If you could go back.. 2024

Highschoolbassin reply :

If you could go back to your teenage years and do things differently to set yourself up better to fish in the elite series or a high level of competition what would you do?

slonezp reply :

Leave the pot and broads alone

long island basser reply :

Get a vasectomy right out of high school. Yep.

Fishinthefish reply :

Everything written above me, plus winning the lottery.

A-Jay reply :

Marry into the Clunn, Nixon, Brauer or Van Dam Family.

A-Jay

Darren. reply :

I have no answer for this. While I have fantasized
about fishing the big tournaments, I actually don't
fish any tourneys. Prefer the ease of fishing for my
own pleasure and my own records.

So I'd probably have done nothing different....

blckshirt98 reply :

I wouldn't quit fishing after jr high and pick it back up 25 years later.

Gundog reply :

Simple....Stop Taylor Swift before she ever sings a note!!!!

Catt reply :

On 3/6/2016 at 11:18 AM, slonezp said:

Leave the pot and broads alone

I grew up in the 60s; drugs, sex, & rock-n-roll took me farther than I wanted to go, keep me longer than I wanted to stay & cost me more than I wanted to pay!

A-Jay reply :

On 3/6/2016 at 9:02 PM, Catt said:

I grew up in the 60s; drugs, sex, & rock-n-roll took me farther than I wanted to go, keep me longer than I wanted to stay & cost me more than I wanted to pay!

me too ~ but for some reason, I just don't remember much of it . . .

A-Jay

AnglingNvirginia reply :

Well I would have been a lot dif. He'll might have been a classic champion by now... But than again maybe if I did go back something bad might happen... This is the path God put me on right now, we can all still accomplish our goals, just a little harder now

WRB reply :

This question comes up often IF you could go back to your teen years what would you do differently? My answer is always the same...nothing!

I lived my life fully and very happy to make this far and do not want to live it over. When you come to a Y in the road..take it! The bottom line is you can't change anything so take advantage of everyday and live life, cherish your family, keep your priorities in focus and fish often.

Tom

WI_Angler1989 reply :

Well, I don't think I'd do anything differently in terms of competitions, but I would fish more. I didn't get into fishing until I was around 19-20. I'd have wasted less time loafing around and fish sooner.

N Florida Mike reply :

I wasn't thinking about tournaments but I was fishing nearly every day.If I was thinking about being a pro.I'd join a club with some real experienced members Learn all I could and fish local tournaments, then enter bigger tournaments etc.

Wbeadlescomb reply :

I took the tournament road for a few years before I decided it wasn't for me. The traveling was the biggest factor for me. You miss so much time at home. I was working 3 on 4 off and spending atleast 5 days a week on the water. After awhile it just quit being fun. No way in hell I'd want to fish for a living and be gone 250 days a year.

Raul reply :

It's easy, probably I would have not wasted 2 years of my life fooling around studying a carrer I didn't really like at college and jumped right into the school of Veterinary Medicine right out of high school; however, now that I have thought about this for many years, probably the best decission of my life was studying those 2 years I "wasted", I learned valuable lessons that helped me a lot when I finally got into Veterinary Medicine.

flyingmonkie reply :

I would have bought a nicer boat before I got married. Now, it's a freakin' act of congress!

Bankbeater reply :

Probably start bass fishing more. Back when I use to catfish a lot, bass fishing was something you did when the cat were not biting.

.ghoti. reply :

I'm quite sure we all have things in our past we would like to able to change. I have quite a list myself, and all I will say about it is, anything related to fishing would not be on the list.

Spankey reply :

I got hooked on fishing when I was in my single digits. I've been addicted to smallies since I was about 16 yrs. old and that been 40+ years. Did some tournament fishing............didn't find it to be fun. Recently was going to revisit it and decided against it.

I'm making it a point this year to go back to throwing some old school baits that I have not fished in several years. Somehow you get yourself away from them. Hard and soft baits.

Scarborough817 reply :

i would do a lot different but i can't so i make the best of what i have now

junyer357 reply :

Work your butt off and make it happen. Success doesnt happen to those who havent worked hard for it.

Simply make a choice and do it.

Dont waste time wondering what could/might have been, just learn from it and apply it to next time.

senile1 reply :

I know this is about going back and changing things with regard to fishing but that would affect everything else in my life as well. There are things I regret from the past, but with time and wisdom, I accept that I wouldn't be who I am today, and I wouldn't necessarily have the relationships I currently have, if I hadn't traveled the road that I did. Despite having some pretty bad situations early in life that gave me a severe bout of stinking thinking that I had to correct, I wouldn't go back and change a thing.

Catt reply :

On 3/7/2016 at 9:53 PM, .ghoti. said:

I'm quite sure we all have things in our past we would like to able to change. I have quite a list myself, and all I will say about it is, anything related to fishing would not be on the list.

On 3/7/2016 at 11:08 PM, senile1 said:

I know this is about going back and changing things with regard to fishing but that would affect everything else in my life as well. There are things I regret from the past, but with time and wisdom, I accept that I wouldn't be who I am today, and I wouldn't necessarily have the relationships I currently have, if I hadn't traveled the road that I did. Despite having some pretty bad situations early in life that gave me a severe bout of stinking thinking that I had to correct, I wouldn't go back and change a thing.

