing is not just limited to citizens of the United States; a Japanese angler took the Bassmaster Classic title in 2004. People from all around the world fish in the tournament circuits (Bass Fishing 4). When most people think of bass fishing, they usually think of two things: live bait and keeping fish. Both of these qualities are illegal in most major bass fishing circuits. Because live bait is illegal in tournament fishing, all anglers must know exactly what kind of lure to use in the right place in order to hook up with good sized fish. Once a fish has been caught, it has to be measured and then placed in the live-well of the angler's boat. After the weigh-in at the dock of the lake the tournament is taking place at, all fish are released back into the lake to be caught again. Dead bass are a penalty in professional bass fishing tournaments, and the anglers are heavily punished for this (Bass Fishing 4). There are two large bass fishing competitions held in the U.S. The Bassmaster Tournament Trail is one; another is the F.L.W. held by Wal-Mart (Bass Fishing 3). As mentioned previously, most major tours have good cash payouts to the winner. Some anglers on the B.A.S.S. tour have earned over $1,000,000 in a single tournament. One major tournament, the Bassmaster Classic, pays this much (Smith Mountain Hosts Northern Finale 1). Easy, it may seem? Not quite. Bass fishermen do not have a choice of which days they want to go out on the lake and compete in tournaments. Battling the elements and bass fishing go hand in hand. We leave the relative comfort of our houses and offices and place ourselves in Mother Nature's playground (Owens 1). One such instance occurred previously this year, when anglers fishing on the 2006 Bassmaster Classic tournament were faced with heavy rain, gusts of wind, and frequent thunder and lightning. Put all of these factors together and you get one of the fastest growing sports in the United States.

     Secondly, there is an economic quality to the sport of bass fishing. Freshwater sport fishing in Florida provided recreational opportunities for over 1.32 million people, average 16, and generated an economic output of $2.0 billion in 2001 (Wattendorf 1). The average Floridian bass angler spends about $12 on a resident angler license plus $5 for a bass stamp (Wattendorf 1). Think about all the money that the average bass angler has to spend in order to legally fish. All these fees and costs bring in a lot of money for the fisheries and outdoors department. A bass stamp would conservatively generate $1.5 million to $2.5 million per year (Wattendorf 1). If one bass stamp was bought by an average number of Floridian fisherman, it would generate over $1.5 million (Wattendorf 1). It can be proven that when money is put into fisheries funds that it can increase that particular state's total output. we find that a $1 million increase in annual aquaculture production increases total output in the state by an estimated $2 million annually (Welsh 4). Money taken from fees, licenses, and stamps goes towards a lot of things to improve bass fishing and other types of fishing itself. One of these programs is the stocking program. West Virginia has both a warmwater and a coldwater stocking program (Welsh 1). Some states already have a significant bass population, but stock fish in areas that don't have a lot of bass or don't look to produce a lot of bass. Florida stocks bass from time to time in certain places, but it already has a significant bass population established (Wattendorf 1). A sponsorship program in professional bass fishing is currently in place. When a professional bass fisherman finds a company that will sponsor them, that company gives fishing tackle and apparel to that particular angler to wear. In return, the company gets exposure when the angler is on the news media or around other anglers or fans. Sponsors also can get their logo or message on the angler's boat as well.

     The third and final trademark of bass fishing is the fact that almost anyone can do it. There are no real physical skills needed to bass fish. This makes the sport different from other sports (Welsh 1). Bass fishing does require mental skills, such as knowing how a lure works and where to cast the lure or bait (Welsh 1). When you first start out bass fishing, you don't need to buy every single lure in the store. You only need a few things of each section (Welsh 1). This applies to not only fishing lures, but to fishing tackle and other terminal gear as well. Bass fishing requires not only skill, but good equipment as well. A good stout rod is necessary to absorb the shock of the fish fighting (Welsh 1). Bigger is not always better in the case of bass fishing. In some instances, it is necessary to downgrade rods and reels, and even lures, for that matter (Welsh 1). The next job, once the gear and tackle has been bought, is to know where the fish are located. You have to look for them, and when you find them you will catch them. Obvious places are boat docks, structures and any obstacles in the water (Welsh 2). Typical places to look for bass in the lake or stream is around blow-downs, docks, timber, and points (Welsh 2). Weeds and other areas hold bass like a refrigerator holds a magnet. Good places to look for bass are around transition points. Where hydrilla turns to sand is a good place to find them (Welsh 2). Properly presenting a particular bait or lure in an area that holds fish is important as well.

     So, what keeps millions of anglers in the United States going after this fish over others? Maybe it's the fact that this fish is one of the most spectacular fighters to have taken the lure on to the other side of your line. It could be the fact that bass fishing generates a lot of money, or maybe it's the fact that almost anyone can participate in this sport. No matter what the way or reason is, it is almost guaranteed that bass fisherman across the United States won't be stopping until they've absorbed the full quality of what bass fishing really is.

Works Cited

Bass Fishing. Wikipedia. 19 October 2006. 1-9. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_fishing>

Owens, DJ. Preparing for Cold Weather. The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide. 19 October 2006. 1-3. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/cold_weather.html

Smith Mountain Hosts Northern Finale. Bassmaster Northern and Southern Tours Index. 1-4. 19 October 2006. http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/nst/index

Welsh, David. Fishing for Dollars. West Virginia University Alumni Magazine. 1-5. 19 October 2006. http://www.ia.wvu.edu/~magazine/issues/summer2004/htmlfiles/fish.html

Welsh, Donovan. Tips for Beginners. The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide. 1-3. 19 October 2006. http://www.bassresource.com/beginner/beginning_bass_fishing.html

Wattendorf, Bob. The Value of Largemouth Bass to Florida's Economy. Florida Bass Values to Florida's Economy. 1-3. 19 October 2006. http://www.floridaconservation.org/fishing/updates/Bass-Value.html

[Guest the_muddy_man]

THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE UNIVERSE AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYS OF THAT NOTED PHILOSOPHER AVID?

[RiskKid.]

Nice job troutfisher........A+.....hope your teacher agrees!

[Troutfisher]

Thanks guys...I really appreciate your help!

And, as mentioned in one of my previous posts....

Muddy, Muddy, Muddy...  ;D  ;D  ;D

[Claude]

Wow dude that is da bomb! 8-)

Wish my reports looked that good :-/

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Good Job Young Man worth an A+ in my book

[Claude]

Hey I know a couple of College Professors, I'll check to make sure what subject they teach (One of them I know teachs minerals, so he probably would not be a good canidate, but let me check with the other one), and I will tell you what they think

[Troutfisher]

Thanks Muddy and Claude.  I finally turned in the paper just now, and it all looks to be going smoothly.  

Claude, good deal, thanks for checking on that.