Path to becoming a better fisherman 2024

kj21 reply :

My question is how do i become a better fisherman? I am looking for advice but not tips and tricks to catch more fish. I am looking for the path people took to become good at being on fish. How do you practice to become better? What were some of your favorite books or study tools. Did you go out and practice with a specefic goal for the day?

Team9nine reply :

You have to establish a good foundation (IMHO) of the basics of fish location, habits and behaviors. All the "magic bait" and tackle stuff comes secondary. Read and study, then try and put some of it into practice out on the water. I'd personally recommend the following (any/all):

- Buck Perry's "Spoon-plugging

- In-Fisherman's F+L+P=S formula, including their water body classification and seasonal calendar periods

- Rick Clunn's seasonal patterns for bass

These will give you the foundation upon which to build everything else. You can also search this website to get some threads where others have suggested "must have" reading material. As Dick Bengraff once said, "An ounce of biology is worth a pound of tackle."

kj21 reply :

Awesome! Thank you for the reply and your advice is exactly what i am hungry for! I will read the material you reccommended and please if you think of more wisdom to pass i am all ears!

slonezp reply :

First, you need to buy a $70,000 bass boat. The bass boat will need to be rigged with $10,000 worth of electronics. Second buy a jersey covered with patches because you must look the part while riding around in your new bass boat. Third, you will need 15 combos consisting of $400 rods and $300 reels ( I realize you can only use one at a time, but having the other 14 rods laying on the deck will allow you to switch setups quickly when you are not catching fish on the one you are currently using). Now, what good are all those rods and reels if you haven't spooled them up with 100lb braid. The 100lb braid prevents you from losing fish under all conditions. You will land 100% of the fish you hook. Speaking of hooks, you will need to replace the hooks on all your $20 crankbaits because, for some reason, $20 crankbait hooks don't hook the fish the right way. They must be replaced. You must also buy lots of scent. I think garlic and coffee work the best because they can be found naturally occurring in most underwater ecosystems. A pair of $300 polarized Costas or Oakleys will allow you to see deep into the dark depths of the fishes soul and shame it into biting your hook.

Based on the above advice, all I can say is buy a bunch of Powerball tickets this week. With $650M you should be able to become a better fisherman.

soflabasser reply :

Put your time on the water and try your best to learn from every single fishing trip. Understand that expensive gear is not truly needed, there are plenty of land based fishermen who caught several double digit bass from land and people with top of the line bass gear and boats who haven't caught a single bass over 8 pounds.Try to find someone who is very skilled in bass fishing and fish with them as long as you can.Understand that bass fishing is a sport where you will learn for a lifetime. Above all make having fun your number 1 priority while fishing.

fishwizzard reply :

My advice is to learn how to put a lure where you want to put it. All the knowledge and gear in the world isn't going to catch you a bass if you can't get the lure where it needs to go. By all means learn as much as you can at the same time, but off the water casting practice will allow you to put that knowledge to use a lot faster and save you some money.

Take a 5g paint bucket lid or something like that and put it like 20' out and cast at it until you can hit it every time, or at least until you can understand why you didn't hit it on a specific cast. Then move it back 10' and do it again. Keep moving it back until you are missing more than hitting, then move it back closer in until are hitting almost all the time again. It is a lot easier to find 30 min to cast in the yard then a few hours to hit the water.

Jeff H reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:11 AM, slonezp said:

First, you need to buy a $70,000 bass boat. The bass boat will need to be rigged with $10,000 worth of electronics. Second buy a jersey covered with patches because you must look the part while riding around in your new bass boat. Third, you will need 15 combos consisting of $400 rods and $300 reels ( I realize you can only use one at a time, but having the other 14 rods laying on the deck will allow you to switch setups quickly when you are not catching fish on the one you are currently using). Now, what good are all those rods and reels if you haven't spooled them up with 100lb braid. The 100lb braid prevents you from losing fish under all conditions. You will land 100% of the fish you hook. Speaking of hooks, you will need to replace the hooks on all your $20 crankbaits because, for some reason, $20 crankbait hooks don't hook the fish the right way. They must be replaced. You must also buy lots of scent. I think garlic and coffee work the best because they can be found naturally occurring in most underwater ecosystems. A pair of $300 polarized Costas or Oakleys will allow you to see deep into the dark depths of the fishes soul and shame it into biting your hook.

