fishizzle Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 I thought of this after reading Paul's quote recently and it got me thinking. Am I a good stick? I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him. No offense meant. Paul wrote: "i would 10-1 rather fish a lake that is pressured by 50 novices than i would one that is pressured by 25 "sticks". There are many aspects of a bass fisherman that some may qualify a bass fisherman as being good or not. When you show up at a lake, do you see others and try to figure out if they will out fish you or not, even if its not a tournament? There are some that can pound their home lake and get skunked on unfamiliar water. Some that come to mind are: -Standing up and fishing -Having a sponsor -type of boat, aluminum or fiberglass -expensive gear or lures -winning a local tournament or placing in a larger one -smack talk or just confident Obviously there is no right or wrong answer or any definite way to gauge it. I am just interested in your views on what you use as a guide to whether someone is "good or not". Of course we all love to fish and have respect for one another. Quote
Bass Dude Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 The people I think are good sticks do the following: Do they catch a 20 pound bag when everyone else is getting 15? Do they get a limit when everyone else is not? Do they always come to the dock with fish in all whether conditions?Can they catch fish on any kind of bite (ie jig bite, crank bite etc)---one trick ponies are not considered "sticks" IMO. One of my biggest criteria that you touched on...Can they do all the above in any body of water. I don't think it shows as much talent if an angler is fishing the same lake for 20 years and can only get 'em in that body of water. I think anybody on this forum can be consistant if they fish the same body of water for a long period of time. I would like to add that most of the great fisherman I know are not tournament fisherman. I don't gauge how good someone is simply by tournament results. I don't know if you were just talking bass, but another gauge I use for a true FISHERMAN is how well they do on all species. I could beat some of my friends bass fishing, but I have a couple friends that can catch anything that swims at any time. Quote
Super User Catt Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 It's the angler who can consistently catch quantities of quality bass under a variety of adverse conditions. Any body can be good on any body of water under fair conditions but let the conditions turn south and see how good you are on your home lake. Quote
EastTexasBassin Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 It's the angler who can consistently catch quantities of quality bass under a variety of adverse conditions. Any body can be good on any body of water under fair conditions but let the conditions turn south and see how good you are on your home lake. Hard to describe it any better than that. Consistent performance in a variety of conditions. I really don't care how much your boat, reels, or tackle costs or how many sponsors you have. If I can catch fish when you can't, I consider myself a better angler. Quote
fishizzle Posted February 4, 2009 Author Posted February 4, 2009 More specifically, "do you judge bass fisherman based on what you see" as to whether they are good or not Quote
Branuss04 Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 It's the angler who can consistently catch quantities of quality bass under a variety of adverse conditions. Any body can be good on any body of water under fair conditions but let the conditions turn south and see how good you are on your home lake. BINGO!!! Couldn't put it any better! More specifically, "do you judge bass fisherman based on what you see" as to whether they are good or not NO!!! There are plenty of sucky people out there driving a Ranger and throwing everything on G-Loomis/Calais Combos. But on the other end of this, there are some REALLY good sticks driving Crappy 18ft Deep V "Sea Nymph's" or 14ft john boats. I don't make any assumptions until I know them. Quote
Super User Catt Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 More specifically, "do you judge bass fisherman based on what you see" as to whether they are good or not Nope! I know some guys with $50,000 bass boats, decks covered with Shimano Calais/G. Loomis rods and wear all the high dollar tournament clothes; I also know some guys with dilapidated ole Jon boats with 9.8 Mercs, 1970s Abu Garcia/Lighting rods and wear cutoffs with tee ***. Both will whip our butts Quote
Super User Raul Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 It's the angler who can consistently catch quantities of quality bass under a variety of adverse conditions. Any body can be good on any body of water under fair conditions but let the conditions turn south and see how good you are on your home lake. X3 Quote
tallydude Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 It's the angler who can consistently catch quantities of quality bass under a variety of adverse conditions. Any body can be good on any body of water under fair conditions but let the conditions turn south and see how good you are on your home lake. x4 Quote
Super User CWB Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 Also agree with Catt. It doesn't hurt to have the expensive rig, $400.00 rod and reel outfits, $20.00 baits but it's experience and adaptability and the ability to utilize both that separate good from great. One of my Idols who has been mentioned here before is Buck Perry. He would take his 14 ft rowboat with 10 hp. motor and one rod out trolling structure and embarrass everyone else out there. That's greatness. Quote
