Desultory

I'm really new to bass fishing and currently my only option is to fish from shore. One of the things I'm struggling with is how to approach my strategy, especially when fishing unfamiliar waters. I'm curious what some other folks have come up with as effective strategies when fishing from shore. If I've identified what would seem to be a likely spot to locate bass, I never know whether to change my presentation (like switch from drop shot to t-rig), change worm type/color, or to just move on to another place. So, how do you decide what to change and when to move? Also, when fishing an unfamiliar body of water how do you test the waters, so to speak, to determine if you're in a good spot or not? Thanks!

I could be wrong, but I think the point was that hard core C&R guys are giving the "keep a few but release most" a hard time for keeping those few, saying everyone should always release all their catches except for the damaged ones that wouldn't survive. It seems to me though that these guys aren't really concerned about the health of the fish as they are about keeping the fish available to be caught again. If someone takes a couple home to eat, those fish are not available to be caught by a different angler sometime later. Either that or that 2lb bass might have someday been the next world record. I still think that as long as everyone is following the rules we should all respect each other as fellow sportsmen. The issue doesn't need to be nearly so divisive as it's become.

Ah, so exactly what it sounds like. Thanks for the straight answer. I was expecting something along the lines of "You tell it it's adopted". Where's Muddy when you need him? I hadn't heard of electro-fishing before. I can hear the fish yelling "don't taze me bro!". Ok, bad joke.

I'm sure I'm going to regret asking this, but how do you "shock a lake"?

^LMAO!

Hey pgersumky, nice to see someone else in O'side around here! I just responded to your PM. Hard to believe how big of a deal something like C&R can be...even to the point it can inhibit people becoming friends. Kinda sad in my opinion, but that's just me. I actually joined these boards hoping to make some friends around here but it's looking like that might be harder to do than I thought. Being fellow anglers ain't enough these days I guess. No offense meant, of course, just seems like you dismissed the possibility from the outset if my fishing habits don't match your own. Anyway, thanks for the welcome and maybe we'll see each other sometime anyway. I'm heading to check out Dixon tomorrow to find a place to take my daughter for her first bluegill catch and try for some bass. Probably won't catch any though. I really suck at bass fishing. Catch and release isn't really an option if you can't catch 'em anyway, right? ;D Take care, Paul

First, let me say I feel really bad that my first post happened to resurrect this issue. Guess I'm not really helping let it die by posting again... Anyway, I had written this big long post with a bunch of (probably) stupid questions about the belief systems at play here but decided against it. Instead, I thought I'd relate a little story that sort of puts it in perspective for me anyway. Doubt it will do any good but it's a viewpoint and that's what the Intertubes are for! So when I first started looking into bass fishing again, about two weeks ago, I found a blog of a bass fisherman up near San Francisco. In one of his posts he recounts his personal best bass, a 14-15lber. He took it in for official weight and pictures and then released it. Turns out 2 other people ended up catching that same bass over the course of a few months. The last guy that caught it though took it and had a trophy made out of it. I grew up fishing as partial sustenance for our family, mostly catfish, crappy, bluegill, trout. Never bass, mostly because I didn't know how to catch them. To me, what that last guy did was terrible. Not only did he remove the "trophy" from the lake so no one else could enjoy it but he didn't even eat it. I realize that seems a bit silly but to me hanging a dead fish on your wall pales in comparison to feeding your family, regardless of need. Anyway, to sum up, at first I was thinking to myself, "What a dick". But you know what, there really is no difference between him and me. There's no way I would have kept a 15lb fish to eat but the fact is that I would have had every right to. It's within the limits for legal fish. If I expect people to respect my right to keep a couple of 12-15" bass for dinner then I have to respect their right to keep a 25lber for a wall hanging. In a similar vein, even though I think being adamant about 100% catch and release is a bit silly given the facts regarding selective harvesting, I have to respect every angler's right to do that as well as long as it's legal. So basically I guess I'm saying, can't we all just get a long? We all love to fish and whether or not we decide to release everything or keep a couple for dinner we still love this sport. A modicum of respect for one another goes a long way towards making a better world...not just on the water either. Ick...that was sappy. Anyway, sorry again. Don't hate me. I'm new. 8-)

Yeah, lovin' it so far, except I think my brain is about to bust. Almost TOO much info, lol.

Hi, I'm in Oceanside, CA. Used to fish a lot when I was a kid but only fantasized about bass fishing since I had no idea what that meant. Long time ago now. Anyway, went bass fishing for the first time about 4 years ago. Read a book (Bass Fishing in Southern California) and went to Lake San Antonio to camp for a week and caught a couple a day shore fishing with various worms. That was the last time I was fishing until this past Saturday when I went to Lake Hodges here in So Cal and got completely skunked. Lost a bunch of tackle too. Still had fun though. I don't have a boat or float so I'm strictly shore fishing. I'm planning on getting back into fishing for the spiritual aspect, connecting with nature and the outdoors again, that kind of junk. Sappy, I know, but I miss it. Probably toss baits around while catfishing and stuff like that. Don't think I'll be a serious bass fisherman, you know, committed, like you read about...can't afford it for one thing. Just for fun and occasional food (please don't flame me ). Gonna start my daughter out too fishing for trout and bluegill and whatnot. She's 5. Should be fun. Hope she likes it as much as I did when I was a kid. Got a trip planned to Lake Isabella in October. Don't know if the bass still bite that late in the year but they'll have trout for sure. Anyway, just wanted to say "hi". So, Hi! 8-)

Yeah, we have to wear our licenses so that they're visible. I wear mine on a lanyard around my neck in a water-proof resealable pouch. Feels a little goofy alright, but it was either that or pin it to myself or my hat and that feels even more kindergarten. :-?