Equiped Like A Pro 2024
Eric Buck reply :
If you had all of the equipment that the pros have and you were fishing the 2012 Elite Series, how do you think you would do for the season?
jignfule reply :
You could give me the best of everything as far as equipment and the big boys would kill me on a zebco. They are far superior in knowledge and skill that no amount of equipment will compansate for.
Eric Buck reply :
I think once you learned how to use the electronics you would do far better than you would think. I know there is a lot of knowledge involved with the pros, however the electronics these days that most of us can't afford paint a very vivid picture of where the fish are!
jignfule reply :
Oh, I'd catch fish alright. They would just catch bigger ones and more of them. I might get lucky here and there but in the long haul talent and experience would win out.
etommy28 reply :
I think i could catch fish and cash a couple checks but I would def. be in the bottom half in AOY
Eric Buck reply :
I believe that your first year struggles is going to be learning new waters that the veterans have fished before. However, if your dedicated enough and know what to look for you could survive. I think I could survive to get invited back the next year.
Jake P reply :
They are pros for a reason. Im sure there are a handful of guys here that might put a halfway decent bag together. I dont think i would be very impressive though.
preach4bass reply :
I'd be luck (and happy) to cash one check!
kylek reply :
Michael DiNardo reply :
I honestly don't mean any disrespect with this, but they aren't Supermen. Just look at the results of the FLW Tournament in Pittsburgh. I am by no means saying I could compete with them or any tournament
fisherman right now. But, they are not hitting a 95 mph fastball or something that can only be physically accomplished by a gifted few. I think you have to have many things on your side to be a pro besides being able to catch fish.
BassWhole! reply :
Get my butt handed to me just like 99.99% of the "enthusiasts", why not buy a "pro" set of boxing gloves and get in the ring with a top pro, same thing...
Eric Buck reply :
Where is the confidence?
Michael DiNardo reply :
It's not even close to being the same thing as boxing. That is comparing apples to bananas.
The equipment is not the limiting factor. The knowledge of the waters and the experience of being in similiar scenarios is the seperating factors.
Mike
Eric Buck reply :
You would get 3 days of pre fishing with all the equipment to work out the kinks and get onto a pattern. I think if you have an idea of how to form a pattern you would do pretty well. Numbers would not be a problem. It would be the size of the fish that would kill us. I think our biggest problem is we get stressed out when we are not catching the numbers of quality fish because we are using big baits and we switch to our "Panic Box" and throw the typical weekend angler lures. If you could be patient and have confidence that you are on some big fish and using big fish lures I think you might do better than you expect. Set your goals obtainable. Top 50 and get out with some money.
BassWhole! reply :
On 5/29/2012 at 2:04 PM, Michael DiNardo said:It's not even close to being the same thing as boxing. That is comparing apples to bananas.
The equipment is not the limiting factor. The knowledge of the waters and the experience of being in similiar scenarios is the seperating factors.
Mike
I couldn't disagree more. It could be marbles, bowling or darts if you prefer, same results, what separates the pros from the rest isn't equipment, physical talent, competitive nature, psychological makeup, or anything else alone, its the extremely rare combinations of all these factors, not to mention the exposure to the sport or activity.
roadwarrior reply :
On 5/28/2012 at 11:15 PM, jignfule said:You could give me the best of everything as far as equiptment and the big boys would kill me on a zebco. They are far superior in knowledge and skill that no amount of equiptment will compansate for.
X2
Zach Dunham reply :
I think some people here are severely underestimating professional anglers. There are so many little tiny things (and I mean LITTLE) that the pro's do with just retrieves that make a huge difference. If I had all the best equipment and the best boat with all of the best electronics; I'd probably need a solid two years (And by solid I mean fishing at least every weekend) with that setup before I could do anything of note in a pro tournament.
jignfule reply :
CONSISTANCY- is really the difference in any sports or endeveor. I might luck out and get the bat head out on a 95 mph fastball. We might bowl a 250+ game or reach par on a hole a few times, but what makes people able to compete on a high level and make a living at it is their ablility to do it consistantly. The more consistant your are, the more successful you are ($$$$) I've had great days out fishing when I probably could have place in a few tournys. Can I do it consistantly enough to make a living at it ? , well i ain't givin up my day job.
