Whats the most important thing to use while fishing?

[bigbill]

The most important thing to me is a pair of polarized sun glasses.  I buy the cheapest pair on clearance most of the time and they work great.  If you can't afford a expensive pair a cheap pair will still work good.

I was watching a Bill Dance fishing show one day and he was using a fly rod for bass.  While Bill didn't see it probably because of the sun and its distance away from him the bass were short striking his lure(fly).  After seeing this from the camera mans angle i knew i need to wear polarized sun glasses and watch for the short strikes and misses.  This tells me to either slow up my presentation, add a scent or change my lure or color.  Without these glasses you can't see whats going on behind your lure.  Also you won't see that big hog swim right infront of you too they appear and disappear like ghosts most of the time.

So the bottomline is I believe that polarized glasses are the most important thing we can take fishing with us besides are tackle. This really works from shore too.

[Catt]

Whats the most important thing to use while fishing?

Your brain 

[Nitrofreak]

Whats the most important thing to use while fishing?

Your brain

x 10

[Grey Wolf]

Whats the most important thing to use while fishing?

Your brain

x 10

Give that man a cigar !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sam]

1.  Water.

2.  Baits.

;D   ;D   ;D

Sorry, just could not help myself when I read the post's title.

Actually, it is you against the fish and you are entering their environment which is totally opposite of where we live.

I do not think there is one specific "item" you need but a combination of "items" including your knowledge, experience, place you are fishing, time of year, water temperature, wind, cloudy or clear. baits, presentations, techniques and on and on and on.

Yes, sunglasses are a nice compliment but you do not need them to catch bass.

I think it boils down to planning.

Plan right and you do great.  Plan wrong and you get skunked.

The problem is that bass are wild animals who do things that we expect and then turn around and do things we don't expect.

It is us against them and they win more than we do. 

[fishfordollars]

Brain

PFD

[senile1]

Whats the most important thing to use while fishing?

Your brain

That's the first thing that comes to mind.  Secondly, make sure you check your horoscope.   

[stealthcaster]

I never go fishing without polarized sunglasses.  Here's something a few of you might not know:  the level of polarization, even between the cheapest of sunglasses, varies greatly.  I have a pair of calcutta prowlers I paid 21.99 for and used for a few weeks.  I misplaced them temporarily and LUCKILY found a pair at a cheesey beach/gift shop for 5 dollars (no joke, and they are definitely polarized).  When I took off the calcuttas and put on the no-name glasses, it was like night and day.  I had an extra 2-3 feet of visibility on the surface (it simply knocked out more glare).  The lenses were the same color as well.  Once you find a great pair (or even a decent pair for the money), take great care of them!!

Brown/Amber lenses are the best for inshore saltwater fishing, as well as freshwater bodies of water that are stained brown.

And I'm sure most of you know this, but you can tell whether a pair is polarized or not if you have 2 pairs (or if you pop out a lense).  Look through both lenses and slowly rotate one.  When one lense is perpendicular to the other, no light should shine through and you shouldn't be able to see much of anything (depending on how high the degree of polarization is).  If you can see through just fine, at least one of the lenses is not polarized.

[midnighthrasher]

If your on Lake Falcon probably a GUN!!!!

[Pez]

Whats the most important thing to use while fishing?

Your brain [/quo

x 10

Give that man a cigar !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

X2, and rod, reel, line, and some ice cold brews, etc....

[shimmy]

never used glasses in my life. But again, i never sight so that aspect of it doesn't concern me. I seem to fair pretty well without them. But, does make you tired after a long day of sun reflection from the water.

I think the most important thing is intuition. That feeling you get when you know you need to fish a previous spot or maybe slowing it down. I have much to learn in fishing but this intuition has helped me catch relatively big fish for the waters i fish

[BassAssasin2]

never used glasses in my life. But again, i never sight so that aspect of it doesn't concern me. I seem to fair pretty well without them. But, does make you tired after a long day of sun reflection from the water.

I think the most important thing is intuition. That feeling you get when you know you need to fish a previous spot or maybe slowing it down. I have much to learn in fishing but this intuition has helped me catch relatively big fish for the waters i fish

x2 most people dont think of something like that, i too have got that feeling of needing to slow it down or thought i was about to get a bite and in most cases im right.

[roadwarrior]

If you are asking about equipment, this is my take:

#1  Line

#2  Hooks

#3  Reel

#4  Rod

And the answers are...

Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft

Gamakatsu or Owner

Shimano

G. Loomis and St. Croix

8-)

[frogtog]

Thought you were at the road trip RW.

[bass or bass ?]

Your PFD, and if you are using your brain, you wear your PFD, at least when the big motor is running.

[aarogb]

I would have to agree with you about the sunglasses.  But after last weekend I am taking sunscreen!!!

[SirSnookalot]

For the issue of sunglasses whether polarized or not is more for cataract protection from the sun, it will catch up with you later in life.  Only to contradict my statement, simple cataract surgery in many case can bring you back to 20 -20, I'd be just as happy not having to have it done, one less old age malady to be concerned with.

[bassmedic46]

I would go with Pfd and brain and much planning.

[brushhoggin]

your manipulative skills

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

common sense

[zero]

fishing in lake falcon=gun

other lakes/rivers= your brain/pfd

[bigbill]

Ok have your fun now lets get serious about using glasses.  I'm not talking sight fishing.  I'm talking about those short strikes behind your lures that your not seeing if your not wearing polarized glasses.  Your missing fish that your not seeing.  The short strikes tell me its time to adjust my presentation or change lure size or color.  Don't fish without them.

I say buy any pair you can afford, this also gives the youngsters a chance to get the lower priced stuff too afterall it does work too.

[Jake P]

patience

[RoLo]

"Knowledge"

Knowledge has a way of undermining the need for patience

Roger

[BassCats]

A two way radio or cell phone in case s#$t hits the fan and you are stuck out on the lake or sinking.

Second, a paddle. Never know when the batteries will die or motor just quits.

PFD not in a storage box, but on the deck. Can't get into a storage deck if you are in the water allready. but you can grab something off the deck while holding the boat.    personal experience on this one