Bassin' Vernacular

[BigEbass]

I am originally from a small town in southwestern VA - Tazewell, VA - went to school in Philadelphia, PA - now live in Birmingham, AL (and I am not going anywhere!!).

Since I have started on this site, I am realizing that bass fishing has such apparent strong roots in souther or country culture I suppose.  Everyone on here uses talk like - "cath em" - "git em" - or "thats a big un'".......

By no means am I joking on this - I am from one of the most backwoods areas of this country - when I moved to Philadelphia, people thought I was from a foriegn planet or something - in which I joked those folks in return with their "different" vernacular like saying coffee as "quafie" or in Philly water as "wuder".

It seems that bass junkies seem to have a simlar vernacular to a degree.....thought it would be fun to see how many funny types of quotes you all could come up with for kicks.

I went and saw my family who live just south of DC and I was talking to my brother in law and I said something about the fish "blowing up" on my bait...he found that so fickle.

I also just finished watching a DVD by Bill Siemantel - he says "smoked it" all the time - "that bass just smoked it" - hadnt heard that term yet.  There must be alot of varience in fishing speak out there - lets see what you all got including any personal ones or unknown terminology! It will keep us busy at least for a day or so till we can get out on the water this weekend 

[SkeeterZX225]

Just wanted to say that I'm from Richlands, VA about 15 miles from Tazewell. Small world after all.....

[Raul]

Toxic = deadly, lethal, very good.

So when I say a bait is TOXIC I mean it 's deadly for bass.

[b.Lee]

I suppose I use the word "Smashed" lot, like the bass smashed the bait. Or killed it. I never thought about what I actually say until reading this, now I am going to have a complex for the next few hours about this.

[BigEbass]

A small world indeed - it is so rare to actually meet people who know where Tazewell is

[BigEbass]

Blee - dont lose sleep man 

But I know what you mean, my brother in law joking me about "blow up" got me to thinking about it too - we have our own niche of terminology and its fickle and times

Oh I will add one - seeing a "boil" - ya know when a bass swirls or hits on the water - "man did you see that big boil"

[JonJ]

I'm from west TN...

I use boil as well...it's very common round these parts.

We usually use the word "hit" to refer to what fish are biting.

We don't call them yellow bullheads, we call them mudcats...and they taste terrible.

We don't call them "crAHppee", we call them "Crappy"...but I don't call them at all unless they are slabs.

We call any small baitfish bream...

We do what we can with what we got...

[b.Lee]

I never understood Big 'Un is that implying a Big One? Or is 'Un referring to Fish?

This is a Big One? or a Big Fish?

[HuntFishAK]

Big 'un is "big one". 

How about calling big fish "toads" or "hawgs"?  When I fish hits hard, I say it crushed it. 

[Blade-Runner]

I fish a lot down in TN where my family lives.

Down there, other fishermen are much friendlier and less selfish than here in Central IN where we have about 1/10,000th the fishable surface acres.

Down there the greeting when you get back to the ramp or come up to the dock is "Well, did ya catch 'em all?" - with a smile.

We call waxworms "beemoth" or "bee's moth" up here - down there they have no clue what beemoth is.

And, every white bass, hybrid striped bass, or striper is called a "stripe"...

I'll be using the same language as soon as I can find a job down there. Aside from our big whitetails, there is absolutely no comparison for an outdoorsman. IMO.

[JonJ]

I fish a lot down in TN where my family lives.

Down there, other fishermen are much friendlier and less selfish than here in Central IN where we have about 1/10,000th the fishable surface acres.

Down there the greeting when you get back to the ramp or come up to the dock is "Well, did ya catch 'em all?" - with a smile.

We call waxworms "beemoth" or "bee's moth" up here - down there they have no clue what beemoth is.

And, every white bass, hybrid striped bass, or striper is called a "stripe"...

I'll be using the same language as soon as I can find a job down there. Aside from our big whitetails, there is absolutely no comparison for an outdoorsman. IMO.

I'm originally from Indianapolis...I have family in Monroe City.  They call them beemoths up there too...You don't find beemoths in TN, you find waxworms.  Also, TN doesn't fish with earth worms, we fish 'nightcrawlers'.

