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.

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. 

I’m 1-5 all in one 

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. 

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

It's 'only' been a couple of three weeks

but it feels like I haven't been on the water in forever.

Currently I am so entrenched in Stage 1, I can taste it !

Still have a couple more weeks to go before I'll be able to float around again.

Really hoping to do some damage in Stage 3 come mid August.

#needit

A-Jay

On 12/30/2020 at 2:14 PM, A-Jay said:

 

Let’s recap ~

 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.

 

 So this is where I ask “Where do you did sit and how did you get there ? “

 

Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

 We had a crazy mild winter here and then a redonkulously early ice out / open water spring in 2024.

Took me nearly a month to finally get something decent going.

The weather and the fish were all over the place. 

But once I finally did, it was a wonderful mix of stage 3 and stage 4.

Perhaps my most favorite way to be successful catching big brown bass. 

Jerkbaits were stupid good in late April. 

A-Jay

 

 

I just got around to reading your original post. I was just getting into fishing for the first time since I was a kid throwing crawlers for suckers when this thread was first started. Folks like you, @A-Jay, and honestly several others here, I still idolize as my fishing heros. Many of you are at a level of commitment that I just can't afford in my life at the moment: both finances and life commitments keep me from my fishing dreams. Not to mention the years y'all have spent on the water, learning from experience. I'm but a noob. But I love reading the wisdom of the Lip-Ripping Sages here on BR. 

 

Back in 2020, I was definitely in Stage 1. (In fact, I don't think I actually got started until 2021. Sometime thereabouts. COVID lockdowns blurred everything together.)

 

Now I'm pretty much in stages 2 and 3. I wanna catch big bass, but I'm happy with lots of bass. Most days I don't achieve either of those goals. I'm left being content with what I've got. So I go ahead and skip on down to stage 5. I love bringing other people fishing: watching that smile you mentioned makes my day. Mostly it's my little siblings (I have 9 of them) that I bring to the local ponds and help them fish for bass. (Many of them are just as excited about the bluegill and pumpkinseed.) They love it, and the joy of watching a kid pull in a biggun, is honestly greater than if I coulda pulled one in myself. I'm still a bank fisherman. I dream of one day having a kayak. In many ways I'm still on phase 1. I'm at a point where I can identify with many of the phases in one way or another. 

Quote

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.

 

I flit between the five. 

 

1. Yep, I sure want to catch bass.

 

2. Indeed, as many as possible.

 

3. For sure.

 

4. This too. I don't want to launch at a ramp and roar across a lake. I'm a quiet angler.

 

5. My boy buddy and I will be fishing together again this summer. Last year he caught his first four-pounder. This summer, we're shooting for a five-pounder. Over the decades, I've put dozens of people on fish. 

@IcatchDinks, I could probably hook you up with a kayak if you don’t mind a little crappy one, I’ve even been known to tote them to Michigan. I’ve got bout 5 of them and other boats, kind of looking like and old abandoned marina around here……..

 

there are some awesome ones out there but all ya need is one that floats for short trips

I'm mostly 3 - big fish, and 5 - teach people to fish one. 2 Numbers is rare but I'm thankful to get a few in a day - I just don't set my goal at 20 fish a day because I think I'd be sorely let down around here.  It's better trophy hunting water.

 

Sadly these days 4 is basically not an option around here with the pressure fish receive.  You gotta do what they'll bite.

 

Number 1?  Every day from when I wake up til when I go to sleep LOL

 

 

I usually fish lakes that have both Largemouth and Spots.   Often times they're in different areas, or at least the small Spots will be in one area.  Sometimes decent Spots, and Largemouth will be in similar areas.  I don't want to skunk, so if I think catching Bass will be hard that day I go straight for a the smaller Spots to get the skunk out of the boat.  After that I target bigger Bass.  I guess you could say many days I start with #1, the switch to #3 after one Bass.   I know it's against a "rule", but I will leave Bass to find Bass.  I don't care about numbers, beyond one.  I have a busy life, both at work and at home.  I'm rarely able to fish more than 3 or 4 hours at a time.  

 

I also do #5.  I enjoy helping others catch Bass.   Last weekend I had a friend who was fishing the same lake I was, at the same time.  (Different boat)  He was struggling.  He texted me where he was at.  I tested back "go under the bridge, then left for 1/4 mile.  You'll catch a Bass or 2 on the rocky point on the left.  He went up there and caught a 3 pounder there, then had a decent day fishing rocky points.  

 

I'm not an expert.  Many times when I try to help someone else catch Bass I end up learning something that helps me.  It's funny how that works.  

 

 

I’m typically stages 3 and 4. I used to be 5 a fair amount and got the nickname of “Captain” when I had my bass boat. Now I’m solo in a kayak and in search of a huge bass or two - I guess “my way” because I’m in a one-person watercraft now. 
 

Sometimes on tough days, I am stage 1 for sure, but I don’t think I’ve ever been about stage 2. The exception when you’re Captaining and want to put novices on fish and keep them busy. 