Based on the above advice, all I can say is buy a bunch of Powerball tickets this week. With $650M you should be able to become a better fisherman.

This is the path I took, and I turned out ok. On my days off I included a little bit of Buck Perry too.

Ksam1234 reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:11 AM, slonezp said:

First, you need to buy a $70,000 bass boat. The bass boat will need to be rigged with $10,000 worth of electronics. Second buy a jersey covered with patches because you must look the part while riding around in your new bass boat. Third, you will need 15 combos consisting of $400 rods and $300 reels ( I realize you can only use one at a time, but having the other 14 rods laying on the deck will allow you to switch setups quickly when you are not catching fish on the one you are currently using). Now, what good are all those rods and reels if you haven't spooled them up with 100lb braid. The 100lb braid prevents you from losing fish under all conditions. You will land 100% of the fish you hook. Speaking of hooks, you will need to replace the hooks on all your $20 crankbaits because, for some reason, $20 crankbait hooks don't hook the fish the right way. They must be replaced. You must also buy lots of scent. I think garlic and coffee work the best because they can be found naturally occurring in most underwater ecosystems. A pair of $300 polarized Costas or Oakleys will allow you to see deep into the dark depths of the fishes soul and shame it into biting your hook.

Based on the above advice, all I can say is buy a bunch of Powerball tickets this week. With $650M you should be able to become a better fisherman.

This made me LOL for real. I love watching fishing videos and they got all there sponsors on the shirts and they start throwing "random" companies .. oh and you must use this and this. Oh no that pole won't work you have to buy this or you won't catch the fish .. and everyone has 65 pound braid.. I don't understand you gonna do with 65 pound braid? Didn't know we had freshwater whales ? Prob lost

them not using that 65 pound braid

fishwizzard reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:11 AM, slonezp said:

A pair of $300 polarized Costas or Oakleys will allow you to see deep into the dark depths of the fishes soul and shame it into biting your hook.

I will say that a reasonable pair of polarized glasses is a game changer when fishing from the bank. I was amazed how many fish I started catching once I had a chance to see them before they saw me.

RLB27 reply :

You are in the right place!! I have learned so much from reading the posts in these forums and watching the videos!!

clh121787 reply :

Time on the water. Eliminate unproductive water. And learn how to fish offshore structure. Simplify bait selection use a proven bait like a tx rig worm And just fish.

frogflogger reply :

Lots of really good advice above - the only thing I would add is that when on the water take the first few minutes to just observe and listen for a while - kind of acclimate your senses to the place - you will notice subtle things that will help you be a better angler.

Catt reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 8:22 AM, Team9nine said:

You have to establish a good foundation (IMHO) of the basics of fish location, habits and behaviors. All the "magic bait" and tackle stuff comes secondary. Read and study, then try and put some of it into practice out on the water. I'd personally recommend the following (any/all):

- Buck Perry's "Spoon-plugging

- In-Fisherman's F+L+P=S formula, including their water body classification and seasonal calendar periods

- Rick Clunn's seasonal patterns for bass

These will give you the foundation upon which to build everything else. You can also search this website to get some threads where others have suggested "must have" reading material. As Dick Bengraff once said, "An ounce of biology is worth a pound of tackle."

C'est fini - It's Finished?

D3FT reply :

I try to keep good notes and when I catch a fish I ask myself some questions, what was I doing when that fish hit? and why was that fish here?

NHBull reply :

It's like real estate...Location, Location,Location

It's like skeet shooting.....put the projectile on the target

Admitably I too need to work on location, and informed my partner that for the rest of this year his will be my focus for the rest of the year, which means we may get shutout from time to time.

Think I will be buying a few book too!

scaleface reply :

There was no internet . I read magazines and put in lots of time on the water . I spent a decade trying to learn deep water before it finally began to click .

Jeff H reply :

Honestly, nothing proved more beneficial for me than meeting Roger Betts, who introduced me to Buck's teachings and then getting the home study course. Roger was a devout follower, a Perry disciple, and for me a true mentor that I owe my successful quest of becoming a better angler. Roger put more fish in the boat than most people I know combined. I was one lucky guy!

