Who is the better fisherman?

[Chris]

Who is better?

The guy who catches the most small bass or the guy that catches the most big bass.

Seriously I am curious what you guys think

This is whacked the more I read this. You got guys that camp out on the same areas on the same lakes with the hope that they nail the same bass they caught the year before. Some guys that catch "the most trophy bass" have been catching the same group of fish time after time year after year. One day or two weeks in the year they catch them at the right time and everything works. If I go fishing tournament on water I have never seen before against guys who have fished it for 20+ years and still locate a limit and a kicker and win am I less of a fishermen that has the time to fish just for trophy fish? I would say the guy who can go from state to state and lake to lake and duplicate his "trophy ways" has a leg up on the guy who fishes the same group of fish he found on a hump out in 50 ft of water.

[Mattlures]

Yes it was a trick question. The reason I asked is because the greatest angler debate was all about Tournament fisherman. Tounament guys are very versitile and all around great anglers but........... they still are only masters at catching small fish. Any of you and I could catch fish like Clunn and Rowland and any other pro. Sure we cant do it as consistantly as they can. I know I am not even close to being as good as them. But I am not impressed with a 20lb bag. I have done it many times and I am sure you guys have too. They just do it better and under pressure. But How many of you have caught a 50lb bag or several bass over 18lbs. Probably none of you or myself or any of the big name tournig pros. My point is How come none of the trophy hunters were represented in the contest. Mike Long, The late Bill Murphey, Bob Crupie are at least as good as Clun or any other pro and In my opinion.  Mike Long is FAR superior to any touring pro yet wasnt even considered for the Greatest angler. I dont have current stats but he has caught about 40 bass over 15lbs. And about 15 over 17lbs. He has hundreds over 10lbs and ownes most of the lake records down in San Diego. He is clearly the best of the best of the trophy hunters. Now just so you all know he also dominates the tournaments down here. He often fishes solo and wins team T's.

It doesnt seem right that he would would not be the winner let alone not even be in the contest.

What do you guys think?

[preach4bass]

The best fisherman today is the guy out on the water fishing, not sitting around here, like I am, fooling around on the net.

I agree with ghoti's logic 100%.  I went fishing today and caught a couple of small keepers.  That makes me the greatest fisherman today!  Sorry to toot my own horn ;D

[roadwarrior]

Well Mattlures, you may not lose the argument, but you won't win if you're talking about the "show".

Little bitty fish caught over some artificially designated time period, usually in the worst part of the day for average bankbeaters...The Classic, fish you and I wouldn't even tell anybody we caught... Going nuts over a 12 pound bag, NO! somebody went 14.7! KVD catches his all time PB, second on the tour, all time...Well, way above average, but 11-3...Come on...

Unfortunately I still shovel coal all week. When it's MY TIME, I don't need the Thrill of Victory and The Agony of Defeat...All I want to do is catch BIG fish. Your guys don't count anyhow, all they catch are GIANT BASS, they spend all their time REALLY fishing for the next World Record...How boring.

[Cajun1977]

if you catch an equal number of fish   big and small youd have to be a fool  to say it was better to catch the little ones      but if your asking would i rather  catch   5    2 pound fish or 1  10 pound fish   im still gonna go big  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Matt-What do I think?  

I think I wanna be like mike

[dink]

Amen Ghoti!  Actually the best is the grizzly bear....he fishes for survival.

[Rattlinrogue]

Big bass!

[Rattletrap]

The one who gets a consistent 5 fish limit. Now if you are comparing 5 fish limits. The bigger fish, 5 fish limit wins that one.

[5bass]

I've thought about it some more and I'll say tournament angler no doubt......isnt that why they have tournaments in the first place?To find out who the best fisherman is! ;D

[roadwarrior]

No.

It's just to find out who can catch five little bass in a short period of time. It excites the average fisherman to think they can catch little bitty bass in shallow water on BPS lures. Anybody can do it when they are just "out fishing". Those that don't fish tournaments think, "Well, I can do that." NOT!

Fishing for little bank runneres and getting lucky with a monster 3 lb bass is about all it takes to win. Sometimes it's four 12 oz bass and a 2 lber. WOW!

Sorry guys, it's a whole different mind set.

[5bass]

No.

It's just find out who can catch five little bass in a short period of time. It excites the average fisherman to think they can catch little bitty bass in shallow water on BPS lures. Anybody can do it when they are just "out fishing". Those that don't fish tournaments think, "Well, I can do that." NOT!

Fishing for little bank runneres and getting lucky with a monster 3 lb bass is about all it takes to win. Sometimes it's four 12 oz bass and a 2 lber. WOW!

Sorry guys, it's a whole different mind set.

I KNEW you'd be the first one to chime in about my last post!

Look at it this way RW,when someone is fishing a tournament and that tournament can be won with 4 dinks and a 3 pounder,(as you say),why would you even want to fish deeper water or catch bigger bass?Those 5 dinks that win the tournament arent really big enough to break my line or make a run into deep brush.......the little fish just come flyin' into the boat with no real threat of breaking off.Catching big bass in deep water during a tournament is really a waste of time.It takes the bait longer to reach the fish,you have to spend lots of time finding "the spot" and when/if you hook one,there's no guarantee that you will get it into the boat.I'd rather catch the high percentage dink,just like Shaq would rather dunk a basketball than shoot a 15 ft jumper.

As you can tell,I'm just messin' with you......

[roadwarrior]

Yeah, I know.

I lived in Denver for 17 years and was a season ticket holder for the Nuggets for 5. We drafted Motumbo, the least talented player ever to play in the NBA, but he was BIG. Like a giant redwood tree in the middle of the court. The guy averaged less than 50% on dunk shots! 10% from the field and 20% from the free throw line. When we traded the slug to Atlanta he made the All Star squad, go figure.

