What has made us all better bass fishermen?

[Blue Streak]

Over the years there have been some great innovations that have had a serious impact on bass fishing. Here is my list I am sure you all will have some to add.

The electric motor

Sonar/Lowrance's Little Green Box

Free spool casting reels

Rod technology

Line technology

Soft plastic baits/Creme Scoundrel and the improvements over the years

Improvements in hard baits/crankbaits and such

Bass boats

Tournaments

Magazines

TV

The internet.

Electric motors. When I started fishing they were not readily available and we used oars that were padded to stop the noise. This one would have to be my top pick.

Sonar no doubt this has really helped us find some great hot spots and to learn more about our waters

Free spool casting reels a big advance, if you ever used one that wasn't you know what I mean.

Rod technology no doubt what we have today are a big improvement over what was available 40 years ago.

Line technology again we have come very far since the original Stren

Soft plastics no doubt about it , these have made me a better fisherman and the selection today is awesome.

Improvements in hard baits I am not so sure about this one, some of those old baits were outstanding.

Bass boats definitely, after fishing for years in vee bottom aluminum boats they are pretty dog gone nice.

Tournaments I am not a big fan of tournaments although I did fish many years ago. But I think there has been a lot of information exchanged and it seems it speeded up the advancements in fishing tackle.

Magazines we came from Field and Stream and Outdoor Life that may contain only one article per issue about bass fishing to publications that are loaded with information from cover to cover. I give them a big thumbs up.

TV you bet. Years ago we had one fishing show which was Gaddabout Gaddis. Today we have several excellent programs and I learn volumes from them.

The internet. Another big thumbs up. What a great place to learn about fishing tackle and techniques from fisherman who know what they are talking about and are willing to share. But beware, there are a lot of phonies that will make a comment about something they don't know a thing about just to be ornery and too many testimonies about products just to promote them without substantial proof it's all about sales.

 OK there is my list and why I think they were big events, let's hear what you all think.

[TRYTOFISH]

Money!

[T-Bone]

Definitely the internet, and this website. ;D

[Bad to da Bass]

I would have to say the internet also.

8-)

[Blue Streak]

Money!

Good point. None of that is free for sure.

[Sam]

Pros willing to share their secrets and information.

Excellent DVD and video productions as learning tools.

Outstanding written publications to help us understand the bass and how to fish for them.

Just to add to Blue Streak's excellent list.  

[BassnMan Mike]

I would have to say that the one thing that has made me a better bass fisherman is the insane amount of time I am able to spend on the water. The more I go, the more I learn.

[Stringjam]

The biggest leap in my bass fishing knowledge came from reading books and publications - - - this was before the internet age. It took a lot longer to learn or get confidence in techniques, because you really had to figure out a lot of stuff for yourself.

I believe the internet has been the biggest advance in the transfer of knowledge - - - not just in fishing, but in everything. Now you don't have to rely on just reading something that an outdoor writer layed down, you can talk on a daily basis to guys who are experts in almost every field. You can ask specific questions to help you out that might have taken you a LONG time to figure out for yourself (back in the dark ages).

That's righteous!

I also believe one of the most important boosters of my own catch rate on my home waters was (and still is) paying close attention to local tournament anglers.

The old publications and books were great for general knowledge base, but when it came down to being consistent and learning patterns on my HOME WATERS, I think this might have helped me the most.

[Jeff H]

What gave me the biggest jump was the teachings of Buck Perry, introduced to me by a guy named Roger Betts.  I cannot thank Roger enough for sending me down this path.... and Buck for creating it.  Without that foundation to build upon, everything else wouldn't have mattered.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

www.BassResource.com

[=Matt 5.0=]

Making new friends and fishing with them.

[hawgchaser]

The sonar technology has taken fishing to a new level.

I can honestly say that rod/reels have become more comfortable but have in no way made me a better fisherman or helped me catch any more fish. I like new equipment but rod/reels are very overrated IMO.

[eyedabassman]

I would say time spent on the water. Money,Magazines,ect. OH and just getting older and Smarter!

[Fish MD]

Fishing with as many different people as I can.  I've taken complete stragers on my boat with me and learned stuff.  I guess that can be lumped into time on the water but everyone does something different so I feel it's the people not always the time.  The possibilities are endless with an open mind.

[OK Bass Hunter]

www.bassresource.com especially the forums. Went from using only spinning tackle to doing quite well with bait-casting tackle in one season because of this place.

More time spent fishing

Better fishing Buddies

The Internet, Versus and Outdoor Channel

2 Private ponds to experiment on, nothing better than to be able to walk the ponds alone no matter what time of day or year without having to worry about anyone else out there but me.The ponds on are on my buddy's property but I'm the only one who fishes them.

Money helps too.

[BASS fisherman]

1- This site

2-Experience on the water.  

[swilly78]

Mentoring programs and the "Take a kid fishing" days.  This sport would be nothing without keeping interest going throughout the generations.

[Blue Streak]

A lot of interesting comments here, I always wondered how people would answer that question whether they have been fishing 6 months or sixty years.

  Is there anyone else on here that fished that period before electric motors or free spool reels and when Stren was about the only monofilament you could buy, or am I just the oldest guy on here? :-/

[Muddy]

Three things for me

1.The info shared here

2, Sharing this ,especially with the recipients in our giveaway

3. MOST IMPORTANTLY; THE NEXT CAST

time on the water... paying attention to the lessons learned with each cast

[Catt]

I think the single most important factors that have made me a better angler were as follows:

Night fishing during the new moon; I was introduce to night fishing in 1973 and have continued until the present. These years of having limited or no visibility has heightened my awareness of what is taking place below the surface. This heightened awareness has made me better at fishing deep water where feeling the bite is harder than finding structure.  

"Take nothing for granted," Buck states flatly. "Never assume bass are shallow, because they may be deep. Never believe they will hit a fast-moving lure, not a slow one. You've got to work an entire structure from shallow to deep with lures that touch bottom [but do not gouge trenches in it], and at different speeds, to be certain the place has been completely checked. If no fish are found, move on to the next good-looking structure and repeat the process. By checking two or three or more structures in this manner throughout a fishing day it's a good bet an angler sooner or later will hit a school of active, feeding bass. When that happens, you can fill your limit fast, and you gotta work quickly, because a school won't stay on a break or breakline long. Elwood L. " Buck" Perry

The sooner you accept what is stated in that paragraph as gospel the sooner your catch ratio will increase 10 fold.

Finally a simple statement made over a cup of coffee by Tommy Martin For every bass you catch on the bank there are 5 behind you.

[FordNFishinLover]

Definitely the internet, and this website. ;D

AGREED!

[hjerk24]

Shaw Grigsby. Met him at a Bassmaster University, and it changed my life, which in turn, changed my fishing. Also, Being around good guys who love to fish, and share what they have learned over the years. Lastly, as guys always say, "time on the water". Can't forget---My wife, who allows me to follow my passion, and supports me in the occasional tournaments that I do  fish. Kinda sappy...I know, but that's my story.

[LCpointerKILLA]

SALT IMPREGNATED

[FD.]

High speed internet and this site.

[Bassn Blvd]

I would have to say that the one thing that has made me a better bass fisherman is the insane amount of time I am able to spend on the water. The more I go, the more I learn.

x2