Anyone here not enjoy sight fishing??

[shimmy]

I have a serious weakness in the spawn. I do not like to sight fish and don't find it as entertaining even if it means catching the bass of a lifetime. I know this goes against the grain. The part i enjoy most about fishing is going to a great spot, takin a cast, and not knowing how big of a fish i might catch at any moment. To me it is like opening up a Christmas gift every time i hook into a big bass. Like any Christmas gift, i do not enjoy knowing what it is before hand. Now, i have nothing against anyone who sight fishes since i'd think most bass fisherman do this. Just wondering if anyone else feels the same. If i was in a tournament, i woud definitely sight fish but just wouldn't enjoy the big fish as much. Even when i have caught some nice ones sight fishing, it just seems to take away from the catch for me.

Do i stand alone in this?

[dinkman]

You're not alone on this, I grew up never sight fishing and if I saw a fish on the bed my dad told me to leave it alone so it could just spawn in peace.  I have done it on occasion during the spring when I started tourney fishing but I hate the idea of sitting on a spot for an hour trying to catch one fish, seems a little too easy sometimes when they are just sitting there and you can basically wait em out until they bite.

[roadwarrior]

You might be surprised, there are a lot

of us that NEVER intentionally bed fish...

NEVER...

[fishfordollars]

Not on purpose unless i happen to run across a big one locked on. Otherwise I stay away. Most of you are bed fishing without even knowing it. Those fish you are catching out in 5-10' of water are many times on the bed and you just happen to drag a lure across it.

[D4u2s0t]

You might be surprised, there are a lot

of us that NEVER intentionally bed fish...

NEVER...

I agree 100%, I would never purposely target a bedding fish...

[Big Bass Chaser]

I try not to, besides the bigger females hanging around just deeper than the beds getting ready to spawn are often aggressive biters or at least reaction biters. 

[Nicky Greece]

   The majority of places that I fish, its almost impossible to sight fish...   Either that, or I dont fully understand the concept.  Its just that most of my waters are so murky / muddy, you cant see more than 2-3 feet under the water, not to mention 10 + ft beds...

[backpain...]

I have only ever done it once when I was a teenager. I saw a big female under the edge of a dock guarding her nest. I got her to take an unweighted nightcrawler. After I brought her in (she barely fought) and released her I felt totally guilty. I have not done it intentionally since.

[Paul Roberts]

I don't bed fish. I have, but now leave them be. Somehow bed fishing feels cheap to me. The fish won't swim away really and it's only a matter of time. And through all that time I feel like I'm just harassing them. I don't disrespect others for doing it -I know there's a whole game there that some people love. It's just not for me.

Now sight fishing at other seasons is a different story. I've learned an awful lot sight fishing to bass in various scenarios. It's all good. I will say this though, sight fishing can be pretty frustrating -realizing how many bass aren't fooled, and darned fascinating figuring out just what DOES work.

[grimlin]

Now sight fishing at other seasons is a different story. I've learned an awful lot sight fishing to bass in various scenarios. It's all good. I will say this though, sight fishing can be pretty frustrating -realizing how many bass aren't fooled, and darned fascinating figuring out just what DOES work.

90% of the time nothing works...for me.

I don't sight fish...I just don't enjoy it either.I rather be casting to structures,drop offs and current breaks.I prefer the game Hide,cast and seek with them. ;D

[Catt]

I don't purposely look for beds but if I run across one with a big bass on it I'll fish it

[K_Mac]

You might be surprised, there are a lot

of us that NEVER intentionally bed fish...

NEVER...

I agree 100%, I would never purposely target a bedding fish...

I do not intentionally target bedding bass either. As has been said, if you fish much this time of year you've likely caught spawning fish.

I don't have any ethical problems with it if the fish are released immediately.

[Tin]

Yes, I can never seem to be able see and look for the bigger fish in deeper water. lol

If they are in 4' or less I can get them, any deeper or in lakes that don't have much visibility I'm in trouble. Spawn tournies are my biggest weakness. I enjoy sight fishing more than any other type of fishing because you can see the fish eat and learn new things about presentations.

[Bass_Akwards]

I don't purposely look for beds but if I run across one with a big bass on it I'll fish it

X2

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I enjoy sight fishing.

