are western fishermen the best of the best?? 2024
blanked reply :
i am probably biased here but dont you think the best california bass fishermen can hold there own more so than the best of anywhere else??
5bass reply :
Quotei am probably biased here but dont you think the best california bass fishermen can hold there own more so than the best of anywhere else??
No.
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Absolutely not, people are individuals.
When I made the US ski team and moved to Tahoe, everyone assumed I was a great skier just because I was from New England. N.E. conditions are much harder to ski so they naturally assume people from the east are better skiers. Like , we both made the U.S. team but he did it coming from the east so hes better.
Not true., yes, I could handle ice better because we ski it daily where out west it's all powder but I had never jumped off a cliff before as many of my teammates were very proficient at because we don't have those back east.
So, although your geographic allocation may have a definate affect on your style or manner of doing somthing, it will still be the most versatile , well rounded, tactitian that will prevail. IMO
blanked reply :
well lets look at what calif has that most other places dont have. ideal climate so year round fishing allows someone to spend more time on the water. more people. the more people you have the more the competition which brings out the best of that individual. excellent bass habitats so more people can spend all year improving there skills.
Bottom line is do you think your chances of getting together an all star sports team is better if you can choose 10 players out of 100 participants or 10 players out of 15 participants?
Cephkiller reply :
Trolling is not nice >
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Dude, get your numbers straight, there are far more people living on the east coast than there are on the west coast.
But to answer your question if you still wanna go with this off the wall theory of population- I would pick the ten most talented regardless of how many people live and fish in the county he/she is from.
Glenn reply :
Fact: Texas has more bass anglers than any other state (over 1 million).
cajun1977. reply :
Quotei am probably biased here but dont you think the best california bass fishermen can hold there own more so than the best of anywhere else??
im probably biased here and in the majority when i say what a stupid question
blanked reply :
QuoteDude, get your numbers straight, there are far more people living on the east coast than there are on the west coast.But to answer your question if you still wanna go with this off the wall theory of population- I would pick the ten most talented regardless of how many people live and fish in the county he/she is from.
i am refering to a state to state basis. not the whole east coast compared to one state
so i am thinking of texas and florida to compare to but if some other state i left out lets hear it.
jeez do you all get huffy when sports illustrated comes out with the best looking cheerleaders which college they are from and your college is not the one! nothing personal here
CJ reply :
This could be a discriminating subject.I think there may be a theory on the skill levels of anglers that fish in different regions.Some regions fish deeper,some fish shallow,and some fish both.Some regions the bass are plentiful,some regions bass are more scarce.So how do you look at this?The lakes that fish both deep and shallow produce better anglers because they learn versitility?The lakes that the fish are plentiful have better anglers because they catch more fish?The lakes that the bass are more scarce have better anglers because they have to work harder to catch fish?
To me I think it is up to the angler,not region or the lakes they may fish.It is more of his/her natural ability plus his/her determination to learn and be competitive with the fish.
RoLo reply :
Haven't we been around Robin's barn enough times?
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
So there ya have it,..1 million anglers,...Texas wins, the best fisherman must be livin somewhere down there.
Sorry he couldn't be from Cali.
I think I just realized you are serious. I'm just cutting it up with you because it seems to be a question targeted directly at anyone willing to argue. It's like me going to "tackle" forum and saying all ugly stix are lame. There is no point, just a fuse to light.
If you are serious and are expecting an educated answer you will need to do the research to such an off-the-wall, incorrect comment like this first and then ask the question differently like,...
"Has one particular demographic region produced more top ten anglers than all the others and if so,are these results consistent year to year?"
preach4bass reply :
No. But it does seem that there are more cocky fishermen in California than anywhere else. I watch the Saturday morning shows on ESPN most weeks and almost every other week Skeet Reese (or one of the other California dudes) is talking about how West Coast anglers get no respect and how they are better than anglers in the rest of the country. Better, no! Cockier, yes! ;D
Just kidding. There are some good, humble Californians on this site and the 16 year old guy who just won the Stren Series out there seems pretty humble too.
It is odd that the only people I hear bringing this topic up are the West Side dudes. 
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
DOH!
blanked reply :
funny how lots of people like IKE and his cockiness. but since he isnt from calif i guess its not cocky!