Also keeping up with KVD is like hitting a 95mph fastball. (consistantly) (IMO)
preach4bass reply :
This experiment is conducted by thousands of anglers every year through the Federation and Opens. And, every year, thousands of weekend warriors try to move up through the ranks the same way the pros have had to (with sub-par equipment). Not many make it. The few who do would excell with or without the best of the best equipment. For those of you who think you could compete, go ahead and sprint up throgh the ranks of BASS, take your winnings and sponsor dollars, buy the high-dollar equipment, and show us how good you are. The oppertunity is there!
K_Mac reply :
preach4bass is exactly right. There are tens of thousands of bass fishermen who would love to make a living fishing. There are only a very small number who actually do. Yes there are many that cash a check or two once in a while, but not many that actually pay the mortgage fishing. The ones that do are gifted with physical and mental abilities that most of the rest of us don't have. Yes, maybe it takes a little luck, but luck is more often about hard work than anything else in my experience. It takes real guts to sleep in your truck with everything you own on the line, literally. It takes real guts to put it all on the line to enter a tourney with the likes of KVD, Skeet Reese, or Chris Lane and say I can beat these guys. Sometimes it happens. More often it doesn't, and eventually the dream ends for all but a select few. I don't know what the bass fishing equivalent of hitting the 100MPH fastball is, but KVD can do it. Grab a stick and take your cuts, we are all watching. One more thing; it has nothing to do with the stick...
FishinDaddy reply :
You are kidding yourself. If it were that easy everyone would be doing it.
I have all of the "toys" on my boat. I had to do a list for the insurance company and it comes to over 10K in "stuff" on it. I just topped it off with the side imaging.
It makes a difference against your local competition, but not against those guys. I fish with and against several of the Elites and can tell you first hand that it is 99% knowledge and 1% equipment.
Michael DiNardo reply :
Thank you FishinDaddy, you made my point. It is 99% knowledge gained through experience. You don't have to run a 4.3 40, be able to tell the difference between a curve and a fastball or skate better than you can walk. There is nothing that they do physically that you can't do. Sorry there are too many shapes and sizes and ages that are succesful to say it is physical talent.
Mike
evrgladesbasser reply :
On 5/28/2012 at 11:17 PM, Eric Buck said:I think once you learned how to use the electronics you would do far better than you would think. I know there is a lot of knowledge involved with the pros, however the electronics these days that most of us can't afford paint a very vivid picture of where the fish are!
This arguement might hold water, except for the fact that many of these anglers have been doing this for 20+ years. Long before the great equipment we have today came along. What good is a fishfinder on Lake Okeechobee? Your fishing in 5ft or less of water. What equipment are they using there that gives them such an edge? Anybody in a bass club or who fishes tournaments can tell you that equipment is a lot less valuable than many think. Especially when some old man in a 1982 tracker with a 25hp pulls up next to your 2012 ranger with a 250hp, then proceeds to pull 20lbs of fish more than you out of his livewell. Experience, knowledge, time on the water are worth more than electronics. Some of these guys have an intuition and understanding that most don't have.
tomustang reply :
On 5/29/2012 at 9:30 AM, Michael DiNardo said:but they aren't Supermen. Just look at the results of the FLW Tournament in Pittsburgh.
You can't compare PA tournament notes to everything else. Any pro will tell you PA sucks for getting big numbers. Only good thing we got is Erie and that shared with two other states
K_Mac reply :
Knowledge+Experience=Success. It is a fine formula that is at work in all areas of our lives. Yet it no more defines how to achieve bass fishing fame and fortune than Einstein's e=mc2 defines the workings of the Cosmos.
Hi Salenity reply :
.I'd love to have the 300+ hp boat and the gear they have but I still wouldn't have any desire to fish a tournament
Deadeye-1 reply :
IMO there is nothing more vaulable than experience. I am learning to fish the St Johns River in central Florida. On the main river I've had days where I have caught 2-3 fish, while in some of the feeder runs I've had days where I've caught 10-15. For me those are good numbers, but for some of the guys I know that have grown up fishing the river those numbers mean nothing.
These guys know where the fish are at any time of year and regularly put 20-50 bass in the boat per outing. The local weeknight tourney usually takes 15-25 lbs to win in 3-3 1/2 hrs of fishing. I could have the best equipment, but until I learn the water as good as they do it is doubtful that I would win.
Same with the Pros. They are Pros for a reason, they are the best at what they do. They have learned how to look at a lake/river and know exactly where to go and what to do to catch fish.
