What has helped you improve the most as an angler? 2024
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
What steps have you taken to improve the most?
jimmyjoe reply :
I'll tell you what improved my fishing the most: Bass Resource.
No kidding. I was a grumpy ol' river fisherman, with blinders on. This place opened my eyes to the possibilities of new techniques, new lures, and new venues (lakes). It's especially taught me that I need to understand the fish and how they live and why they are where they are. I never thought that way before. I've tried a lot of new things that I learned on here, and I'll try some more eventually. I feel absolutely no need to continue with something that doesn't work out for me, and I doubt that Glenn will kick me off the site because I don't use the same lures that he does.
At least I hope not!
I especially remember what Catt kinda said: the most important thing for catching fish is between your ears. jj
rtwvumtneer6 reply :
YouTube is a good resource, but nothing beats time on the water.
MIbassyaker reply :
1. Studying up on bass seasonal behavior and location.
2. Trial and error on the water.
Scott F reply :
My greatest improvement came after I got to fish with some very good fishermen. Nothing I ever read, saw on a TV show, or on the internet helped me as much as seeing first hand, another guy actually catching fish in the places where I had been fishing. It helped me look at spots differently, I saw how to work baits that were unfamiliar to me. And, I was able to use what I learned to teach myself new ways to fish baits I was already using. I’m fortunate to be a member of a fishing club that made it possible.
Yumeya reply :
Going as much as possible.
Having a boat 
GreenPig reply :
My Minn Kota Terrova with I-pilot (Spot Lock, Cruise Control, and the Go-To feature used in conjunction with my Solix) has greatly improved my cast to catch ratio. It allows me to fish my light boat in winds that would've previously run me off the lake or kept me home. I can present lures properly without being blown around or constantly fighting to control the boat.The Go-To feature allows me to sneak into a waypoint without alerting the fish.
A-Jay reply :
What has helped you improve the most as an angler?
Learning how to successfully catch bass at night.
" And so there began a journey into an aspect of angling I personally feel is so awesome and so beneficial to day time fishing, I can easily state that I would not be even half the angler I am, so many years later, had I never tried it."
A-Jay
Catt reply :
Who and/or what made me the angler I am?
1965: Spend the entire summer working on my uncle's charter fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico and learned how to locate deep water structure.
1972: Started bass fishing seriously on Toledo Bend at my father-in-law's camp on White's Point in the mouth of Lowe's Creek.
1974: Joined two bass clubs whose members included John Torian, John Hall, John Dean, Villis P "Bo" Dowden SR, Harold Allen, Larry Nixon, Tommy Martin, & Zell Roland all guides at Toledo Bend's Pendleton Harbor Marina. Ray Scott would latter come up with the "The Hemphill Gang" moniker arguably the most successful group of professional bass anglers to ever emerge from one small region of the nation.
1976: Attended a seminar in Houston Texas that totally changed my outlook on bass fishing. The man putting on that seminar was Elwood L. " Buck" Perry, not only did I buy his books but I became a devout student of his teachings. I took what Buck taught about deep structure fishing and applied it to Toledo Bend. Not only did the quantity of bass I caught go up but so did quality.
That's the who now for the what
I was introduce to night fishing in 1973 and have continued until the present. These years of having limited or no visibility has heightened my awareness of what is taking place below the surface. This heightened awareness has made me better at fishing deep water where feeling the bite is harder than finding structure.
lo n slo reply :
Dens228 reply :
1. The obvious time on the water
2. Learning new techniques
3. Trusting what I learned
Bass Ninja reply :
Reading through these forums! They're an absolute gold mine! Watching youtube videos or reading articles were somewhat helpful, but even with the good ones, it's still just one man's opinion/experience. These forums showed me what works or doesn't work for the majority of fishermen, little things the great ones do that make them successful, and it has given me far more data to process and learn from than I could have ever gotten in my own little world.
Hook2Jaw reply :
I'm never entirely sure how good I am, but I know how I'm going to improve on it this year. I consider myself a student of the game, but I have trouble trusting how educated I am on the subject of bassing. I can certainly talk with certainty for hours.
This year I am going to spend more time focusing on seasonal patterns to eliminate dead water and scan them with my electronics. I am done junk fishing for a while, it's time to see with my hands on a rod and trust that.
MickD reply :
Lots of time on the water (experience), forums like this (first heard of Ned rig), logging every trip with water temp, clarity, winds, and what worked and what didn't.
On 2/6/2020 at 9:14 PM, Hook2Jaw said:I consider myself a student of the game
Everyone is a student if they are smart because there is always something to learn and the conditions change year to year.