Logan S reply :

I'm sure we can debate how big each circle should be...I'm sure the Gear/Equipment circle will spark some discussion ...But I made this to be easy to read so it's not 'to scale'. Although I personally believe Gear/Equipment is actually a very important factor when applied appropriately. (I literally made this in 2 minutes, don't put any thought into the physical size of each circle in this image )

Now, for actual steps to take. I would recommend reading the In-Fisherman books on Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass, they will seem a little dated compared to what you might see online these days but the information is as good as it gets. I read both as a young angler and re-read them from time to time as refreshers. I would also suggest joining a bass club and fishing some tournaments. Even if the tournament side of bass fishing isn't as interesting to you, 1 season in a local club would be a literal crash course in bass fishing.

Scarborough817 reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 8:22 AM, Team9nine said:

You have to establish a good foundation (IMHO) of the basics of fish location, habits and behaviors. All the "magic bait" and tackle stuff comes secondary. Read and study, then try and put some of it into practice out on the water. I'd personally recommend the following (any/all):

- Buck Perry's "Spoon-plugging

- In-Fisherman's F+L+P=S formula, including their water body classification and seasonal calendar periods

- Rick Clunn's seasonal patterns for bass

These will give you the foundation upon which to build everything else. You can also search this website to get some threads where others have suggested "must have" reading material. As Dick Bengraff once said, "An ounce of biology is worth a pound of tackle."

do you have the water body classification and the seasonal calendar periods?

Team9nine reply :

In-Fisherman website has a lot of info available online, as well as letting you purchase any of their teaching material (books, dvds, etc.). Their "Largemouth Bass: handbook of strategies" and Critical Concepts series are usually pretty easy to track down, much more so than their original magazine Study Series reports and annuals. Should be able to find both the calendar and water body stuff in all of these.

MIbassyaker reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 10:54 PM, Logan S said:

Now, for actual steps to take. I would recommend reading the In-Fisherman books on Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass, they will seem a little dated compared to what you might see online these days but the information is as good as it gets. I read both as a young angler and re-read them from time to time as refreshers. I would also suggest joining a bass club and fishing some tournaments. Even if the tournament side of bass fishing isn't as interesting to you, 1 season in a local club would be a literal crash course in bass fishing.

Agree with Logan! Although aside from specific gear and tackle recommendations, the basic info in these books isn't dated much, if at all. WHen they were first published, these books compiled most of the core information that had been published in-fisherman at the time, so they include the F+L+P stuff, body of water classification, and seasonal calendar info.

The best part is used copies of these books can be found on amazon for just a couple bucks each.

There is also the more recent 3-volume Critical Concepts series (vol 1: fundamentals, vol 2: Location, vole 3: presentation). VOls 1 and 2 cover a lot of the same ground as the older largemouth book (but updated a little), but the 3rd is mostly new stuff about modern lures and techniques.

T9, when you mention the rick clunn seasonal patterns above, are you talking about the Paul Prorok articles from in the 80s?

IndianaFinesse reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 8:22 AM, Team9nine said:

You have to establish a good foundation (IMHO) of the basics of fish location, habits and behaviors. All the "magic bait" and tackle stuff comes secondary. Read and study, then try and put some of it into practice out on the water. I'd personally recommend the following (any/all):

- Buck Perry's "Spoon-plugging

- In-Fisherman's F+L+P=S formula, including their water body classification and seasonal calendar periods

- Rick Clunn's seasonal patterns for bass

These will give you the foundation upon which to build everything else. You can also search this website to get some threads where others have suggested "must have" reading material. As Dick Bengraff once said, "An ounce of biology is worth a pound of tackle."

Where can rick clunn's seasonal patterns be found? I looked online for it, but couldn't find them.

Team9nine reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 11:48 PM, IndianaFinesse said:

Where can rick clunn's seasonal patterns be found? I looked online for it, but couldn't find them.

Those are a little harder to find. In-Fisherman and Paul Prorok did the best article which would need to be tracked down via eBay as a back issue. Bassmaster also did a 3 part series on his seasonal breakdown, which you'd have to grab the same way. I'll see if I can find the specific issues of each and list them for those looking.

EDIT: The 3-part Bassmaster series appeared in several 1988 issues (Sep/Oct, Nov, Dec). The In-Fisherman articles were in Book #72 (Apr/May 1987) and Book #84 (Mar 1989).

Choporoz reply :

I've gotten better just by trying to follow a little bit of Gerald Swindle's advice:

Work at maintaining positive mental attitude...and its corollary; Fish the cast...every cast...

