Numbers Or Size...what Is More Important To You? 2024

RMcDuffee726 reply :

Is the goal always to catch a monster of a fish or just catch a ton of great fish. I understand that any bass is a good bass, but what is important to you? I caught my first big bass today, and then hooked up to a bunch of dinks. I still found catching the dinks equally fun as catching the big fish (I did enjoy the picture with my PB though). So what is it?

Scott F reply :

Big fish are fine, but my thrill comes with the hit. I need action to keep me interested. Even if I caught my personal best earlier in the day, If I haven't caught anything in the last 3 hours, I'm not happy. I'm not saying I'd like to catch 10" fish all day, but I'd rather have numbers than just 1 or 2 big ones.

OroBass reply :

My mind changed when I caught an eleven pounder. Totally different experience! I'm adicted. I hunt big fish. I want 8 lb plus bass and I fish accordingly. If I catch small fish I'm in the wrong spot.

kstring reply :

I prefer the hawgs!! But that is probably because we have several ponds and lakes to fish where it is nothing to rack up 50+ bass a day in the 1-2 lb range.

Only recently have I made this transition to prefer the big boys over numbers but don't get me wrong thinnin the herd in an overstocked lake and heatin up the grease is a ton of fun too!

OroBass reply :

I'm fishing for moby dick. Haha

OroBass reply :

But I have to agree with Scott. Sometimes 3 hours of nothing gets boring. I had a buddy that used to down scale and start catching bluegill when the bite was off.

WRB reply :

Numbers of big bass.

Hi Salenity reply :

Size, it only takes one good fish to make my day.

Unless I'm fishing for smallies, then I'd at least like to catch enough to have fun.

Gaerith reply :

I think a lot of it depends on where you're at with your fishing skills. I am not the greatest fisherman so it just makes me happy to catch a few bass and know that I'm doing something right or found a pattern.

Missourifishin reply :

Numbers are great, and staying busy all day catching a lot of fish is fun. But I'd rather catch one 10 pounder than 10-20 one pounders any day.

Tylertut reply :

Since I'm fairly new to bass fishing I just look to catch numbers. Catching some big ones are awesome. But I have days when I catch none. I have thrown huge baits in order to land some of my biggest bass. But to me, catching any on a giving outing is a success.

gobig reply :

^{Size matters.}

Fish Murderer 71 reply :

I only need 5 (three on a couple lakes)... sure would like it when I have a >25# sack to weigh in (someday)...

Fish_Whisperer reply :

I go for size... I am happy with the one hookset that feels like you've set into 10 ft wide stump. After fishing my spots for quite a few years, coupled with the homework away from the water (BassResource videos ) I am fairly confident that if i'm in a slump, or just wanna catch A bass, then I will dial something in and catch one.

I take people fishing. I show them a good time and we catch numbers. If I am by myself, I'm going after the lake or state record.

SirSnookalot reply :

Size, but more important the fight. 60 second battles don't get it for me.

Big Ken reply :

On 6/20/2014 at 12:40 PM, Hi Salenity said:

Size, it only takes one good fish to make my day.

Unless I'm fishing for smallies, then I'd at least like to catch enough to have fun.

I agree 100% it only takes one good fish to make my day. But when I take my young son its a numbers game to keep him interested.

K_Mac reply :

I can have a good time just catching fish when I have someone with me who is a novice or occasional bass fisherman. Catching a lot of fish when one of my grandkids is along is my only goal. With that said, I quickly lose interest catching dinks under normal circumstances. I have a friend who I used to fish with regularly that will throw little crankbaits, catching mostly little fish, all day. I have no desire to do that and rarely fish from his boat. When I have mine I can choose the water and speed at which we fish, and he can fish whatever technique he wants-from the back of the boat!

Fishing for most of us is a time to relax and enjoy nature. We are all wired differently and what relaxes me on the water may cause someone else to dig their golf clubs out of the closet. Enjoy the process, whatever it is!

