Thread: Why I avoid hardcore bass fisherman

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

I had a neighbor a few years ago who was a hardcore bass fisherman. He had the 80k boat and 20k invested in equipment. He fished tournaments just about every weekend. He knew I loved to fish but i'm much of a casting all day kind of guy. We went on a few trips together and I thought I would share my experience. Our first trip was in his boat. We were going to crappie meat haul run. Because of his tournament fishing background every spot we fished was extremely fast. We would hit one spot and fish no more than 5 minutes before moving again and again. I was like everything he did was in hyper drive. The second time we went in his boat again. This time we went bass fishing. While fishing one spot fish started tearing into shad 30 yards from the boat. We troll on over and started catching 3-6lb hybrids on every cast. It was truly awesome. To my horror he cranked up the big engine and started hauling butt across the lake. I asking what was he doing and he said we are here to catch bass. I just shook my head in disbelief. Nothing against serious bass fisherman but I learned a lesson that day. I will fish for whatever is biting and I am in no rush to do it. I see why some hardcore bass guys turn to other species. You have to be built different to fish with a hardcore bass guy.

Hardcore tournament bass fishermen fish with one thing in mind and that is bragging rights in their tournaments. I am not surprised he would pick up and leave if he is catching hybrids. The thing is, even if they start catching bass, they are still going to pick up and leave because they will want to save the spot if they have a tournament coming up. They are also very protective of the spots they like to fish and are not likely to take you to any of those. Most of the time when you fish with one of them when they are just scouting it is just like you describe, hit as many places as they can and don't stay in any spot very long. I have a few I fish with occasionally and I just accept that is the way it will be and I try to help by fishing something they are not to see if it might work and maybe fishing in a bit different spots.

I fish Crappie Tournaments and see the Bass tournament guys running and gunning all over the lake. Going this way, then that way, this way, that way, time and time again... I swear they would catch more fish if they just slowed down stayed in one place more than 2 casts.

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

I had a neighbor a few years ago who was a hardcore bass fisherman. He had the 80k boat and 20k invested in equipment. He fished tournaments just about every weekend. He knew I loved to fish but i'm much of a casting all day kind of guy. We went on a few trips together and I thought I would share my experience. Our first trip was in his boat. We were going to crappie meat haul run. Because of his tournament fishing background every spot we fished was extremely fast. We would hit one spot and fish no more than 5 minutes before moving again and again. I was like everything he did was in hyper drive. The second time we went in his boat again. This time we went bass fishing. While fishing one spot fish started tearing into shad 30 yards from the boat. We troll on over and started catching 3-6lb hybrids on every cast. It was truly awesome. To my horror he cranked up the big engine and started hauling butt across the lake. I asking what was he doing and he said we are here to catch bass. I just shook my head in disbelief. Nothing against serious bass fisherman but I learned a lesson that day. I will fish for whatever is biting and I am in no rush to do it. I see why some hardcore bass guys turn to other species. You have to be built different to fish with a hardcore bass guy.

Would rather fish with you than him

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

There are very few people I fish with. I prefer to fish alone…although I must admit at age 70 I do enjoy the help of launching and retrieving. The reason is pretty much as you describe…but in my case there is a little more to it. I am strictly an finesse UL angler. I have had quite a few ask me to show them my technique of fishing the Trout Magnet. They ask what setup they should bring and I tell them…an UL setup with 2# test line. Only a couple show up with that setup. Then they proceed to catch no fish as more often than not the line they are using is way too big and takes what little action the TM has away. I am up front catching fish and they are catching nothing…they are miserable and I am miserable as I really would very much enjoy that they catch a ton of fish. My late nephew…who was a fantastic fisherman and a guide on Dale Hollow….would offer to take me out and I would be miserable. He would be throwing heavy stuff up front…moving at the speed of light, and I literally could not keep my 1/64 jig in the water. He eventually sold his boat, bought into UL angling and we had a ball together after that fishing together until he passed. When I turn folks down who ask me to take them out many think I am arrogant or too good to fish with them. But I explain why it will not work. For the few I now fish with all is well…we are on the same sheet of music with gear, and style of fishing.

Regards


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I get it

Another thing you might not want to do - when you catch a couple of nice sized bass for dinner you DON'T WANT TO TELL A BASS FISHERMAN or show them to them. I did that 1 time and I didn't know there were so many nice names a person could have in their vocabulary !!

I usually fish alone. Longlinning or dock shooting. I do bass fish occasionally and have a lot of bass gear but again I fish by myself. At my age and physical condition I could probably use some help launching or loading the boat but I would prefer to do it alone.

serious anglers after just one species often get disgruntled at the thought of another fish in the mix .
sometimes those "other" fish are great big disappointment to those that are targeting just a certain fish species .
case in point , line gets a bit odd and a little heavy and I set the hook and the fish down there goes to twisting on the hook set , my brain says darnit that ain't no crappie for sure ....
it is me to stay pretty far away from those that want to ketch whatever bites and or them there "other" fish species , bad karma for a "semi" serious crappie angler for sure

Ahhh I just love another story about the Big Bad Bass Fisherman! Please tell me more!