best tip ever? 2024
slappy reply :
What was the best tip or advise you ever recieved from someone,that had a big impact on your cathing bass? thanx for any help 
roadwarrior reply :
Fish deep, fish slow and fish big baits for big bass.
I have learned to fish structure, not cover. Structure in relatively deep water receives very little fishing pressure.
squid reply :
QuoteFish deep, fish slow and fish big baits for big bass.I have learned to fish structure, not cover. Structure in relatively deep water receives very little fishing pressure.
I got mine from Roadwarrior....lol : ;D
BD reply :
To fish patiently.
Captain Cali reply :
Persistence & patience will payoff.
FlyRod reply :
Don't be afraid to experiment!
For example, a few months ago I persisted in tossing a topwater, despite rain, wind, cold, the time of year, and the conventional wisdom that argued against it. Result: Some darn nice Fayette Lake slot fish that I otherwise would not have had the pleasure of catching and releasing.
One of my partners refers to me as the "R&D Department" 'cause I fish "Outside the box", at least compared to his rigid adherence to the same old lures and tactics. When I succeed he is complimentary but still stays within his narrow scope. It took me five years and actually gifting him with more modern gear to get him to use reels with thumb bars and rods over 5'6" in length.
Well, so long as we're having fun and sharing the great gift of fishing and freedom that The Lord has granted us, all is well.
F.Rod
alhuff reply :
i would have to agree with FlyRod....
i have caught more fish by not sticking to the norm and going out on that limb and seeing what would happen if a bait was used "outside the box" (cause its hard to use them while in the box) of conventional use.
the only must do's in fishing is tieing on a bait and casting it out, how its worked is totally up to the person holding the pole..... 
Alfred
Will reply :
You gotta get bit before you can catch a fish, so don't be afraid to throw in nasty places.
CJ reply :
I read a couple of post by Raul a year ago or so called The Power of Observation 1 and 2.I have had alot of good tips that helped me alot,but this post really pushed me in the right direction.Raul just happen to post it at the right time for me.Thanks Raul!
P.S. Raul posted it but I heard Rick Clunn wrote it! ;D
Other. reply :
Match the Hatch and youll catch fish. and also make your bait look reel. Let it just stay in a bed for a while and in 5 secons twitch it up reel a little then let it sink in the bed. when was the last time you seen a fish swimming above the bed and going strait towrd a open coverd bass. well once in while that might happen but just do what i say anmd ill be happy :)
cart7t reply :
Learn to fish deep water structure.
Peter E. reply :
My Granddaddy always said, "Son, if you ain't gettin' hung up, you ain't fishing where the fish are". Sound advice, and it always pays off.
Peter
Deuceu72 reply :
Had a tip from a guy about fishing out of the back of a boat in a tournament........
"Downsize and slow down"
That has worked wonders for my fishing!
nwgabassmaster reply :
If you don't have a lure in the water, you aren't going to catch any fish. Makes sense, doesn't it?
KU_Bassmaster. reply :
A few that come to mind:
1. Big Baits=Big Bass
2. Hooksets are free, take as many as you want
3. If you fish where everyone else is fishing, you will catch what everybody else is (This kind of goes along the lines of what Roadwarrior posted)
Triton_Mike reply :
"If you do what you've always done; you'll catch what you've always caught" In essence be as versatile as possible and keep a diary of your outings on the water.
T Mike
cajun1977. reply :
keep your line in the water
KenDammit28 reply :
the best one I ever got...its a huge one..really in depth..and takes a lot of time to type up...but I guess I'll share it....
don't be afraid. That goes for everything..trying new things, going with your gut instinct, fishing those narly lookin spots, asking questions, admitting you don't know everything, on and on and on. Just because you don't see the guys on TV do it or hear someone on here or anywhere else talk about doing something..doesn't mean you can't. Do it....make it YOURS..then YOU can share it with people. Theres no one way to catch a bass.
cwenbass reply :
To catch fish, you have to fish where the fish are. Since then I will lose any number of lures throwing to the thickest and nastiest stuff.
Rattlinrogue reply :
My best tip came from my father-in-law who was a tournament angler way back when.Don't be afraid to throw a spinnerbait into the thickest,nastiest wood cover.As long as the spinnerbait is moving it won't get hung up on the wood.2nd best tip:as you reel that spinnerbait over a log,limb,etc. ,let it "die" for a moment after it goes over the cover.It will flutter down like a dying baitfish.I catch most of my heavy wood cover spinnerbait bass this way.
Z71 reply :
The best fisherman I ever fished with always said if you're not catching fish you need to be doing something different. If a certain technique, water depth, bait, etc. wasn't working, he would always change baits, tactics, water depths, heck, even bodies of water.
Too many people will stick with their confidence bait/technique when its not working. Learn to fish effectively with several different techniques. Learn deep, shallow, and in between. They're in one of the 3 places.
KYbass1276 reply :
QuoteFish deep, fish slow and fish big baits for big bass.I have learned to fish structure, not cover. Structure in relatively deep water receives very little fishing pressure.
