WOW! Bass fishing has changed!!

[hightide]

I'm new here and , wow, bass fishing has really become a science. It's been many many years since I was a die-hard freshwater fisherman and I knew the sport had changed dramatically. I need to catch up by about 45 years is all. Don't laugh, but we caught trophy largemouth back in the early 60's on Jitterbugs, Hula poppers, Dare devils and French lures. We also caught them some of the biggest lunkers you have ever seen on hotdogs, bacon. crickets, grasshoppers and dough balls. I caught them from an 8ft wood pram with the prettiest set of ash oars you have ever laid eyes on when I was a kid... and never had my picture on TV or laughed my way to the bank by catching a bass. I bought that pram when I was 10 years old from the local marina for $35 making $5 monthly payments by cutting grass. Now you have to catch them from $50,000, 60 mph, sparklie bass boats and have 10K in tackle to do any good. Do the fish know this? Well, times change, and so I. Just trying to get a grip on what works best today.

[cabullwinkle]

Welcome back to the great pasttime.  Have fun learning, I sure do.

[Busy]

I'll use the same stuff today that I did yesterday .  My family has never been into bass fishing, but I can say that the lures/flies for trout that my grandfather made decades ago still produce better than stuff in the stores.

While it's true that bass fishing has become a science, sometimes it's important to forget that.  Of course it's good to plan your outing and make the best educated predictions possible as to where the bass will be and what they will be doing, but it just doesn't always work.  I believe that is why we fish  Plans B through Z work better than plan A sometimes.

A thread got shut down earlier when a guy asked about fishing with just line and hooks.  I can understand why the thread got shut down, as this is a sportfishing web-site.  I think the bottom line is that line and hooks is really all you need to catch fish, and I would say these are must to carry with you if there is a chance you may encounter a survival situation, it could save your life.  I have seen a few bass hit bright, shiny new hooks with nothing on them! (while fishing for cat-fish and reeling in after losing the bait)

[roadwarrior]

I was an avid bass fisherman as a kid, but left if for a couple of decades

before rediscovering the sport in 1997. The most notable change has been

my attitude. When I was young, I "hoped" to catch a fish, any fish!

Today, I expect to catch bass, big ones.

Although I have tried to develop some proficiency in most techniques,

I still attribute my "rebirth" and success to the GYCB Senko. When I

discovered this bait, I started catching lots of fish and an occasional

monster. The Senko literally changed my life.

8-)

[WRB]

The lures you mentioned still work today.The french lure was more than likely a Finland lures called a original floating Rapala. The hot dogs and dough balls tend catch carp & catfish mostly.

You can bass fish from shore, form a wooden pram, aluminum rental boat or $50K bass boat, the don't seem to care.

The big difference today is the number of fishermen and women that have good fishing skills and tackle are greater than 50 years ago. Most bass fishermen today catch & release the bass, so the bass tend to be conditioned to avoid the most popular lures. The older lures work, the bass haven't been seen them, so go out and give it try.

WRB

PS; remember bass look bigger through the eyes of a 10 year old.

[SirSnookalot]

PS; remember bass look bigger through the eyes of a 10 year old.

Most 5# bass are 3 when you put them on a scale.

[senile1]

Welcome, hightide!  As others have stated you can still catch plenty of bass on lures and bait utilized in the past.  Fishing line, rods, reels, graphs, and boats improve but they don't make everything from the past obsolete.  Only the bass can do that.  

[hightide]

Those are really great replies. I think that your yesteryear and today comparison assessments are right on. I would not have traded my earlier fishing years for anything, but it looks like I might have some concessions to make now.

[cwen]

10k on tackle? I wish! I have 10 kin rods/reels alone. Heck my jerkbait box alone is worth $1000.

[bass or bass ?]

Hey hightide, I still use Jitterbugs, Hula Poppers, and Dardevl lures and catch bass with them . My boat cost me @ $6000 with all the modifications and equipment I have added, and I only own 6 rods & reels, 2 medium sized tackleboxes of gear, some for bass/striper/crappie fishing, some for channel/flathead cat fishing, and I do well with what I have.     Happy fishing.

