Fishing trends...drive me crazy!!! 2024

Bass Dude reply :

Some thoughts on fishing trends..

They (pros and the like) used to say the large spinning reel spools caused more twist and line slap, so they go to long spools. Now, they say the larger spools make for longer casts and less twist.

They went from front drags to rear drags and back again.

They used to say that you should use a low gear ratio for flippin' to winch the fish out. Now you should use a high gear ratio to get them out as fast as possible.

They used to say to flip with a rod like a broom handle, now it should be parabolic.

Bottom line...I think just stick with what you have and the trend will come back around!!

SuskyDude reply :

Everything old is new again.

I remeber when braided line was "new." I thought to myself, "haven't I seen this before?"

So I dug some old reels of my great grandfathers out of my closet, and there was bradied line on half of them (dacron I assume). Go figure.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I just go with what I like and stick with that. If it works for me I don't really care about what I "should be using".

intheweeds reply :

That is so true. I read some where that mono may come full circle. The article said that so many fishermen using are using braid, fluro, ect.. so mono gives the lures a new (old) action that the fish aren't use to seeing. I am not saying I agree, just something I read. Pretty funny though. ;D

Sam reply :

Yes, I agree with you.

Now it is Japanese finesse techniques and swimbaits.

Wonder if the "trends" are set to fill the fishing magazines with content???

intheweeds reply :

Yeah, the Japanese microjigs are crazy small. In this months Bass Master magazine Kiriyama says that he uses 2 to 3 pound fluro in the pressured Japanese waters. Wow! 2 to 3 pound test for bass. I would never think of using that light of line. That is why he is a pro and I am NOT! :D He does say he won't go below 6# test on American waters.

Carrington reply :

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Yeah, the Japanese microjigs are crazy small. In this months Bass Master magazine Kiriyama says that he uses 2 to 3 pound fluro in the pressured Japanese waters. Wow! 2 to 3 pound test for bass. I would never think of using that light of line. That is why he is a pro and I am NOT! :D He does say he won't go below 6# test on American waters.

bass are nothing for that size line lol, ive seen guys catch sail fish of of 2lb line.

OHIO reply :

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Yeah, the Japanese microjigs are crazy small. In this months Bass Master magazine Kiriyama says that he uses 2 to 3 pound fluro in the pressured Japanese waters. Wow! 2 to 3 pound test for bass. I would never think of using that light of line. That is why he is a pro and I am NOT! :D He does say he won't go below 6# test on American waters.

bass are nothing for that size line lol, ive seen guys catch sail fish of of 2lb line.

I find that hard to believe.

Fish Chris reply :

Fishing trends amuse me

I like to know what the crowds are doing, so I can be sure not to do that myself

Peace,

Fish

Fish Chris reply :

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Yeah, the Japanese microjigs are crazy small. In this months Bass Master magazine Kiriyama says that he uses 2 to 3 pound fluro in the pressured Japanese waters. Wow! 2 to 3 pound test for bass. I would never think of using that light of line. That is why he is a pro and I am NOT! He does say he won't go below 6# test on American waters.
bass are nothing for that size line lol, ive seen guys catch sail fish of of 2lb line.

I find that hard to believe.

Ohio, believe it. The 2 lb test Sailfish Line Class record, as recognized by the IGFA, is over 100 lbs. I think it was 103 lbs the last time I checked. Quite a feat, but not really all that unbelievable to me.

Pretty much any fish can be caught on any gear. It's all about a smooth drag (the clutch) and having a boat driver that can stay on the fish. Piece of cake

Fish

OHIO reply :

Really? That amazes me. How long does it usually take to get one to the boat?

Fishing Rhino reply :

Back in the day, the 1960s, we (the kid next door) used 2 pound mono so we could cast the smaller size Mepps Aglia spinners, either zero or one. That was on my favorite pond smallie fishing before someone (another story) introduced largemouth into it twenty plus years ago.

In May, during the spawn, five pound smallmouth were fairly common. It was not unusual to catch a half dozen to a dozen that size.

On two pound test, with the drag set at next to no tension, it would take up to a half hour to get them to the boat.

I mistakenly thought it was quite the sporting thing to do until my uncle from Huntsville, Alabama, who fished with what looked like tuna gear compared to my rod, taught me otherwise.

The problem with "sporting gear" is that it wears the fish down to exhaustion while building up lactic acid in the muscles. A much higher percent of my fish would die because of this.

SirSnookalot reply :

Not that it hasn't been done, but to catch a sailfish on 2# test takes 1 hell of a fisherman, I have never witnessed a feat like that. If you can imagine a fish hitting a bait at 60-70 mph ( bass swim about 12 mph), then peeling off huge amounts of line faster than you can blink your eye and most sails don't weight a 100#. To land a world class fish like that is an effort of teamwork between a top notch angler and a very experienced charter captain at the helm. I've caught sails, but with heavier tackle, still a great battle. I've seen it done on tv, but in person .......no!, The Spanish Fly ( Jose Wejebe ) catches sails on fly rod, on tv. They troll with conventional gear and when a sail is spotted they reel in and he throws out his fly as the fishing is swimming towards the boat, fantastic stuff, wonder how many takes are required to do it in a 30 minute show.

The major problem with an exhausted fish are predators, sharks are almost always around, barracuda for some of the smaller species. Not uncommon to have a number of bull sharks swimming around the boat

flipin4bass reply :

It's both interesting and fun to watch the evolution of bass fishing. Pros have and always will establish the course of fishing because of the multitude of people watching them. I do, however, get a kick out of watching how they change over time; I remember when a young KVD publically talked down spinning reels and said how he would never use them. Look at the deck of his boat today, he even endorses them.

jdw174 reply :

Quote
Some thoughts on fishing trends..
They (pros and the like) used to say the large spinning reel spools caused more twist and line slap, so they go to long spools. Now, they say the larger spools make for longer casts and less twist.

They went from front drags to rear drags and back again.

They used to say that you should use a low gear ratio for flippin' to winch the fish out. Now you should use a high gear ratio to get them out as fast as possible.

They used to say to flip with a rod like a broom handle, now it should be parabolic.

Bottom line...I think just stick with what you have and the trend will come back around!!