Mobasser reply :
I have a lot of years fishing experience, but joining this site two yrs ago has helped me improve. It's easy to get in a rut, and being a member here keeps me wanting to try some new things and keep learning.
I've especially learned from any and all threads on structure fishing, seasonal patterns, and similar topics.
Michigander reply :
The Internet and tournaments.
I have spent tons of time on the water over my life but I wasn't ever that great at fishing. When I accomplished a life goal of entering a bass tournament, I liked it. But paying to fish forced me to research everything I could find so when I was practicing for or participating in the next event, I was learning. My skill level over the last three years has increased far more than it had over the previous thirty.
Siebert Outdoors reply :
In all honesty one of mine is scuba diving and observing fish in their natural habitat. Learning how they relate to structure and move.
Hook2Jaw reply :
On 2/6/2020 at 10:19 PM, Siebert Outdoors said:In all honesty one of mine is scuba diving and observing fish in their natural habitat. Learning how they relate to structure and move.
I wouldn't mind doing this at all. I used to love freediving.
soflabasser reply :
What has helped me the most in bass fishing is putting time on the water.
BoatSquirrel reply :
My real improvement started when I became committed to learning new techniques. 2017 it was the senko. 2018 was dropshot. 2019 ned rig. All of these are now confidence baits for me, and now the education never ceases.
I was able to learn these by listening to my peers here on BR. Many thanks yall!
Also, the boys on Tactical Bassin have been great teachers, as well as listening to Mark and Matt on the Bass Talk Live podcast.
813basstard reply :
Fishing more
Fishing with different people more
Not drinking while fishing
Hawkeye21 reply :
Time on the water is the number one thing. After that it's putting the time into studying at home. I read, watch videos, and go over maps.
scaleface reply :
Putting time on the water and doing my own thing . I dont jump on the latest band wagon unless I see a need for it .
Fishes in trees reply :
I'm definitely a better fisherman than I used to be. No one thing accounts for that, more likely it is several things
First - getting a bigger boat that allowed my to spend more time on the water. The bigger boat gets me from here to there quicker than my last boat and I spend more time fishing and less time moving from here to there. Secondly - hanging out with a better class of fishermen, fishing BFL tournaments, drawing pro & semi pro boaters, different folks on this site, etc, you just learn more when you hang out with folks who know more. Hanging out with the local club, back in the early 90's, all anyone in that club did was ride around and throw spinnerbaits at the bank. Third - just like your shop teacher told you back in high school, "Use the right tool for the job." I think decent gear makes a difference. As my employment life got a little more settled, I got to where I could afford to get better gear.
One time I drew a pro at a BFL event and he took one look at my gear and told me to get my gear to match. At the time, getting all my bait casting reels to match made a huge difference, I could lay down my worm rig, pick up the spinner bait rig, and the reels worked the same. Before, the slight differences in weight & balances made my first few casts inaccurate when I switched rigs. There are lots of other examples of the principle of using the right tool for the job. There is always a catch, and as far as fishing gear goes, the catch is, "Use the right tool for the job - FOR YOU."
For another example, my idea of what is and what ain't a perfect worm rod isn't exactly the same as what several of my buds think a great worm rod is. So I don't fish as well when I try to use their gear and visa versa. That is part of the charm of fishing that you get to decide what is best for you. A sad but true fact is that your wallet also has a say in that decision.
Edit - I frequently do band wagon thing and try a new technique soon after I hear about them. A couple of reasons - 1 - if there is a chance a new method of fishing will catch me more fish, I want to find out about it and -2 - I'm pretty set in my regular fishing gear so new techniques = chance to acquire more gear.
For instance, I can recall when nearly everyone I knew and many national publications said that the senko would probably be a fad, and run its course, just like the sluggo previously did.
I got on the A-rig band wagon and while it doesn't work all the time, those times when the a-rig is working, if you ain't throwing the a-rig you're fishing for 10th or 12th place. Chatter baits were supposed to be a fad, according to many local fishermen I knew, and it turned out that wasn't the case. Same deal with the Ned rig (Although I find it humorous that the basic principles of Ned Rig
fishing are VERY similar to Slider fishing popularized by Charlie Brewer in the 70's). And so it goes . .
Tizi reply :
Putting into practice what I have learned here, YouTube, reading, and fishing with better fishermen that I am. It's one thing to read about it, another to actually do it.
the reel ess reply :
Tying on a jig and not cutting it off-ever. Just making myself use it until I could consistently catch bass on it. And I still don't cut it off.
