top 3 pro's that taught you the most

[John Cullum]

I know the question is worded as "pros" but I learned more from 3 locals that I fished with years ago than any book, video or magazine could ever teach me.

Zeke Wright-Shafer and Freeman anyone that fishes these two lakes know him and he taught me more in 8 hours about those two lakes than 50 times fishing them by myself.

Joe Bertrand- first BASS club member to take me fishing. Probadly all his fault that I've spent all that money on bass fishing gear tackle boat etc. ever since.

Guy Gerber-the guy is a finesse master. I still enjoy fishing with him and watching him fish 3-4 inch worms learn something new everytime out.

[Panamoka_Bassin]

The way I see it, a "pro" is anyone who makes money from fishing. Period. Whether they be a TV show host, or a tourney pro, or even a guide, they're all pros. None of them could fish in the olympics (well, in the original sense, neways). That being said, my top three choices are:

1) My Dad (spent a lifetime commercial fishing, took the knowledge and applied it to fresh water)

2) Tred Barta (Ugh, I can't believe I actually consider this boob a friend, but as arrogant and obnoxious as he is, he's a helluva fisherman)

3) Jimmy Houston (growing up, he was the only guy on TV that actually gave any information about how to fish [at least in the 3 to 5 minute teaching segment of the show])

-Although the first 2 guys are primarily salt water anglers, the lessons the taught apply to fresh water as well. Jigging is jigging, walking the dog is walking the dog, etc, no matter the type of water or species.

[Johnnielund]

I have learned the most from Spence Petros. Spence Petros has a 6 week class in the Chicago area once a year. This will be the fifth time i will be attending. I really started to catch more fish since attending his classes. For those of you not familiar with him, Spence Petros is one of North America's most versatile and well-respected anglers. Author, fishing educator, tournament angler, tackle designer and veteran of over 125 television shows, including three years on ESPN's national show "the Outdoor Writers".

In 1989 Petros was inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, and is listed among the "Living Legends of American Sportfishing", a book authored by Larry Colombo profiling 100 of the top people in the sportfishing industry.

Spence was editor of Fishing Facts magazine for 22-years and now writes regularly for some of the top fishing magazines in North America which include North American Fisherman, Bass Pro Shop's Outdoor World, Fishing Facts, Bassin', Crappie Magazine and Musky Hunter. He also appears regularly on ESPN's North American Outdoors and North American Fisherman TV shows, along with being a regular on Midwest Outdoors and North American Fish and Game TV shows.

Numbers 2 and 3 would have to be Al and Ron Lindner.

[Matt Fly]

I learned the most, the basics from my Dad.  That gave me the passion.  When I was young, younger, in the 70's, lots of this was new to me, now days, I really don't get anything new from watching, maybe a bait I haven't seen yet, like the sweet beaver, saw it over a year before I found any baits.  I just like seeing the pros catching fish, and if I watched to learn a new tip thats gonna give me a leg up on my competion, not happening very often.

I did learn from David Fritts the "kneel and reel" technique by watching, which made a difference, considering cranks didn't get as deep, and the extra 5' depth put fish in the boat.

I did learn from Rick Clunn, that catching is only small part of the game, you must be mentally ready to meet any conditions that occurs.  Those changes that occur below the water.  

By watching 100 pros on the weekend, like this years first event on TOHO, that there is always more than one pattern going.  Most sight fished, while Tak was fishing open water with lipless baits and won.    

This years E 50 on Lewisville had the final six,  throwing all kinds of baits to get the job done.  

Guido didn't teach me tubes or skipping, but he showed me a weakness or a method that 80% of the anglers wasn't doing.  I thought about all the water not hit by others under docks and decided I needed that in my arsenol.

Moving into another state, Ca, taught me, the old Texas rigged worm doesn't catch as many bass as it used to, or at least in SoCal. it didn't.  What, a spinning rod and light line with a split shot.  

So for the young or in-experienced anglers, there is lots of baits and patterns that pros use, it may not teach them the hidden subtleties that make them so deadly, but gives them new ideas on baits and techniques.

I will agree with earthworm 77 to an extent.  It has been commented on BassCenter before about pros plugging baits that they didn't even use, and don't blame them, I wouldn't want to tell everybody on days one and two or three the color or the bait that has put me in contention to win.

I watched early in life to gain knowledge, now, I'm not a know it all, but rarely does the shows teach me anything that hasn't been discussed here already.

I would say experience dictates what you can learn from others, others being Dads, uncles, moms, friends and young forum members too!  I read alot of posts, rarley do I look at his number of posts.  

Tak might not of taught us that attitude about "never giving up", but he showed you can still win a tournament with minutes to go by not giving up, and so did Ike the year before.  They may not teach some of us, but they do show us or re-inforce somethings we already believe.

[cart7t]

When I first took an interest to bass fishing as a very early teen in about 1971 there was little if any kind of information available. My father wasn't a fisherman and could only teach me the very basics of angling for panfish, Bass were completely out of his knowledge realm.  An occasional article in Sports Afield or Outdoor life and the only guy on TV in my area at the time was Virgil Ward.  That, unfortunately was true of a lot of people wanting to learn about this relatively new sport (popularity wise).  I remember my first seminar I went to.  It was one of those traveling road shows BASS used to put on in the early 70's.  Dance, Martin, Mann, Westmoreland & Rickey Green.  To say I and many others were soaking up the knowledge put forth there like a sponge was an understatement.  There just wasn't the info available back then.

Not till I joined BASS and recieved Bassmaster, found In-Fisherman magazine, joined a Bass Club and then had guys like Dance and Martin on TV in my area did I really begin to learn fishing.  

I'm not saying that anyone should depend on fishing shows to learn there fishing techniques from, there's far too many opportunities elsewhere. In fact, I'd suggest getting on the water with another experienced angler as your best teacher.  Too me,  un-knowledged anglers today have it way better than I and others did.  The amount of info available is staggering.  

As for me, I watch fishing shows for the entertainment value primarily, though I do think there's something that could be learned from Al Linders Angling Edge show. That's a first class teaching tool there.

[earthworm77]

I cut my teeth reading information from guys like Micheal Jones, Bob Crupi, Doug Hannon, Billy Westmoreland, Charlie Nuckols, Charlie Brewer, the Lindners, Tom Mann Sr. and a host of other anglers who really were not Pro's by todays standards.

I respect the accomplishments of many of these modern day anglers who are in the current spotlight but they are certainly not the only resource one should seek to learn from.

[CJ]

Jimmy Houston,Denny Braurer,KVD.