61 replies to this topic

[slonezp]

X2 should have heard me this weekend

Heard you all the way up here in Chicago, Brandon

I never have, but my son does on occasion. Today was one of those occasions. It really ruins the "zone". We should have weighed a limit and been in the money, but due to operator error on his and my parts, we brought one fish to the scale. We changed our gameplan on a whim at 8am and went for a long run, locking thru the river, which basicaly took away 2 hours of fishing time. We found a 50 yard stretch of rip rap that had fish. Had 10 bites in a half hour landing (1) 3.5lbr(shoulda landed all 10). Went to another spot to let the rip rap fish settle down, with plans to return later. Torrential downpour with nasty lightning rolls in and we take cover under a bridge.for an hour until the lightning subsides. Well, my son is in a crappy mood because we missed 9 bites and he is deathly afraid of being on the water with lightning. Rain subsides a little but it's time to head back up thru the locks. We hit one more spot before we head in to weigh in. He hooks a 4lbr and while trying to flip it into the boat instead of letting me net it...well, you know what happened. Iconelli' moment.

[Bassn Blvd]

Nope. I pay for my stuff and and don't care for people who don't a have a reasonable level of self control. Drama queens need not apply.

X2. BUT, do I get mad during a tournament and and let off steam? Absolutely, but it's almost always my fault for whatever it is that made me mad.

Here is a piece of advice an old timer (deceased) custom rod manufacturer once told me
"Learn to control your emotions." I would visit him with my dad when I was about 14yrs old. He would say that quote everytime someone was leaving his store.

[Michael DiNardo]

Not until St.Croix is buying my Avids for me.

Mike

[loodkop]

X2. BUT, do I get mad during a tournament and and let off steam? Absolutely, but it's almost always my fault for whatever it is that made me mad.

Here is a piece of advice an old timer (deceased) custom rod manufacturer once told me
"Learn to control your emotions." I would visit him with my dad when I was about 14yrs old. He would say that quote everytime someone was leaving his store.

In my rugby days I was taught " dont get mad- get even"
If I lose a big one I know where it lives and " I wil be back....."
I can see no reason to abuse my tackle, in fact having to replace something broken through anger is about as stupid as it gets for me.

[SirSnookalot]

I don't know about that, tournament fishing seems to be less like Warren Buffet losing a few mil, and more like 30 crackheads fighting over an 8 ball. That prize money means more to them than it would to a silver-spooner like Buffet. When I was younger, I did some prizefighting, and I can tell you, money changes things. Win or lose can be the difference between making a little money, or not having gas money to get home. I don't think tour anglers are much different, especially ones that are just coming up.

I think it's hard to compare an amateur or lower tier professional to that of a top tier professional in any competitive activity. Quite true than many of these tournament fishermen need to score in order to make a living and gain noteriety. Iconelli is not one of them, he's his own brand name. Tournaments have already been won, books written, DVD's produced, the list goes on, he's one of the 10% that makes 90% of the money.

Regarding the OP thread, I never lose my cool over a fish. If I were fishing tournaments they would not be on the level of the ones with 6 figure purses, for me I'd be there for the sake of having a good time, win or lose, it wouldn't affect my lifestyle. In business and investing I have lost numbers that significantly affected my lifestyle, but I've won too. That's how the game of life is played.
Losing your "cool", isn't cool !

[tomustang]

Heck no, couple of damnits is as bad as it gets

[Lund Explorer]

Have ever thrown your rod out of frustration from losin that one tournament or when that big mama threw the hook?

The first thing I would do is to follow the old adage of "Walk a mile in his shoes!", and then come back to us wih an answer.

[Bass Dude]

I don't break anything...I just let out a string of swear words like the dad in 'A Christmas Story' when the furnace goes out!!

[SirSnookalot]

A ton of information on the web...........
https://www.google.c...iw=1089&bih=489

[flippin Dan]

I lost a big fish that would have won a $100 jackpot lat week. I let out 1 word that I won't put on here, gently laid my pole down and took a seat and lit a smoke. My partner looked at me and said you can't quit. I told him I would fish in a minute but I needed to throw up first. lol Would have been my biggest ever by about 3 lbs. probably weighed 9 or so.

[Frog Turds]

i've never abused gear in the heat of the moment, i'll cuss like a SOB though. more of what happens when I lose that exceptional fish on occasion, its takes my soul for the rest of the day along with it...

[scrutch]

I had a little "Ike Moment" at the 2012 Roadtrip recently while fishing with Flukemaster. We were deep cranking on a shcool of fish stacked up on a bridge. We were BOTH hooked up and fighting a couple good fish when mine came off. I was very amped up because I wanted a "double" for both of us. I jumped up in fun frustration when it happened and out of impulse I slapped the water with the crankbait. I never thought that it would break the crankbait, but it did (it was a Rapala DT20). I never cussed, I just yelled and Gene just laughed at me while landing his 3.5 pounder. He just said, "Yup, Rapalas do that." I think he might have been speaking from experience...I don't know for sure.

We went on to land a bunch more fish off that bridge and broke three more cranks in the process. Not out of frustration, they broke from casting them into the low hanging bridge. The school was under the bridge. We are the two charter members of the newly formed Guntersville Busted Lip Club!

[ChrisAW]

I have snapped one rod on purpose, just like Mike did during that Texas Bass Challenge. Last year, a custom rod a friend gave it to me since he was heading into the military, and had also gave up fishing a few years before.

It was a 6'6" M-F. I liked it a lot. It was very lightweight and was very comfortable. But it seems like no matter what I did, I could NOT land a fish with that rod. First trip out, I hooked up with about 15 fish, and only landed 8 out of those. I don't know what it was. The rod I was using before was the same power/action and I never had a problem getting fish in the boat with it. Maybe lost 5 out of a much larger number of jerkbait fish I caught last year on that combo.

I fished it for a little while and got mad at it, and threw it in the closet at home after I that horrible trip. After it was in time out for a month, I got it back out. I fished a couple other presentations with it, but never got a hit with it. At one point, I tied a jerkbait on it again after a couple trips. I lost 4 small fish right off the bat, and I completely blew my cork after losing a high 3, or maybe 4 pound LM. I cracked it over the side of the boat and threw it in the floor.

I really believe there was something supernaturally wrong with that rod. It didn't like me, or it was mad its owner gave it away or something. But I am glad to be rid of that one.


Other than that, I do like to cuss at bad times on the water.

[Blue Streak]

I just fish I don't get emotional about it. If I have a good day or catch a lunker I know have put it all together or I just got lucky. When I lose one then the fish won that round no big deal you can't possibly win them all. I just love being out there and nothing is going take that away from me.

[jkarol24]

One choice word under my breath is enough for me, then onto the next cast and the next fish