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Oh, he's cocky alright! lol
Like I said, IMO, has nothing to do with where you are from, all that matters is what you bring to the game and if you got game like Ike, I don't care if you're from Cali or N. Dakota, you can be cocky. Wouldn't be my choice but if you can back it up......
Rattlinrogue reply :
There are probably more big time pros from Texas,Florida,Arkansas,and Alabama(each state individually)than from Cali.That's not to say that there aren't lots of fine pros from the North,Midwest,Pacific Northwest,and yes,even Cali.That's not a scientific theory just names that pop into my head at the moment.
dink reply :
If the theory of 'blanked' WERE true, then year-round fishing would also apply to Florida. And, more people equalling more competition for X number of fish...Japan has it there! Read a couple of articles on their lakes and you will know what "fishing in a crowd" really is.
Gatorbassman reply :
I am trying to say this nice but that is the most ignorant statement I have heard in a long time.
KYbass1276 reply :
Westside Swimbaits baby. get on my nerves I don't know what some of the guys are trying to prove out there there are some great fisherman in californa but there are great fisherman through out the whole united states as well. You don't hear Kvd saying northeast side I'm better because I from michigan What makes an angler better is there ability to diversify to different situations. To say that all florida texas and california bass fisherman are better because the climate alows them to fish more is totally wrong. IN my opinion what makes someone better is how willing are they to be better how much time to put into it and to learn it, and dedicate themselves to it What makes a fisherman better is being able to catch fish all over not just one state. I catch alot of fish here in ky but that don't make me better because I'm from ky
George Welcome reply :
My vote goes to the otters and cormorants.
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Bassnut-,.you're still closer to Texas than me so you could probably outfish me for sure.....dude.
Grey Wolf reply :
Good night Irene. Let's put this baby to bed !
blanked reply :
i wonder how many professional golfers decide to move to Maine to improve there game??
KYbass1276 reply :
LBH I highly doubt that I read alot of your posts you have alot more experiance than me I have been fishing all my life but have just gotten serious this last year I still have alot to learn getting better everytime I go out. Beside's I kinda *** you guys up north when it comes to cold weather fishing you guys are the pros
SneakySnook reply :
Has to be from Florida. Shaw Grisby and Roland Martin all from Florida. How many TV guys are from Cali?
Rattletrap reply :
No. The South East is where it began and the South East is where we are in still in command. ;D
Glenn reply :
I think LBH hit it on the head. It has absolutely nothing to do with where you're from. It has everything to do with how hard you're willing to work at it.
earthworm77 reply :
agreed Glenn!
Rattletrap reply :
The East Coast will always beat the West Coast.
bassguy6 reply :
I'll take a good ole boy anyday, and if what i read in magazines such as bassmasters, bassin, and other fishing mags, i would say that the SPORT of bass fishing was started east of the Mississippi River, and I don't think anyone can protest that.
Nick_Barr reply :
I dont think that a bass fishermans skill dictates on where he is from, maybe except for being able to develop skills a little bit Quicker, such being able to fish year round, or having hard water, wind/rain storms 3-4 months of the year.
Mattlures reply :
Most of the great tounament fisherman that learned or started out here in Cali move to be closer to the tournaments. Some of the best ones like Aaron Martins Dean Rojas Gary klein and Jay Yellas were either from hear or learned hear. They have all moved because being way over here is just too far to travel. So there are more Cali guys than you think. Are They better than the east coasters? No, just diferent. They all have their strenghts, and KVD is the best Tourny guy alive. California does have the single best bass fisherman of all times though. So There 
Yes I am talking about M Long
blanked reply :
QuoteI think LBH hit it on the head. It has absolutely nothing to do with where you're from. It has everything to do with how hard you're willing to work at it.
how many pro surfers come from washington, versus hawaii or pro ice hockey players from michigan vs texas. how about pro snowboarders from colorado vs arizona???? it makes common sense to me
Matt Fly reply :
Theres only one way to prove who the best are, and thats called a tournament. They already exist. To say Texas has more Classic wins than any other state is true, Rick Clunn was a Texan before he started moving from state to state. Try telling Tyler Texas that Jay Yelas isn't a Texan.
Sorry about M. Long, $500.oo entries is semi-pro, and only cover handful of lakes. and that doesn't prove he's the best. Won bass is a stepping stone for Western anglers who want to step up to the real pro ranks.