When I get a boat I will definatly remember that
dink reply :
Believe in the dream! Don't let anyone tell you different.
roadwarrior reply :
bassnut 1276,
You can't do that until you tire of catching too many little fish. That is not about tournament fishing, it's about fishing for fun. Tournament fishermen might ocassionally fish for a "kicker", but they need to catch five keepers to win. 12lbs something won the Classic in 2005.
So far this winter, on my productive ponds, I have caught eight bass at an average rate of one fish per five hours of fishing. That's pretty slow, but five of the eight have been 5+ lbs. So, that's what I'm talking about.
I don't catch numbers, but some of the largemouth bass are over 5 lbs. and that's all I fish for. There are lot's of days in the summer when I only catch seven or eight bass at my ponds and only one or two are over 5lbs. It's not the most productive formula for catching bass.
Rebbasser reply :
Make sure your hooks are sharp. IMO THE most overlooked aspect of fishing.
If your hooks are not sharp and you don't get a good hookset the rest is immaterial.
ConwayChain reply :
The one thing I will always remember was from my grandfather. He was in a bass club for years in Macon Georgia. He told me there was a guy in his club that would either win or at least be in the top five in every tournament he fished for the three years he was in the club. Of course I had to ask what in the world he did. My grandfather said the guy had a small tackle box. In the tackle box were ten lures. Five, four inch silver Rapala minnows and five, four inch gold Rapala minnows. Thats all he ever used. I couldnt believe this. I even said I couldnt believe the guy would only throw these two lures. My grandfather said "so many new lures come out and so many people are always throwing the lures that they feel the fish havent seen. After a while the new lures that people feel the fish never see are the only lures the fish ever see". He then told me, dont ever forget about the lures that have always been good. Sometimes you will be the only person using them and also the only person ever catching fish. I still to this day always end up throwing a Rapala or a Rattle Trap just about every time I fish. I do try most of the new stuff, but these two seem to always catch something.
Nick_Barr reply :
Hooksets are free
Fish Slow, But fast
Pay attention to nature
Redtail reply :
Fish as often as you can with people who are more experienced and just plain better fisherman than you are. That is how I was able to become a better golfer. You'll be amazed at what you can learn from them.
paparock reply :
As a bass fisherman returned from saltwater structure fishing I am most comfortable fishing structure and depth. An old Salt once told me the more I fished the lighter tackle I would use. Well I didn't start out that way. I started off fishing offshore using Heavy Tackle that weighed in the pounds not ounces but years later I was fishing the same fish with what most anglers would consider ultralight tackle for the size of fish I was after just like the old man had said. He was way ahead of his time as the saltwater finesse guru.
RW has been a great help in converting me back to bass fishing since his style compliments my experience so well.
A good example of fishing out of the box was really made by an incident that happened at my old canoe/kayak fishing resort with a newlywed couple. The groom and several other smallmouth addicts all went on a eleven mile fishing trip downriver. The bride had never fished for smallmouth on a river before. Of course you know what happened. The lady caught a solid five pound smallie beating all the men. I believe the reason was that being a novice her presentation was more erratic than the others so the big smallie smacked her lure instead of the others.
The single best advise I was ever given is to be flexible and adaptable. Fish have to eat so if they are not eating your offerings try something else till you find what they want and how they want it.
slappy reply :
This is all great stuff, thanx for the tips!
Rattlinrogue reply :
When setting the hook on a bass with a jig and pig,"cross his eyes" !
TheNextMikeIke reply :
"Never Give Up" thats from Mike Ike himself and this year it helped me a lot as I won two tournys in the last 20 min. in both tornys I hadnt caught anything and then in the last 20 min. I caught a limit including the lunkers in both tornys.
guest reply :
Fish with confidence. Take the time to really master a lure. Most lures can be fished in a wide variety of ways yet most people have one or maybe two ways of fishing most lures. I love feeding the baitmonkey, but when I get a new lure, I won't take it off one of my rods for at least 5-10 trips. I want to develop confidence in that lure. I'll fish it every way I ever heard of then try to make up a few of my own. I usually have three or four productive methods for each lure in my box. If I can't get a good bite on a new lure after 5-10 outings, I'll wait for a different season and try again. After awhile your tackle box is full of lures that you KNOW will catch fish. Nice feeling.
.ghoti. reply :
SLOW DOWN !!!!!!!
slappy reply :
Slow down seems to be very popular!
roadwarrior reply :
Check your line constantly. A burr, abrasion or thin spot is NOT "probably okay."
Retie after catching a big fish or being hung up if it takes a lot of pressure to get undone.
If your knot is not perfect, it's not good enough.
guest reply :
About 5 years ago I was beatin the shoreline to death, the only way I used to fish My friend Ray said turn around their behind you. Well now I fish as deep as 8 to 10 feet I dont like to go much deeper but it has helped me a great deal Since I fish for fun I have no pressure to put fish in the boat and still spend most of my time fishin early in AM and late in the day on the shoreline b/c I find it so much fun
squid reply :
Don't be afraid to lose your lure. If you think it's a stump or a rock.....SET THE HOOK!! It just might be the biggest fish you've ever caught.