NCLifetimer reply :
I think I would cash a check maybe once or twice. Not that i couldn't catch a limit, but 10 lb limit doesn't mean much when everyone else is on 4+ pounders. It would be great to get all the equipment, money and sponsers and make a run at it one year, but I know my knowledge set isn't close to those guys in the elite. At that level, its over 90% mental in my opinion.
Flukeman reply :
1: The equipment has absolutely nothing to do with it, lots of weekend fishermen have the same electronics, gear, and boats. Some of my
friends have even bought their boats.
2: Working a day job and winning weekend tournaments even at the open level, is nothing compared to knowing you have to shell out
$100,000 to even participate for the year and knowing your family is counting on you.
3: Then comes the physical part. Once you have spent some time on the water with these guys you realize 99% of weekend anglers would be
laying flat on the back deck after a 15 hour day of practice. The effort they expense and the presicion they have 99% of you can't even
come close. Your arms will fall off and your back would revolt (that includes mine). Everything they do is so effortless. The next time you are
watching KVD on TV and they
cover him for a solid minute, count how many times he casts. Then go try and do that just for an 8 hour time period like a tournament day
would be. And then ask yourself how you would feel doing just that for 250 -260 days a year.
4: Those few things don't even take into account the time away from the home most of us enjoy. Or the years we would have to put in paying
the dues to be at the knowledge level of the top 25 guys. Just seems easier and more enjoyable just having a day job and fishing when I
want too, instead of when I have too.
Just my observations,
out_doors_guy reply :
On 5/31/2012 at 3:57 AM, Flukeman said:1: The equipment has absolutely nothing to do with it, lots of weekend fishermen have the same electronics, gear, and boats. Some of my
friends have even bought their boats.
2: Working a day job and winning weekend tournaments even at the open level, is nothing compared to knowing you have to shell out
$100,000 to even participate for the year and knowing your family is counting on you.
3: Then comes the physical part. Once you have spent some time on the water with these guys you realize 99% of weekend anglers would be
laying flat on the back deck after a 15 hour day of practice. The effort they expense and the presicion they have 99% of you can't even
come close. Your arms will fall off and your back would revolt (that includes mine). Everything they do is so effortless. The next time you are
watching KVD on TV and they
cover him for a solid minute, count how many times he casts. Then go try and do that just for an 8 hour time period like a tournament day
would be. And then ask yourself how you would feel doing just that for 250 -260 days a year.
4: Those few things don't even take into account the time away from the home most of us enjoy. Or the years we would have to put in paying
the dues to be at the knowledge level of the top 25 guys. Just seems easier and more enjoyable just having a day job and fishing when I
want too, instead of when I have too.
Just my observations,
x2
Equipment can increase effeciency but without the knowledge, determination, physical and mental ability it wont help you catch any more fish than you would without it.
NCbassmaster4Life reply :
Top 20 spot.
Eric Buck reply :
Don't you think it's hard to get the knowledge that you need unless you have the better equipment? Also, think about the minor things like have 6 different crankbait rods to do 6 different things or the pitching rods that are made for this or that. I find it hard to believe that you can be a great angler without the essential tools that the pros are using. People are so good with their electronics that they know what type of fish it is and what they are eating on before the even shut off their big motor. I agree with most of what all of you are saying about knowledge, but equipment plays a huge part into that. The time away from home is going way off track from the original topic on how you would do as a pro. Keep the comments coming. Everyone's point of view is great!
evrgladesbasser reply :
Your still ignoring the fact that these guys were doing this long before modern day electronics. I have more respect for the old fashioned fisherman who drug a 2oz weight around the lake to learn all it's features in his 14ft john boat, than I have for one who pulls up in his $80k ranger, pops in his navionics chip and hits prime spots. Any idiot can learn to use a good fish finder, but you still have to catch the fish you see on screen. Modern day electronics have taken a lot of work out of fishing, which is probably another reason so many enjoy it today.
K_Mac reply :
Eric you keep coming back to the idea that it is somehow gear that separates the pros from the rest. How many wannabees are there who have all the hardware, software, and gear used by the pros? They have read all the articles, fished the same waters, cashed a check or two at every level, but fail to ever really make the big time. Why? Some of these guys are very experienced and knowledgeable. Great fishermen. Studs among their peers, yet at the highest level they can't make the cut. Michael DiNardo makes a strong argument that the difference is not physical. Maybe he is right that it doesn't take extraordinary physical ability to make it as pro. It does take something (or somethings) extraordinary though. I think reason may be right:
On 5/29/2012 at 6:53 PM, reason said:... what separates the pros from the rest isn't equipment, physical talent, competitive nature, psychological makeup, or anything else alone, its the extremely rare combinations of all these factors...