With clothing, I wear what I like...not what somebody else thinks is "hip". If I tried to keep up with the pros on everything they tout, I'd be in the poorhouse.

intheweeds reply :

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Yeah, the Japanese microjigs are crazy small. In this months Bass Master magazine Kiriyama says that he uses 2 to 3 pound fluro in the pressured Japanese waters. Wow! 2 to 3 pound test for bass. I would never think of using that light of line. That is why he is a pro and I am NOT! :D He does say he won't go below 6# test on American waters.

bass are nothing for that size line lol, ive seen guys catch sail fish of of 2lb line.

I see what you mean Carrington. I was thinking more about the cover that bass can get into, that is why I would not want to use such light line. That is amazing about that sail fish. I used to crew on a charter boat on Kauai and we would use 80# main line with 400# leader for marlin and sail fish. We always had lighter gear stand up gear on board for customers who wanted it. We never had 2# test line spooled up though, lol.

bilgerat reply :

The comment about the light line Japanese way of finesse fishing made the light bulb above my head click on. I realized it was no fluke that when I got my UL rig a few years back I was very successful with it and, as I tapered off of it, my numbers went down.

In a lot of ways, my particular fishing scenario has a lot of similarities with Japan - smaller bodies of water that are high pressured. Trying to utilize Southern huge body of water techniques up here is futile. This is not set in stone as I can throw a frog in pads and weeds up here and have success, but for the most part light tackle is suited well for up here.

The internet and sites like this can be a blessing and a curse. There's almost too much information out there and one can be overwhelmed (I know I was) by 'information overload'. I understand where Fish Chris is coming from when he says he goes the opposite way of the crowd. It's not for the sake of being different, it's because he figured out something that works.

I guess the bottom line is to keep an open mind and be able to adapt. Don't dismiss a certain technique because no one else around is doing it or someone said "it'll never work"

Fish Chris reply :

Ya' know Fishing Rhino >

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The problem with "sporting gear" is that it wears the fish down to exhaustion while building up lactic acid in the muscles. A much higher percent of my fish would die because of this.

I'm not going to deny that their is some truth to this. But here's just a few other things to consider....

In-Fishermen once did a study on this exact topic, and what they found out, was that fish with less red muscle (like Largemouth Bass) do not tend to fight very long anyway, regardless of the tackle, hence, they do not tend to build up a lot of lactic acid. In other words, Largemouth's are a great candidate for using very light gear with.

Also, lets say one uses a flipping stick, and rips a big bass straight to the boat, before you can blink an eye. That fish is going to be VERY hot coming into the boat, increasing the chances of the fish hurting itself, by ramming into the inside of a livewell, or shaking out of the anglers hands and being dropped.

Another thing I see, is anglers who either do not have much experience, or, who try to milk out some extra fight from a fish, by lightening up on the drag of medium, or heavier gear..... or, goofier yet, just not pulling on the fish, 1/10th as hard as the gear would allow. {if these guys want more fight, they need to catch bigger, stronger fish }

Generally speaking, I believe people place too much emphasis on the gear, when it comes to wearing down a fish, while in reality, I think a much bigger factor, is the fish wearing itself down. All you have to do is stay hooked up, and keep even pressure The fish pretty much takes care of the rest

Peace,

Fish

brushhoggin reply :

yeah the trends are silly. the most powerful marketing or angling advice is word of mouth from a close friend or relative, i.e. someone you trust dearly who isn't trying to sell something. ;D I think it'd be a great marketing ploy to pay small, but decent amounts of money to folks who send in videos of them catching fish on that companies lure. then use the videos as sales tactics somehow.

J Francho reply :

I tend to agree with Chris here. Most fish don't fight to the death. There are a few exceptions. Northern Pike and Muskies. I get these guys in hot and green, and let them go without much fanfare. I don't even bring them out of the water most times. I don't know about the red muscle tissue/white tissue thing. Seems like Esox would be the exception. Salmonoids seem to wear out to the point they need reviving. I usually bring them in pretty hot and green, too. I've gone to using barbless for trout, makes it a hole lot easier to unbutton them in the freeing cold. A coupleof fly fisherman couldn't believe how quickly I landed a 11 lb. steelhead and released it as they were coming to help me. "You've done this before," they laughed.

Now bass, large or sallmouth? I don't think in most cases you're going to wear them out to the death.

Now, trends in gear? Yes, everything is a cycle. As young anglers learn about the old ways, they develop new twists on the old, and make it better. Do you think UL gear of teh 80's is anything like UL gear of now? Look at spinning reels. Ever fished with a Mitchell 300 or a Penn 704? Compare that to what we have now.

You want to know what I think the net big gimmick could be? Certified weighted baits. Jigs guaranteed to weigh 1/4 oz, etc.

Goose52 reply :

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......The internet and sites like this can be a blessing and a curse. There's almost too much information out there and one can be overwhelmed (I know I was) by 'information overload'. I understand where Fish Chris is coming from when he says he goes the opposite way of the crowd. It's not for the sake of being different, it's because he figured out something that works.
I guess the bottom line is to keep an open mind and be able to adapt. Don't dismiss a certain technique because no one else around is doing it or someone said "it'll never work"

That's a very good summary indeed!

On gear, I don't follow any trends. I buy gear based on what I think will work, and what is a good value, and use it until it's "used-up". I don't sell or trade gear to have the latest and greatest stuff. I still have, and occasionally fish, my rods and reels from the 1960s (although the rods are hopelessly obsolete by todays standards). I still have in front-line service a bunch of spinning reels from the mid-1980s. Then I have my modern gear. I got so much stuff now that I won't be able to use it up by the time I'm gone.

On trendy baits, I'm a victim of that to a degree. When I got active on this site just over a year ago, I followed all the threads about the various hot baits and techniques and then started placing orders (winter and on-line ordering are a dangerous thing). However, when the spring came and I started fishing my particular water and conditions, I found that just a few baits were all I needed and the trendy techniques weren't necessary to catch fish. I'm retired and can fish every day and it's going to take me couple of years to fish all baits and techniques! So, there's a lot to be said for the KISS principle when it comes to baits.