It thrills me to no end watching a bass get pizzed off at a swimbait or jig.  Seeing a fish's mood change is interesting to me.

I'm all about catching fish.  If sight fishing is the technique that promises the most or biggest fish of the day, that is what I will be doing.

[stratosjoe]

No sight/bed fishing for me! that would be like being yanked while I was well we won't got  there.... leavem alone till they move out and rest up a little

[BigEbass]

I have not learned really to date - this is my 3rd season of fishing at this point - my first season started post spawn, my second season had spawn and we tried to catch a few off the bed unsuccessfully - it clearly take a certain degree of skill to do it at times - a skill I have not really honed - and I am not all that interested to hone it necessarily.

Somehow it does seem lets sporting to catch that big one off the bed, but it aint a gimme I think - so if you can do it, then you have skill perhaps.  But my question is, does it adversely affect the fish population...?? I have no idea really, but it seems at least generally logical that if you pull the bass off the bed, it could be to some extent some of the time deleterious - but wheater it is enough to really matter I am not clear??

So my answer is to your question - I dont know yet really 

Is there compelling evidence that this practice is bad for the bass population?  Oh I hate to ask this question, so many people will take a side and get all reved up - lets all be nice now kids 

[roadwarrior]

No...the evidence is quite the contrary. Bed

fishing has no impact on bass populations.

An example that I'm familiar with is Lake

Fork, TX. This is arguably one of the highest

pressured lakes in the South and is particularly

busy during the spawn. Yet, the lake continues

to produce both numbers and Share Lunkers!

8-)

[Paul Roberts]

I have not learned really to date - this is my 3rd season of fishing at this point - my first season started post spawn, my second season had spawn and we tried to catch a few off the bed unsuccessfully - it clearly take a certain degree of skill to do it at times - a skill I have not really honed - and I am not all that interested to hone it necessarily.

Somehow it does seem lets sporting to catch that big one off the bed, but it aint a gimme I think - so if you can do it, then you have skill perhaps. But my question is, does it adversely affect the fish population...?? I have no idea really, but it seems at least generally logical that if you pull the bass off the bed, it could be to some extent some of the time deleterious - but wheater it is enough to really matter I am not clear??

So my answer is to your question - I dont know yet really

Is there compelling evidence that this practice is bad for the bass population? Oh I hate to ask this question, so many people will take a side and get all reved up - lets all be nice now kids

I'll give you the quick-n-dirty:

In the north there is some strong evidence that doing so affects bass production. In the south this has not been shown to be the case. But even in the north, the trend is toward teh relaxation of such regs. Some states (with the cash and incentive) are moving toward specific water management as they home in on causal factors. It's a balance of offering opportunity vs protecting future opportunity.

[florida strain]

I enjoy sight fishing.

It thrills me to no end watching a bass get pizzed off at a swimbait or jig. Seeing a fish's mood change is interesting to me.

I'm all about catching fish. If sight fishing is the technique that promises the most or biggest fish of the day, that is what I will be doing.

 

x2 i enjoy watching the fish hit the lure and feel it at the same time

[jdw174]

I have to stand with the OP on this one.  I have no desire to sight fish whatsoever.  I won't say that I've never caught a bass off of a bed, but it wasn't because I could see the bed and was trying to do so.

[A.Do?]

I've never done it but was just looking up a topic on it when I saw this post!

What are the known cons of bed fishing?

[Daniel My Brother]

I enjoy sight fishing, watching those gills flare and the bait disappearing is a rush. The fight is quick and I always release the bass immediately.

If I spot a bed, but can't get the fish to offer within a few minutes I'll mark the spot in my head, usually with a landmark of some sort, and come back later. When I come back I'll cast to the landmark from a distance and have had good luck getting that fish to bite.

If someone convinces me that I'm hurting the bass population I will stop.

[Mattlures]

Love sight fishing! however it can be VERY humbling. to see a big bass that simply will not take the bait. I am a good sight fisherman but I dont win every battle. some fish wont even let me fish for them. Most of the ones that do let me fish for them and stick around I can get. But sometimes I loose. Probably the biggest frustation is the wind. Wind is very bad!

[fourbizz]

Agreed Matt! I struggled with a fish that was clearly over 15 for 9 hours a few years ago. She never so much as nipped at a bait.