We aren't competitive with our fish....either in the water OR on the dinner table. ;D

[Bass_Akwards]

"Hydrilla Gorilla" - Huge bass caught in heavy vegetation

Buttoned - Hooking a bass "I got this one buttoned"

"Tanya Harding'd"- If ever you happen to be "on fish" and some skanky, smelly, witch pulls up next to you in a super trashy boat and starts casting right where your casting, you've been "Tanya Harding'd" (okay so I made this one up)

"Lube Jobs" - Lube Jobs show up at the lake about 1 minute after you have finally found and caught a nice bass while shore fishing.  These "Lube Jobs" bring their dogs to the pond or lake and have it run and splash in the water, no more than 25 feet from where you're trying to fish.  Veteran "Lube Jobs" actually will throw a frizbee or stick within 20 feet of where you're actually casting.

"Wagglejaws" - The Wagglejaw is the angler that just can't keep his mouth shut when you fish with them.  They constantly snap their gums and use the giant hole under their nose to annoy you as well as scare every fish within 50 yards.  Usually the Wagglejaw's daily mission is to try and spoil the silence and tranquility of any fishing spot.

"Rock Snot" - Heard this years ago somewhere.  It's the slimy, slippery coating on constantly wet rocks in a pond or river.

[J. M. Richardson]

I'm from Wisconsin, up here not so much in the fishing world, but a drinking fountain is a bubbler (when i moved to Iowa State University I asked somebody where the closest one was and they gave me a funny look, I actually had to think about what it was actually called for awhile).

For fishing

'dere he is'

'fish OHN" (referring to getting bit)

[whoopbazz]

Big bass are "slobs".

And when he bites... you, "Give him the business!"

[Beastie Bass]

When I hook a BIG 'UN I usually say " where u goin?" I heard my uncle say that to a big catfish when I was 7. It just stuck. Another time a friend caught a 1 1/2 lb hybrid sunfish and he said " look at that DUDE" calling the fish a dude, not me. ;D Now when we catch a big bluegill we call them DUDEGILLS!

[Alumabass]

We use the term "lunker" for a big fish.  The other term we use is "Beadaco Creek" (SP), we all remember this from a Old Mill beer commercial from years ago.  We will be in the boat and someone is hook :)ed up and then they will say "he is going to do a Beadaco Creek" and the fish will either tail walk or just have a good jump, then everyone in the boat is yee hawin'!

[bear7625]

My X-wife asked me to get a Vernacular? ;D

[BigEbass]

My neihbor is from sout AL - when he gets a big hit he says "he knocked the stew out of it" - not sure why "the stew" but it is catchy anyway

[Hot Rod]

Here's two of my favs:

After a good day on the lake I always boast "WHEWIE, I caught the far (a.k.a fire) out 'em today boy!"

My fishing partner from NE PA calls fishing contests "Towaughnaumants".

[Red Bear]

i call a nice bass a 'chunk'

i also say 'got em'(got him) a lot

[J Francho]

Shoulders

Dink

Football

Green Trout

Slob

Pig

Slower than slow

Burn

Twitch

Nod

Shake

[Luke at Gouldsboro]

I call a big bass a toad, beast or beefy. I say it slammed, or smashed the bait. I guess some of the slang has to be common.

[Catt]

"Hydrilla Gorilla": is an actual brand of Jon Boat or Buzz Bait 

"boil" - ya know when a bass swirls or hits on the water - "man did you see that big boil": Commode Flush

Tight eyes: A small bass; the closer the eyes the smaller the bass

Hog is a Harley-Davidson - Hawg is a large bass - Hawgs are bigger than Pigs

Texas Rigged Jig: What y'all call a Punch Bait

Yankee: Anyone who lives north of Interstate 10 (I-10)

[Olebiker]

When fishing a Texas-rigged worm everyone I have ever fished with says, "There he is" just before setting the hook.

I have never heard anyone except in a commercial say "booyah."

[roadwarrior]

My partner yells "Mother Goose!" as opposed

of some other mother...

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