HeavyFisher reply :

When I was a child all I cared about was catching fish, now I specifically target size when fishing for LMB.

einscodek reply :

Whichever makes you happy..

if every catch were a big fish I think I'd get bored

Im looking for a surprise

I like to see the lil dinks too..

Mccallister25 reply :

Everybody loves to catch the fat girls, but a great day of catchin 2-3 pound fish is fun as hell in my opinion.

starcraft1 reply :

If I want #'s, I'll hit Oroville hard for a day. 100 spotted bass in a day out there is fairly common. If I'm targetting toads, it's all about the Cal delta or Clear lake.

AK-Jax86 reply :

Size is more important to me.

I hate the days when the dinks decide it's an all you can eat buffet on my lure.

bbgobie reply :

I'm in it for the size where I fish. But on a slow day I do start targeting smaller fish. Some action is better than no action

gramps50 reply :

I just like to catch fish. Don't get me wrong I love the fight of a big fish and the challenge of trying to land it. But when the days over I want to be able to say I caught xx fish.

If the LMB bite is off or I just can't find them I will break out the ultra light lures and target sunfish. Son of them put on helluva fight for their size.

All fish other than crappie are returned to the water to fight again.

TNBassin' reply :

Wouldn't numbers mean you're really doing something right. If I caught 15 smaller ones wouldn't that mean that my bait, presentation, and lure selection is spot on?

Mumbly reply :

I think like most people I would be really happy catching a big fish but I am perfectly happy catching a bunch of dinks as well. I enjoy topwater the most so I tend to have more fun doing that and catching dinks.

Raul reply :

Many years ago it was numbers, then it was size when I caught my first 10 lber, then I got to my 13.86 lbr PB, nowdays is : I don´t even care if I catch, I´m happy just by being there.

If my son comes then I´ll fish for numbers.

geo g reply :

When I go out it is to relax and have fun. I want to catch fish, so if there 8 pounders or 1 pounders the bite, hook set, and landing is the important part for me. Everyone wants a hawg, but the important part for me is action. Nothing bothers more than an hour of nothing !!!!!

RoLo reply :

If I land 5 or 6 bass, I'm going to lose count after that, because my heart is not into numbers.

If you tell me you had a 100-bass day, you don't have to tell me anything about their size....because you already did.

Roger

Alpster reply :

I like to catch a LOT of REALLY BIG fish! But that's just me.....

Ronnie

Raul reply :

On 6/21/2014 at 8:34 AM, Alpster said:

I like to catch a LOT of REALLY BIG fish! But that's just me.....

Ronnie

Long time no see !

Alpster reply :

On 6/21/2014 at 9:05 AM, Raul said:
Long time no see !

I've been around, just not a lot of time for internets these days. Had a great time on the Road trip. Hope you are doing well, Raul.

everythingthatswims reply :

I like catching numbers if they are over 2 pounds (10 or more 2+lbers over one 5-8lber). If they are smaller, then I have to enjoy the technique I am using to catch them (topwater or cranking is a lot more fun than fishing plastics IMO). Yesterday I got into the 1.5lb and smaller fish on topwater while they were schooling, but after about 20 of them I got bored and went pitching/flipping for better sized fish.

HeavyFisher reply :

On 6/21/2014 at 1:21 AM, TNBassin said:
Wouldn't numbers mean you're really doing something right. If I caught 15 smaller ones wouldn't that mean that my bait, presentation, and lure selection is spot on?

Not at all, if all your catching is small fish. If your targeting small lmb then yea your doing something right. Larger fish are much harder to fool. If your catching tons of small fish and no large fish then in my mind it means your fishing a basic presentation that a lot of inexperienced fish are willing to take. I used to catch small lmb all the time until I switched my primary bait and presentation. I started catching less lmb but the ones I did catch were large in size. Quality over Quantity any day of the year IMO.

everythingthatswims reply :

On 6/21/2014 at 12:05 AM, gramps50 said:

I just like to catch fish. Don't get me wrong I love the fight of a big fish and the challenge of trying to land it. But when the days over I want to be able to say I caught xx fish.