I used to waste probably 3/4 of my casts....nowadays, I'd like to think I'm closer to 25%

Team9nine reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 11:08 PM, MIbassyaker said:

Agree with Logan! Although aside from specific gear and tackle recommendations, the basic info in these books isn't dated much, if at all. WHen they were first published, these books compiled most of the core information that had been published in-fisherman at the time, so they include the F+L+P stuff, body of water classification, and seasonal calendar info.

The best part is used copies of these books can be found on amazon for just a couple bucks each.

T9, when you mention the rick clunn seasonal patterns above, are you talking about the Paul Prorok articles from in the 80s?

Yes, the Prorok articles were the best ones in my opinion, but the 3 part series in Bassmaster is also a good alternative. I listed the specific issues in my post above. THe I-F stuff you listed is good. About everything you bought and read from them in the early days had parts of "The System" included in each story.

MIbassyaker reply :

On 8/22/2017 at 1:00 AM, Team9nine said:

Yes, the Prorok articles were the best ones in my opinion, but the 3 part series in Bassmaster is also a good alternative. I listed the specific issues in my post above. The I-F stuff you listed is good. About everything you bought and read from them in the early days had parts of "The System" included in each story.

Ah, that's what I thought. The 3-part Bassmaster series is also reprinted in Tim Tucker's book "More secrets of the Bass Pros"

senile1 reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 8:43 PM, scaleface said:

There was no internet . I read magazines and put in lots of time on the water . I spent a decade trying to learn deep water before it finally began to click .

@Team9nine nailed some of the best resources for learning about the habits and movements of bass. A number of others have mentioned time on the water and @scaleface makes an excellent point about how much time may be needed. I think many of us often go to these resources and study the information but we don't realize what it takes to apply it on the water. How many of us have studied these guides, reviewed and chosen some likely looking places on a map of a large lake, and then proceeded to those areas and fished them only somewhat differently than we have in the past? I know I have. An angler may think he has discovered one of the best large points available on a lake, but he won't know the full picture of how bass use it until he has researched that piece of structure on the water and in different seasons. Don't shortchange the mapping of structure just because you have the best electronics available. Use those electronics to help decrease the time needed, but make sure you spend enough time to cover the whole area. Those tiny "spots within a spot" that hold lots of bass typically aren't found by accident.

Fishing_FF reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:27 AM, Bunnielab said:

My advice is to learn how to put a lure where you want to put it. All the knowledge and gear in the world isn't going to catch you a bass if you can't get the lure where it needs to go. By all means learn as much as you can at the same time, but off the water casting practice will allow you to put that knowledge to use a lot faster and save you some money.

I'm a new guy to fishing, stumbling my way through to become a better fisherman. I've done a lot of reading through the articles and forums here. I've done a lot of experimenting with tackle, figuring out hook sizes, casting different test lines, tying knots until I could in the dark, etc. I had the opportunity to fish with a FLW tournament guy that wins a lot in the local lakes as well as a well regarded flats guy that has a niche as a lightweight spinning guru.

When I was out with them, I noticed that they could repeatedly drop a lure in the same spot repeatedly. They could hit 12" holes in vegetation or skip under trees or docks like a sharpshooter hits a steel plate out at 200-400 yards. Since then, I've been practicing casting various lures at one of my kids little 3" frisbee in the backyard. It has only been a couple weeks, but I'm already seeing results. First, less lures stick in trees, heavy grass, or lily pads, but also more fish on the line as the lures are landing in spots where the fish are.

Good luck, and great thread!

MGEOD reply :

I would say learn the seasonal patterns and as said try to apply it on the water. I have a KVD interview on his thoughts I will try to find and post for you. Also don't be scared to experiment. If they are feeding a bass will bite a bare hook . Time on water is a must. Fish your strong points .. but try other things . I have been a bank beater all my life but recently started to try ledge fishing .. Lets just say I have become addicted to throwing deep cranks and swim baits.. Don't catch no babies out there in the deep stuff, or at least I haven't . Several trips this summer where I had 15 or so pounds on the ledges .. good electronics and mapping is a must tho .. If I can figure out how to post the KVD article I will

Kevin VanDam needs no introduction.docx

soflabasser reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 8:43 PM, scaleface said:

There was no internet . I read magazines and put in lots of time on the water . I spent a decade trying to learn deep water before it finally began to click .

