The Natural Progression of a Basshead ~ One Man’s Point of View

[Darnold335]

I am pretty much stage 2 and 5 mixed with a little 4. Sure I love big bass. 5-6lb smallies are a treat. I am excited and happy with them. I just want to go out and catch fish just as much. It’s the entertainment and enjoyment factor of it. I spent to many years chasing musky to care that much about only chasing the big bass. The big bass is like ice cream after dinner for me.

 

I do like catching them my way but, I do try to branch out. Like anyone else it’s hard to break fishing memories and just fish the present. 

 

I enjoy getting my dad and people that don’t generally fish on fish. It’s entertaining for me. Now, if I am with a buddy who is a true fisherman it becomes a bit of a heathy competition.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Set in cement at #3 in terms of why I leave the house every time out, that said once on the water #2 becomes important, and if #2 isn't going well, #1 becomes epically important lol. 

[TnRiver46]

I’m 1-5 all in one 

[PressuredFishing]

On 12/30/2020 at 11:14 AM, A-Jay said:

Where do you did sit and how did you get there ? “

Stage 4, top waters and fast moving baits hooked me. 

 

[Dangerfield]

When I'm hitting a new lake or pre-fishing for a tournament, without a doubt #2-3 and if I'm on familiar territory where I have known spots, I'm going to #4. Coaching my daughters or my partner isn't nearly as often as I like and typically, I scale tackle way down for those instances and I might only bring 2-3 rods for myself.

[bloom]

Great post, and a fun read going thru all the replies, I have been fishing many years but only recently started pursuing bass and I am primarly stage 2. I am more of a toss it out there and crank it in kind of guy.  I've done well with wacky worms and such but try my best to avoid them so I guess I fall into stage 4 a bit too.

[Bigassbass]

I have a beautiful brother that gave me the fish itch, he took me fishing in a mountain pond baited the hook and helped me pull them in when I was maybe five years old.  I caught lots of brim!  Last year I gave him a rod and reel and showed him how to catch brim with a floating fly.  He's a super guy, cause later he gave me a boat!  So I've been fishing all my life because someone loved me enough to share their passion.  None of the stages really fit me, I've just fished all my life because I love to catch fish and no I'm not into showing anyone how to fish unless it's my brother.

[Zcoker]

Stage 1 ~ I want to catch Bass – any Bass.

 Stage 2 ~ I want to catch as many Bass as I can.

 Stage 3 ~ I want to catch a Big Bass

 Stage 4 ~ I want to catch bass the way I want to catch Bass.

 Stage 5 ~ I want to help other folks catch Bass.

 

 

Great post! Like most, I've experienced all these stages mentioned and pretty much settled on stage 3. In my younger years I played around on stage 1 and then progressed to stage 2, basically following the pecking order. Took a long time to learn that my biggest obstacle was my own thought process, like breaking away from a stage in order to move on to another stage, eventually getting the experience in order to get to stage 5. All the stages where great but all shared one thing in common: I always desired that big bite! And when I finally started getting those big bites, I knew then what I wanted most. Big fish for me became my total focus. Sometimes I use other stages like stage 1 to let me know when the bite windows open in order to get the stage 3's. But big bass is what I'm after when I hit the water, day or night. I know they're out there, silently waiting. Might not get as many bites. Might not get as many fish. But when they do exploded on my lure, and that heavy weight feels like a living bomb, it's a flash like no other! It's very rewarding to pursue and catch a big, smart, explosive bass.