[mrlitetackle]

bass or bass........

the saying on the back view of your boat made me lose it ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

laughed for a solid couple of minutes,

awesome.

and i as well still catch bass on my jitterbugs,

i love throwing them at dusk along the shore line.......

its good times!!!!

[GKramer]

Well done on your rig. Unfortunately, in the aptly named Golden State, they wouldn't let you put your non "new technology" engine on many waters.

As for the vintage baits, I'm finding the new generation doesn't have them, and most never heard of them. It's always a veteran who aces the history quizzes. :-/

[RoLo]

I'm new here and , wow, bass fishing has really become a science. It's been many many years since I was a die-hard freshwater fisherman and I knew the sport had changed dramatically. I need to catch up by about 45 years is all. Don't laugh, but we caught trophy largemouth back in the early 60's on Jitterbugs, Hula poppers, Dare devils and French lures. We also caught them some of the biggest lunkers you have ever seen on hotdogs, bacon. crickets, grasshoppers and dough balls. I caught them from an 8ft wood pram with the prettiest set of ash oars you have ever laid eyes on when I was a kid... and never had my picture on TV or laughed my way to the bank by catching a bass. I bought that pram when I was 10 years old from the local marina for $35 making $5 monthly payments by cutting grass. Now you have to catch them from $50,000, 60 mph, sparklie bass boats and have 10K in tackle to do any good. Do the fish know this? Well, times change, and so I. Just trying to get a grip on what works best today.

The jitterbug, mepps and johnson spoon are just as good today as they ever were.

Bass are also the same today as they ever were, but they don't have a choice...Whereas we do.

In any case, thanks for the memories 8-)

Roger

[diver_sniper]

Jitter bugs and hula poppers are absolute money baits.  I know what you're talking about, a lot of guys who started fishing more recently look at that stuff and poke fun.  But that's fine, I'd prefer they not know how well they work come tournament day anyways.  8-)

[Fishing Rhino]

Hightide, your story sounds a lot like mine.

Got into freshwater fishing as a kid with a bamboo pole, kite string, cork for a bobber, a hook, and a can of worms.  Was fishing before my age reached two numbers.  Back in the 1940s.

My equipment got "modernized" when my Mom took me to the S & H green stamp store, and she exchanged her books for a green Shakespeare WonderRod, and a Pfleuger Freespeed spinning reel in my teen years.

I started saltwater fishing in the 60s, and deserted the freshwater.  Prior to last year, the last time I wet a line in the non-salty stuff was the late 60s.

When I went shopping for gear last year I was bewildered by the infinite assortment of rods, reels and lures.

Thank goodness for the 'net.  I found an article about the fifty greatest fishing lures of all time, and started from there.

They say, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."  That's just not true.  I know old timers get set in their ways.  Had I continued fishing, who knows, I might have resisted change.

But, since I'd been away for so many years it was like starting from scratch.  I'm not afraid to try something unfamiliar, and enjoy being a mad scientist while on the water.  It's great fun being innovative.

A fellow was fishing with me yesterday.  We'd fished a few times before.  He said the first time he saw me toss my T-bone version of a wacky rig, he thought it was a joke..........until I started catching fish on it.

He didn't know me well enough at the time, but he told me yesterday, that he thought it was one of the most ridiculous things he'd seen.

While technique is still important, the modern baits are almost impossible to fish wrong.  The action is great regardless of how you fish them.

Enjoy your return from a fishing hiatus.

[Catt]

We definitely have more creature comforts

[cart7t]

The 2 most noticeable changes would probably be a whole lot more bass anglers on the water vs back then and the experience level of those anglers is higher.  It makes catching fish a little bit tougher.  