Well said @scaleface. Internet forums did not exist when I learned the most about bass fishing. Back then I learned by putting my time on the water, learning from each fishing trip, and reading books about fishing. Honestly I haven't learned much that I didn't already know while reading forums compared to what I learn while actually fishing( besides a couple fishing spots I got from internet forums,youtube videos, google earth, etc).

CTBassin860 reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:11 AM, slonezp said:

First, you need to buy a $70,000 bass boat. The bass boat will need to be rigged with $10,000 worth of electronics. Second buy a jersey covered with patches because you must look the part while riding around in your new bass boat. Third, you will need 15 combos consisting of $400 rods and $300 reels ( I realize you can only use one at a time, but having the other 14 rods laying on the deck will allow you to switch setups quickly when you are not catching fish on the one you are currently using). Now, what good are all those rods and reels if you haven't spooled them up with 100lb braid. The 100lb braid prevents you from losing fish under all conditions. You will land 100% of the fish you hook. Speaking of hooks, you will need to replace the hooks on all your $20 crankbaits because, for some reason, $20 crankbait hooks don't hook the fish the right way. They must be replaced. You must also buy lots of scent. I think garlic and coffee work the best because they can be found naturally occurring in most underwater ecosystems. A pair of $300 polarized Costas or Oakleys will allow you to see deep into the dark depths of the fishes soul and shame it into biting your hook.

Based on the above advice, all I can say is buy a bunch of Powerball tickets this week. With $650M you should be able to become a better fisherman.

You only need 180 dollar Costas my friend

MGEOD reply :

Quote

Another thing , and I have been guilty of this to the tenth degree. Don't get caught up in color .. Stay basic . Figure out what they are eating and match the hatch. I have recently joined BASS UNIVERSITY and one thing I have gained from watching the seminars is they don't get caught up on color . Gerald Swindle throws a brown or black jig . I think most of those guys really try to keep it simple . I know for me , the more junk I seem to have to the more difficult I have deciding what to throw. I took a bunch of junk out of my boat .. Plan to keep it real simple and see what happens for a while. I think presentation is more important that color .. As some one said earlier .. Learn to hit your targets when you cast.

CTBassin860 reply :

On 8/22/2017 at 7:44 AM, MGEOD said:

Brown,black,blue and green is all you need.

MGEOD reply :

On 8/22/2017 at 7:46 AM, MassBassin508 said:

Brown,black,blue and green is all you need.

i would add white to mimic shad.. But that is it ..

IndianaFinesse reply :

On 8/22/2017 at 7:46 AM, MassBassin508 said:

Brown,black,blue and green is all you need.

Or, you could do what I did and simplify it even more to pb&j and black/blue

MichaelCopeland reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:11 AM, slonezp said:

First, you need to buy a $70,000 bass boat. The bass boat will need to be rigged with $10,000 worth of electronics. Second buy a jersey covered with patches because you must look the part while riding around in your new bass boat. Third, you will need 15 combos consisting of $400 rods and $300 reels ( I realize you can only use one at a time, but having the other 14 rods laying on the deck will allow you to switch setups quickly when you are not catching fish on the one you are currently using). Now, what good are all those rods and reels if you haven't spooled them up with 100lb braid. The 100lb braid prevents you from losing fish under all conditions. You will land 100% of the fish you hook. Speaking of hooks, you will need to replace the hooks on all your $20 crankbaits because, for some reason, $20 crankbait hooks don't hook the fish the right way. They must be replaced. You must also buy lots of scent. I think garlic and coffee work the best because they can be found naturally occurring in most underwater ecosystems. A pair of $300 polarized Costas or Oakleys will allow you to see deep into the dark depths of the fishes soul and shame it into biting your hook.

Based on the above advice, all I can say is buy a bunch of Powerball tickets this week. With $650M you should be able to become a better fisherman.

LMBO!!! That's frickin' hilarious!!! ??

soflabasser reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 11:08 PM, MIbassyaker said:

Although aside from specific gear and tackle recommendations, the basic info in these books isn't dated much, if at all. WHen they were first published, these books compiled most of the core information that had been published in-fisherman at the time, so they include the F+L+P stuff, body of water classification, and seasonal calendar info.