You can't win this discussion, Mike goes out, with out time restraints, no competition, 7 days a week some times, he picks and chooses his times, tournament pros don't, they fish off a schedule that was made long before the weekends forecast came out. They pay big bucks to fish professionally, Mike doesn't, they travel most of the season, Mike doesn't, he goes home every day. Majority of Mikes Biggest Bass are sight fished, found in the easiest time of the year, spawn, and it don't take a rocket scientist to cruise the shoreline and find big bass. Won Bass tournaments are no different than the FLW/TTT basically, semi-pro.
To say it takes a special mentality to catch big fish, okay, but to say that just because these guys fish tournaments means they couldn't catch bigbass has no merit, because if you let the some of the pros pick the days, when and where they go, no pressure for the 365 days, they'll produce big bass just like Mikey, to say you can only be one type of fishermen is bull. Thats like saying if you bow hunt, you don't have the mentality to rifle hunt. Basically the same instincts find productive areas.
Captain Cali reply :
Why doesn't BASS come out West?? It's because BASS does not respect the West. Otherwise they would have major tournies out here. They choose Pittsburg last year when it could have been any number of Cali lakes which could have made for insane bags and limits but no...BASS does not respect the west coast. They would rather keep it on the East coast. Hey, it's cool...keep the tournies and publicity away from some of our lakes. I like it better that way.
Matt Fly reply :
Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisana are not east coast. We don't get as many BASS tourneys as we used to. When they have came out west, alot of the big draw names didn't travel to the west, its not because their scared, because of the expenses occured in travelling. California has more lake restrictions than most states, some of those would have to have waviors to hold tourneys on, as to not upset the pleasure bass fishermen who can't brake the rules but BASS can, so nope, not in our county! Some of the lakes, you don't have enough room to hold a weigh in at. Just a guess, I bet the numbers of western pros on tour, FLW/BASS are less than 10%. What is the percentage of good bass lakes in the west, as to the rest of the country? Big bass lakes don't always support 5 fish limits either or a floatilla of 500 hundred boats.
And the best tournament venue, one of the best is the Delta, could you see Mike IKe with his 100 fan boats trying to fish the delta? Or trying to run somewhere else with 100 coming one way and 100 boats with KVD coming head on? Accidents waiting to happen.
Its not respect or lack of. Its length of travel, expenses, big name turnouts (no shows), percentage of bass fishing revenue from the bass fishermen in that state, lake restrictions, enough space to hold weighin, space for fans and sponsor booths. Not all big bass lakes support good stringer weights for weigh-in, but anything is better than Pittsburghs dinks. Not too mention motor restrictions, no boats on the water prior to sunup, and waviors needed on some to hold tourneys.
Rattletrap reply :
The latest Bassmaster Classic winners are all from the East. The 2004 Champion was from the far East. It's not West Sieeeede!!!! East Coast Babyeeeee!!!! ;D
Captain Cali reply :
Matt_Fly,
Your points are well made but some seem more like excuses to why BASS does not have tournies out here. The same goes for Western anglers when it comes to travel expenses. If anything it's more difficult for an up and coming angler than it is for BASS. BASS could hold events out here if they want to. Castaic has night fishing a few times a year and even has some tournies at night. That is just one lake.
Matt Fly reply :
QuoteMatt_Fly,Your points are well made but some seem more like excuses to why BASS does not have tournies out here. The same goes for Western anglers when it comes to travel expenses. If anything it's more difficult for an up and coming angler than it is for BASS. BASS could hold events out here if they want to. Castaic has night fishing a few times a year and even has some tournies at night. That is just one lake.
Could Castaic's parking lot hold more than a thousand people? After all, Castaic is not one of the San Diego County lakes, most of those couldn't support the parking alone, much less a stage area.
Back to Castaic, now this may seem like another excuse, could you get the max boats on the lake to be lifted for the tourney, because the 500 spectator boats wants to watch also. Okay no excuses, you can have your tourney, the fans can't be on the water though. 2500 acres only for motors, yes she has a combines acreage of close to 9000, but all that has off limits.
The last one is the 2 fish limit and 18" minimum. Doesn't make for an exiciting weighin does it? Remove this restriction for the pros and the regular guys gonna call foul.
Matt Fly reply :
It took Nascar lots of years to go west. Nascar is a southern sport, bass fishing was a Dixie sport also.