On following the crowd, or not...when I first moved to Tennessee and started fishing, I had everyone tell me that I had to join the bass club to be successful. So, I looked up some of those guys and they told me that the basic rules were that you had to have a boat to be sucessful in our area, and that only plastic baits would work. Hmmmm, that didn't jive with what I was learning on my own so I figured those guys were in a rut for sure. I'd be fishing from the bank and some of those guys would drive by and say "you won't catch nothin' off the dam." Uh, excuse me while I land this 7-12 LMB from the dam. "Crankbaits don't work in these lakes." Uh, excuse me while I land this 4-12 LMB on this crank. "Dummy, you can't use a buzzbait in the daytime in open water." Uh, excuse me while I land this 3lb LMB on this buzzbait. So, I think I prefer going my own way, reading and learning what I can, then shaking-and-baking what I've learned on my water to see what actually works..... ;D

Goose52 reply :

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... Salmonoids seem to wear out to the point they need reviving. I usually bring them in pretty hot and green, too. I've gone to using barbless for trout, makes it a hole lot easier to unbutton them in the freeing cold.
.....Look at spinning reels. Ever fished with a Mitchell 300 or a Penn 704? Compare that to what we have now.

I have limited experience with trout but did catch 59 rainbows last year (between 12" and 17"). I had a pretty high loss rate on those fish. On hook-up they would just go berserk and by the time I got them to the bank or the boat, the were pretty tuckered out. They're great fighters, but I almost hated catching them.

On the Mitchell 300 - I wonder if the millions of fish that were caught on them knew that they had mostly bushings and no fancy bearings... I still occasionally fish my mid-60s vintage Mitchell 408 - great reel - smooth enough, catches fish. BUT, I will say that the lack of a manual bail feature drives me nuts, as well as the noise and backplay from the ratchet & pawl anti-reverse system... ;D I also like the push-button spools on the old Mitchell reels so you don't have to change your drag setting when you change spools.

BassChaser57 reply :

Wisdom from my Grandmother----

"Do not be the first to try something new--do not be the last to throw out the old"

That still seems to work in most parts of life--including fishing. I use what works for me and will try something different on occasion.

It is interesting that most articles will say somewhere in them -- use your confidence bait when you need to catch a fish. I always wondered why wait, I always want to catch a bass?

bilgerat reply :

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I tend to agree with Chris here. Most fish don't fight to the death. There are a few exceptions. Northern Pike and Muskies. I get these guys in hot and green, and let them go without much fanfare. I don't even bring them out of the water most times. I don't know about the red muscle tissue/white tissue thing. Seems like Esox would be the exception. Salmonoids seem to wear out to the point they need reviving. I usually bring them in pretty hot and green, too. I've gone to using barbless for trout, makes it a hole lot easier to unbutton them in the freeing cold. A coupleof fly fisherman couldn't believe how quickly I landed a 11 lb. steelhead and released it as they were coming to help me. "You've done this before," they laughed.
Now bass, large or sallmouth? I don't think in most cases you're going to wear them out to the death.

Now, trends in gear? Yes, everything is a cycle. As young anglers learn about the old ways, they develop new twists on the old, and make it better. Do you think UL gear of teh 80's is anything like UL gear of now? Look at spinning reels. Ever fished with a Mitchell 300 or a Penn 704? Compare that to what we have now.

You want to know what I think the net big gimmick could be? Certified weighted baits. Jigs guaranteed to weigh 1/4 oz, etc.

Right on. The reels of 20 years ago were toys compared to today. You still have to dig a little harder to find quality ul rods that are more than 5' long. Finding quality downsize baits takes a bit of searching but they're out there. I know it's a very niche market so I don't blame anyone for the small number of choices out there. This is where the internet really shines.

Goose52 reply :

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Right on. The reels of 20 years ago were toys compared to today.

How so? Are we still talking spinning reels? What advance in spinning reels has occured in the last 20 years that has put so many more fish in the boat that the reels of only 20 years ago should be considered toys... :-?

bilgerat reply :

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Right on. The reels of 20 years ago were toys compared to today.

How so? Are we still talking spinning reels? What advance in spinning reels has occured in the last 20 years that has put so many more fish in the boat that the reels of only 20 years ago should be considered toys... :-?

OK...maybe 'toys' was not exactly what I meant. I was referring to the higher bearing counts, better machining tolerances, magnesium construction and bail improvements to name a few. Spinning reels have inherent problems that can be worsened as size decreases. I know there were certain ul reels made decades ago that are still held in high regard, I never owned any of them. Didn't mean to step on any toes, just throwing my $.02 out there

J Francho reply :

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... Salmonoids seem to wear out to the point they need reviving. I usually bring them in pretty hot and green, too. I've gone to using barbless for trout, makes it a hole lot easier to unbutton them in the freeing cold.
.....Look at spinning reels. Ever fished with a Mitchell 300 or a Penn 704? Compare that to what we have now.

I have limited experience with trout but did catch 59 rainbows last year (between 12" and 17"). I had a pretty high loss rate on those fish. On hook-up they would just go berserk and by the time I got them to the bank or the boat, the were pretty tuckered out. They're great fighters, but I almost hated catching them.

On the Mitchell 300 - I wonder if the millions of fish that were caught on them knew that they had mostly bushings and no fancy bearings... I still occasionally fish my mid-60s vintage Mitchell 408 - great reel - smooth enough, catches fish. BUT, I will say that the lack of a manual bail feature drives me nuts, as well as the noise and backplay from the ratchet & pawl anti-reverse system... ;D I also like the push-button spools on the old Mitchell reels so you don't have to change your drag setting when you change spools.

Dink Stockies in warm water is a different story. The rainbow trout fishery in the south is "put and take."

Raul reply :

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Some thoughts on fishing trends..
They (pros and the like) used to say the large spinning reel spools caused more twist and line slap, so they go to long spools. Now, they say the larger spools make for longer casts and less twist.

They went from front drags to rear drags and back again.

They used to say that you should use a low gear ratio for flippin' to winch the fish out. Now you should use a high gear ratio to get them out as fast as possible.

They used to say to flip with a rod like a broom handle, now it should be parabolic.

Bottom line...I think just stick with what you have and the trend will come back around!!

Everybody 's talkin ' 'bout the new sound, funny, but it 's still rock n 'roll to me

Goose52 reply :

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Right on. The reels of 20 years ago were toys compared to today.

