If you could start over...

[big_bass76]

If you could go back in time to when you first started to learn how to bass fish, with the knowledge you have today, how would you do it?

Would you learn one technique at a time, not starting a new one until you had mastered the first one?  Would you learn several at once?  What technique would you learn first:  jigging, jerkbaits, plastics, topwater, crankbaits, etc.?

The reason for my question is I am just getting into bass fishing, I've spent the winter reading every bass fishing book, magazine and website I can get my eyes on, I've watch countless hours of DVD's and videos.  So I am looking for suggestions, everyone always says, "if I could only go back, knowing what I know now..."  So tell me what suggestions do you have, what would you do different?

[Rob.Atl]

I would say to learn one thing at a time until u feel comfortable with your skills with that particular item.

I would pick jigs and pigs or soft plastics to start with and just get really in touch with your skills with those

O and btw good casting never could hurt  

[FR0G]

I would buy good gear first off instead of starting with cheap stuff.

[BassinAssassin171]

I just wish I had someone to guide me into the sport instead of usin live bait on the dock when I was 7 with my dad.  I wish I would have found some decent instruction rather than struggling over the years to teach myself the techniques of artificials all by me lonesome (shoulda got on the BR SOONER!)

[fatmanslim247]

I would have bought pretty much all left-handed reels... I would have taken one thing at a time, spent money on good rods.  The left handed reels thing is my current rant b/c I love them

[Rob.Atl]

I would have bought pretty much all left-handed reels... I would have taken one thing at a time, spent money on good rods. The left handed reels thing is my current rant b/c I love them

Left handed reels are made of WIN  

[sodaksker]

I second the comment about buying quality equipment, and if you are right handed and want to buy a baitcaster, get one with the reel on the left side.  That is a true right handed reel.

Don't go hawg wild on buying 800 different baits.  Only buy ones that you see recommended(multiple times) on this site.  

As for fishing techniques, I can't theorize that it would make a difference learning one technique b4 another but, one of the best things I think I have learned from this site applies to almost every technique out there......and that is.......When fishing said bait(crank,jig,worm,spinnerbait, whatever bait), learn how that bait feels, when it hits the bottom ,rocks, wood ,weeds or whatever structure is on your lake, and when it feels different, that usually means fish, and it can also help you to not set the hook on a log or other snag.

Knowing how your bait feels will help you detect subtle strikes.  This is probably one of the biggest things I focus on.

Happy learning and enjoy the process, I find it to be a fun part of the experience.

[big_bass76]

Last fall, when I decided I needed another hobby, my brother-in-law gave me to pieces of advice - 1.  You get what you pay for when it comes to your equipment, so buy good stuff and 2.  don't go crazy when you are buying tackle and lures.

I can say I took his advice on the first point and bought good quality rods, reels, lines, etc.  However, I didn't take his advice on the second point and now have the tackle and lure collection of a small bait store in my basement

Thanks for all the feedback so far and I look forward to getting more feedback.

[Bassnbrett101]

I just wish I had someone to guide me into the sport instead of usin live bait on the dock when I was 7 with my dad. I wish I would have found some decent instruction rather than struggling over the years to teach myself the techniques of artificials all by me lonesome (shoulda got on the BR SOONER!)

I started off all by myself too and I think it worked out the best for me.  I would see techniques in BASSMASTER and then go try them out at the local ponds.  Granted I didn't get outside instruction til I was 15 and joined my local BASS Federation club.  By then I knew what the guys were talking about and generally how to use it, it just seemed to work out.

But I started out with a $20 baitcasting outfit from gander mountain, so pretty much anything you can buy is better than that lol.  Too bad that rod and reel combo is broken, I'd like to have it now  

[jrhennecke]

I would have fished more of a variety of water.  I started seriously fishing in the California Delta and up until a couple years ago did I start fishing lakes.  

[Catt]

I wouldn't change a thing

1965: Spend the entire summer working on my uncle's charter fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico and learned how to locate/read deep water structure.

1972: Started bass fishing seriously on Toledo Bend at my father-in-law's camp on White's Point in the mouth of Lowe's Creek.

1973: I was introduced to night fishing 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.

1974: Joined two bass clubs whose members included John Torian, John Hall, John Dean, Villis P "Bo" Dowden SR, Harold Allen, Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin, & Zell Roland all guides at Toledo Bend's Pendleton Harbor Marina.

1976: Attended a seminar in Houston Texas that totally changed my outlook on bass fishing. The man putting on that seminar was Elwood L. " Buck" Perry, not only did I buy his books but I became a devout student of his teachings. I took what Buck taught about deep structure fishing and applied it to Toledo Bend. Not only did the quantity of bass I caught go up but so did quality.

[ba7ss3in]

Only thing that I would change would be spending money on useless fishing lures. Oh, and I would have bought a house with a bigger garage.

[dworshakbass]

I would say if I was to start over I would keep a jornal or fishing log of every fishing trip u went on as years pass u can look back and u will learn from pass fishing trip which will help with current trips also don't get caught up in to many articles there just opions from other fishing get out on the water and learn what works best for u.

[roadwarrior]

These should help:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1182371999

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1196114229

8-)

[flechero]

If I could start over, I'd do most of it the same way...  the 4 changes I would make would be:

1.  learning the t-rig in the beginning

2.  put $ away EVERY paycheck towards a boat fund... even when I had a boat so the next boat would be funded (stress-free and debt free))

3.  I would have night fished from the start

4.  I would never have fished w/o a scale and camera!

[Raul]

If you could go back in time to when you first started to learn how to bass fish, with the knowledge you have today, how would you do it?

I would start buy purchasing the rods and reels I have now instead working up my way up the ladder spending hundreds of dollars in gear I have already gotten rid of.

I would not have purchased all the tackle I own now.

[eastkybass]

I would not have gotten rid of my Bass boat a few years ago.  

I would have learned more techniques than just throwing a t-rigged worm for so many years.

[MaxDal]

I would have got my first Senko way sooner.

I would have put all those not-so-well spent-on-useless-fishing-tackle dollars on a bank account or in equities, and I guess that would make for a pretty boat by now.