[Scorcher214]

ha ha, you don't need no stinking sparkly girly man boat. I shore fish 100% ;D

[Bass-1]

I thought the same thing back when VanDam won the classic on 3 rivers. When asked how'd he do it, his answer was his biosonic machine (something like that). He felt that helped him win by getting a few more fish to bite.  Fast forward to Alton Jones win in the classic. He credits his new Humminbird 997 sidefinder unit for the win. He found the deep cut and trees that no one else knew were there and had the spot all to himself.  Fishfinders that look down and sideways, machines to "make" fish feed, underwater cameras, bigger and faster boats, GPS, all of the newest technology makes those of us that know how to use it better fishermen, those that don't get left behind. The pro's prove that at every tournament. If you have the money to keep up with technology, you can fish for a living...  8-)

[Folshen]

I would have to agree, you don't need all that new stuff to catch fish and have a good time doing so.  I've been bass fishing for 20 years and never had my own boat until this year.  I've got a leaky 12' jon and a trolling motor.  I own three rod/reels that total well under $100 and all my tackle including the box could probably be replaced with another $200 or so.  My heaviest bass was 5.8 caught on a gray Moss Mouse and the longest was 22" caught on a yellow w/black stripes Beetle Spin.  We never go out and "knock 'em dead" but we do have a great time every time.  As for the "old baits", I don't have a Hula Popper but I do have a Jitter Mouse that put two fish in the boat Wednesday night including one on the very first cast.

[Marshfisher]

Nothing changed, the fish are still the same fish. Technology and a huge amount of equipment that catches more of us than fish, is what's changed.

[DINK WHISPERER]

ANGLERS CHANGED, NOT THE FISHING IMO................................

[dodgeguy]

I was an avid bass fisherman as a kid, but left if for a couple of decades

before rediscovering the sport in 1997. The most notable change has been

my attitude. When I was young, I "hoped" to catch a fish, any fish!

Today, I expect to catch bass, big ones.

Although I have tried to develop some proficiency in most techniques,

I still attribute my "rebirth" and success to the GYCB Senko. When I

discovered this bait, I started catching lots of fish and an occasional

monster. The Senko literally changed my life.

8-)

don't admit that on some other websites!!! ;D

[Micro]

I can't even remember when I started fishing. My earliest memories are from the very early '70s (maybe '71 or '72) fishing at Lake Maury in Newport News, VA. I remember falling on rocks and cracking my lip. I remember my forst rod and reel - a Ted Williams brand bait caster (yellow and brown colored), and a yellow Ted Williams fiberglass rod with like 3 or 4 guides on it. I used the old, black, polyester braided fishing line. Always fished with a hook and a sinker. Caught a lot of catfish that way.

My first spinning rod was a 6' glass Ted Williams spinning rod (which I still have), and a black Garcia Mitchell spinning reel. This was the first rod and reel that I used mono with. I remember it was the first rod that I ever was able to cast any real distance. This was the combo that got me started bass fishing. This must have been in the mid '70s.

By this time was caught up in fishing shows. I wanted a real "bass" bait caster. I saved my money, $25 (a lot back then) and my mom took me to K-Mart and I bought the first reel I ever bought for myself. A red Abu Ambassasdeur reel. I can't remember the model. But I remember it had little wooden brake weights. I also bought a pistol grip rod (with alligator skin textured grip).

So now I had my bait caster and spinning rod combos. I fished them a lot.

Back in these days, in my neck of the woods, you either fished Garcia or Daiwa. No one fished Shimano. I didn't even know what Shimano was.

I dabbled some with artificial baits. My first real addition to artificials were Mepps spinners. I caught tons of fish on Mepps spinners. Every time I went shopping, and had some change, I'd buy Mepps spinners.

As I entered my teens, I bought more Abu reels - some spinning, some round bait casters. These are what I used through college until I got married.

I had the fortune (or misfortune) of marrying into a family that did a lot of saltwater fishing. My father-in-law had a big Wellcraft, and my brother-in-law had a big Robalo. I ended up giving, or selling, most of my bass gear away. I started to collect saltwater gear. I did that for a few years until my first son came along. By then I couldn't really afford the gas and time of going out on big boats. So I started to get back into bass fishing. I sold a lot of my saltwater stuff and started to re-collect bass equipment. I bought more Abu reels, and a few Daiwas. And I started reading a lot more expanding on my abilities.

That's the road I've been on, and am still traveling. This website has exposed me to different equipment and piqued my interested in trying new things. I hope that continues.

[SuperNewbie]

Now i cant say i remember way back when fishing with a cane pool with papy. i was born and am cutting my teeth on these new-fangled lures and machines. But my first fish was on a jitterbug my second was on a jelly worm. I think for one event every year we should make the elite series anglers bank fish with on rod and only the bait they can carry and see how well they do.