How so? Are we still talking spinning reels? What advance in spinning reels has occurred in the last 20 years that has put so many more fish in the boat that the reels of only 20 years ago should be considered toys... :-?

OK...maybe 'toys' was not exactly what I meant. I was referring to the higher bearing counts, better machining tolerances, magnesium construction and bail improvements to name a few. Spinning reels have inherent problems that can be worsened as size decreases. I know there were certain ul reels made decades ago that are still held in high regard, I never owned any of them. Didn't mean to step on any toes, just throwing my $.02 out there

NoNoNo - no toe stepping at all. I was just wondering if I had missed a technological advance significant enough to warrant retiring the 9 spinning reels that I still have that are 25 years old and older... :

There is absolutely no doubt that the reels of today have more bearings, are tighter, smoother, maybe better drags, perhaps (but not proven yet) longer lasting...but I personally still get good service from my existing reels and only buy new ones when I need MORE reels, not to replace one of my old reels... ;D ;D ;D

On UL reels, my Mitchell 408 was considered UL in the 60s but would be considered awfully big today. My Shakespeare Sigma 025 was a nice reel 25 years ago and will still get the job done (probably for the rest of my life). However, if I ever do need a new UL reel, I know that the one that I get will be smoother and nicer than my old ones...but I'm just not convinced that they will catch me more fish... :

Goose52 reply :

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Dink Stockies in warm water is a different story. The rainbow trout fishery in the south is "put and take."

Well, not much moving water in my lakes to support reproduction, that's for sure. However, the stocked trout here in my lakes do make it through the summer. We have lakes with up to 80ft depth and I've caught those rainbows trolling deep in July. I had some rainbows "follow-back" my bass baits as soon as the surface water temp went into the 50s.

They sure are dumb fish when first stocked though - can catch them on about anything. Those few that make it through their first season though...seem to get a lot smarter! ;D

J Francho reply :

I assure you, your trout are nothing like mine.

They suffer at temps above 55.

Goose52 reply :

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I assure you, your trout are nothing like mine.
They suffer at temps above 55.

For sure - native trout beat out our stockies in every way. Great looking fish !

.dsaavedra. reply :

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I just go with what I like and stick with that. If it works for me I don't really care about what I "should be using".

i apply this mindset to my entire life.

Pa Angler reply :

I know what you mean the first reel I learned on back in the late 50's was a round baitcaster with a metal rod with black braid and I had to tie a mono leader on. I have to tell that reel was a far cry from today's low profile casters with only a drag setting and two casting modes clicking and free spooling wonder if that will come around again....LOL You learned to have an educated thumb on that deal. I don't get caught up on all the new trends only ones that I think will work for me I'm basically a crankbait, spinnerbait, soft frogbait (Horny Toad), topwater and sometimes a worm dragger. I don't jig, finesse or drop shot very much that would only happen if nothing else works and that doesn't happen very often to me.

Tight Lines

Pa Angler

Senkoman12 reply :

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Ya' know Fishing Rhino >

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The problem with "sporting gear" is that it wears the fish down to exhaustion while building up lactic acid in the muscles. A much higher percent of my fish would die because of this.

I'm not going to deny that their is some truth to this. But here's just a few other things to consider....

In-Fishermen once did a study on this exact topic, and what they found out, was that fish with less red muscle (like Largemouth Bass) do not tend to fight very long anyway, regardless of the tackle, hence, they do not tend to build up a lot of lactic acid. In other words, Largemouth's are a great candidate for using very light gear with.

Also, lets say one uses a flipping stick, and rips a big bass straight to the boat, before you can blink an eye. That fish is going to be VERY hot coming into the boat, increasing the chances of the fish hurting itself, by ramming into the inside of a livewell, or shaking out of the anglers hands and being dropped.

Another thing I see, is anglers who either do not have much experience, or, who try to milk out some extra fight from a fish, by lightening up on the drag of medium, or heavier gear..... or, goofier yet, just not pulling on the fish, 1/10th as hard as the gear would allow. {if these guys want more fight, they need to catch bigger, stronger fish }

Generally speaking, I believe people place too much emphasis on the gear, when it comes to wearing down a fish, while in reality, I think a much bigger factor, is the fish wearing itself down. All you have to do is stay hooked up, and keep even pressure The fish pretty much takes care of the rest

Peace,

Fish

i dont see why people want to fight a fish longer even thoguh their gear allows them to winch it in :-? when i hook on i get that fish to the boat as realistically as possible. largemouth usually i can get in fast but those smallmouth never want to quit running every time they see the boat

bilgerat reply :

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Ya' know Fishing Rhino >

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The problem with "sporting gear" is that it wears the fish down to exhaustion while building up lactic acid in the muscles. A much higher percent of my fish would die because of this.

I'm not going to deny that their is some truth to this. But here's just a few other things to consider....

In-Fishermen once did a study on this exact topic, and what they found out, was that fish with less red muscle (like Largemouth Bass) do not tend to fight very long anyway, regardless of the tackle, hence, they do not tend to build up a lot of lactic acid. In other words, Largemouth's are a great candidate for using very light gear with.

Also, lets say one uses a flipping stick, and rips a big bass straight to the boat, before you can blink an eye. That fish is going to be VERY hot coming into the boat, increasing the chances of the fish hurting itself, by ramming into the inside of a livewell, or shaking out of the anglers hands and being dropped.

Another thing I see, is anglers who either do not have much experience, or, who try to milk out some extra fight from a fish, by lightening up on the drag of medium, or heavier gear..... or, goofier yet, just not pulling on the fish, 1/10th as hard as the gear would allow. {if these guys want more fight, they need to catch bigger, stronger fish }

Generally speaking, I believe people place too much emphasis on the gear, when it comes to wearing down a fish, while in reality, I think a much bigger factor, is the fish wearing itself down. All you have to do is stay hooked up, and keep even pressure The fish pretty much takes care of the rest

Peace,

Fish

i dont see why people want to fight a fish longer even thoguh their gear allows them to winch it in :-? when i hook on i get that fish to the boat as realistically as possible. largemouth usually i can get in fast but those smallmouth never want to quit running every time they see the boat

Some of us are in it for the fight. Water skiing a 2 lb. bass across the surface with 65 lb. braid aint my idea of fun and it aint exactly "sporting". If it's a tournament with $$ on the line, then it's a different story.

