Whats your favorite part of bass fishing?

[MALTESE FALCON]

So many things, but I think the best is when I set the hook and the bass shoots left or right and jumps three feet out of the water...........What a rush!!!

Falcon

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I love teaching.  

Helping someone finally hook up with a certain style bait they were having trouble with or a certain type of presentation can be gratifying when they leave the lake with a confidence they never had.

This especially applies to kids.  

Turning someone on to the sport for the first time is great.  You can tell when someone is truly "bitten" by the bug and you know you just instilled in that person the love for something as gratifying as fishing.

[cart7t]

Just about everything but I really love being on the water when dawn is breaking and the bass are hitting topwater.

I also love a good plastic worm bite.

[Sam]

The beauty of Mother Nature.

Those who do not venture onto the waters of our great country have no idea of the beauty and serenity of their surroundings.

It is wonderful to be able to have the time to go out and just look all around you when you go fishing and see the wonderment of our world.

And of course, don't forget the thrill of dumping that nice bass on the floor of your boat, too. ;D

[skillet]

 The OCD is fixin' to kick in ! Everything from joining this forum, shopping for baits, rigging up for the next day, getting up that morning, being on the lake, wondering what I did wrong to thinking FINALLY, I got it right ;D...

                                                     As Ever,

                                                      Skillet

[captaininsaneo]

Getting away from everything.  On the water its me, a rod, water and the fish.  No worries or concerns, no stress, and no WORK!

[WhiteMike1018]

Everything.

And Its even better when your "bass catching!"

What Matt said.

[sal669]

The challange : finding them and making them bite.

But that's true for every species I fish for.

Just being outdoors.

[woodpro1102]

I must say, yesterday when I took my boat out for the first time my 5" dinger landed half on and half off a pad and right at impact the water just exploded and the bass just destroyed it.  The fish was only a pound and a half but man was that awesome.  This kind of stuff keeps me going.

Alex

[Fish Man]

i love the fight from the first thump to when you see that first flash of silver or the accosional tail walk.and then there is the reward of pulling the fish that you caught up out of the water

but more importantly its all about being with nature and getting to interact with it first hand

[Redlinerobert]

Makng the perfect cast into a tight spot and being rewarded with a monster fish.  

[RiskKid.]

All of it....mostly knowing that I'm fortunate enough to have the good health to be able to go out and enjoy the outdoors and all that it entails.....then there is the anticipation of the next outing and the hope of landing that new PB.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Lots of things, but the firsts things that come to mind

1)  Being on the lake on an EARLY summer morning and watching nature "wake up" for the day.  Fog coming off the lake just adds to the effect.

2)  Getting prepared the night before

3)  The anticipation on the drive to the lake

4)  Being on the lake in the middle of the night and it's so silent it's loud.  Sounds crazy unless you have experienced it.  My fishing buddy knows what I am talking about so I know I am not completely nuts.

5)  The hunt.  Putting a pattern together.

[fourbizz]

After throwing a swimbait for 6 hours and not getting bit, getting such a solid strike that you have already set the hook before you realize you got bit, then experiencing the most exhilirating 20 seconds that you can have outside of the bedroom

[rbarkerjr]

Good idea for a thread, FiveBassLimit. I'll bet there'll be a plethora of answers to this question. If I think about it too much, it can become difficult to answer. I love it when I feel that thump as you say. I love it when the rod loads up and the fight is on as Ronnie stated. I love lipping that nice bass and admiring its beauty. And at all times, but especially when the action is slow, I love to sit back and admire the beauty of the outdoors. There's nothing like losing yourself on a big lake and catching bass.

I couldn't agree more. There's nothing like getting lost out there. 8-)

[jomatty]

hmm a few things come to mind...

when im fishing a frog in some really mucky stuff and all of a sudden i see the muck do a V from about 5 feet away and then just explode on it.

when my son hooks up with something decent (hes 4) it is always exciting

when im having a very tough day and then figure something out that puts some nice fish in the boat it is always a great feeling.

matt

[RecMar8541]

I think for me its the Friendships you build.  I love the morning breakfast table before the tournament.  The companionship.  sipping coffee and talkin poop about the butt kickin your about to deliver (whether you do or not).  Then its the convoy to the lake, still dark outside.  Saddling up at the ramp and the sun is just breaking.  You can barely see, but you can smell the boats engines.  Then the green flag and its game on.  For me if I do well and fish are caught its icing on the cake, if not, its still heaven.....

Recon

[Mobydick]

Everything is the best about fishing. Being on a quiet lake a daybreak with the fog lifting. Gobblers gobbling on the nearby moutain. Flipping a jig into the weeds, then your drag starts going zing zing zing zing zing. The anticipation. I know what you mean KU_Bassmaster, about being on the lake in the middle of the night, it's awesome. The sound of a Jitterbug in the complete darkness, then a big THWOMP. I think bass fishing is the funnest and most relaxing sport. And it is rewarding.

[roadwarrior]

I like the strike, loading your rod and knowing you have a big fish.

I like to have the fish, particularly smallmouth, coming up and out of the water.

But what really trips my trigger is having a big 'ole brown fish strip off about fifty yards of line against drag!

[Vyron]

I like the strike, loading your rod and knowing you have a big fish.

EXACTLY!!!!

[Bankbeater]

Forgetting everything and just thinking about that lunker out there waiting for my bait.

[Guest avid]

Nothing eases my mind better than Bass fishing.

No matter what is troubling me on any given day, put me out on the water, and the cares melt away.

After that I like achieving my goal for that day.

Sometimes, especially on particularly balmy days, I just want to get out, catch a couple and enjoy the day.

Other days I want to catch them on a particular bait.

Others. I really target bigger fish,

and so it goes.

2.  Peeing off the side of the boat.      

Standing up Mike ?  

[RoLo]

First, I tip-my-hat to Fivebasslimit for launching a great thread!

I have to tell you fellows, reading through the replies to this thread was very fulfilling.

It's plain to see that the members of our forum have their hearts in the right place,

and have a true love of Mother Nature, the outdoors, the quarry and the all best parts of bass fishing.

Anything I might've added has already been said, so instead, I think I'll just read over the replies once more 8-)

Roger

[Matt Fly]

Mother Nature has away of restoring the Soul, and the pursuit of bass is icing on the Cake.

Hookem

Matt

[captbob]

I believe there was a time, long before KFC and Shimano when our ancestors relished a rabbit on Monday and some bass on Tuesday to sustain them and family. Now to cook wild caught fish over a campfire, miles from civilization brings a realization that man does not rule nature but is mearly a participant. This is the only way I'll eat a bass, but prefer trout. Everyone must experience this reflective solitude of nature.

Now to catch a Bass, even within the sound of the train whistle, briefly triggers an awakening of this primordial gene, and as I slip him into the waters to await "the next round" I whisper, "Thanks for the memories. CB