Hiring a So FL guide for a couple days and getting pointers, catching maybe 100 fish along the way. It was expensive, but a good experience I can't get here, alone.
I also have a bud with a pond full of dinks. Whenever I want to try a new technique, I'll give it a shot there first. It usually works because they're hungry there and it gives me the confidence in it to use it elsewhere.
JWall14 reply :
Fish. A lot.
BassNJake reply :
I see all the comments about time on the water .....
I spent about 300 days on the water just fishing --- no plan, no real clues, just this spot looks good or man theres got to be 1 on this laydown. Looking back those were wasted days.
So unless you have an idea or a plan, time on the water might not add up to getting better.
Then I started learning about seasonal patterns and structure.
These 2 things allowed me to start gaining knowledge to help with my search.
Adding current weather conditions narrowed down the options even more.
I also spend a few hours every week practicing my casting and pitching(for about 15 years now)
This has helped a ton as quiet entries sometimes make the difference in a bite or not
Paul Roberts reply :
Time on the water, researching how other people fish, researching how aquatic systems work. In that order. However, each inform the others.
Hawkeye21 reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 12:50 AM, BassNJake said:I see all the comments about time on the water .....
I spent about 300 days on the water just fishing --- no plan, no real clues, just this spot looks good or man theres got to be 1 on this laydown. Looking back those were wasted days.
So unless you have an idea or a plan, time on the water might not add up to getting better.
Then I started learning about seasonal patterns and structure.
These 2 things allowed me to start gaining knowledge to help with my search.
Adding current weather conditions narrowed down the options even more.
I also spend a few hours every week practicing my casting and pitching(for about 15 years now)
This has helped a ton as quiet entries sometimes make the difference in a bite or not
I don't think people mean to just do random things until it works when they say time on the water. I know that's not what I mean when I say it. I think you obviously need to have an idea of what you want to do an what to look for. That's part of the studying at home for me, but you can do that forever and it won' help you at all until you get on the water and get that experience.
crypt reply :
- paying attention everytime I'm on the water. was the best thing for me.
WRB reply :
Jason Lucas taking the time to write to a young boy interested in bass fishing and suggesting to get a Langley reel and Connolin bass rod to learn to cast.
Jerry "Red" Cowin the Pleasure Point Boat Landing manager who took the time to teach me how to bass fish as a young boy. Casting skills that have lasted a lifetime.
The passion to fish every minute I could and desire to learn the behavior of the bass.
Tom
DanielG reply :
On 2/6/2020 at 12:42 PM, newyorktoiowa57 said:What steps have you taken to improve the most?
What?!.... improve? That's the goal? uh-oh....
Of all the hits and misses I've done over the past couple of years. I guess the top thing is learning my lake. I live on a four and a half mile one with water from a few feet to ninety feet deep. Paying attention to the bottom topography on my Garmin and where the fish are at when I hook them would probably be my best help at improvement.
jjconnaire reply :
On 2/6/2020 at 5:15 PM, GreenPig said:My Minn Kota Terrova with I-pilot (Spot Lock, Cruise Control, and the Go-To feature used in conjunction with my Solix) has greatly improved my cast to catch ratio. It allows me to fish my light boat in winds that would've previously run me off the lake or kept me home. I can present lures properly without being blown around or constantly fighting to control the boat.The Go-To feature allows me to sneak into a waypoint without alerting the fish.
I second this! If you are don’t have spot lock or any other trolling motor GPS anchor and are thinking about it.... DO IT! It has single handed lay changed the way I fish. No worries of blowing away or onto your targeted fishing area. I have a 98’ Alumacraft V16 Lunker Ltd with a 12v 55lb terrova and that thing is awesome. I threw around getting a 24v but unfortunately I don’t have power on the slip where I keep my boat so I have to lug my 12v battery every time so wasn’t really an option.
OCdockskipper reply :
Time on the water with a Ned Rig tied on.
Smalls reply :
Forcing myself to grind out the tough times of the day. For example I used to fish this small lake that was on fire mid morning until about 1 pm. After that you couldn't buy a bite. But even after I got irritated, upset, and obviously not having fun, I made myself stay and figure out a bite.
Paying attention to and figuring out a pattern. I used to think these guys were full of it when they said stuff like "they're sitting on 3.5' tall brush piles, but only the ones that have 3 rocks in front of em". But sometimes it really is like that. So I junk fish til I get a couple bites, then kinda stop and reflect on those bites and try to crack the code for the day.
BassNJake reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 1:38 AM, Hawkeye21 said:I don't think people mean to just do random things until it works when they say time on the water. I know that's not what I mean when I say it. I think you obviously need to have an idea of what you want to do an what to look for. That's part of the studying at home for me, but you can do that forever and it won' help you at all until you get on the water and get that experience.