We watch them with all the bells and whistles and say, "I could do that." It's just fishing, right? I don't know how to codify what it takes to succeed at the highest level; what I do know is many talented, knowledgeable, experienced, dedicated guys try and only a handful do. There must be a lesson there somewhere.
Dave Hull reply :
On 5/29/2012 at 9:30 AM, Michael DiNardo said:I honestly don't mean any disrespect with this, but they aren't Supermen. Just look at the results of the FLW Tournament in Pittsburgh. I am by no means saying I could compete with them or any tournament
fisherman right now. But, they are not hitting a 95 mph fastball or something that can only be physically accomplished by a gifted few. I think you have to have many things on your side to be a pro besides being able to catch fish.
On 5/29/2012 at 6:53 PM, reason said:but they really are superhuman...
I couldn't disagree more. It could be marbles, bowling or darts if you prefer, same results, what separates the pros from the rest isn't equipment, physical talent, competitive nature, psychological makeup, or anything else alone, its the extremely rare combinations of all these factors, not to mention the exposure to the sport or activity.
X3
pro = super human mind blowing talent + unwavering determination + experiance
For instance I had a professor in natural resourses who claimed he'd shot 40 grouse so far that year, no dog. Mind you this is in Ohio where grouse hunting then was marginal at best and probably zilch today. When pressed on his methods he said that he could see them on the ground first then walked over and flushed them. He was reported to be a crack shot too. Claimed he could see their eye blink while they were setting still on the ground. So he knew exactly where they where. Amazing!
Then there is the fighter pilot from Iran, I think? Who can see other planes 10 miles further out than any of his peers.
Amazing!
I currently work with a younger fellow who can open a text book to any page, his right eye reads the right page and his left I reads the left page, in a matter of seconds he can process it and soon after photographically remember it.
Amazing!
Some people are just exceptionally blessed. I'm not. I can't even comprehend them.
Crookedneck reply :
Where I don't see the pro's as supermen or untouchable. I think thier dedication to the sport is actually how they made it to where they are at. I'm sure there are several who it was handed to. But, most got there by spending hours and $$ to get where they are now. It is there dedication/passion that has pushed them to get there. They probably fish more in a month than most of us fish in a year.
I would love to fish against any of them, if only to learn from them and get my butt kicked. Would I be able to boat some fish and occasionally cash a check, sure! Would I be able to fish 250 days a year? No, I wouldn't have a job if I did.
I see alot of guys I fish against and with, running in $40k boats with all the top of the line gear and I see them fail time and time again at weigh in time. I see guys who fish out of 17' aluminum boats cash checks. I've seen some old timers who could cash a check standing on shore fishing.
I agree with the statement that was made that if you think you can do it then do it, join a league and make a run. Giver a try! Let us know how it works out. that is how most of the pro's got there.
basslover12345 reply :
I think its all about confidence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
preach4bass reply :
On 6/6/2012 at 7:56 PM, basslover12345 said:I think its all about confidence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree 100%!!! I am totally confident that if I had all the same equipment as the pros, they would still crush me!
Christian M reply :
I think equipment plays a large part in being successful on the water, but dedication, determination, experience, and flat out talent will take the win in the long run every time. I mean honestly, even with the top of the line gear, do most of you guys think you could hold a candle against the top pros fishing a 3-4 day tournament on a 40,000 acre lake? I have tons of confidence in myself when I fish tourneys with my club, and I do okay, but even if I had the top of the line gear, I can't take away credit where credit is due.
wrat reply :
tools are just tools , equipment=tools , anyone can buy tools/equipment
lmoore reply :
My belief has always been that you could put just about any bass fisherman in the winning spot and he would win, or at least do really well. There may be subtle changes in the day that the winning pro noticed and others may not, but for the most part, catching fish is catching fish. It's the same reason you can go out with your buddy who barely ever fishes and every, every now and then, he'll outfish you.
The biggest thing that sets apart the pros from everyone else, in my mind, is 2-fold. Number 1 is experience. Those guys flat out understand fish and that comes form years and years of fishing for the better part of every year. Knowing where to start on a certain body of water at a certain time of year and how to adjust to the little things that change bass mood/behavior is the biggest key to making it as a pro. The second thing that comes with experience is the mentality and focus to compete at that level. We've all been out fishing and, after a few hours, missed a fish because we weren't totally focused on what we were doing. Miss a 5 pounder in an Elite tournament, and you've just gone from competing for the win, to sitting at the ramp on the final day wishing you had another shot at it.
