Do You Think Catching a Big Bass is Luck?

[Paul Roberts]

I'll be watching this thread with a lot of interest - our club always has a "Big Bass" pool (optional) at our club tournaments - it has always been my argument that this is "just one lucky cast" - but you would be surprised at the number of guys who swear they "only fish for big bass". BTW, we also have a "calcutta pool" (i.e big stringer) that pays out 1st, 2nd and 3rd place - average payout for 1st place $35 - average payout for big bass $60 - $70 - doesn't make sense to me, that's why I never get in.

Curious:

Who wins the big bass pool? Anyone in your tournaments win the big bass pool regularly? Are the guys that tend to bring in the most consistent catches the ones who also tend to bring in the big bass? Or are big bass catches random?

[Paul Roberts]

FishChris wrote:

stack all of the odds as high as you possibly can, in your own favor

ditto.

But we can only control so much of that. The rest is "luck", or whatever you call it.

[Tin]

Things happen for a reason.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

luck is being at the right place at the right time after that it takes skill ,knowledge and determination

[WRB]

I'll be watching this thread with a lot of interest - our club always has a "Big Bass" pool (optional) at our club tournaments - it has always been my argument that this is "just one lucky cast" - but you would be surprised at the number of guys who swear they "only fish for big bass". BTW, we also have a "calcutta pool" (i.e big stringer) that pays out 1st, 2nd and 3rd place - average payout for 1st place $35 - average payout for big bass $60 - $70 - doesn't make sense to me, that's why I never get in.

Curious:

Who wins the big bass pool? Anyone in your tournaments win the big bass pool regularly? Are the guys that tend to bring in the most consistent catches the ones who also tend to bring in the big bass? Or are big bass catches random?

The anglers or teams that win most tournaments also catch one of the top big bass. The reason is they know where the larger size bass over 4 lbs tend to locate and it's all about location and presentation, not luck.

The adage that is is better to be lucky than unlucky is true. The best scenario is to good and lucky; meaning skilled at big bass fishing and having good luck.

Staying focused on all the little details and keeping in the right frame of mind tends to create good luck. Knowing where to fish and when requires a lot of time on the water and time dedicated to the sport of big bass fishing to be consistent at catching them. Contrary to the common belief that big bass locate at the same places smaller do is simply not true. That doesn't mean that an occasional big bass will mix with smaller bass, they do during the spawn and at other random times. Hoping to catch a big bass when fishing for average size fish is a very long shot at best.

You must fish for big bass to catch them consistently; at the right location, at the right time, with the right lure or bait.

WRB

[Blue Streak]

A young lady was on a local lake with her boy friend, while he fished for crappies she sunned herself because she hated to fish. He talked into throwing a bobber and minnow near a brush pile and she caught a 10 pound largemouth. It was her first and last fish, she handed him the rod and said "that's it I am done, I still don't like to fish". That bass is the record for that lake, the previous record was about 8 1/2 pounds. This lake has been pounded for years by many good anglers looking for a big bass.

Nothing but dumb luck here.

[done]

I would say both. It takes skill, experience, and knowledge to get to the spots that have the highest probability of holding a good sized Bass. It takes a bit of luck that the biggun will be there that day, at that time, and want to bite. You can go to the same place same time of day, same conditions, and have different numbers and sizes of fish there each time.

It takes a mix of skill and luck to use the correct bait. Skill and experience enable an angler to determine the most likely colors and type based on the water clarity, time of day, depth, etc and to ADJUST when it does not work out. How many of us though have caught fish like gangbusters on days or in conditions when experience has taught us that it should not work?

It takes skill and experience to develop the right presentation for your baits, in specific conditions. An angler can entice even a stubborn Bass to bite in many cases but not all.

Once you set the hook, to get the fish in, is pure skill. Setting your equipment the right way, keeping the lines tight, getting them into the boat, etc.

IMO, it is still a game of odds but skill and experience give you MUCH better odds.

[Shad_Master]

Paul Roberts and WRB - this is why I was really interested in this topic - the guys who consistently win the big stringer do not necessarily always catch the big bass - it is more random.