Super User Raul Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 Gear helps but the pus is where it 's always been ---> behind the rod handle. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 How do you qualify someone as a great bass fisherman?Usually its results. But in a sense, that really only qualifies a good fisherman, with some exceptions. If they do something that advances the sport in some way, I'd bump it to "Great." Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 For me it's a guy like Fish_Chris: Big fish; a variety of species; numerous locals. The only thing that bothers me is living in California. It's kinda like cheating! Quote
paul. Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 i also view consistency and adaptability as the big keys to determine how "good" a fisherman is over the long haul. but i guess i just don't have as much of a "big picture" view of it as some of y'all do. i have always kind of gone by the philosophy that a fisherman is only as good as his last trip. all of us, regardless of our knowledge, skill, experience, or lack thereof, are sometimes good fishermen. sometimes we are just o.k. sometimes we suck. your next state record could be caught by a highly skilled and experienced guy with thousands and thousands of dollars worth of gear and sponsors. it could also be caught be an 11 year old kid with a 20 dollar combo using a nightcrawler or a minnow. perhaps this is what we call luck. or perhaps it just comes down to who was a better fisherman that day. Quote
George Welcome Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 In order to qualify someone as a great fisherman, the qualifier has to be better than those he/she qualifies. Quote
BassinBoy Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 another gauge I use for a true FISHERMAN is how well they do on all species. I could beat some of my friends bass fishing, but I have a couple friends that can catch anything that swims at any time. For a lot of guys, including me, have never even fished for other species so this doesn't come into play for a lot of anglers. Quote
Super User Muddy Posted February 4, 2009 Super User Posted February 4, 2009 Knows a few bodies and types of water and can successfully find and catch decent fish on them Passes it forward; Helping fellas that need a break and kids get into the sport "Spends more time when he has a friend in the boat, on the friend catching fish than himself When you fish with him: Keeps politics and self righteous religious stuff and the bible on shore; That's not what I am out there for Knows how to constantly learn a new trick and teach a new tricks Practices good sportmans ethics: Leaves other fisherman alone Does not litter If he takes a fish Home; it must be within the leagal bag limit and must be eaten, Quote
IdahoLunkerHunter Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 A great bass fisherman in my mind are determined by two aspects: 1. What have you done for the sport. Do you go out of your way to help those not aware and help them define and improve their tactics and strategies. If someone you know or not know by that matter is having a tough time do you go out of your way to help them out? I think someone that goes out of their way to help someone out in any matter, take a friends kid fishing, someone at the dock is having trouble catch fish, etc... 2. If you can go to any body of water and catch fish with different surroundings, strategies, and water water conditions. I think I would more lean toward the helping other people out with your knowledge is more important. Quote
Tanker4lyfe Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 I would have to say someone who has a vast knowledge of bassin not nessecarily someone who can be succesfull wherever they go. for instance im in the army and stationed in ft bliss texas and there is no good bassin around here i only have one local pond that ive managed to be succesfull in. I dont own a top dollar boat with all the gagets. but if i had a john boat and a lake map i believe i could be succesfull knowing that i understand bass transitions, seasonall patterns, habitats and so on. Now im not saying that id get there and just slam them but id feel comfortable being on a new body of water. Quote
-HAWK- Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 It's the angler who can consistently catch quantities of quality bass under a variety of adverse conditions. Any body can be good on any body of water under fair conditions but let the conditions turn south and see how good you are on your home lake. That pretty much sums it up. I cant think of a better explanation. Quote
Tucson Posted February 6, 2009 Posted February 6, 2009 If you latch onto a big bass and pass the rod over to your kid or mom to land it, you're a pretty great fisherman. Quote
Md Posted February 7, 2009 Posted February 7, 2009 In my mind, a great fisherman catches fish consistently no matter the season, weather, fishing pressure or any other conditions that may be involved. Some of us are lucky enough to fish with someone like this often, and be able to pick his brain and learn something on every trip. Quote
Super User Crestliner2008 Posted February 7, 2009 Super User Posted February 7, 2009 A great bass fisherman is that guy that you can go fishing with and have a great time doing so! You can laugh, have fun ranking on each other and catch a few bass as well. What more could you ask? Quote
Super User Muddy Posted February 7, 2009 Super User Posted February 7, 2009 A great bass fisherman is that guy that you can go fishing with and have a great time doing so! You can laugh, have fun ranking on each other and catch a few bass as well. What more could you ask? Great way of putting it! My description was of the fellas i fish with the most; Sharkbite,Zel,my buddy Steve and the other 1/2 of 2 Mooks in a Boat>>Bruce. The hours spent with these fellas are always great. I have also had the pleasure of fishing with Long Mike, and will be repeating that this Summer along with Ghoti and Risk Kid: leaving the BS on shore and enoying the day, who could ask for more! Quote
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