I see this a little differently, to me you gained the knowledge thru research.(studying at home)
That research was not done on the water.
That research gave you an idea of what you want to do and what to look for.
Being on the water gives you the confirmation that what you learned will work.
I should have worded it differently as now looking at it, it appears that I was saying something negative to those that responded time on the water.
I guess my point is for me trying to learn and understand bass behavior is what helped me improve the most
That was not done on the water.
928JLH reply :
Stubbornness. I studied up on a technique tied it on and stuck with it only. I did it with jigs, spinner bait, chatterbait, lipless, squarebills, cranking, and swimbaits. Very frustrating at times but it got me covering water and working reaction bites. Got me away from dropshot and soft plastics. It was worth it because I got to be very well rounded and out of my comfort/confidence zone.
Kev-mo reply :
Most everything everyone has mentioned is important and has helped a lot. But the thing that helped me the most has been success. Actually catching fish the way I set out to catch them where I set out to catch them. Success breeds confidence and confidence is huge!
Bankbeater reply :
It has probably time on the water, and tweaking things I have learned on this site so that they work for me in the water that I fish.
TnRiver46 reply :
On 2/6/2020 at 7:53 PM, lo n slo said:
^best answer to any question in the history of earth
On 2/6/2020 at 10:19 PM, Siebert Outdoors said:In all honesty one of mine is scuba diving and observing fish in their natural habitat. Learning how they relate to structure and move.
I agree with this and love snorkeling but for whatever reason my head feels like it’s going to explode at about 8 feet down. I like the idea of scuba diving but am waaaaay to chicken for that. I’ve tried all the tricks to clear the pressure and nothing ever helps
my answer to the OP: having a hook in the water every possible chance you get is my strategy. The learning will all fall into place if you are always fishing. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect
scaleface reply :
When I speak of time on the water I'm talking going fishing and making a day out of it . Fish deep ,shallow , cold , warm... Thats how I learned where bass lurk and what lures will allow me fish to it effectively . Sure I watched all the old TV shows of Virgil Ward , Harold Ensly and others .Read Fishing Facts , In Fisherman , BASSMASTER cover to cover but theres no substitute for putting in the time and effort .Plus I was always an angler. I started as soon as I was able to hold a pole .
TnRiver46 reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 1:15 AM, Paul Roberts said:Time on the water, researching how other people fish, researching how aquatic systems work. In that order. However, each inform the others.
Another great answer. When Paul says something short and to the point, take notice!!!
Mbirdsley reply :
Reading these forums and just time on the water. Finding and reading info is great but, you have to get out there and do it.
soflabasser reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 12:50 AM, BassNJake said:I see all the comments about time on the water .....
I spent about 300 days on the water just fishing --- no plan, no real clues, just this spot looks good or man theres got to be 1 on this laydown. Looking back those were wasted days.
So unless you have an idea or a plan, time on the water might not add up to getting better.
There is a big difference between someone who gets lucky every once in a while and a person who is consistently successful in bass fishing and the main difference is successful bass fishermen tend to plan in advance their fishing trips and do the best they can to learn from every fishing trip. You cannot expect to catch quality bass often if you do not put in the work needed, same applies for anything in life. The internet has made learning about bass fishing much easier but it will never substitute knowledge gained while bass fishing.
txchaser reply :
Mostly learning from this site or books recommended here. A couple of youtubers Flukemaster, Tactical Bassin, and one of my favorites our very own @Paul Roberts
Upgraded numbers and some size - Learning where to fish and why - cover, structure, bass behavior relating to those two. My learning edge here is definitely structure and being able to have some instinct around it. I can read a topo map pretty well, but this week I made a 3d map of a small lake I surveyed and I was able to have some big aha moments about what was going on...I could see the steep wall with access to both a feeding flat on a point and deep water, and none of it was obvious from above the water (odd spot for a ledge), and I'm not good enough yet to piece it together from a couple of fragments of a sonar scan.
Upgraded size - Difference in behavior between larger fish and smaller ones. Dinks don't say much about what the big lazy bullies are doing.
Lots and lots of reading and then fiddling on the water too see what I can makes sense of in the real world.
-Recent example that worked - Isolated group of weeds, thought to myself 'huh, I bet something lives there' because it is out in a really good spot with no other structure or cover nearby. Produced three fish up to 5lbs.