The second is work ethic and deication. This is one of the few things that can make up for some deficiency in experience or knowledge. This si the type of thing that sets apart a guy like say Randall Tharp. He may or may not be much more talented than the rest of the field, but he works his tail off day in and day out, and gets rewarded with pretty consistently being towards the top of the standings. This is also where the "average joe" would have to make up ground in the scenario from the OP.
Long story-short, I think I (or just about anyone here, for that matter), could occasionally (maybe rarely is a better term) compete with the big boys, given they work hard enough at it, but theres just no substitute for the experience those guys have that enables them to adjust and understand what the fish are going to do.
J Francho reply :
The equipment aspect at the pro level is all about parity. If one has something that aids them, then they all have it. As far as what that equipment does for me, well it makes the sport more enjoyable, and fun. But it won't make me a pro.
Eric Buck reply :
I think if you give me the tools that you give the pro anglers and I will be a 10 times better fisherman. I just can't afford to get all the down imaging sonar devices, or the power poles. 20 years ago that would of been fine, but now adays you are way behind the power curve if you don't have those and another guy does and is using them properly. Fishing is becoming a rich persons sport kind of like golf.
J Francho reply :
You will be ten times more confused about what to do. It's information overload, trust me. You will get better, though, once you learn how to use those tools. Just getting them isn't the ticket to success. It's what you do with them that is.
Eric Buck reply :
Exactly, however my fish finders I have on my boat now are no where near proficient enough to tell what TYPE of structure is in the water holding fish. For that matter the newer fish finders can show you with a little bit of knowlege what type of fish are holding to that structure. It will also give you a clear image of what the contour of the bottom is which may/may not alter the technique you would use to fish that area. With my fish finders I use them for depth and temperature for the most part because the sonar doesn't produce a vivid picture of what I am up against. Now don't get me wrong with a little work you can use certain techniques (Carolina rig) to figure it out, but the high end fish finders will elimate all that madness and put you on fish faster. I think if I had a season to work with the Pro's equipment and get familiarized and proficient with it I would fair against the Elites. I think I have enough knowlege to make a few cuts and get my feet wet. Am I overly confident? Maybe, but that's how I truely feel. I know everyone thinks that you have to know exactly what to do in each situation, but there are more than one techinique that will work and you just have to go with your gut and your experience to land those fish. The Elites don't fish some chump lakes either. They are fishing lakes taht are known to produce large bass and numbers. Get on a lake that works with your style and your in the money. Have faith. They are human to.
K_Mac reply :
So what you're saying Eric is that for maybe $5000 in electronics, you could make it at the top level? If that and a little work with those new electronics is all that separates you from competing, you need to find a way to make the extra cash. I admire your confidence, but to say, "I could have been a contender" while typing excuses on your computer rings a little hollow. Life is too short. If you have the ability then do it. Those that can, do. Everything else is just talk. Good luck.
james 14 reply :
I'd just like to be in a bigger, faster boat. I could do SO much more if I had more than a 12ft jon with a 15hp motor. My partner and I are still leading AOY points for our little local club but the boat makes it tough. I really have to make a game plan for how we'll spend our time on the lake. We actually fish tourneys out of his boat which is all of 2ft longer with a 25hp motor. We don't go much faster and he doesn't like it when I hit the TM on high and he's not expecting it. One day he's gonna fall out the boat. He actually almost did in the last tourney but that wasn't my fault.
With that in mind I can't really say how I would fair if I had all the goodies. It'd be interesting to see what might be if I had the ability to get around the lake more efficiently and had a more stable platform to work from...especially in the wind. It seems everytime I've gone out this year the weather forecast has been WAY off and I've been blown all over the dang lake. I think with the boat (which is coming in the next year) and certain ammenities (power pole, higher quality graph) I'd be pretty solid after a year or so. "Solid" doesn't mean I'm competing at the pro level but perhaps I'll be fairing well in the BWS or BFL circuits. My plan is to move on to those formats after a year or so of being able to work out a pattern more efficiently in a larger, faster boat.