I bounce around now, sometime just wanting to catch numbers, other times wanting to catch big bass. Usually what dictates this is being in a tournament of some sort, which obviously means the big bass stage. Other times I just like to go out and catch the numbers to be humbly fulfilled, which is not hard to do at all out in the everglades. Regardless of what I do, big bass have always been on my radar. Maybe not all the time but I'm always scoping areas out to come back later and get 'em! l also like to fish the way I want to fish without being bombard by this way, that way, or the other way. There's a lot of good ways floating around, sure, but sometimes it takes some good old fashion ingenuity to figure things out, and the only one who can do that is the fisherman. All in all, it's all about growing into your own person with your own style, form, and unique ideas. That's the adventure! 

3. I'm always looking for big's. After four+ decades of catching them, a pile of dinks doesn't excite me. I'll wade through a pile of dinks hoping to run into a big, if a finesse presentation is what's required to get bit, but that's not my preferred way to go about things.

4. I enjoy catching them the way I want to. Sometimes to a fault. I made my first pre-dawn launch this morning. It was a scouting mission, night operations don't usually start until late May or early June. The weeds are up early this year, and water temps are also a few weeks ahead of schedule, so I thought I'd see what's going on before the lights come on. The first weed bed put 6 small LM in the boat in about 30min. I bailed on that to go fish some rock structure until daylight. Nothing going there. Spent the rest of the morning checking spots. Lot's of fish shallow, some on beds. I now have a game plan for the wee hours of tomorrow morning. It'll be all about the flippin stick and the chatterbait rod from now till fall. Two of my favorite ways to catch 'em, and both baits are top shelf big bass producers. 

5. I'm always happy to share info with folks, and enjoy helping them get on fish.

32 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

3. I'm always looking for big's. After four+ decades of catching them, a pile of dinks doesn't excite me. I'll wade through a pile of dinks hoping to run into a big, if a finesse presentation is what's required to get bit, but that's not my preferred way to go about things.

4. I enjoy catching them the way I want to. Sometimes to a fault. I made my first pre-dawn launch this morning. It was a scouting mission, night operations don't usually start until late May or early June. The weeds are up early this year, and water temps are also a few weeks ahead of schedule, so I thought I'd see what's going on before the lights come on. The first weed bed put 6 small LM in the boat in about 30min. I bailed on that to go fish some rock structure until daylight. Nothing going there. Spent the rest of the morning checking spots. Lot's of fish shallow, some on beds. I now have a game plan for the wee hours of tomorrow morning. It'll be all about the flippin stick and the chatterbait rod from now till fall. Two of my favorite ways to catch 'em, and both baits are top shelf big bass producers. 

5. I'm always happy to share info with folks, and enjoy helping them get on fish.

Nice ~ Only the truly addicted of us never give a second thought

to making a pre-dawn launch to scout.    

I like your style Sir.

Good Luck the rest of the season.

Hope you get one that scares you when to set the hook !

A-Jay

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Nice ~ Only the truly addicted of us never give a second thought

to making a pre-dawn launch to scout.    

Scouting is the deal though

 

Know thy water - Sun Tzu, probably

9 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Scouting is the deal though

 

Know thy water - Sun Tzu, probably

You're preaching to the choir my friend.

For every hour I'm casting, I have at least that scouting.

Especially on the bigger water.

But night ops are an entirely different deal.

A-Jay

 

4 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

You're preaching to the choir my friend.

For every hour I'm casting, I have at least that scouting.

Especially on the bigger water.

But night ops are an entirely different deal.

A-Jay

 

I know you wanted me to return to night fish on the new moon, but weather did not permit. That lake rose over 10ft as well. I need to look around in daylight again, now. It’s a whole different universe there.

 

How many hard or shell bottom areas can I remember when the water was low? 🤔

8 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I like your style Sir.

Good Luck the rest of the season.

Right backatcha brother!!! 

11 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Hope you get one that scares you when to set the hook !

That's a given since I caught the muskie bug. I love fishing for them in the dark too. Every time I hook a good one at night, there's a "oh crap what have I got myself into" moment. 😂

5) Teaching or helping others catch bass.

 

Normally I do not fish with people who need my help. They bring their own gear and they cast their own lures on the back deck of my boat.

 

Last year I had a friend I’ve known since grade school move back here to MN from Colorado. He wanted to start doing more fishing. I was skeptical at first. But he asked me to go with him to Cabelas and suggest some gear, so I did. I took him bass fishing 3 times last season. 2 of the 3 times were pretty good - better than average. The other was average.

 

He just texted me today “when can I go fishing again in your boat this season?”

 

Maybe I did something right last season.

I was about to post a reply but figured I’d scroll back thru time and see if I already had. Man, when did I ever have time to type that much ???? Oh yeah it was late December and I was stuck inside a tiny log cabin in Ohio 😂 

 

Stage 6 lives on 4 years later, I just have to get out there and go fishing. Don’t really care about the details as long as we’re fishin