-One that didn't work out at all, with very high winds this weekend most of my casts were into the wind since there was no current to orient them another way, always supposed to do that right?...on the ride home I realized that zero of seven fish were into the wind. Five were casting with the wind and two crossways. I still have no idea why. Would have caught a bunch more if I hadn't been so slow to realize the pattern.
-Last one, fish the windblown end of small water - I've found this to be more like 50/50, sometimes they are there and sometimes they are stacked up hiding from the wind, and I have no idea of the difference, but it is at least quick to figure out which spot.
Catt reply :
10% of the water holds 90% of the fish
You can spend time on the water learning how to fish or you can spend time on the water learning how to catch.
Dens228 reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 12:50 AM, BassNJake said:I see all the comments about time on the water .....
I spent about 300 days on the water just fishing --- no plan, no real clues, just this spot looks good or man theres got to be 1 on this laydown. Looking back those were wasted days.
So unless you have an idea or a plan, time on the water might not add up to getting better.
Then I started learning about seasonal patterns and structure.
These 2 things allowed me to start gaining knowledge to help with my search.
Adding current weather conditions narrowed down the options even more.
I also spend a few hours every week practicing my casting and pitching(for about 15 years now)
This has helped a ton as quiet entries sometimes make the difference in a bite or not
I see what you're saying but by time on the water I was referring to spending the time on the water as in going to the lab and putting theories and ideas to the test.........then filing the results away for future use.
Jermination reply :
Using my iphone. By this i mean after every good catch i had in 2018 taking a pic of the fish & lure i had on. The phone marks a GPS location where the pic was taken. Very easy reference point as to day/time/where/what you were doing
scaleface reply :
Failure is a big teacher . One of the reasons I prefer to fish by myself is failure doesnt deter me . I keep on plugging away . Fishing for several hours with little to no results then finishing with a flurry is very satisfying .
DitchPanda reply :
Like many of you I have had the benefit of fishing with some good anglers over the years including my dad and a few good friends..but hands down what has helped me the most in learning what to do is by doing what not to do..kinda cliche but a butt kicking does a lot more teaching than a victory
the reel ess reply :
I saw someone said "taking the time to grind out the tough part of the day". That's something that's hard to do and a mindset you have to make yourself take on. When I go and don't get a nibble for 2 hours, it just makes me want to fish longer. The lessons you learn trying to buy a bite on tough days are more valuable than the ones you learn when you can't keep fish off the hook.
geo g reply :
If I had to pick one thing it would be fish with as many different guys you can with different skills from what you do. You will learn what to do and not do from just watching your Co-anglers. You do your thing and just watch what their doing and how they do it. I still learn something almost every trip after 50 years of fishing South Florida. You never stop learning.
Also fish as many different bodies of water as you can. Different locations will teach you many things that you will have to adjust too to be successful.
Craig P reply :
All things aside, becoming an accurate caster was game changing. FWIW, before I became an “accurate caster” I wasn’t bad at casting, which I believe is the category most anglers fall into.
Being able to see and confidently cast to a spot the size of a desert plate, under or through a tree or brush is invaluable and downright rewarding.
Many years ago with a spinning rod I learned how to flip cast. I practiced in my garage or yard daily for months until I could land my lure in a small bucket every time while maintaining a low approach. I still practice off the water here and there, especially since I switched to baitcasters last year. I’m still not as good with a baitcaster as I am with a spin rod but I’ll get there with practice.
Jermination reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 6:45 AM, TnRiver46 said:^best answer to any question in the history of earth
I agree with this and love snorkeling but for whatever reason my head feels like it’s going to explode at about 8 feet down. I like the idea of scuba diving but am waaaaay to chicken for that. I’ve tried all the tricks to clear the pressure and nothing ever helps
my answer to the OP: having a hook in the water every possible chance you get is my strategy. The learning will all fall into place if you are always fishing. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect
cant believe getting my cell number and wait for pics/report saturday afternoon on what we are doing doesnt rank somewhere on this list LOL
TnRiver46 reply :
On 2/8/2020 at 4:19 AM, Jermination said:cant believe getting my cell number and wait for pics/report saturday afternoon on what we are doing
so the question is , where are they going to be chomping tomorrow? Hahaha
Jermination reply :
On 2/8/2020 at 4:29 AM, TnRiver46 said:so the question is , where are they going to be chomping tomorrow? Hahaha
in the chocolate milk, somewhere LOL
Ratherbfishing reply :
This sounds contradictory and,if applied incorrectly is the WRONG thing to do but I think what has helped me the most is learning to try different things and, also, to slug it out when it is necessary. I am not one to give up after a few hours and usually on a rough day I will stop, have a snack or a drink, and then tell myself to imagine that I JUST got on the lake and the clock is starting over. It doesn't always help but it seldom hurts.