I guess to put it into perspective for me would be in a head-to-head situation - - two guys in the boat, fishig the same stretch of bank or the same brush pile - both fill their limits with keepers, but one guy has the big bass of the tournament - does that make him the better fisherman or just lucky?

[Paul Roberts]

Paul Roberts and WRB - this is why I was really interested in this topic - the guys who consistently win the big stringer do not necessarily always catch the big bass - it is more random.

I guess to put it into perspective for me would be in a head-to-head situation - - two guys in the boat, fishig the same stretch of bank or the same brush pile - both fill their limits with keepers, but one guy has the big bass of the tournament - does that make him the better fisherman or just lucky?

Depends on the fisherman I would like to think. But I would guess usually it's luck. One cannot depend on, within a given 8hr stretch, to catch a bass of unique size. Ask any BIG bass chaser here and they'll say fishing tournaments and fishing for BIG bass (unique specimens) are different games.

Tin wrote:

Things happen for a reason.

Ditto. If you can figure out the reasons, even predict them to a certain point, skill (knowledge) begins to play a larger role. Luck may still play an equal role: but instead of one limit or one Xlber (pick your number) you might end up 5. 8-)

[Big-O]

Luck plays a role in everything we do and I am lucky to be alive.....

I am no authority on big fish, but I do have some opinions... ;D I also believe that there is no single key but several points to consider to consistantly catch larger than normal fish regardless of species, as well as information and experiences to learn from.

Only fish lakes or bodies of water that are known to have big fish....pay attention to little things in big water....if it's extremely hard to find, better chance others haven't found it....study the most popular maps and electronic chips then go to the lake and find everything that they don't show......once you find them, learn the sweet spots and angles to fish depending on wind directions and speed......manage them by not fishing each location too often and always release every fish immediately where caught......

Fish the most when and where others fish the least, allow no one to see you and tell no one......understand your fish to know what they will bite and when......study and learn to use peak times and moon phases......Big fish seem to prefer bigger slow moving baits......stay away from the bank and go for broke......Be happy to leave small fish in your wake......Avoid spoiling the spot with approach and exit noise, sneak in and sneak out......study seasonal patterns of bass and bait fish in your area lakes and locate prime secret locations in each part of the lake depending on the season......

Always fish with your best gear and make sure it is in top condition......learn to fizz......avoid Carolina rigging with smaller than 4/0 hooks and stay alert to avoid deep hooks......never cut the line and leave the hook in the gut, learn proper hook removal techniques......like farming livestock, treat them as a resource and not as a foe to conquer......Be patient, don't stress about not catching many or any fish, big fish and small fish don't normally run together and there are many, many more small fish than big ones......Consider yourself blessed if you catch one......don't mess it up by disregarding any of the above mentioned.  

There are other comments and ideas I think are important but they are even more Anal than the ones I noted here.... ;D  

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Catt]

The record books of every state are filled with anglers who by luck caught giant fish of every species; so much so I would not hesitate to say more than experienced anglers.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Best definition I've ever for "luck" was....

"Luck is when opportunity meets preparation"

[Shad_Master]

I think if I was going to summarize what I have learned from reading this discussion it woud be:

"Skill catches the bass - luck catches the bigguns"

[90x]

Luck does not exist in my eyes. You either place the bait and work it correctly and get bit, or your casting all over with no technique whats so ever and not landing any fish. The better you become at reading the water and fish as well as mastering the bait you are using, you will catch big bass. Also, knowing where the big ones are and matching the bait to them, you will catch them.

I do also believe in karma. The universe will eventually reward you for your fishing. If you treat nature with respect, the big one will find you.

[avid]

It can be.

If your fishing a lake that has big fish it in you can "luck" into a big bass.  Not because you knew anything.

Then again to consistently catch big fish is a skill.  A really excellent skill too I might add.  

[mrlitetackle]

well, i didnt read all the responses....

but here's my take on it........

yes.... if you are not specifically targeting them as you said, then sure its luck.....

now if im hunting for them, then no.......

consistantly catching high numbers of fish is not luck, but catching one large one.....unassumingly, probably is.

but most all of us in here have a good grasp on the sport, so we may not consider ours to be "luck".........

but some newb fishing a spinner upsidedown with a bobber and a rubber worm....... well, i think we all know the answer to that one

[FD.]