Watch your line all the time, that tells you if a fish is on your bait before you even feel it.
Always put sunscreen on right after your morning shower. If you forget, then rub your hands with garlic scent and wipe off the residue on your buddies sandwich...lol...he wont mind the garlic flavor...lmao ;D
ConwayChain reply :
QuoteAbout 5 years ago I was beatin the shoreline to death, the only way I used to fish My friend Ray said turn around their behind you. Well now I fish as deep as 8 to 10 feet I dont like to go much deeper but it has helped me a great deal Since I fish for fun I have no pressure to put fish in the boat and still spend most of my time fishin early in AM and late in the day on the shoreline b/c I find it so much fun
It is strange if you think about it. People in a boat want to fish the shoreline, people on the shoreline want to fish the middle of the lake.
Whopper Stopper reply :
It looks like you guys took all of the good ones, but I've got one that is still important.
Wear sunglasses when fishing topwater. I once set the hook too soon on a bass after he hit my popper, The force of my hookset sent the lure back at me and hit the lens of my new $50 pair of sunglasses. It left a big ugly scratch right in front of my eye; but ruining a lens is better than trying to fish with only one eye.
Gatorbassman reply :
Never leave fish to find more fish.
MyKeyBe reply :
QuoteDon't be afraid to lose your lure. If you think it's a stump or a rock.....SET THE HOOK!! It just might be the biggest fish you've ever caught.
Hey, I thought hooksets were free! Besides if it isn't a bass, I've already caught all the big stumps and rocks I could ever want. ;D
This is my tip.
Bass fishing is fun.
You do not need a $400.00 rod, $350.00 reel, and a $22.00 crank bait to catch a nice bass. I caught my PB (which really is not that great. 3.5-4.5#) on about $46.00 worth of equipment. Rod, reel, line, and lure on less than $46.00. If you can afford the higher end stuff then by all means use it but you do not have to have it to have fun fishing.
The best tip ever? Catch and release.
Captain reply :
Amen - CATCH AND RELEASE!!
I grew as many did keeping everything. Now the notion makes me sick. Just the other day, I was loading my boat and a guy on the bank was bragging what all he'd caught. One of the fish was a smallmouth and that really got my attention since I rarely see them anymore on many of the local waters. I said "You caught a smallmouth here?". He said sure did, I'll show it to you. He proceeded to pull it out of a bucket that he was throwing ALL of his fish in. I let him know exactly how I fealt about it and he just stood there with his jaw hanging down. There are few things that I am more passionate about than fishing and sometimes it comes through. We could all do better without the attitudes of a lot of people - who cares about the fish population, etc. "I'll just fish somewhere else and leave my trash there too". It just makes me sick. Enough ranting, just had to share my thoughts!
SA_Mountaineer reply :
To expand on the sunglasses post...polarized sunglasses can help reduce the glare while fishing topwater. (they can also help you see into tinted windows, but that's another story ;D)
Zel... reply :
An old pro once told me:
"The harder you work at your skills, the more luck you seem to have."
Chris reply :
Hey Zel welcome to the forum
Triton21 reply :
"Time on the water". If you observe and are willing to learn IMO this is the best tip ever.
BassChaser57 reply :
I think it was Buck Perry who said "Not all structure will relate to bass but all bass will relate to structure."
This has remained very true in my fishing--and oh yeah --- s l o w down. 8-)
Zel... reply :
Thanks everyone, nice to feel welcomed. Everything looks good here.
I also have a new bit of advise I wish I would have followed while fishing 6 months ago (which is going to affect my hooksets for a while longer)
Watch Your Footing
scl reply :
When I was in 6th grade, some 30 years ago, my teacher tossed me an issue of Fishing Facts and gave me a copy of "Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers". Tht little book on structure fishing is with me today, and I just gave it to my 14 year old. He's on his way! 
ball_coach_1 reply :
Enjoying the thread.
This isn't something that has been shared to me, but something I have been trying the past couple of years.
Whenever I go somewhere that I know I will catch fish (example, a local stone quarry that is loaded), I only take a small tackle box full of lures/baits I have little confidence in...this FORCES me to use my least favorite baits, have a good chance for success, and build confidence in new stuff that make me more versatile and that I may NEED to fish to put them in the boat down the road.
tennsopher reply :
When I was in the army ,I used to fish with a great jig fisherman.This was done with a 14ft. saltwater blank and 40lb. test.It was kind of a forerunner to flipping.He once told me the best he ever met at the technique was an old man.The guy told him to imagine he was rabbit hunting,and to look for those kind of areas.This was pre-spawn in Kentucky,and that information served me well as I tried to master the art of "jig fishin".
Jnamo reply :
By being here, I think we are all on the right track...Educate, Educate, Educate...
QuoteAn old pro once told me:"The harder you work at your skills, the more luck you seem to have."
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