A-Jay reply :
On 2/8/2020 at 4:56 AM, Ratherbfishing said:This sounds contradictory and,if applied incorrectly is the WRONG thing to do but I think what has helped me the most is learning to try different things and, also, to slug it out when it is necessary. I am not one to give up after a few hours and usually on a rough day I will stop, have a snack or a drink, and then tell myself to imagine that I JUST got on the lake and the clock is starting over. It doesn't always help but it seldom hurts.
Agreed ~
When I'm not getting bit, just means I'm elimination unproductive water.
As the day progresses, I'm getting closer & closer to what I'm looking for.
Sometimes I run out of day light.
Sometimes I don't.
A-Jay
gimruis reply :
One summer I was a surveryor for the DNR on three small lakes in northern MN. I was allowed to fish when I had downtime (no anglers or data to survey). I learned a lot on my own that summer how to bass fish.
I also took some Fisheries Ecology, Limnology, and Icthyology in college. I actually did retain some of that education and it has been useful on the water. You'd be surprised but using a fish's science actually does help.
Catt reply :
On 2/8/2020 at 4:56 AM, Ratherbfishing said:This sounds contradictory and,if applied incorrectly is the WRONG thing to do but I think what has helped me the most is learning to try different things and, also, to slug it out when it is necessary. I am not one to give up after a few hours and usually on a rough day I will stop, have a snack or a drink, and then tell myself to imagine that I JUST got on the lake and the clock is starting over. It doesn't always help but it seldom hurts.
On 2/8/2020 at 5:01 AM, A-Jay said:Agreed ~
When I'm not getting bit, just means I'm elimination unproductive water.
As the day progresses, I'm getting closer & closer to what I'm looking for.
Sometimes I run out of day light.
Sometimes I don't.
A-Jay
Exactly!
My brain never disengages, even when I've kicked bass all the way home I'm thinking how could I've upgraded size or even numbers.
Old guide told me years ago, "they're always biting somewhere...it's our job to find somewhere!"
soflabasser reply :
On 2/8/2020 at 4:01 AM, Craig P said:All things aside, becoming an accurate caster was game changing.
I agree. Knowing how to cast accurately is very useful and it is a skill you develop while fishing on the water. This skill is very useful in the Everglades where you often have to fish in thick aquatic vegetation.
On 2/8/2020 at 5:26 AM, gimruis said:I also took some Fisheries Ecology, Limnology, and Icthyology in college. I actually did retain some of that education and it has been useful on the water. You'd be surprised but using a fish's science actually does help.
Knowing bass biology is very useful, especially if your goal is to catch bigger than average sized bass. Anyone can catch the 95% average size bass of a body of water, but it takes hard work to consistently catch the 5% biggest bass of a body of water you are fishing in.
Mobasser reply :
This is why I always like the threads we have on locating fish, seasonal patterns, structure, and similar topics. Even after almost 40yrs of bass fishing, I never get tired of learning about these things. I've got all the baits to cover the water column, from top to bottom, but location is where it's at in this game. The more I can learn about finding fish, the more and larger fish I'll catch. Learning these things has helped improve my fishing more than anything
lo n slo reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 11:14 PM, the reel ess said:I saw someone said "taking the time to grind out the tough part of the day". That's something that's hard to do and a mindset you have to make yourself take on. When I go and don't get a nibble for 2 hours, it just makes me want to fish longer. The lessons you learn trying to buy a bite on tough days are more valuable than the ones you learn when you can't keep fish off the hook.
so true
On 2/8/2020 at 7:05 AM, Mobasser said:This is why I always like the threads we have on locating fish, seasonal patterns, structure, and similar topics. Even after almost 40yrs of bass fishing, I never get tired of learning about these things. I've got all the baits to cover the water column, from top to bottom, but location is where it's at in this game. The more I can learn about finding fish, the more and larger fish I'll catch. Learning these things has helped improve my fishing more than anything
true also
suzuki2903 reply :
practicing with a baitcasters over and over, even in the back yard shooting for various targets. and watching bass resource youtube videos
Michigander reply :
On 2/7/2020 at 10:19 PM, DitchPanda said:Like many of you I have had the benefit of fishing with some good anglers over the years including my dad and a few good friends..but hands down what has helped me the most in learning what to do is by doing what not to do..kinda cliche but a butt kicking does a lot more teaching than a victory
Yeah, you do learn more from defeat. It was a real wake up call when I started fishing tournaments and would come to weigh in and be the only one with an empty bag. That meant it was me, not the lake, fish, or conditions that caused the zero. Really motivated me to get better. Now I almost always have at least one fish. ????