SirSnookalot reply :

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Some of us are in it for the fight. Water skiing a 2 lb. bass across the surface with 65 lb. braid aint my idea of fun and it aint exactly "sporting". If it's a tournament with $$ on the line, then it's a different story.
Back to top

You beat me to the punch on this one.

I don't know any bass fisherman, other than myself none of my friends fish freshwater and we all live on lakes. The only bass fishing I see is the occasional tv show, dragging a fish across the water only to heave it into the boat is not my idea of fishing. What boggles my mind even more is the money spent for top of the line equipment just to drag those fish, Walmart combo will produce the identical result.

I do understand why people use heavy tackle to horse fish out of weeds or pads, catching 2 pounds of fish with 5 pounds of weeds is something I try to avoid. I enjoy bass fishing but I want that rod to bend, I prefer open water fishing, light tackle, I'm there to fight the fish.

Goose52 reply :

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Some of us are in it for the fight. Water skiing a 2 lb. bass across the surface with 65 lb. braid aint my idea of fun and it aint exactly "sporting". If it's a tournament with $$ on the line, then it's a different story.

Sporting has different meaning to different folks I guess. One thing that has always puzzled me is that some anglers will fish for bass in a fancy bass boat, with side imaging, using uber-sensitive big-bucks rods (often medium-heavy or stouter) with 50-65lb superline, and expensive "this will fool 'em" baits, and ski the fish back to the boat. Hunt them bass down like dogs - no mercy! And all that's OK. BUT, if you use a net to land your fish, it's somehow not "sporting"...... :

Just sayin'....... ;D

J Francho reply :

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I assure you, your trout are nothing like mine.
They suffer at temps above 55.

For sure - native trout beat out our stockies in every way. Great looking fish !

Nope, this fish was probably stocked. They release tens of thousands in this creek every year. Some make it to the Lake, and grow big, and come back every year, either to feed or spawn.

J Francho reply :

Personally, unless you're regularly catching LMB in excess of 5 lbs, or SMB better than 3 lbs. and looking for a fight....pick a different species. While I enjoy a good battle with a BIG bass very much, my location limits the odds of catching a truly big fish only a few times a year. The chase and competition is what bass fishing is about for me. For big fights, I look to the plethora of other species abundant here. Even then, they don't add up to a well earned bass.

Goose52 reply :

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I assure you, your trout are nothing like mine.
They suffer at temps above 55.

For sure - native trout beat out our stockies in every way. Great looking fish !

Nope, this fish was probably stocked. They release tens of thousands in this creek every year. Some make it to the Lake, and grow big, and come back every year, either to feed or spawn.

Well, I guess it doesn't matter where it was born - it's still a great fish!

Goose52 reply :

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Personally, unless you're regularly catching LMB in excess of 5 lbs, or SMB better than 3 lbs. and looking for a fight....pick a different species. While I enjoy a good battle with a BIG bass very much, my location limits the odds of catching a truly big fish only a few times a year. The chase and competition is what bass fishing is about for me. For big fights, I look to the plethora of other species abundant here. Even then, they don't add up to a well earned bass.

But itsn't the degree of the fight relative to the gear? If you're looking for a good "fish fight", you can still find it with <5lb LMB if you use lighter gear. If your fish run small, use ML, L, or UL gear.....which is back to the point that Bilgerat and Fish Chris were making I think... :

Since my fish run small in my lakes, I nearly always use Medium or lighter rods. A 3lb bass on ML or L gear and light line is a nice fight. And medium (or lighter power) is still enough to land the occasional big fish as well (in open water).

Different strokes for different folks...it's all good...

bilgerat reply :

Those that have been lucky enough to hook into a 1 lb. bull bluegill on light tackle know the feeling. Pound for pound, there is no better fighting freshwater fish, except maybe a smallie. A lmb may as well be an old boot when comparing fighting ability.

Goose52 reply :

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Those that have been lucky enough to hook into a 1 lb. bull bluegill on light tackle know the feeling. Pound for pound, there is no better fighting freshwater fish, except maybe a smallie. A lmb may as well be an old boot when comparing fighting ability.

You bet! I wasn't fishing my UL or L rods at the time, but it was an ML spinning rod, when I hooked up with something nice and I thought it was going to be about a 2lb LMB - it turned out to be a bluegill. The little bugger impressed me enough that I had to take a pic and weigh it - 1.17lbs - a nice little fighter indeed. NOW, can you imagine the fight of the world-record 4-12 bluegill !

Anyway, getting back on track of the point of the thread - trends. There is a trend to heavier and heavier tackle for bass fishing, perhaps driven by tournament anglers and cash payouts. But back when fishing was just supposed to be fun, light tackle had a place...................and still does !

J Francho reply :

Big blue gill, smallmouth, and steelhead are some of the craziest fighters in FW. I'll put king salmon in the mix as well, they have a silly first run that can go 100 yards or more.

Goose52 reply :

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Big blue gill, smallmouth, and steelhead are some of the craziest fighters in FW. I'll put king salmon in the mix as well, they have a silly first run that can go 100 yards or more.

You bet! I loves my bass (just something about 'ole bucketmouth) but there's some good fishin' beyond bass for sure!

J Francho reply :

We used to have a closed season for bass, from October to late June. You couldn't even target them. Add to this, hard water on the lakes 3 months out of the year, and you figure out ways to extend your fishing season. For years, many of us were avid multi species guys, simply out of necessity. if you wanted to fish, you fished for something else. With the advent of catch and release open season for bass, I don't fish for panfish at all, and trout fishing is strictly for when the lakes are frozen. I still love my transition pike, though.

GLoomis711 reply :

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Really? That amazes me. How long does it usually take to get one to the boat?

Alot of people are record chasers around here.

Hours and hours.

My dads friend has the world record Jack Crevalle on spinning gear with like 2 pound test. Fought it four hours.

It's pretty much the captain doing the work.

trevor reply :

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Big blue gill, smallmouth, and steelhead are some of the craziest fighters in FW. I'll put king salmon in the mix as well, they have a silly first run that can go 100 yards or more.