Eric Buck reply :
K_Mac I plan out it when I retire from the Army when I am 42. I have my family depending on me to bring home a paycheck every month and there is no way that I can chance it. I really do think that I would fair against the upper half of the pros. I have a lot of fishing experience throughout my life. I am almost 30 years old and have been fishing religously for over 25 years of that. Familiarization with different waters may get me from time to time, but getting out there and catching a limit of bass on the waters that they fish wouldn't be a difficult task. Catching 5 quality keepers is what seperates the good and the great. If I had the electronics and all the equipment that the Pro's are using there is no doubt in my mind that I can get into the top 50 a few times. Am I going to win them all or make the final cut all the time, absolutely not. That would be rediculous for me to say such a thing, but I think that I am skilled enough to compete. Now if my family wasn't depending on me to make a living, I would definately make a run for it. I am going to fish a club when I return and just work on some things and get some cash on the side and when I retire I will make a run for the gold hopefully. I think you took what I said that wrong way. I am not saying that I would school KVD on any given sunday. I'm just saying that from time to time I could bring home the cheddar.
K_Mac reply :
Eric, I wish you well with your plan. I hope to read your name and see you fishing on Sunday at the Bassmasters Classic; maybe even see you hawking the next big thing on a commercial or two. 
My point is simple. It is not meant to be critical of you or anyone else. I am old enough to have sat on the sidelines a few times while saying, "I could do that". Many of the guys fishing the big show have committed everything to making their dreams come true, and have put themselves and their families on the line to do it. It is that level of commitment that makes the real difference IMO. You may be a fantastic fisherman and a fine human being. Your commitment to your family and our country shows character and courage. It is those attributes that will make you successful at whatever you do. Equipment is a secondary concern in my view. Good luck and thank you for your service to our country.
JunkYard814 reply :
I think time has the most to do with it. Most people work jobs that don't allow them to travel all over the country and fish for 5+ days a week. I think a good deal comes from what was available to them and others just put their lives all-in hoping they'll make it as a pro angler. I personally do not have the desire to risk everything I have on the chance to become a professional angler.
However, if I had the opportunity with the equipment they have and the time to fish all week, after a year or two I think I could snag a few checks. But equipment and time is half the battle of getting to the top.
ww2farmer reply :
I know a couple guys who use average gear, have a beat up old boat, basic electronics, and whip the pants, off most of the dudes running 21' rigs with 250 HP, and all the bells, whistles, and fancy gear money can buy. It's no fluke either, for 3-4 years now they have been doing it. I know when ever I see them pull in you have to bring your A game, or they will embarass you. They never seem to have an off day/night. Not too bad for a couple guys in a tin can boat with average Joe stuff. I expect them to beat me, I suck, but I do enjoy the fact they seem to crush most of the wannabe pros who have blown there wads on toys to be "just like KVD"
evrgladesbasser reply :
Most pros hit their prime in their mid 30's. I'm sure knowledge and experience have nothing to do with that stat though. More likely they all got nice fish finders in their 30'S.
FLW has an open tournament on Lake O. I think the entry is about $4k. If you don't have a nice boat you rent one from Rolands. Don't worry about expensive down and side imaging units, you will be fishing in 5ft or less of water. So that issue is taken out of the equation. When you win the event, you will be awarded $125k. Then you can buy a nice 20+ft ranger with a 250 and all the bells and whistles. At that point you can compete anywhere in the country because you will have a nice fish finder. There you go, a nice action plan for you. You have til February 2013 to save your money.
Eric Buck reply :
WW2 Farmer these gentlemen you are talking about have they been fishing the same waters for the past 30 years? I'm sure they are very experienced on the local waters and a good fish finder would just verify what they have learned throughout the years. You take those guys on the other side of the country and they are probably not going to beat the pants off of most people. Maybe I am wrong and they are just gifted.
Evrgladesbasser do you want to sponsor me? LOL!
NoBassPro reply :
On 6/17/2012 at 7:49 AM, ww2farmer said:I know a couple guys who use average gear, have a beat up old boat, basic electronics, and whip the pants, off most of the dudes running 21' rigs with 250 HP, and all the bells, whistles, and fancy gear money can buy. It's no fluke either, for 3-4 years now they have been doing it. I know when ever I see them pull in you have to bring your A game, or they will embarass you. They never seem to have an off day/night. Not too bad for a couple guys in a tin can boat with average Joe stuff. I expect them to beat me, I suck, but I do enjoy the fact they seem to crush most of the wannabe pros who have blown there wads on toys to be "just like KVD"
I'm not going to disagree with most of what you are saying, but for many of the major tournament locations the boat and motor are kind of a necessity. For example, I would never recommend going out on L. St Clair in a jonboat, it can get too choppy real fast. Also, when I was younger we took a few trips to Toledo Bend. My dad would rent a small boat and put a 15 horse motor on it for one of my cousins and I while he and my uncle went out in his boat. Basically, in the course of a days fishing we couldn't get far out of the creek arm we were camped on. We caught fish, but there was little way to compete against people that could get out and cover more water.
