KameronG Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 I've been bass fishing for about 3 years now and it's difficult for me to go out and find and catch multiple decent sized bass. I can catch the little ones all day, but I've fished local tournaments and can't seem to compete with everyone else. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Mobasser Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 I've been bass fishing for over 35 yrs, and still have days like you describe. Don't let it bother you. It's fishing. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1712 Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 Don't buy into the TV Show mentality that you're going to catch 15 Bass every half hour. Brian. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironbjorn Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 10 minutes ago, a1712 said: Don't buy into the TV Show mentality that you're going to catch 15 Bass every half hour. Brian. Agreed. But he's saying he can't compete, meaning the other guys are catching and he isn't. The problem can be any number of things we don't have any information on. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Deleted account Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 2 hours ago, KameronG said: I've been bass fishing for about 3 years now and it's difficult for me to go out and find and catch multiple decent sized bass. I can catch the little ones all day, but I've fished local tournaments and can't seem to compete with everyone else. I'm gonna say because you have only been doing it for 3 years. That seems like a long time, but in something like fishing where there are so many variables, (not to mention misinformation), it's not. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 Time on water is absolutely everything. Being on the actual water and just exploring trumps even the greatest resource in print or online. What is your level of commitment, the more committed you are, the better results you're going to have. For example, if you are fishing 4-5x weekly, you are fully committed and should be seeing the results. If you are only going a couple times a month, how can you expect to have your hand on the pulse of the fishery. Being on the water and believing in yourself enough to keep throwing a bait is the only thing I got. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susky River Rat Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 The biggest thing you can do is not compare yourself to others. It also probably takes 10 years to seriously get “good” at something. The other thing is is you are trying to fish all kinds of different waters don’t. At least at first. Pick two and learn them like the back of your hand. You’ll always catch more small fish then big ones. Everyone does. There is just more of them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crypt Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 been fishing for over 50 years now and I still have days when all I can catch are small fish. don't let it bother you to much about catching 'the big fish' you're catching fish and that's what counts. the bigger fish will come. just takes time on the water, paying attention to what's going on around you. try different lures etc. give it time and remember to enjoy the fact that your doing what you want. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User casts_by_fly Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 30 minutes ago, Darnold335 said: The biggest thing you can do is not compare yourself to others. said to the guy that is trying to fish tournaments… 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 2 hours ago, KameronG said: I've been bass fishing for about 3 years now and it's difficult for me to go out and find and catch multiple decent sized bass. I can catch the little ones all day, but I've fished local tournaments and can't seem to compete with everyone else. Are you a boater or back seating? What type of rods, reels and lures do you use? I am trying to learn something about your bass fishing skills. Tom 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GaryH Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 You’ve been giving some great advice. You’ll have to share more info for better input. You can also hire a local guide and let him know you’re more interested in learning than just catching. Once a few techniques start working for you the confidence will come and you’ll be on your way. Good luck and enjoy the journey.. Oh and welcome to the forum 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbump Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 22 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said: said to the guy that is trying to fish tournaments… I fish Tournaments. It’s still just you and the fish. You can’t worry about what others are doing. You compete against the fish and if you win, hopefully it’s enough to win the tournament. That’s my philosophy any way. 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 2 minutes ago, Cbump said: I fish Tournaments. It’s still just you and the fish. You can’t worry about what others are doing. You compete against the fish and if you win, hopefully it’s enough to win the tournament. That’s my philosophy any way. True if you are the boater, otherwise you are along for the ride and must fish where the boat is located. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbump Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 I’m always the boater lol. Won’t put myself through that torture. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 1 hour ago, Darnold335 said: It also probably takes 10 years to seriously get “good” at something I tried pickleball for the first time in my life last winter and picked up on it in under 10 minutes. Granted, I’ve played and excelled at just about every other sport with a racquet or paddle for most of my life… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
813basstard Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 What do ‘you do?’ How do you fish? Do you have a thing? Find your thing. Do that. Water temp, season, baits, boats, all that is great, but not better than starting out in the morning saying “well, I’m going to do what I feel I’m good at for the next 8 hours…” Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User king fisher Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 I have the same problem. My solution is to buy more tackle. It hasn't improved my catch rate, or the size of the bass I catch, but I'm sure that is because I haven't tried everything yet. The successful anglers I know fish more and buy less, but what do they know, they just have luck on their side. 2 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Koz Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 As mentioned earlier, it would help if we all had some more information. But let me throw something out there - do you find yourself throwing the same few baits with the same techniques? If you do go through your tackle box, are you just burning through different lures or are you putting time into them using different techniques? Do you try a variety of colors or are you locked into a few colors across multiple baits? Do you have the skills to adapt to the techniques needed? I was a back seater at a tournament last weekend and I stunk it up big time. With the forecasted weather I was prepared to fish deeper water off shore. But my boater had another plan in mind and I was unable to adapt. Long story short, on my home lakes I can pitch under docks. But where we were fishing I needed to be able to skip a bait through narrow openings to reach further back under the docks. I struggled with that (and the cold!). So two days later I went out on my lake and practiced for an hour until I got proficient at it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User scaleface Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 I'm speculating , casting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Catt Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said: Time on water is absolutely everything. Being on the actual water and just exploring trumps even the greatest resource in print or online. There's your answer right there! To be successful ya gonna have to spend time on the water. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gulfcaptain Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 Sounds like you've already lost in your own mind. Best advice or saying I ever heard about our beloved sport....."bass fishing is the loosingest sport you'll ever do". The great Gman said that. The longer on the water the more you learn. Every trip good or bad you should learn something. If you're not, you're not paying attention. The more you learn the more pieces you put together, the better you do. Then they take all your pieces and what you thought you figured out didn't work and you do it again and take what you learned and apply it to the next one. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAmoeba Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 Ok...a few things. Are there any guides on the Lakes you have fished? Go on a trip- you will learn some things. Ever back seat with some of the people that consistently catch? You should - you will learn some things. Do you pay attention to the small details? In today's heavy pressure environments the small details make all the difference. Take time to learn 1 lake very well. It will take time but that information will translate to other places down the road. You should ask some guys that consistently catch to go fishing with you - pick their brains. They won't give you all their secrets but you can learn some things that will help you connect the dots. Take time to mark areas that hold fish - a line in the water in the wrong place isn't the key to success. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User PhishLI Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 3 hours ago, Darnold335 said: You are trying to fish all kinds of different waters. Don’t. At least at first. Pick two and learn them like the back of your hand. X2^^ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 3 years on the water is enough time to learn the basics of bass fishing. Let compare quality learning to time under competitive pressure. A tournament angler is expected to know how to catch bass or he wouldn’t be in the derby. Like a new golfer who wants to learn golf and buys a bag of clubs and few dozen balls then sigh s up for a club tournament. Having zero golfing skills it doesn’t matter how many years he golfs his score may never improve. The new golfer needs to go to the driving range and hire a skilled instructor and develop his skills before entering a tournament. I am offering to be the instructor. Tom 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Catt Posted February 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted February 23, 2023 The dude is catching bass all ready, which tells me he kinda knows something. He's problem is he needs to catch bigger bass. If you're catching small bass, my suggestion is change locations. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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