The best part is used copies of these books can be found on amazon for just a couple bucks each.

I have a large collection of old fishing books from the 80's and 90's that I cherish for the timeless information they have. I got the first couple books as gifts from my grandparents when I was a child and recently bought the rest of the books to complete the collection. These books are worth every penny! I bough books about muskie and smallmouth fishing, read the books, and used the information I learned to catch my first couple muskies, smallmouths, and other northern fish in recent vacations.

scaleface reply :

When I first started bass fishing from a boat I was not very successful , just like everyone else. I had a lot of days where a skunking or just a handful of fish were caught . A twenty fish day was exceptional . Now a twenty fish day is below average . So where have I improved ?

1: Lure selection . I'm simply much better at knowing what lures to use and when to use them . I dont switch nearly as often . Over 90 percent of the lures I use fall into four categories . Texas rig/ jigs , crankbaits , spinnerbaits , and buzzbaits . I use other lures but these get the most playing time . No doubt this selection would be different in other bodies of water .

2: Casting . I'm not a great caster and could use a lot of improvement but I'm a fearless caster . If theres a small opening in a piece of cover I'm gunning for it until I hit it or snag up in the process . Watching the pros live this year I noticed a lot of errant casting on their part too .

3: Boat control . Get the boat positioned to make the best cast . Often times this means parallel casting to keep the bait in the strike zone for an entire cast . Why sit in unproductive water and cast to shore and have the lure in the strike zone for a small portion of the retrieve ?

4: Identifying potential structure . I had no idea how to fish deep and took many years to start getting the hang of it . Especially points . I was clueless on finding productive points . I fished at short steep points , mouths of coves...and caught a few fish . Then when I discovered the long tapering points my catching success hit a whole new level .

WRB reply :

Even before you can start down the pathway you need to learn good casting mechanics and the only way to do that is practice. Fishing is a lot like golf, having the proper casting mechanics goes a long way to becoming a good bass angler.

You can over load yourself by reading too much theory that doesn't apply to catching bass. Knowledge of basic bass behavior will help you eliminate unproductive water.

My pathway started as a pre teen with 1 rod, reel and lure, after a lifetime of bass fishing my journey is still ongoing.

Good Fishing, enjoy your journey.

Tom

Catt reply :

Knowledge is a process of piling up facts; wisdom lies in their simplification!

BassWhole! reply :

reading will either increase your knowledge or confuse the heck out of you, in either case it will not make you a better angler, only angling will make you a better angler.

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

On 11/1/2017 at 9:38 PM, scaleface said:

When I first started bass fishing from a boat I was not very successful , just like everyone else. I had a lot of days where a skunking or just a handful of fish were caught . A twenty fish day was exceptional . Now a twenty fish day is below average . So where have I improved ?

4: Identifying potential structure . I had no idea how to fish deep and took many years to start getting the hang of it . Especially points . I was clueless on finding productive points . I fished at short steep points , mouths of coves...and caught a few fish . Then when I discovered the long tapering points my catching success hit a whole new level .

Thanks for this, I'm still you in the past. I've spent most of my time fishing at mouth of coves and short steep Point. I hope one day I can find a good productive Point.

BassWhole! reply :

On 8/22/2017 at 7:48 AM, MGEOD said:

i would add white to mimic shad.. But that is it ..

And this chair, and these matches and this paddle game, and that's all...

Nebasska reply :

Time on the water.... learn from your mistakes and always be aware of your temps conditions and clarity...keeping a fishing journal or just using your cell phone to document success and failure and keep pluggin it wont happen overnight and could take years but oh think how much fun you can have learning!

WRB reply :

On 11/2/2017 at 10:45 AM, JustJames said:

Thanks for this, I'm still you in the past. I've spent most of my time fishing at mouth of coves and short steep Point. I hope one day I can find a good productive Point.

Off topic; I haven't fished Canyon lake in several years as we have discussed. Canyon lake, as I recall, does have isolated rock piles that should be visible during low water periods. These are random piles of boulders located on gentle slopes or flats that hold bass and get less fishing pressure then obvious points and docks.

On topic; Study lake maps and sat maps overviews to learn the bottom structure of your lakes. Study what are the primary prey the bass in your lake are eating and where that prey source is abundant. Bass want 2 things, food and shelter.