So, B.A.S.S. fishing and tournaments in general are the same story: Mostly show and a tiny bit of go. Heck, if all fisherman fished like I do, BPS and Cabelas would still be selling lures in the back of a hardware store.

[5bass]

Yeah, I know.

I lived in Denver for 17 years and was a season ticket holder for the Nuggets for 5.

OUCH! That had to hurt!I bet you wish you had that money back.

Bottom line....whether its big or small,a bass is a bass!

[Guest avid]

To answer Mattlures second question about why the world record hunters weren't included in the best angler debate.  Well It's simple.  ESPN BASS is all about tournament pros.  They are the ones who sell fishing tackle.  Some guy spending 12 hours a day fishing the same huge lure to catch one fish is not what put the billions in the coffers of the tackle companies.  Ray Scott and his crazy idea did that.  

Hey RW, did you take your redneck pill for this thread?   ;D

[roadwarrior]

Thank you avid...I'm done...

[Rattletrap]

My fishing partner and I caught 10 fish at 60lbs once. We were culling out 4 pounders.  5 to 9 pounders.That was a Sluggo day. When they first came out. What an awesome day that I will never forget. We never repeated that again. We released them all to fight another day.  

[Captain Cali]

To answer Mattlures second question about why the world record hunters weren't included in the best angler debate.  Well It's simple.  ESPN BASS is all about tournament pros.  They are the ones who sell fishing tackle.  Some guy spending 12 hours a day fishing the same huge lure to catch one fish is not what put the billions in the coffers of the tackle companies.  Ray Scott and his crazy idea did that.  

Hey RW, did you take your redneck pill for this thread?   ;D

While you are correct...I started bass fishing in June of 2005 because I read about Bod Crupi not because I read about KVD. I might be the exception to the rule but BIG bass excite me while little bass are fun to catch but not very exciting.

[DDbasser]

In my mind, : the best fisherman would be the guy that can go out and catch bass regardless of size, whether it's 85 degree's and sunny or 32 degree's and snowing.

The guy that can catch bass shallow and deep with a variety of lures and techniques, day in and day out!  

[earthworm77]

DD, I think your is the best response, It is based on consistency, something I always preach. I have more respect for the guys who go out there everyday and do it with consistency. Winning a tournament means nothing, especially if you are not a high dollar pro. Anyone can win on accident. Do it regularly like KVD or catch the biggest fish all the time like Long, Crupi, Arujo, Siemantel or become a legend based on what you accomplished during your life Mann, Rolaand Martin, Brewer, Westmorland. That is worthy of kudos.

And guys, don't look at this as a tournament angler vs. recreational angler. Only the top Pro's are tournament anglers, you guys who do it on weekends are still just weekend warriors like the rest of us. Having the title of tournament competitor doesn't mean you are more skilled or less skilled for that matter. It only means you compete. Nothing more.

[rocknfish9001]

I cant answer your question really, but when i am fishing with anyone, I always catch a couple less fish, but mine are usually bigger. Once i was out with my dad, who caught 1 keeper about 14", and 4 littler guys, while i caught only 3, but each was about 2-3 lbs. and from 16-17"

[Rattletrap]

ME.  

[5bass]

Winning a tournament means nothing, especially if you are not a high dollar pro. Anyone can win on accident.

Winning a tournament means nothing huh?To me it means that there were X amount of people who gathered to see who was the best on a particular day and threw down money to find out.

I'd say most guys that win a tournament whether it be a local 20 boat tournament or the Bassmasters Classic,the winner has done their fair share of homework to take the first place check.

Winning a tournament is a confidence builder and also a small step towards a bigger goal,not to mention,it looks good on a resume' when the wins pile up and you go searching for sponsors to promote yourself to them to help them sell products.....if anybody on this board could understand that premise,I figured you'd be the one.I'm surprised to hear you of all people say that winning a tournament means nothing.Come on,EW.....

[GobbleDog]

And guys, don't look at this as a tournament angler vs. recreational angler. Only the top Pro's are tournament anglers, you guys who do it on weekends are still just weekend warriors like the rest of us. Having the title of tournament competitor doesn't mean you are more skilled or less skilled for that matter. It only means you compete. Nothing more.

I'm in a local 20 boat club. I agree that it's still just weekend warrior type fishing. What I mostly get out of it is being forced to fish lakes that I would normally never go to and learning to fish different types of cover. It has certainly improved my skills.

The best thing about fishing tournaments is if you catch a 3 lber while recreational fishing, you'll say... "eh nice fish". But if you catch that 3 lber during a tournament (even a small one) and you're thinking HELL YES!!! It makes everything more exciting. Even the barely legal fish.

[Matt Fly]

The only ones that seem to care that the big trophy hunting guys got left out are the ones trying to sell swimbait.   Just my opinion.    Why did the fishermen across the US not vote for a trophy hunter?

How do you compare ones skill against another guy?   A tournament!!!!

How many swimbait chunkers could win or make the cut throwing a 9 inch swim bait, any swimbait.

Byron set a western record for large stringer throwing swimbaits,   one time!!!!

How much money has he won, how many cuts, classics,  

If these guys are that good, let them compare skills to the other anglers and lets find out who's the greatest angler.    OOOOPS, already did that, Rick Clunn won that debate.    

Catching big bass is only one facet of fishing.    Did any of these guys go catch big bass consistantly in other geographical regions?  East Coast,  Central USA.

If you want to prove yourself, go test your self, without the home field advantage.   By the way, there is no pressure when you didn't pay 3 Grand to enter that tournament, fish against the Elite Field, travel 1600 miles to fish, and had a co-boater also.

Does the greatest angler have to be a tournament fishermen?  If not, how would you decide who was the best with out some sort of tests.