Uh..... carp?!

J Francho reply :

Carp suck. Period. All they do is sit on the bottom, and barely move. My biggest common carp was around 40 lbs., caught on a drop shot worm,and 6# test. Use gear that is appropriate, but protects from tear outs of their soft lip flesh, and its the same thing. They simply sit on the bottom. Its basically an exercise in seeing how much you can pull up to the boat without any of it failing. I have a vise on my work bench that fights harder.

Goose52 reply :

I know that everyone has probably seen this photo before, but I'll post it again...

Certainly, carp don't fight with the same vigor as other fish of their weight. But the grass carp in the photo below did take me 35 minutes (timed) to land. Every time I would get it near the bank it would make another run and take out quite a bit of line against the drag. This one was 37.1 pounds. The following week, on the same rod/reel combo, I hooked up with another, probably larger grass carp, that took line at will. I hooked-up with that one at about 35 yards out and after 15 minutes saw my uni-uni knot go out through the guides and another 10 yards or so of backing for about 85 yards of line out when he slipped off (he was foul-hooked on a lipless crank - as was the 37 pounder). Not blazing fast runs, just going anywhere they wanted....pulling out line...

So, are there harder fighting fish, sure. Are there any bigger fish or harder fighters in my lakes, no.

It was good for me. ;D

Nibbles reply :

Try tossing a 3-way rig with a heavy weight and a size 4 circle hook with corn on it into swift-moving dam tailwater. I guarantee you the carp there will give you a MUCH harder fight. They swim against fast current every day to feed, and are much stronger because of it.

SirSnookalot reply :

IMO anyone living in close proximity to coastal and brackish waters have had some outstanding fish battles, we have all caught them. I for one consider myself fortunate to be one of those fisherman and even luckier that I fish those waters 325+ days a year. Debating what fish outfights another winds up being an opinion based on the region one fishes

My pick for top fish story of this thread is the " bull bluegill "

Hamby reply :

Carp do suck. They only fight hard because of their size and weight. I stuck so many carp this year flipping and pitching jigs. The first second is "holy shite...HUGE bass, pike, or musky" Then when i feel no head shakes, i know it's a foul hooked carp. Big bummer.

jdw174 reply :

Same goes for drum. I can tell in a couple of seconds when I've got one of those on the line. Couple of strong runs, then it's almost like pulling in a log. Had a 15 pounder on a drop shot rig this past fall that did give me a workout though

roadwarrior reply :

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Right on. The reels of 20 years ago were toys compared to today.

How so? Are we still talking spinning reels? What advance in spinning reels has occurred in the last 20 years that has put so many more fish in the boat that the reels of only 20 years ago should be considered toys... :-?

Predominately advanced drag design. A specific

advantage is allowing anglers to use lighter line.

Shimano has redisgned the spool to significantly

reduce line twist on some models. Today's reels

are stronger, smoother, silent and more reliant.

8-)

Goose52 reply :

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Right on. The reels of 20 years ago were toys compared to today.

How so? Are we still talking spinning reels? What advance in spinning reels has occurred in the last 20 years that has put so many more fish in the boat that the reels of only 20 years ago should be considered toys... :-?

Predominately advanced drag design. A specific

advantage is allowing anglers to use lighter line.Today's reels are noticeably stronger,smoother,

quiet and reliant! Shimano has redisgned the spool

to significantly reduce line twist on some models.

8-)

RW - I'm sure you're right - the new drags are better - but it's still a matter of degree of improvement. I was using 4 to 8lb test on spinning reels 45 years ago with success. I didn't use 2lb so I guess I could now with better drags but I don't want to use 2lb. I'm just not convinced that the new reels offer enough of an advantage, for BASS, to put that more fish in the boat. I'm not saying that everyone should go out and buy old reels, I'm just saying that if your old gear is still serviceable, that there's no reason to retire it just because it's old - which is also the reason why our family "new" car is almost 23 years old...and our other car is more than 38 years old ;D

The topic of this thread was fishing trends - and the point being made is that many people buy new gear to follow the trends...and that's OK. The new gear may or may not put more fish in the boat. Many other people resist the shiny new toys and just keep plugging away with older, serviceable gear...and that's OK too :

It's sorta a family trait I guess - my Dad has a Mitchell 300 that has been in daily use for at least 50 years, has little finish left, and has caught literally thousands of bass and other fish, including a 10-12 LMB. I told him once that I wanted to get him some more modern gear and he said "why, this stuff still catches fish"... ;D ;D

Goose52 reply :

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Carp do suck. They only fight hard because of their size and weight. I stuck so many carp this year flipping and pitching jigs. The first second is "holy shite...HUGE bass, pike, or musky" Then when i feel no head shakes, i know it's a foul hooked carp. Big bummer.

It's sorta funny how we have a "bass" mindset. If I hook-up with something big, and lose it without seeing it, then I always tell myself that it was probably a big carp or catfish, and then you don't feel bad at having lost maybe a lunker bass.

On the other hand, my PB LMB is not big compared to some folks - only 7-12, but still, it was a BASS. But it only made two little runs and I had it on the bank in about a minute - sorta a yawner.... ;D

Goose52 reply :

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IMO anyone living in close proximity to coastal and brackish waters have had some outstanding fish battles, we have all caught them. I for one consider myself fortunate to be one of those fisherman and even luckier that I fish those waters 325+ days a year. Debating what fish outfights another winds up being an opinion based on the region one fishes
My pick for top fish story of this thread is the " bull bluegill "

Sure. I'm NOT defending carp as great fighters, I'm just saying that if you want to tie on to something big, and fight a fish for a while, there is nothing bigger or harder fighting in MY lakes (4 to 201 acres). Am I still excited when I hook-up with a larger bass in my lakes - SURE - but am I disappointed if I hook-up to a 37lb fish - HECK NO - bring on the fight!

J Francho reply :

Anyone that doesn't see the difference in spinning reels has been under a rock. I have a high end DAM Quick from the early 80s. Its a true worm drive, very strong, simple to maintain. State of the art asbestos drag. Between my father and I, I couldn't begin to count the fish caught on it. Pick it up, give it a spin. Then pick up my CI4 and give it a spin. No comparison. Period.