If the LMB bite is off or I just can't find them I will break out the ultra light lures and target sunfish. Son of them put on helluva fight for their size.

All fish other than crappie are returned to the water to fight again.

kfelton0002 reply :

I'm okay with catching one pounders as long as I'm catching something. They are fun.. I could catch them all day. Don't get me wrong, catching big fish is awesome but sometimes in the ponds I fish they are few and far between. Until we get my bass boat catching the smaller guys and the occasional pig will just have to do. Hopefully we will be going boat shopping within the next year.

kfelton0002 reply :

On 6/22/2014 at 9:14 AM, everythingthatswims said:

I second that! If I can't get the bass to bite I go after the bluegill! Love those little guys.. lol. We havemt done any crappie fishing but no doubt I will when we hit the lake.

basscatcher8 reply :

I think it depends where you are fishing. If I'm in the river here I'm gunning for 1 or 2 hits all day and could care less about size long as I find them I feel accomplished cause its a rough place to find em and make em bite. But there isnt much size to be found there. If I'm in the farm ponds im usually still looking for numbers but will slow down and look for size cause some of the ponds around here do hold some nice bass.

basseditor reply :

I expect to catch some over 5 lbs every time I go out. (Doesn't always happen.)

I'm happiest when I figure out the 8 pounders and above. I catch enough 6-7s that although they are great fish, they don't do it for me.

Big fish definitely are different. You need a mind set to be happy with just one bite/ fish in a day or two days or even a week of fishing.

Then a magic day comes along that blows all others away, like one day we sat on a deep rock pile all day and caught close to 40 bass from 7-10 pounds.

SirSnookalot reply :

It's never numbers, but size is relative to the species. I do a lot of peacock fishing, in my area 5# is a really good one. It's a pretty decent fight but I have to use light or ml to get the enjoyment out of it. I have other fish in my area that even at half the size of the peacock is twice the fight, I love catching them. On the up side, it's as likely to hook into one of those fish bigger than 10#, that really is the expectation.

Bankbeater reply :

I like to catch numbers just to say that I didn't get skunked, but there is nothing like pulling a hawg into the boat.

FirstnameLastname reply :

I would rather catch many small guys then 1 or 2 big guys. Keeps me paying attention instead of zoning out waiting for my bait to get hit.

zwhiten12 reply :

Lately I've been going for size, I have been huntin for a monster. I went fishing with my girlfriend last night and I was going for something big and she was going for anything. Ended up with her catching a 4lber and me going home with a big goose egg... that's just how it goes sometimes.

TNBassin' reply :

On 6/23/2014 at 6:40 PM, Bankbeater said:
I like to catch numbers just to say that I didn't get skunked, but there is nothing like pulling a hawg into the boat.

This is me. When I caught my PB small mouth a couple years ago I had a rush like no other. But in no way did that ruin me from just catching them. Catching a bunch of 2lbers isn't a bad day IMO.

Skeeter Dan reply :

If I catch any thing other than a sun or wind burn and myself !! Its a Great Day just to be out on the water Fishing

Balshy Fishing reply :

With me, I'll take whatever comes to me. My dad goes out strictly for size, his biggest goal is catch a musky lol

Bluebasser86 reply :

Well I don't take pictures of dinks so it must be the size for me

I enjoy catching all of them though and some dinks is way better than a skunk any day.

Sam reply :

Tournaments - Da big ones.

Fun Fishing - Numbers.

senile1 reply :

On 7/7/2014 at 1:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Well I don't take pictures of dinks so it must be the size for me

I enjoy catching all of them though and some dinks is way better than a skunk any day.

Same here. I rarely take a picture of a bass less than 5 lbs but a few tough fighting small bass are better than none at all.

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Numbers Or Size...what Is More Important To You? 2024

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