You don't hear us Texans crying about the US ski team not every coming to Texas, why, we have mountains or hills to ski, just not much snow, well, Cali's restrictions, droughts, parking at some of the lakes can't support boaters, much alone fans. No excuses, just facts.
Rattletrap reply :
Divide the US in half and have a Bass East and a Bass West. Have a Bass East Championship and a Bass West Championship. The top 25 for each fish in the Bassmaster Classic. It could work.
Captain Cali reply :
QuoteQuoteMatt_Fly,Your points are well made but some seem more like excuses to why BASS does not have tournies out here. The same goes for Western anglers when it comes to travel expenses. If anything it's more difficult for an up and coming angler than it is for BASS. BASS could hold events out here if they want to. Castaic has night fishing a few times a year and even has some tournies at night. That is just one lake.
Could Castaic's parking lot hold more than a thousand people? After all, Castaic is not one of the San Diego County lakes, most of those couldn't support the parking alone, much less a stage area.
Back to Castaic, now this may seem like another excuse, could you get the max boats on the lake to be lifted for the tourney, because the 500 spectator boats wants to watch also. Okay no excuses, you can have your tourney, the fans can't be on the water though. 2500 acres only for motors, yes she has a combines acreage of close to 9000, but all that has off limits.
The last one is the 2 fish limit and 18" minimum. Doesn't make for an exiciting weighin does it? Remove this restriction for the pros and the regular guys gonna call foul.
It's not my job to figure the logistics of the event. That is BASS's job. I'm just trying to make a point that if we are going to say tournaments are what define the best anglers, then we should have tournaments in all parts of the country. Even then why shouldn't the classic be on a 2300 acre lake? I don't know where you got 9000 acres combined. I personally think the 2 fish 18" minimum could work on a California big bass lake. Catch 2 quick fish then spend the rest of the day searching for a giant. Lets see what happens. Why does it always have to be catch 5 fish...small fish and then search for a "kicker"? I'm sorry, I'm just thinking outside the box, or in this case outside the pond.
Rattletrap reply :
Everything starts in Dixie!!! You got a love it!!!
Matt Fly reply :
The 25 west would be watered down version. East numbers are far greater than the west, and we texans don't want to fish your waters with out the rest of the east boys either. We want to qualify against the best, on the best waters.
The water down version would be 2000 west coast anglers competing for 25 spots and 20,000 other anglers competing for 25 spots, whats sad is: most of the west spots could be won by east anglers. Thus watered down version.
Rattletrap reply :
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Captain Cali reply :
: No disrespect huh??
Matt Fly reply :
Rogers 310, you obviously have west coast biased opinions of tourney anglers. Research this before you answer, remember, I am a tournament fishermen sometimes, but lived in San Diego for 14 yrs, and have seen cali tournament results.
What are your limits in Cali? 2 fish, 5 fish, what is the norm? What is the winning stringer weights to get a check? 1 day tourney, or 4 day tourney?
You say small fish and go look for kicker. 20lb stringers to win in texas on 5 fish is a 4 lb aver. that not small fish, but if you look at the numbers in cali, on 3 day tourney, unless its spawn, very few tourneys could support 20 pound bags every day. Thus, no 60 lb stringer after 3 days not too mention 4 day BASS tourneys. Its happened a few time, tourney results shows that. But it happens on certain bodies of water every year, repeatedly through out the south.
You said its not your responsibility for logistics, You are correct on that, thats why i pointed it out for ya. BASS has done the math that you failed to do, but still ask the questions if we are scared to come west? The best lakes and majority of best fishermen are from the south. Why would BFL/BASS have a tourney trail in texas alone if we didn't have the numbers and lakes to support them? Given, you may have numbers of fishermen to support some pro tours, but each body of water has its own guidelines, and Cali is screwy when it comes to fishing rules and regs. your gas prices along are enough to keep most out.
Matt Fly reply :
Its not disrespect, what has Cali done to earn the souths respect. Your gas prices scares most of the other states, the fishing guidelines are different from county to county, the lakes that have good tournament populations of bass cant support 200 boat trailers to park or lakes are too small. The delta is the best, but its like being on a small river, small in the width in some spots, try 200 competitors boats with 1000 fans following behind, one day okay, two days, the fish are gonna shut down with all that boat traffic.