J Francho reply :

You guys can have your carp, drum, suckers, or whatever. They are rough fish. I pursue gamefish - bass, pike, trout. Pulling <> fight. All three game fish I listed are either cunning, aerobatic, belligerent, or some combination of those qualities. They all also will take artificials on a hook.

Goose52 reply :

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Anyone that doesn't see the difference in spinning reels has been under a rock. I have a high end DAM Quick from the early 80s. Its a true worm drive, very strong, simple to maintain. State of the art asbestos drag. Between my father and I, I couldn't begin to count the fish caught on it. Pick it up, give it a spin. Then pick up my CI4 and give it a spin. No comparison. Period.

I didn't say that I don't see a difference - I am challenging how the advances translate to significant improvements in fishing success for bass. How does "smooth" put more fish in the boat? :

This is sorta like the Volkswagen, Cadillac thing (or pick any two contrasts) - one rides a little smoother, but both get you where you want to go... ;D

Goose52 reply :

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You guys can have your carp, drum, suckers, or whatever. They are rough fish. I pursue gamefish - bass, pike, trout. Pulling <> fight. All three game fish I listed are either cunning, aerobatic, belligerent, or some combination of those qualities. They all also will take artificials on a hook.

No pike in my lakes but we have those rainbows - they just go berserk on hook-up - I can tell I have a trout on immediately by the way they fight - great fish. Many folks think bass are stupid - especially dedicated trout anglers... ;D

On aerobatics, my 37lb carp came completely out of the water twice and the splash on landing could be heard over the entire lake. Pretty exciting for me. Hmmm - 3 pound bass makes a jump and that's exciting, but a 37lb fish jumping is boring.... :-?

Anyway, like I said before, I'm not promoting carp as the king of gamefish. I don't target them, but accidentally foul hook them in the spring when I'm ripping lipless cranks through emergent veggies, and the carp just happen to be there at the same time chowing down. Once I got one hooked-up, I got to try to land it, I want my lipless crank back... ;D

SENKOSAM reply :

Big carp are great fighters especially in current and I've had a few monsters tow the canoe upstream for a minute, but it's the type of fight I can't appreciate. Sluggish power doesn't do it for me.

As far as trends go, I find them amusing and take them with a grain of salt. Remember scents? How many still spray them on? Surface salt. Ditto!

New reels - you still pay for what you get and unless you maintain your reels, they will turn to junk in five years. I still backreel some of my old Shimanos just for the challenge of keeping a super tight drag.

How sporting is it to break off a lure, especially one with 6 points? Many hooks don't rust out as previously thought and end up killing a gut hooked fish.

If that fish could have been caught and released using 30# test braid rather than lost on 4# test mono, I'll chose braid - especially fishing heavy weed pockets or tree branches. Lactic acid may build up, but enough to shorten a bass's life? It would seem to me that livewell factors would be far more important and I've seen too many cases where tourney anglers were careless, with their catch more than likely resulting in delayed mortality. Almost no one I know uses Jungle Formula. Was it ever worth using? Were the claims valid - especially the one where the chemical sedates fish?

A trend is what I make it until it no longer produces. I was into large willow leaf spinnerbaits just after Roland Martin won a Hudson R. tournament years ago. Great for a few years; not so much in the last few years except for pickerel. The same for the Senko craze and style of fishing - fulfills a niche to be sure, but not as versatile as say the ...... Flying Lure or Banjo Minnow! ;D

0119 reply :

Carp arent a great fight? On tv when you see Doug Stange fight those carp on the great lakes it seems like they make incredible runs. Very popular target for fly fishermen too. They dont seem to be sluggish runners on the tv!

SirSnookalot reply :

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IMO anyone living in close proximity to coastal and brackish waters have had some outstanding fish battles, we have all caught them. I for one consider myself fortunate to be one of those fisherman and even luckier that I fish those waters 325+ days a year. Debating what fish outfights another winds up being an opinion based on the region one fishes
My pick for top fish story of this thread is the " bull bluegill "

Sure. I'm NOT defending carp as great fighters, I'm just saying that if you want to tie on to something big, and fight a fish for a while, there is nothing bigger or harder fighting in MY lakes (4 to 201 acres). Am I still excited when I hook-up with a larger bass in my lakes - SURE - but am I disappointed if I hook-up to a 37lb fish - HECK NO - bring on the fight!

I wasn't picking on you, I just got a kick out of a BULL bluegill..lol

Whatever equipment one chooses to use is simply a means to an end, success is measured in the catch, not the quality of the gear. No question newer equipment works better and is smoother, but that has nothing to do with making a better fisherman out of a person.

There are many species of rough or trash fish that will give great fights, I'd be happy catching a 20 or more pounder of any of them.

piscicidal reply :

Honestly, LM bass are relatively poor fighters. They do not even compare to most of the saltwater species. Amberjack, jack crevalle, permit, bonefish...those things will hurt you.

To me, bass fishing is about the hunt. I like all the techniques associated with bass fishing. Figuring out where the fish are and what they want on a particular day...the catching is almost anti-climatic. Bass fishing isn't about the fight for me. I got no problem hoisting in a "hot" 5lb LM pulled up through a hydrilla mat with 65lb power pro, after a five second fight! When I want to straight up scrap with a fish, I take my boat to the ocean.

0119 reply :

Very true but be careful. Talk like this will cause a moderator to remind you that your on a bass forum and that you might be happier on a saltwater forum! Its happened before.

fourbizz reply :

I'm not in it for the fight. I am in it to catch fish.

WRB reply :

Trends change due in part from other angler having more success by changing their presentation or techniques.

Looking at another site the list of the top 5 money winning techniques in 2010 were;

1. crankbaits

2. dragging jigs & tubes

3. flip or pitch

4. swimbaits

5. finesse

The traditional lures like spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, T or C rigged worms, Senko's, top water lures including frogs, jerkbaits had a very low % of success in winning tournaments.

The type of water fished has a big influence on techniques however more anglers are learning that bank pounding techniques have a lower success rate than fishing outside structure and breaks.