#Progress
Alex from GA reply :
When I started serious bass fishing the man that taught Iovino to doodle took me as a partner in a tournament. Now I fish with a young man that knows more about bass and bass fishing than anyone I know. What I'm saying is fish with the best people and watch and learn.
newriverfisherman1953 reply :
Time on the water. I’ve learned more by fishing than by reading and/or watching. Not saying that’s not a good way to learn. It is, but nothing beats time on the water.
soflabasser reply :
On 2/9/2020 at 12:00 AM, Alex from GA said:When I started serious bass fishing the man that taught Iovino to doodle took me as a partner in a tournament. Now I fish with a young man that knows more about bass and bass fishing than anyone I know.
There are plenty of young people who are very good at bass fishing and it is because they put the time on the water and do the best to improve their fishing skill. I know plenty of guys in South Florida that have never caught a 8 pound or better bass and they have fished longer than I have been alive. These guys mostly bass fish while I mostly do multi species fishing and I have lost count of the 8 pound or better bass I have caught.
On 2/9/2020 at 12:00 AM, Alex from GA said:What I'm saying is fish with the best people and watch and learn.
I have said this several times on this forum, find the best fishing partner you can and fish with them, it will challenge you and help you much more than reading and watching videos.
On 2/9/2020 at 1:34 AM, newriverfisherman1953 said:Time on the water. I’ve learned more by fishing than by reading and/or watching. Not saying that’s not a good way to learn. It is, but nothing beats time on the water.
Same here
jbrew73 reply :
Buying my own boat. Can’t learn how to drive from the back seat!
Sam reply :
1. Time on the water.
2. Studying the largemouth bass in the literature.
3. Studying about weather conditions, water conditions, etc. in the literature.
NHBull reply :
When I started of thinking fishing as hunting.
Cranks4fun reply :
Reading magazines & internet articles, watching videos, and fishing with other fishermen were all very helpful, BUT fishing ponds full of bass where success is likely was like going to bass school for me. Even the poorly skilled fisherman is likely to have decent luck on a good 5-25-acre bass pond (called "little lakes" in the southeast 
).
When you your confidence increases, as it does on most good ponds, you learn to fish with expectancy. You respond better to strikes, etc. Plus, you get lots of opportunities to correct mistakes like poor hook sets and inaccurate casting techniques. If you fish a big reservoir on a slow day when you are a new fisherman, it can be discouraging. You begin to second-guess your technique and your lures. Once you know a lure or a technique works well, you will fish it with more confidence and success, in my opinion.
scaleface reply :
The most important event that happened to me while fishing is catching that first bass on a Texas rig .I felt that tap and remembered what all those magazine articles suggested on how to respond . I reeled the slack out of my line , set the hook like a boss and caught a keeper bass . Fishing got a heck of a lot more productive after that one cast .
TriStateBassin106 reply :
Persistence, and learning how to adapt to the ever changing situations I'll encounter on the water.
Columbia Craw reply :
Fishing different bodies of water.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
for me it has been a combination of fishing ponds where its easy to build confidence in a technique coupled with finding the right action rod for that technique
Joe S reply :
To be honest for me it has simply been time fishing. This past couple of years i haven't been able to get out on the boat very much (just too busy) but i realized i had an hour to kill here and there which drove me do more shore line fishing. I could get in a solid 50 minutes mutilple times a week. It was great, and kept my fishing needs satisfied.
Also, since i only had the hour i would limit what i brought and only focus in on using 1 type of bait/lure each time. This gave me good learning time with that particular lure. You'd be surprised what you can do with each type of lure when it's all you bring and you want to rip some lips.
Russ E reply :
Side imaging, gps mapping and spotlock has simplified bass fishing a lot for me.
I am not sure it has made me a better angler, but these modern electronics sure makes finding and staying on areas a lot easier.
schplurg reply :
Been thinking about this question.
I think for me, as a new bass fisherman (which I think is important), it's learning about bass behavior. I want to say time on the water, and I feel that will become more of a factor later, but I think educating myself off the water has helped more, especially since I don't know any good bass anglers to hang out with and learn from.
Maybe like driving a car. You can tell who paid attention in Drivers Ed and who didn't as you cruise down the freeway. Many things involve learning the basics before you ever put them into practice.
My friend has fished most of his life, fairly avidly though not primarily for bass, but I out fish him usually. He's the first to point it out.
I learn quickly usually, and I've spent a lot of time here at BR, as well as Youtube and reading other articles. I have more in-depth (book)knowledge than he does. He has decades of time on the water.
