For me...

 

Is the understanding you get of how brutal and unforgiving life is under water. Your one lure gets gobbled up. Of all the countless things the fish could eat, that fish chose your lure. Your one lure. Think about those odds. If your lure was live, it didn't stand a chance at life. And then you think of the baitfish that do survive and have gotten to be good size for their species, and it's even more incredible.

Yep.  We throw our baits into areas that are totally foreign to us and for which we could not survive.

 

It's like throwing our baits into a black hole and waiting to see what happens.

 

It is Mother Nature at her best.

 

Man, with all of his brain power and technology vs. this small green monster with a brain the size of a pea.

 

Enjoy and relish in it. Nothing like bass fishing in the world.

55 minutes ago, Glaucus said:

For me...

 

Is the understanding you get of how brutal and unforgiving life is under water. Your one lure gets gobbled up. Of all the countless things the fish could eat, that fish chose your lure. Your one lure. Think about those odds. If your lure was live, it didn't stand a chance at life. And then you think of the baitfish that do survive and have gotten to be good size for their species, and it's even more incredible.

Fish eat fish, and most fish end up getting eaten isn't fascinating or surprising, if one thinks about it. It's kind of how it all works.

Nature always finds a way to adjust and survive.  The masses always get thinned out but a few survive to be monsters.  

Up here most water is clear, visibility 8-18 ft. I could spend hours just drifting along staring in the water, watching all the life in it.

Mother Nature is cruel and heartless to the small and weak. Too many people live sheltered lives that don't understand that. It's not always a comfortable thing to see or realize, but it's life for all creatures in this world except us for the most part.

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

 It's not always a comfortable thing to see or realize, but it's life for all creatures in this world except us for the most part.

Thanks in part to you guys.

7 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

Thanks in part to you guys.

Not exactly sure what you mean?

15 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Not exactly sure what you mean?

I thought you was a cop.

6 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

I thought you was a cop.

I am, I get what you're saying now, people don't have to see the harsher side of life partially because of police. 

Hmmm...that’s certainly a new perspective. As I began to read the thread, I thought to myself that is was a silly topic. But then I thought about it for a minute....

Growing up on a farm where pigs/cows/sheep/chickens, etc. are (future) food and not pets, I definitely know that that's how things "work."  Our whole hobby/sport is predicated upon the basic instinct and need for fish to eat and defend their "turf."  If, while fishing, there was a good chance I might be eaten (or preyed upon), I think I'd find a new hobby.  I'm glad I'm near the top of the food chain.  Otherwise, the whole concept might be MUCH less appealing/fascinating.

3 hours ago, Ratherbfishing said:

 I'm glad I'm near the top of the food chain.

Yeh, I'm what you might call an apex predator when it comes to chicken and ribs.

7 hours ago, Ratherbfishing said:

Growing up on a farm where pigs/cows/sheep/chickens, etc. are (future) food and not pets, I definitely know that that's how things "work."  Our whole hobby/sport is predicated upon the basic instinct and need for fish to eat and defend their "turf."  If, while fishing, there was a good chance I might be eaten (or preyed upon), I think I'd find a new hobby.  I'm glad I'm near the top of the food chain.  Otherwise, the whole concept might be MUCH less appealing/fascinating.

 

I've seen a few snakes, a mangy dog trying to chase a jack rabbit (that was hilarious *). I'd imagine there are some animals out there trying to get us. Ticks?

 

I figure it's only fair. I imagine the fish I am trying to catch is trying to catch its own fish to eat, meanwhile I'm on shore being stalked by a bear or A-hole humans (Delta bank you never know who you might run into). This takes away any guilt I could have about fishing

 

I saw one of those crosses people put on roadsides where someone has died - except that it was under a bridge where I was fishing. Bit unnerving.

 

* The jack rabbit flew past me as I approached the levy. I thought d**n wish my camera was on. A few seconds later a messed up looking dog trotted across my path - that made me hesitate. He looked at me with an excited dog-smile and proceeded to turn left, the opposite way I'd seen the jack rabbit go. Made me laugh.

I watched 3 bluegills and a turtle in a pond devour an unidentifiable pastry yesterday...fascinating.

10 hours ago, slonezp said:

I watched 3 bluegills and a turtle in a pond devour an unidentifiable pastry yesterday...fascinating.

Slo, I used to feed a snapping turtle in a local pond.

 

I would bring hot dogs or bread and he would see me and come about 20-feet away and I threw the hot dog pieces and bread to him.

 

He never bothered me and I never bothered him.

 

Did watch a young copperhead slither along the pond's bank one day. It disappeared into the tall grass to my right, a place I never visited again.

9 minutes ago, Sam said:

Slo, I used to feed a snapping turtle in a local pond.

 

I would bring hot dogs or bread and he would see me and come about 20-feet away and I threw the hot dog pieces and bread to him.

 

He never bothered me and I never bothered him.

 

Did watch a young copperhead slither along the pond's bank one day. It disappeared into the tall grass to my right, a place I never visited again.

Funny you mention the snake. 2 weeks ago I volunteered to teach kids how to cast fishing rods. The pond had a floating golf green that the kids were trying to hit with their plugs. After 4 hours of being on the edge of the bank showing the kids technique and untangling lines, one of the kids get his line caught in some reeds. I get the line out and a snake jumps out of the reeds and into the pond. It was non poisonous. Kinda creepy that it I was standing a foot away from the snake for so long, and had no idea it was there. Snake swam across the pond and found itself another set of reeds to hide in.

1 hour ago, slonezp said:

It was non poisonous.

That's good considering there's no such thing as a poisonous snake. ?

 

Sorry I had to point that out! ?

2 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

That's good considering there's no such thing as a poisonous snake. ?

 

Sorry I had to point that out! ?

So much for spell check

17 minutes ago, slonezp said:

So much for spell check

Did he mean to point out spelling error or the fact that it's non-venomous not non-poisonous

20 minutes ago, slonezp said:

So much for spell check

You spelled it right.

1 minute ago, NYWayfarer said:

Did he mean to point out spelling error or the fact that it's non-venomous not non-poisonous

He's a city boy I give him a pass. ?

1 minute ago, NYWayfarer said:

Did he mean to point out spelling error or the fact that it's non-venomous not non-poisonous

I think he's just trying to bust my balls

On ‎9‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 7:27 PM, Sam said:

Yep.  We throw our baits into areas that are totally foreign to us and for which we could not survive.

 

It's like throwing our baits into a black hole and waiting to see what happens.

 

It is Mother Nature at her best.

 

Man, with all of his brain power and technology vs. this small green monster with a brain the size of a pea.

 

Enjoy and relish in it. Nothing like bass fishing in the world.

We spend hundreds on tackle to catch a fish with a brain the size of a pea! and at times they still out smart us *spits hook out*

1 minute ago, flbassmaster said:

We spend hundreds on tackle to catch a fish with a brain the size of a pea! and at times they still out smart us *spits hook out*

Reminds me of when I'm messing with my son and I wrap him up in a blanket over his whole body.  Freaks out,  yells,  jerks, shakes,  flops until he's free.  No skill required,  no brains required. Just lost your mind until you're free.