WRB

Senkoman12 reply :

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I'm not in it for the fight. I am in it to catch fish.

x2 for me, figuring them out is the fun but having a 3lbs+ smallie on the end of the line is bonus though

trevor reply :

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Carp suck. Period. All they do is sit on the bottom, and barely move. My biggest common carp was around 40 lbs., caught on a drop shot worm,and 6# test. Use gear that is appropriate, but protects from tear outs of their soft lip flesh, and its the same thing. They simply sit on the bottom. Its basically an exercise in seeing how much you can pull up to the boat without any of it failing. I have a vise on my work bench that fights harder.

Have you ever fly fished for carp? Waded the shallows, see one tailing? Made the perfect cast, only for him to turn up his nose at it? Then made a perfect cast, seen the barely detectable take, set the hook, and watched 30 yards of line zing off your fly reel in 5 seconds?

http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/

trevor reply :

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You guys can have your carp, drum, suckers, or whatever. They are rough fish. I pursue gamefish - bass, pike, trout. Pulling <> fight. All three game fish I listed are either cunning, aerobatic, belligerent, or some combination of those qualities. They all also will take artificials on a hook.

The only difference is some guy labelled half of them "game fish" and the other half garbage. And lots of "junk" fish, including carp, will readily take artificials if presented correctly.

http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/tactics/fishing/carp-on-the-fly/

fourbizz reply :

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Carp suck. Period. All they do is sit on the bottom, and barely move. My biggest common carp was around 40 lbs., caught on a drop shot worm,and 6# test. Use gear that is appropriate, but protects from tear outs of their soft lip flesh, and its the same thing. They simply sit on the bottom. Its basically an exercise in seeing how much you can pull up to the boat without any of it failing. I have a vise on my work bench that fights harder.

Have you ever fly fished for carp? Waded the shallows, see one tailing? Made the perfect cast, only for him to turn up his nose at it? Then made a perfect cast, seen the barely detectable take, set the hook, and watched 30 yards of line zing off your fly reel in 5 seconds?

http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/

trevor reply :

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Carp suck. Period. All they do is sit on the bottom, and barely move. My biggest common carp was around 40 lbs., caught on a drop shot worm,and 6# test. Use gear that is appropriate, but protects from tear outs of their soft lip flesh, and its the same thing. They simply sit on the bottom. Its basically an exercise in seeing how much you can pull up to the boat without any of it failing. I have a vise on my work bench that fights harder.

Have you ever fly fished for carp? Waded the shallows, see one tailing? Made the perfect cast, only for him to turn up his nose at it? Then made a perfect cast, seen the barely detectable take, set the hook, and watched 30 yards of line zing off your fly reel in 5 seconds?

http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/

NICE! I bet you consider them a sport fish, don't you?

piscicidal reply :

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Carp suck.

Literally. ;D

JPBassin reply :

Fishing trends are just that, TRENDS. Just like clothing. Everyone wants what everyone is talking about and whatever may be the craze at that time. But if you wait long enough you will find that what ever you own will become trendy again.

Its a way to keep the consumer thinking they need to buy and/or replace what they are currently using. In the end as long as I keep getting them green things with fins on the end of my line "Im Happy".

I cant wait for the FLYING LURE to make a run at it again. lmao ;D

Dalton Tam reply :

I think it all changes according to who wins what tournaments and what they are using. I just say if something is working for you.... try something else and if it doesn't work better go back to what you know. Word of advice, never try something new on tournament day..... bad idea :-/

BASSclary reply :

Maybe one day Tennessee handle/grips will be all the rage.

J Francho reply :

In some circles,they are....

Goose52 reply :

Another great fish - just super colors...

J Francho reply :

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Carp suck. Period. All they do is sit on the bottom, and barely move. My biggest common carp was around 40 lbs., caught on a drop shot worm,and 6# test. Use gear that is appropriate, but protects from tear outs of their soft lip flesh, and its the same thing. They simply sit on the bottom. Its basically an exercise in seeing how much you can pull up to the boat without any of it failing. I have a vise on my work bench that fights harder.

Have you ever fly fished for carp? Waded the shallows, see one tailing? Made the perfect cast, only for him to turn up his nose at it? Then made a perfect cast, seen the barely detectable take, set the hook, and watched 30 yards of line zing off your fly reel in 5 seconds?

http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/

Cute baby you got there 4Bizz.

J Francho reply :

As far as fly fishing for carp...... ehhh. LOL. You guys can post up all the pics and accolades about how smart they are, and what a battle..... One of my last fish from the kayak last year was a 33lb. beast caught on my ml drop shot rod. Stupid thing ate Gulp minnow meant for a perch. The one good thing about that catch is my new found respect for InvisX 6 lb. I wailed on that fish, and the line didn't break.

Carp are annoying. They disturb spawning bass. Scare other fish away. And scare the crap out of me when they are spawning. I curse the stupid people that brought these pests here.

Goose52 reply :

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As far as fly fishing for carp...... ehhh. LOL. You guys can post up all the pics and accolades about how smart they are, and what a battle..... One of my last fish from the kayak last year was a 33lb. beast caught on my ml drop shot rod. Stupid thing ate Gulp minnow meant for a perch. The one good thing about that catch is my new found respect for InvisX 6 lb. I wailed on that fish, and the line didn't break.
Carp are annoying. They disturb spawning bass. Scare other fish away. And scare the crap out of me when they are spawning. I curse the stupid people that brought these pests here.

I've been in my canoe when all of a sudden I'd be in a school of 15-20 forty-pound plus grass carp - I'd get startled when they'd flush all of a sudden, then for some reason the theme from Jaws would play through my mind....da-dun, da-dun, da-da, da-da, da-da....... ;D

fourbizz reply :

Ive caught carp up to about 30lbs on conventional gear. That was the only time I ever fly fished for them, in moving water, @ 7,700 feet, in Colorado.

Bassin_Fin@tic reply :

Yawwwnnnn! Fishing trends? I use what I like and do what I like and I know the reasons why I like it. Theres absolutely no way I could keep up with these "trends" if I tried or even wanted to.

SeanW reply :

The best trends are always the one's I start. Bottom line is fish with what you are comfortable and confident in and thats it. With constant improvements in gear things are always gonna change. So start you own trend and fish with what you like instead of what others tell you is the best.

10074

Fishing trends...drive me crazy!!! 2024

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