There are a few of us that are honest

BassThumbAddict reply :

I would have made an effort to fish at a collegiate level.

scaleface reply :

I would hang out with a different crowd .

papajoe222 reply :

On 3/6/2016 at 11:18 AM, slonezp said:

Leave the pot and broads alone

See what old age does to you?

To answer the question; They didn't have those when I was a teen, so give me the above two choices.

quanjig reply :

As with most things in life, I'm sure tournament fishing is a lot of hard work, we just get to see the " fun" part of it!!

I enjoy fishing because it's an escape of sorts. If it became a job, I don't think I would enjoy it as much really!!

J._Bricker reply :

I'd fish for bass more often... The amount of information on any and all topics regarding fishing is easily accessible via the internet (i.e. Bass Resource) is the greatest advantage you have Highschoolbassin. Back in the day, it was waiting a month for the next issue of Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, or In-Fisherman to arrive, learn what you could and then have the opportunity to try it out with the limited time and equipment you had... Good times

Nitrofreak reply :

Although I regret some of the choices I have made during the 60's, 70's and 80's that are unfortunately hampering my ability to communicate, learn and then retain that particular lesson for any length of time, I am still happy to be where I am at today, I probably shouldn't be here at all amongst the living but none the less I have found this sport to be that of an outlet, a happy place if you will, I would enjoy tournament fishing and the competition if I did but would keep it at a local level or amoung friends, the added pressure of having to perform on someone else's dime along with your investment I think would change the happy place, at least for me.

IowaHusker28 reply :

This is a very interesting topic on my part since I am only 22, but have been "seriously" and by that, I mean very serious fishing for the last 3-4 years. I fish as a boater in a local club, fish as a boater at the college level, and am going to start trying to fish more federation and BFL tourneys in the next few years/this year. I love fishing, every single aspect, especially on the tournament level. I played 5 sports growing up and tried to race dirt bikes and was relatively successful at most. I love competition and after a knee injury, fishing was something I could excel at. I, of course dream of fishing the classic, or forest wood cup, a BFL all american, a bass open, a costa tourney, college tournament, etc. You could say I'm obsessed with fishing but that would be an understatement. I've worked hard, reading, watching, and spending outrageous amounts of time on a boat or even fishing from shore when I have time. I can honestly say I have little interest in fishing a tour, even if I had the chance. Hell yea it would be awesome, and an incredible achievement but that lifestyle is not for me.

Now if I could make that top 1% money, then I would change my mind, hahaha.

So to answer the question. I wouldn't change a thing, other than maybe wishing my parents lived in a better bass fishing state.

Bluebasser86 reply :

I needed to be born a few years later. Highschool and college fishing teams weren't a thing until a few years after I was out of school. I tried to start a fishing team in middle school but my school didn't think it was a good idea and there were no schools around us with a team either. Seems like that's the fastest way to the pros anymore.

Mike L reply :

I'm told that if we were honest with ourselves and really thought about it, we'd all come up with a few things we'd do different. But regrets? Maybe, maybe not.

I'd put more thought into teaching my kids and grandkids how to be a better son, daughter, husband, wife, friend and all around better person.

Being a professional tournament angler isn't one of them.

Mike

Highschoolbassin reply :

Thanks guys for all the replies! Has really opened up my way of thinking

Lendiesel22 reply :

On 3/6/2016 at 11:18 AM, slonezp said:

Leave the pot and broads alone

Maybe just the broads lol

gardnerjigman reply :

On 3/8/2016 at 3:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I needed to be born a few years later. Highschool and college fishing teams weren't a thing until a few years after I was out of school. I tried to start a fishing team in middle school but my school didn't think it was a good idea and there were no schools around us with a team either. Seems like that's the fastest way to the pros anymore.

Exactly this. Id kill to be my youngest brothers age right now...

buzzed bait reply :

On 3/10/2016 at 7:38 AM, Lendiesel22 said:

Maybe just the broads lol

kinda what i was thinking.... my choice between those two, i'm taking the one that doesn't talk back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wbeadlescomb reply :

Another thing that I didn't see anyone touch on is the money it takes to fish on the top level. You're looking at a minimum of a 100,000 a year to fish the elite series. Entry fees are almost 50,000 a year. You add in gas travel breakdowns maintenance insurance hotel room and gear. You are at a minimum of a 100,000 a year probably closer to a 125,000. You make a check in every tournament you are looking at 80,000....

Highschoolbassin reply :

Thanks for all the replies guys! Sounds like a few of you had some rough years when you were young lol.

Josh Smith reply :

I would have found a college that offered bass fishing. Not sure there were any in '96. Probably should have skipped criminal justice and gone directly to gunsmithing, but I've used the criminal justice stuff and I'm not sure a gunsmithing college would have taught me the style I learned.

So, no regrets. only wishes for collegiate angling where/when I attended.

Josh

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