Tom

Further North reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:11 AM, slonezp said:

Based on the above advice, all I can say is buy a bunch of Powerball tickets this week. With $650M you should be able to become a better fisherman.

...but only because you'll have the time to devote to fishing instead of working...

On 8/21/2017 at 10:10 AM, Ksam1234 said:

and everyone has 65 pound braid.. I don't understand you gonna do with 65 pound braid? Didn't know we had freshwater whales ? Prob lost

them not using that 65 pound braid

The reason for 65 lb. braid? It's the same diameter as the mono we used to use. THat skinny crap cuts fingers, and breaks if it even sees a rough edge rock...

Sam reply :

Kyle, sent a personal message to you.

Please do the following so we can help you better:

1. Go to Introductions and introduce yourself.

2. Add your location so we can give you specific assistance for your geographical area.

3. Tell us the bodies of water you like to fish.

And last, but not least: keep up with the Forum. Read the posts; ask questions; add your input.

All the best for learning all you can about that little green monster that drives us crazy.

Ratherbfishing reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 9:21 AM, soflabasser said:

...there are plenty of land based fishermen who caught several double digit bass from land...

All my fish have come from the water. Kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pro Logcatcher reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 10:21 AM, fishwizzard said:

I will say that a reasonable pair of polarized glasses is a game changer when fishing from the bank. I was amazed how many fish I started catching once I had a chance to see them before they saw me.

Since I wear glasses, I bought myself a pair of clip-ons. I never understood why anyone needs polarized lenses above $40!

N Florida Mike reply :

• Go with experienced anglers

• Go by yourself and apply What you learned from experienced anglers.

For me ,this was probably 75% of it.

The other 25 % would involve quality forums like this one, watching fishing videos, mags, and books.

MichaelCopeland reply :

On 11/7/2017 at 1:38 AM, Pro Logcatcher said:

Since I wear glasses, I bought myself a pair of clip-ons. I never understood why anyone needs polarized lenses above $40!

You got that right. My polarized sunglasses only cost $5 at Wal Mart. Yum brand. The work fine for me.

On 11/7/2017 at 2:29 AM, N Florida Mike said:

• Go with experienced anglers

• Go by yourself and apply What you learned from experienced anglers.

For me ,this was probably 75% of it.

The other 25 % would involve quality forums like this one, watching fishing videos, mags, and books.

I'd like the chance to fish with at least one experienced angler. I do, however, my best at applying what I learn from this forum, books and videos when I get out to a body of water. Since my move back up here to Shreveport I don't get near the chances to go fishing as I did down in Pineville. Hoping that changes soon. I'm having withdrawls...lol. ????

gobig reply :

The fastest way to get good at something is to surround yourself with people that are better than you. Join a club, start fishing the back seat in big events or hire guides. Ask lot's of questions. When you get out there you will meet people that will be willing to help you. There is a lot of good information out there that you can read and build on but there is no substitute for being out there on the water.

Ben Miller reply :

These are better than any sunglasses for seeing bass! No fish finder needed with these because u can see em a mile a way! My first joke on BR!

68camaro reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 8:25 PM, D3FT said:

I try to keep good notes and when I catch a fish I ask myself some questions, what was I doing when that fish hit? and why was that fish here?

I take good notes afterwords, but while retrieving I really try to pay attention to how I was presenting the bait, once I caught a fish with all the excitement I would sometimes forget if I was presenting fast, slow, swimming it, popping, how twitching was etc.....really concentrating on what I was doing helps me remember "exactly" what I was doing.

Lures'n'Liberty reply :

Never forget that a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. Don't get yourself flustered when you're having a bad day on the water, always remember to relax and enjoy your happy time. Keep away from the negative waves. That's what I keep telling myself, at least.

Really though, all of the above is great advice, but none of it will be worth a d**n if you drive yourself crazy following it. KISS, Keep it simple, stupid. That should help to keep you from going broke while you're at it, too.

As for the gear, the folks above are spot on with the polarized glasses. Mine are probably the best $20 I've spent on equipment, and they are probably the only item money can buy that will make you a better fisherman, all the other stuff just gives you more choices and makes them easier, sometimes. Another highly recommended $10 purchase is a product called Bull Frog. It's Sunblock with DEET, and it won't help you catch fish, but it will keep you from being a miserable S.O.B. while you're out on the water, and that really helps to get you back to where I started with happy time.

