How do you defend Bass fishing?

[Granny]

People up here in Crappie & Walleye country have asked me why I fish for Bass. I don't keep them or eat them and according to these people, bass will bite on anything (shoe laces, cig butts ect..). So how do YOU defend Bass fishing?

For me the topwater explosions are unmatched by any other species. IMO catching them on a spinnerbait or worm isn't all that exciting. Now you dangle a frog over a reed or branch a foot off the water and a bass leaps up and grabs it out of the air, that is fishing!

Granny

[Navigator]

Whether it's the brown or green ones...I prefer bass over eye's. I don't eat fish so I'm purely after something that will fight. As a kid, I was fishing for smallies on the Zumbro river so I guess it's in-grained and a part of me and you never forget your first BIG bass. At least I won't... Nav

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Jon Navratil
Navigator Guide Service
www.naviguides.com
Central MN rivers & lakes

[Dan Wood]

You don't need to defend anything. Just bring them out bass fishing sometime and they will see what they are missing with those other fish... Actually just tell them "your right, walleye is the best fish in Minnesota" and go on your way. More bass for us that way

Or, you could bring up the live bait issue with walleye fishing... why do you guys always need to use livebait? That will get to them...

Talk about boring.. How much skill do they think is required to troll spinners or cranks for eyes along a breakline... not to mention the lame fight you get from a walleye. I was a hard core walleye fisherman and fished many walleye tournaments a year, since I converted to bass I've had a lot more fun. That is all I need to know.

As for crappies, they are just a fish to get you through late ice - opener as far as I'm concerned.

[Guest]

only thing I need to say is....

"Boredom vs. Excitement"

[Granny]

I am also a recent convert except I wasn't a die hard any other species, I just didn't fish Bass ever. Then one day we were leaving a lake and I had this funny looking popper in my tackle box that never seen the water. I tossed it under a willow tree hanging near the dock while my fried was backing the trailer down. A 19" LM Bass, new tackle box, B.A.S.S. membership, $,$$ in Bass tackle, and 4 new rods later, I am hooked for life. I don't really know what it is but Bass fishing really gets my blood flowing! Maybe its the fact that every body of water I fish holds a monster Bass that could go on my wall some day. I don't think I can say that about many other species of fish. I guess when it really comes down to it, fishing most other species is just kind of boring.

[luv2senko]

The variety of techniques you can apply for bass fishing is what makes it so attractive.

Here is my list of things that draw me to bassin.

The topwater explosion at 5 in the morning on a lake as calm as glass.

The flash at a spinnerbait.

Watching your line move horizontially, before you set the hook while deadsticking a senko.

Having your rod almost jerked out of your hands when that hog nails your pig and jig in 12 ft of water.

The list goes on and on.

And my personal favorite, the butterflys going through your stomach before your number is called during takeoff for a tourney.

No matter how you like to fish, you can use your own technique to target the world's greatest fish.

[Mark Christianson]

luv2senko

You hit it!
Its the visual that gets me. Most of my fishing is shallow. I love watching the flash as a bass darts at my lure.
Or seeing the line racing through the water, due to an undetected bite.
Its up close and personal fishing.

Walleye fishing:
Sit, sit, sit..... Oooo. I feel a nibble. Feed it line for 2 minutes. Oooo. It is still there. oooooooo. Its a perch!!! Yayyy!

[huskiesplayer15]

bottom feeders, takes one to know one!
Best Fishes
Chris

[Guest]

Who you callin' a bottom feeder?!?

[huskiesplayer15]

honestly how hard is it fishing for eyes?six inches off the bottom, typically they dont use the entire water column, you find them suspended but when was the last time you saw a walleye hit a topwater? Bass fishing is a visual thing, plus it is more of a challenge, like skipping docks or trying to hit a certain window four lily pads make fifty sixty yards away, the anticipation, you can see bass sometimes before they hit, rather then seeing a blip, v or hook on the little computer screen.

Best Fishes
Chris

[Yaeger Guide]

Granny,

I think you defended it very well. No need for my 2¢.

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God bless,
Judd Yaeger
Yaeger Guides
(Twin Cities Guides)
www.yaegerweb.com/guide

[cwmn]

Who's needs to defend it? Not me!
If they don't want to do REAL fishing with me, just means more room in the boat for pre-rigged rods.

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Have a good one!
CWMN

[Spinner1]

"Or, you could bring up the live bait issue with walleye fishing... why do you guys always need to use livebait? That will get to them..."

Live bait.... kind of like trying to catch a fat guy with a bologna sandwich. Just doesn't seem fair

[Mark Christianson]

How do I defend bass fishing???
Great question.

Several people I know(whom I call friends when they are not bashing bass), just don't understand my attraction to Green and Brown carp.

I have no better answer, than, "I really don't know. Why do you like walleye fishing?"
Simple as that.
One of my best friends was anti-green carp, up until I took him up for opener last year. Well, guess who came with on the Green carp opener this year again?
His roommate was giving him heck to go up to Mille Lacs on Memorial weekend for walleyes, and why he would go out for bass.
My friends answer to him was, "I can go up north for the bass opener, and catch literally hundreds of bass potentially, or I can go to Mille Lacs and maybe get a handful of walleyes over the entire weekend."
We got 476 bass opening weekend. Nuff said.

I say, let people chase after their prized bottom feeders, and leave more bass for me!

[Guest]

Another funny side-note...

My dad used to call it "Carp Fishing"...now that's all he does.

Another convert!!

[Lunker]

For me? Lets see what I'd rather be doing, fishing in 20ft of water on some "walleye chop" dragging a minnow rig around for fish that taste okay but fight like a bullhead(eyes), or chugging a topwater or skipping a senko under a dock for an explosive, aerial battle with one of the most energetic and beautiful fish out there? Don't get me wrong, i love fishing for almost all species(although i am not much of a fan of walleyes), but none more than the largemouth, or smallmouth bass. They take the cake.

p.s. as far as eating, I;ll take a pike or gill over a walleye any day!

[This message has been edited by Lunker (edited 06-16-2004).]

[Spinner1]

"an explosive, aerial battle with one of the most energetic and beautiful fish out there?"

That's it for me too Lunker. I was addicted the first time a good bass caught some air trying to shake out my lure. About once every five fish they give you a real Field and Stream mag cover shot. Leaving no doubt you have a good fish on the line, and the challenge is yours to get a closer look at the fish.

[ilikepike]

Top water strikes, leaps through the air, chance for a lunker every time out on any lake, can be caught using a boat, canoe, float tube, or waders. Shallow or deep, near shore or the middle of the lake. Cooler lures. Active not passive. Same applies to pike fishing with one exception: slim chance for a true lunker in Minnesota.

[EBass]

What other species can I use 6lb test one cast then pick up my other rod with 50lb test and cast that? Well its no other than the most popular game fish in the country The Bass. Besides if it wasn't for the bass I wouldn't have a name.