Do You Think Catching a Big Bass is Luck?

[paul.]

tommy and george - to some degree, i agree with what y'all are saying about luck.  but by the same token, here is a question for y'all.  both you have caught a ton of giant bass.  much more than most of us ever will.  definitely more than i ever will.  if this is luck, how can luck be so partial to y'all?  do y'all lead charmed lives or something?  both of y'all have to be the luckiest guys i've ever known.  since y'all are this lucky, PLEASE tell me a winning lottery ticket number so i can quit work and come and fish with y'all.

and tommy i agree that big bass out-compete their counterparts to get big.  but they also out-compete all the anglers who are looking to put a skin mount above their fireplace or a bass fillet in their belly.  does this make big bass smarter or dumber?  maybe it just makes them "luckier". ;D

[Catt]

Paul when you catch a big bass do you actually believe it was because you are so skilled that you figured out every possible intangible involved correctly?

[paul.]

Paul when you catch a big bass do you actually believe it was because you are so skilled that you figured out every possible intangible involved correctly?

nope.  where are you coming up with this?  i never said luck was not involved.  it's a variable in the equation, but it's definitely not the whole equation.  

tommy when you catch a big bass, do you actually believe it's because the planets happened to align perfectly that day?

[Mattlures]

I disagree with Catt and George. I dont think its simple or easy. Yes to catch small bass it is and thats why anybody can catch them. Big bass might as well be a different species. Yes they outcompete their smaller kin but they make far fewer mistakes. I would lave for anybody who claims bass are dumb and predictable and easy to come to socal and catch these big bass. Ha ha they would come away with a new perspectice. Thesxe fish have all been caught numerious times and they have LEARNED. Maybe a big ol bass in a non pressured area can be simple or easy but that is not the case out here. Catt you asked Paul if he thinks he has figured out all the intangables? You dont have to. You just need to figure out some of them and dont do anything to screw it up while your fishing for them. You can totaly understand your quarry but make a bad cast and put the fish on alert.

[Catt]

Well Paul how does me believing luck plays a part in fishing equate to the above response?

And yes Matt I understand California bass are smarter than any Cajun

[Mattlures]

Catt I am not saying the bass here are smarter. I believe conditions dictate how easy or difficult they are to catch. When you have deep clear water that is heavily pressured then the fish are naturaly more difficult to catch. Add in that our lakes are tiny comparred to most other lakes and now these fish see lures every single day the lake is open. Catch and release is the norm so these fish have all been caught numerous times. They get harder to catch. They simply make fewer mistakes. Anywhere that has conditions like these will have similar results. The fish arent smarter, they have more negative experiance.

Out here the bigger the lake the easier it is to catch fish especialy the small ones. The small lakes have a few monsters but man, they dont screw up often.

[Mattlures]

I will use Dottie as an example. Dixon is open every day. For 5 years people threw eveything at here. The lake is less then 100 acres. she was only caught durring spawning and the last time she wasnt even caught, she was snagged. She learned, addapted,became more aware of danger etc.. Now put that same fish in a lake that has never been fished and she would have been stupid and easy

[Tanker4lyfe]

mattlure,

i miss dottie and hey man come get me seriously people are way to hyped over here in texas about big bass. but man So Cal would blow texas away i miss places like barret, san vicente, casitas

[Muddy]

My life is complete now

[Catt]

Dear God, please put your arms around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.

[paul.]

well, not being familiar with texas or cali, i can't really say which would be a better place to fish. either way, next time y'all go make sure you carry a rabbit's foot in one pocket and a horseshoe in the other.

and we can stop all this posting about cover, structure, peak times, seasonal patterns, bait choice, and all that nonsense. here's all you need to know right here. :

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/643297/27_popular_good_luck_charms_and_symbols.html

[WRB]

Lucky Japanese angler just caught a new world record LMB; 22.31 lbs (10.12Kg), 29.4" long, lake Biwa, Japan.

[Tanker4lyfe]

must have been lucky

[paul.]

wow wrb!!! at first i thought you were just having a little fun with us. then i found this:

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/bass-club/150107-news-flash-world-record-largemouth-contender.html

you broke the story. please tell us what you know. if this is for real, this is HUGE news!

[Tanker4lyfe]

cant wait to see how people start bashing this guys catch. great job for him hope it stands. it would be great for the world of bassing could you imagine multi national federations and such

[Jaric]

That thing is ginourmous.

I can't imagine pulling a monster like that out of a lake.

[WRB]

Paul, this is the same guy who caught a 18lb from the same lake last year. There was some question about trespassing when the 18 was caught? He will need all his luck to get this bass listed by IGFA as a co record and pass Ray Scott's influence with the IGFA. So far it looks legit.