Being a better fisherman doesn't have to be about catching more fish, either. It's about conservation and sportsmanship, too. Volunteer, help clean up. Take a kid fishing. Be kind. You can catch all the fish in the world and you'll never be a good fisherman if you're not a good person while you're fishing.

WDE reply :

I had a 15 year hiatus from when I put the rods and picked them back up last year. I’ve caught more (bigger)fish in the past year than I ever have...much thanks to this forum. 16 years ago, we didn’t have the resources we do now—so unless you knew someone or just played trial and error you were on your own. The internet is a wonderful thing(at least when it comes to fishing).

Anecdotal: funny thing is, is that I spent the past year ripping cranks(and having success), that I almost stopped using soft plastics—which is what I used 16 years ago. I didn’t understand the draw of the Senko, I all but abandoned the Texas rig. However, some of my biggest fish have come off a Senko and I restarted using the t-rig last week and it’s been killing it.

A lot of fishing is circumstantial. You need to know what to throw and when. Water temps, air temp, wind, etc. But that’s when you Google and you’ll ultimately be brought back here, commit the advice to memory, and then you’re prepared for the next time the conditions arise.

I do believe it’s helpful, but not necessary to keep two rigs(I go with 3, all relatively inexpensive). One for plastics/finesse, one for power fishing(cranks, spinners, etc.). For the mere sake of not having to constantly switch out baits.

Keep pliers and scissors in your pocket or at least nearby at all times.

Most importantly, fishing is fun and should always be fun—unless you take a treble to the face or something.

geo g reply :

A few thoughts about this topic.

1). Spend as much time on the water as possible, under all types of conditions.

2). Fish with as many other fisherman as you can. You will learn something each trip from others you fish with. Some good , some bad. All part of the experience. I got a boat in the early 80's and invited as many others to join me as possible. I have learned as much from them, as I ever taught anyone.

3). You want to learn a new technique, go out with that bait and nothing else. You will learn it quick, if you can't escape to a comfort bait.

4). Join a club and fish with with more experienced guys. Be a good watcher, and listener, and not a talker, while you fish.

5). You never know it all, no matter how long you have been fishing, there is always something new to learn on every trip.

IntroC reply :

I can't emphasize enough, fish with an experienced fisherman. A good fisherman, a great one is even better. Id pick an experienced angler over books and the internet any day of the week and two times on Sunday.

BassWhole! reply :

On 11/9/2017 at 11:05 AM, IntroC said:

I can't emphasize enough, fish with an experienced fisherman. A good fisherman, a great one is even better. Id pick an experienced angler over books and the internet any day of the week and two times on Sunday.

This ^. Just like chess.

thinkingredneck reply :

I think fishing from a kayak has helped me. When fishing from a a kayak you have to plan, you can only paddle so far and you can only take a limited amount of gear. You cannot run and gun. You pick apart structure, because new structure is a paddle trip away. You are in the water and more aware of surroundings. Stealth is easier. I have caught fish under the kayak. I just started bass fishing in late middle age/early old age and come from a trout fishing/fly rod background. It all crosses over. Now, would I buy a big bass boat if I could--of course. But I honestly think wading streams and kayak fishing have helped me become better, because it forces me to plan, slow down and pick apart structure. I may get a bass boat when I get some more kids off of the payroll!

Alan Reed reply :

I am rightwhere you are as this is my second year fishing. I have there are two really good methods on how to do this.

1. Depending on the area you like it might not be feasible to open water fish year round. That is a great time of year for research. Learn about techniques, learn how to break down a body of water.

2. When you can be out fishing, do it. Time on the water is where you take the skills you have learned and mesh then all together. Take note as to what works where, when did it work, and most importantly why.

DINK WHISPERER reply :

On 8/21/2017 at 10:10 AM, Ksam1234 said:

This made me LOL for real. I love watching fishing videos and they got all there sponsors on the shirts and they start throwing "random" companies .. oh and you must use this and this. Oh no that pole won't work you have to buy this or you won't catch the fish .. and everyone has 65 pound braid.. I don't understand you gonna do with 65 pound braid? Didn't know we had freshwater whales ? Prob lost

them not using that 65 pound braid

You obviously have never flipped/punched heavy cover. And those random companies are their sponsors. So of course they're going to push their products. It's a pretty regular thing in the sport.

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