As a side note, on one of those trips they had a crappiethon usa tournament going on. I don't know is they still do that or not, but the way it worked you bought a $5 ticket and could get prizes for certain things, one of which was $50 for every crappie over 2 lbs. Well, we got into some small bass real shallow and decided to work the creek channel looking for some bigger bass. Happened into a school of some the biggest crappie we'd ever seen. Go back, buy a ticket, head out for a few more hours. Ended up with a bucketful of fish that all went from 1-12 to 1-15. Guess thats what we got for trying to cheat.
SirSnookalot reply :
On lake Internet the some of the fishermen are unbeatable, every other cast is a slob. The reality is that on a real lake given the use of the most sophisticated equipment that one cane have, most not only wouldn't fair well against the upper crust, the bottom level of professionals would blow them away too.
Being confident is one thing, another thing to over rate yourself and under estimate one's competition.
ww2farmer reply :
On 6/17/2012 at 11:47 AM, Eric Buck said:WW2 Farmer these gentlemen you are talking about have they been fishing the same waters for the past 30 years? I'm sure they are very experienced on the local waters and a good fish finder would just verify what they have learned throughout the years. You take those guys on the other side of the country and they are probably not going to beat the pants off of most people. Maybe I am wrong and they are just gifted.
Evrgladesbasser do you want to sponsor me? LOL!
No, they are younger than me and still in collage. They are just good, and the lake we fished suits there style of fishng very well.
Your not getting it. It's not the equipment that makes the fisherman. They just kicked my butt, and a field of some pretty good sticks butts yesterday, no $50K dollar boat with $10K worth of electronics would have prevented it. I know another guy who does the most basic, mind-numbing thing I can think of, with cheap spinning reels, line most people think is garbage, but does it better than anyone else I know. And thats dragging a tube for smallmouth, if that bite is on, and he's doing it, he will make you look foolish.
Your young, and ignorant, you'll grow out of it, if not............life will be a challange.
etommy28 reply :
On 5/29/2012 at 6:32 PM, Eric Buck said:You would get 3 days of pre fishing with all the equipment to work out the kinks and get onto a pattern. I think if you have an idea of how to form a pattern you would do pretty well. Numbers would not be a problem. It would be the size of the fish that would kill us. I think our biggest problem is we get stressed out when we are not catching the numbers of quality fish because we are using big baits and we switch to our "Panic Box" and throw the typical weekend angler lures. If you could be patient and have confidence that you are on some big fish and using big fish lures I think you might do better than you expect. Set your goals obtainable. Top 50 and get out with some money.
This post is funny to me, 3 days of practice on many of those fisherys is nothing, I fished the college nationals championship a few weeks back and did not do well on a lake I had never been on even though I had 3 days of practices. It goes all back to specific skills like in that situation ledge fishing, i have not idea how to ledge fish and I could not catch jack off shore but thats how the tourny was won, I was able to find fish and caught a limit each day but ended up 115 out of 200. I am normally good at breaking down water, but my point is if you dont have the skills you have no chance.
Eric Buck reply :
I completely agree that you need skills. I also think that you could have the greatest skills in the world but if you go out there with a 16 ft bass tracker with a 30 HP mercury and 2 $80 depth finders and some fishing rods that you have beat up throughout the years, you will never be able to compete. Everyone has their weeknesses. The trick is to fit your strengths into the patterns that are working. Sometimes you will never be able to do that and you will just have to do te best you can. You can't win them all.
NoBassPro reply :
On 6/18/2012 at 4:10 AM, Eric Buck said:I completely agree that you need skills. I also think that you could have the greatest skills in the world but if you go out there with a 16 ft bass tracker with a 30 HP mercury and 2 $80 depth finders and some fishing rods that you have beat up throughout the years, you will never be able to compete. Everyone has their weeknesses. The trick is to fit your strengths into the patterns that are working. Sometimes you will never be able to do that and you will just have to do te best you can. You can't win them all.