Tom

[bigbill]

First "luck" is at the casino or finding money on the sidewalk thats luck.

The better fisherman you are, its the more skilled you are its all being educated, practicing and honing your fishing skills.

I posted this many years ago on this very website;

Its not luck in fishing its skill!!!!

Now about cahtching BIG bass thats another story. I believe we have big bass all across our country. Your just not fishing for them at the right times and using the right baits(lures) to catch them.

I have caught up to 10lb bass but i have even seen larger fish that just seem to swim by. I pulled out a 6lb1oz large mouth once which was tearing up the lilly pads on the surface chasing the baitfish. She was working the pads for a few mornings just out of my reach from shore. She finally got close were i could cast past her and she missed the first pass but turned and hit it again when i stopped my topwater bait. I had her in my hand when i seem the lillies still being torn up by another big bass. My point is there are probably more than one big bass in most smaller ponds. You need to put your time in and fish every day or chance you get. I like to fish the wee hours of the morning just before day break and i will fish from 3:30am until around 8 or 9am. My biggest bass have been caught at sunup.(dusk) In fishing my 3 or 4 small places i have seen big bass in all of them, this leads me to believe we have bigger bass in every place but were not catching them. Its all about what time your fishing and how you fish plus the baits your using.

Remember being stealthy is the key to hooking into big bass. Handle your tacklebox and rods very quietly. Any sounds will spook big bass. Even a coff to clear your throat will spook them too have have done this and watched a big wake swim away from me in the shallows.

Never talk !!!!!! Be very quiet!!!! Don't step on rocks while walking to the waters edge. There like microphones and send your step thumps into the waters edge.

The key thing is stealth so the fish don't know you are there. Once you aquire this stealth and practice it your success will happen sooner or later just keep going. 8-)  Focus on your presentation too.  Never think about anything else while fishing just focus on your fishing.

Its all about having the skill and that leads to success just stay focused :

You can achieve anything in life if your willing to put your time in and work for it.  Nothing is a given nor free.  You can set your goals and go for it!!!!!!!!!!! 8-)

[WRB]

Paul, this is the same guy who caught a 18lb from the same lake last year. There was some question about trespassing when the 18 was caught? He will need all his luck to get this bass listed by IGFA as a co record and pass Ray Scott's influence with the IGFA. So far it looks legit.

Tom

This is the Ray Scott reference that caused a negative reaction.

The IGFA doesn't require a lie detector test for authenticating a world record catch. Ray Scott has published that he will not accept a new LMB record without a lie detector test.

Tom

[Muddy]

That's him, not the sanctioning body! I read what Ray said, and he was talking at a time when the Lolyds 1 mil. insurance policy " gamble" was in effect. If I am wrong correct me, that is no longer in Lloyds portfolio.

 Mr.Sott and some others involved with BASS, had put a 1 mil bounty head on the record, backed by Lloyds. This has since disappeared. This quote from Mr.Scott , comes from an outdated article that was covered by , Sport's Afield,Outdoor Life,BASSS magazine and maybe ESPN. RIGHT?

This kind of insanity is why I am glad it was broken, as it will be again in the near future

[WRB]

It was Bass'N magizines big bass reward program, Scott didn't have anything to do with it. The reward got up to 8 million, before Dickerson caught Dottie, then LLyods of London dropped the insurance and the contest ended.

That program was a real circus and agree the whole world record pursuit during that period was bad for the sport. It brought out the worst in trophy bass fishing, more cheating and poaching then anyone will ever know.

I believe Ray Scott's interest was in trying to keep some integrity in the world record. We had several potential world record bass frauds; the True and Dupree bass, both reported to be 24 lb bass caught in northern Cal, for examples. The promise of money tends to bring out cheating. The Japanese are honest by nature, but there is still a lot riding on this new record and I believe Scott will insist on a lie detector test. Time will tell. The fact that the bass was a live bait fish removes the lure dealing issues.

Not all trophy bass fishermen are lairs and cheaters, most have discovered catching giant bass requires complete dedication to details, bass behavior and hundreds of 15 hour days on the water.

Tom

[Muddy]

Thanks for clearing up the accuracy, I did not know all the details, it was starting to get repulsive to me at the time.

[DOVERANGLER]

yes and no you can look at the area around a lake and see where fish should be, but you never really know what is going on under the water. the place you think there might be a big boy laying you might catch a small on or nothing and other times you could just through a crank or spinner bait in the middle looking to cover some water and get a reaction bait and theres your monster. luck plays its part as well as skill