California will earn that respect, not by some one giving credit to an angler because he fished home waters his whole life in general. There is a system in place to find out who the best is. Talking about it want get it done, maybe out west you have that respect, but we have guys that have demonstrated their skill by the system that is already in place to earn their respect.
A good example is KVD, a northern boy who certainly didn't have BASS knocking on his northern lakes. He had to travel to earn his respect, and earn it he did.
Rattletrap reply :
Matt. You forgot to mention the drive by shootings out there. Nobody wants holes in their boat. ;D
Matt Fly reply :
rattletrap, you get off in the wrong ox bow and a moonshiner has been known to shoot at you in the south, so that ones even.
Rattletrap reply :
At least I know who is shooting at me. ;D
Rattletrap reply :
I'm just kidding about everything anyway. It's all in jest, ya'll know I'm really the best.
Glenn reply :
QuoteEverything starts in Dixie!!! You got a love it!!!
I'm not taking sides, and I hate to burst your bubble, but the 1st and oldest bass club in existence is located out West (started in 1938). They began tournament bass fishing too.
True, it took Ray Scott to turn it into a national sport, but rest assured, not "everything starts in Dixie" my friend.
Hookhead reply :
Quotei am probably biased here but dont you think the best california bass fishermen can hold there own more so than the best of anywhere else??
I live in Cali so the answer, naturally, is YES!
Rattletrap reply :
I never seen or heard that one Glenn. Those Western guys are always trying to take our credit. ;D They forget that all their Bass are Florida strain. So we still got a part in it and then Ray Scott finished it up.
Glenn reply :
Sorry, wrong again. SOME bass in Cali are Florida strain, yes that's true, but that's about it. I wouldn't catagorize all of "the west" as having Florida strain bass. In fact, with that exception noted, they're all northern strain (I'm talking purely largemouth species here, so let's not get technical with the variations such as spotted bass).
That club, BTW, isn't located in Cali. Hope that eases the pain a little.
I'm really not trying to argue here. But it seems there's a few misconceptions that need clearing up.
Rattletrap reply :
Glenn. I'm just messing with everybody here. Bass fishermen are all one. North, South, East and West.
Low_Budget_Hooker reply :
Well, we can count Washington out, with all the rain there in the last few months, the bass are swimming in the streets!
Rattletrap reply :
That means you don't have to spend any money. You can make casts out your window. Cool!!! ;D
Mattlures reply :
MattFly I actualy agree with you on some things but you are dead wrong on others.
First M long has caught most of his big fish on swimbaits not on beds. Yes a few came off beds but not most. He catches them all year long.
Now In my opinion Trophy hunting is just as dificult as tourny fishing. Not the same but eaqual. Mike is hands down the best on the planit at one of them and very good at another. Thats why he is the best bass fisherman alive.
My mother liver in Tyler Texas so I know how much they all love Yelas but he still learned to fish out here and then moved out there.
How many Texas guys were actualy born there? Texas is centeraly located. Thats why so many pros move there. It is ignorant to say that east is beter than west or west beter than east. They both have studs.
You are absoluty corect about why BASS doesnt come out to Cali. We just dont have big enough lakes or Parking lots. It is posible but it would be dificult for a lot of huge events.
If they did have big T's out here in Cali the rest of the country would not do very well at first. Over time they would adapt and be competative. The lakes are just diferent than most of the country. I listened to Rojas give a seminar about the diferences and he said he he struggled at first because the lakes were so diferent that it took him a while to figure out.
Right now I think the 2 best T guys are KVD#1 and Aaron #2 and Aaron moved away.
abelfisher reply :
QuoteGood night Irene. Let's put this baby to bed !
DITTO!
Glenn reply :
G'night Gracie!
BEmerson reply :
I dont care where you are from, if you can get on any body of water and go and catch fish then you are good fisherman. How ever if you want to find the best you need to find the person who does this the most consistantly.
In the lakes and rivers of any of the sothern states the climate does not change as drastically as it does in states further north. I dont think that lake fork has ever froze over. So to say that those who get to fish all year long are better leaves some room for debate. I am sure that they are good at fishing that type of water but how would they fair fishing a lake that just came out of a freeze. It would work the same if a fisherman came from a colder climate and went to the south they may not know how the fish position themselvs during the day, or how they adjust to thermocline, and oxygen density.
To me if you want to know if the fisherman from the west find out who have been the most consistant on tour and see where they are from.
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