I think that fishing in general is luck...skill, practice, preparation only increases your chances.   There are days that you go out and catch only small one or get skunked.  Does that mean you no longer have any skill?  No, just unlucky that day.

[CRFisher]

Luck has a part in it.  The more time, effort, skill, and money put into fishing, luck starts having a lot less to do with it.

[Nitro 882]

Back in the late 60's, my new bride and I went to Bull Shoals Lake for a few days of bass fishin'. I asked the old gent who ran the General Store/Bait Shop about how the fishing was and he showed me some photos of an 8# 13oz. bass that had been caught the week prior by some guy who claimed it was the first bass he had ever caught.

I said "man, how lucky can you get." The old man pointed out that it was the worst thing that could have happened to the new bass addict as it was likely that he would fish the rest of his life and never catch another near that size.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I think if I was going to summarize what I have learned from reading this discussion it woud be:

"Skill catches the bass - luck catches the bigguns"

I'd class it completely the opposite.  Luck (odds) catches bass, skill catches bigguns

[ArcticCat500]

I think if I was going to summarize what I have learned from reading this discussion it woud be:

"Skill catches the bass - luck catches the bigguns"

I'd class it completely the opposite. Luck (odds) catches bass, skill catches bigguns

I agree with LBH on this 100%. I had the pleasure to fish with him a short time ago, same boat, same conditions. And he SLAMMED the Big Bass, and not just one. While I caught fish, they were nowhere near the size.  

[bass wrangler569]

I think that fishing in general is luck...skill, practice, preparation only increases your chances. There are days that you go out and catch only small one or get skunked. Does that mean you no longer have any skill? No, just unlucky that day.

It doesn't mean you don't have any skill, it means you didn't have enough skill to adapt to the tougher conditions. Getting skunked doesn't have much to do with luck IMO.

I personally think that when you first start out fishing, most of the bigger bass you catch are by luck, as you get better, it has a lot less to do with a luck and a lot more to do with skill and knowledge. Like others said, catching one big bass may be luck, catching big bass consistently is skill.

[WRB]

When you consider the number of big bass fishermen verses the number of bass fishermen who fish to catch keeper size bass, the % of trophy bass fishermen is tiny, less than 1%. The odds of a weekend fishermen to luck into a record bass is very good. The odds of that same fishermen ever catching another big bass is very small, let alone anything approaching a record.

Arguably the best trophy bass fishermen today is Mike Long, if you consider his outstanding record of giant bass. Doug Hannon's record of 300 bass over 10 lbs;, then Hannon is certainly a very lucky bass fishermen. If you consider my top 5 bass and several hundred over 10 lbs, then I'm also a very lucky bass fishermen and I agree; we are all lucky to have had the opportunity to catch these rare bass.

WRB

PS; edited "if" from DH sentence.

[Eddie Munster]

It can be.

If your fishing a lake that has big fish it in you can "luck" into a big bass. Not because you knew anything.

Then again to consistently catch big fish is a skill. A really excellent skill too I might add.

Well put Avid.

My PB was luck. No doubt about it. I was fishing and my boat (9' Pond Prowler) started leaking. I pull it up the ramp to let it drain and figure I'll cast a couple near the shore by the dam. I just happened to see a swirl near further down the shore and threw a plastic worm there. She barely twitched the line but I got a good hookset and got her in. What started out looking like bad luck (boat leak) turned out to be good luck being in the right place at the right time with the right bait.

[Muddy]

I am with you Avid. If they ain't there, you can't catch em. I don't fish for size or competition, it is not why I love this sport.

Fourbizzle,Fish Chris are at that game, and while I enjoy reading their posts and respect their niche, it is not why I fish.

I fish to spend time with my closest friends and escape the pressures and competition of daily life in the business world.

The feeling I get from fishing, has not changed much from the time I was a kid, chasing Snapper Blues, with spearing and bluegills with night crawlers.

If I catch a 10 lbr, it would be a miracle, never mind luck

 I do not attach any status to the size of fish caught for me it is how a man acts in his community and family that counts. Fishing is my sport and escape, it is not how I define myself.