There's the thing. You can't win them all, and if it works like other pay to play sports, even most of the pros run at a break even rate, with their livings dependent on sponsors. So, even if you can compete with a KVD fishing, you also have to compete with his professionalism and sales ability to make it as a pro.
That being said, I honestly believe most of the pros could beat a fair number of the people on here, myself included, if all they had was a zebco snoopy pole and a dugout canoe to fish from. Fishing itself I believe to be simple, its the things you can't always put words to that often make the difference.
ww2farmer reply :
On 6/18/2012 at 4:10 AM, Eric Buck said:I completely agree that you need skills. I also think that you could have the greatest skills in the world but if you go out there with a 16 ft bass tracker with a 30 HP mercury and 2 $80 depth finders and some fishing rods that you have beat up throughout the years, you will never be able to compete.
Really????....................cause you basicly described my boat, except I have $300 graphs, and only a 25HP motor. Most of my rods and reels are second hand used, and I don't buy many $15-$20 baits, yet I compete just fine. Do I win them all?.........nope, not hardly, but neither do the guys with bigger boats and better stuff. Do I have a few stinkers?......yes, every one does. But I cash my fair of checks, and am usually not too far out of the money when I don't. But, it dosen't matter what I say, you think latest/greatest/most expensive stuff ='s success, and you think guys with stuff like I use makes us some sort of a hack. Like I said in my previous post, your young and ignorant, perhaps more so then I first thought, but hopefully you learn.
evrgladesbasser reply :
On 6/18/2012 at 8:27 AM, ww2farmer said:Really????....................cause you basicly described my boat, except I have $300 graphs, and only a 25HP motor. Most of my rods and reels are second hand used, and I don't buy many $15-$20 baits, yet I compete just fine. Do I win them all?.........nope, not hardly, but neither do the guys with bigger boats and better stuff. Do I have a few stinkers?......yes, every one does. But I cash my fair of checks, and am usually not too far out of the money when I don't. But, it dosen't matter what I say, you think latest/greatest/most expensive stuff ='s success, and you think guys with stuff like I use makes us some sort of a hack. Like I said in my previous post, your young and ignorant, perhaps more so then I first thought, but hopefully you learn.
You are waisting your time and energy. Some are wise enough to learn from others. Others only learn from experience, good or bad.
buzzfrog reply :
experiance to me and eduction is the best, i 100% know if i could get off the shore and have any kind of a boat, i'd be better, no a pro, i fish 5 days a week in the same spots (ran out of new shore, well i could travel and would have an empty tank) , and if the bass are were i can reach i get, if not i dont, i think i am skilled enough at a couple of boat landing to catch em. I am a descent shore angler though if they aint they, they aint there,, if i had a boat i could hunt em down lol
200racing reply :
M.L.F. really brought out those guys skills to me. no way i will ever be even remotely that good.
i do think a few more years practice and the cutting edge gear i could scratch out a living in one of the the lower levels.
gerald swindle if of the belief some guys get help from guides. who knows with that kind of help i might do better then i think. 
Eric Buck reply :
WW2Farmer you crack me up. I think you need to read the original question and stop thinking that I said I am going to be an Elite Series pro. What your not understanding is that I do not believe anyone and I mean ANYONE can compete at the Elite level if you don't have the equipment that competes with what they have. I believe out of the 8 tournaments that I could make the top 50 atleast once maybe twice if I am lucky. You seem to think that I believe that I am the next KVD and I am going to win 2 out of the 8 tournaments. Highly doubtful, but I bet I can compete. Ignorant is a strong word. I don't think you give me enough credit for what I do know or maybe I just haven't explained myself clearly enough. Bottom line is I (personal opinion) believe that it is neccessary for you to have the equipment to compete with the pros. HOWEVER you also need skill to go along with that. The original question was supposed to be if YOU had their equipment how do you think YOU(meaning with your skills) would do at the Elite level. Thanks for your response I enjoy reading your rants every time I sign in.
Eric Buck reply :
Oh and by the way if you read KVD's book he will tell you in there that his most important thing that he uses to catch fish is his fishfinder because he don't have to use search baits anymore to find the fish. He might have a little trouble throwing a carolina rig on a snoopy pole in a dug out canoe on the large body of waters that they fish.
bassinc1 reply :
One thing that hasent been brought up is their casting accuracy compaired to ours is dumbfounding.
Eric Buck reply :
Verry true
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