I pretty much am hooked on this bass fishing thing, so I learned a lot fast. I have a lot of time on my hands sometimes.
I think that at some point though time on the water will be much more valuable. During the season I fish several times a week, so I do have a lot of time on the water too. Hmmmm oh well, that's what I think about it, at least for today.
CrankFate reply :
Other people that know how to fish and time.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
When my son became my fishing partner at 8 years old. He doesn't overthink anything like I do. He picks his baits randomly and does whatever feels right. And it usually works in his favor too!!!
I sometimes talk myself out of a certain pattern or even going altogether. Not him, he's always ready to go.
scaleface reply :
I joined a bass club at nineteen . First thing I noticed was my equipment and my casting ability were not up to par . I corrected that quickly .Then hit a wall . The guys in my club , every single one I fished with were bank beating , junk fisherman . Never did one of them employ a worm or jig or move offshore . I started fishing solo , putting time on the water and exploring deeper. I had a lot of unproductive days but I was learning . I fished outside the box , trying anything that came to mind . Slow rolling spinnerbaits on deep stumps . Wrapping lead solder around crankbait hooks to get them to run deeper...But the big change in success came on that first bass caught on a Texas rig . After that quantity and quality skyrocketed . Even when fishing other lures , I had a better understanding on where bass were because of the success brought on by the worm/jig.
RB 77 reply :
Time on the water.
John O reply :
Getting out on the water as much as possible and practice what you've learned on YOUTUBE and other sources...
Do1982 reply :
Soft plastics. When I was first getting into bass fishing most of my fishing was done with cast and reel lures. Mainly spinner baits with a small amount of crankbaits on the side. Opening myself up to soft plastics and the ways to fish them has made me such a better fisherman. I feel almost any day, I can go to almost any lake, and catch at least one on a soft plastic. I may have a few days that get ugly, but I seem to rarely get skunked. Mostly because I feel at some point I can at least catch one bass on a soft plastic.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
On 2/22/2020 at 8:30 AM, Do1982 said:Soft plastics. When I was first getting into bass fishing most of my fishing was done with cast and reel lures. Mainly spinner baits with a small amount of crankbaits on the side. Opening myself up to soft plastics and the ways to fish them has made me such a better fisherman. I feel almost any day, I can go to almost any lake, and catch at least one on a soft plastic. I may have a few days that get ugly, but I seem to rarely get skunked. Mostly because I feel at some point I can at least catch one bass on a soft plastic.
I started to experience this too last year. Before then it was all spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, frogs, and lipless. Tough to beat a 1/4 texas rigged craw/beaver.
Jonas Staggs reply :
Not in any specific order but....
Fishing more
Bassresource
YouTube
Internet articles
Micro fishing
The Maestro reply :
Lots of good answers already. I wil say that for me I feel like I leveled up in bass fishing when I was no longer bothered in the slightest by not getting bit for an extended period of time. When I was starting out I would get really frustrated when I would go a while without catching anything. This would cause me to lose focus which would lead to even more frustration.
I guess after having experienced it first hand many times I finally came to understand that a big one can bite at anytime and sometimes the fish can really shut down and then turn on like a light switch all of a sudden and sometimes they don't. That's just the way she goes in fishing. You just gotta keep your head in it and keep grinding and eventually you'll be rewarded.
Now I can go for multiple hours (probably even the entire day) without a bite and I'm just as focused and into it as I was at the start of the day. Took me around 8 years of serious fishing to reach that point.
bazzelite19 reply :
Starting at a young age. It seems if you start young you gain a serious passion for it and it just sticks with you. I'm almost 30 now and ive fished my whole life, and will fish the rest of my life for sure.
RAMBLER reply :
Bass Resource has been some help, as have other publications and web sites. The way all of that has helped me most is owning more tackle than I can put in my boat and far more than I will ever use. I am the prime example of the person that owns the most tackle and catches the fewest fish. My own imagination has caught more fish than anything else. Sometimes I use tackle differently that most people do and later on I find that there is a name for that rig. Didn't know before, that each rig needed to be named.
Ogandrews reply :
1- switching to strictly braid to a leader/ straight braid as well as using the right rod for the lure
2- TacticalBassin
3- applying tactics I think should work to places where people around me don’t fish like that and gaining confidence doing stuff differently than the people around me
NorthStar reply :
1. Boat Control
2. Electronics
3. Tournament butt kickings
FishTank reply :
PPP
Patience
Practice
Persistance
And focusing on gear and just better ways in general that increase my fishing fun
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