grantbebo Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 There are so many kinds of fishing. What makes bass fishing so special? There are bass boats, bass pro shops, bass tournaments, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 The fish themselves, they're elusive, ever adapting, a true apex predator in their environments. The first time I laid eyes on a Bass as a little boy I was hooked. I'm willing to bet most other anglers feel the same way.....instant connection. The endless ways it takes to catch them provides the angler with the ultimate ever-changing puzzle. I could write a book, I bet most others on this forum could as well. The fish is that special and I've caught a ton of salt and freshwater species. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediumMouthBass Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Some states in the US have pike and musky that anglers like to target because of the size of those fish but most states dont, catfishing can take hours to get a bite, and while panfishing especially for the monster crappies and bluegills whether it be with the fly rod or spinning gear is fun its just not the same as catching a huge bass. Trout (like pike and musky is only in some states) is also something alot of people enjoy but thats more for relaxing on the side of a creek. Where as bass fishing is a rush of adrenaline when you get one on the hook, plus the amount of knowledge you can learn whether it be about the body of water, the fish, etc.... And also the addiction to buying new baits and lures. Bass in my opinion and many others is the #1 freshwater game fish in America, and a quick google search has every state but Alaska having bass. But the main reason bass fishing is so popular compared to the other fresh water species is the amount of advertising, social media/youtube coverage, and the money these major companies, corporations, and big businesses put into it. Just ask yourself how many people do you think would buy a $50,000 boat to fish for trout or bluegill if they had tournaments for that? But for the people that have that kind of extra money laying around its almost normalized to spend that kind of money for bass fishing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king fisher Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Because they are bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Bass aren’t the king here. Walleyes are. Bass aren’t even second or third. Almost every regulation that governs bass is in place to protect the sacred walleye. There’s statues of giant walleyes around the state. There’s even a completely closed season for bass that’s designed to protect people from accidentally catching walleyes. People spend a lot more time and money targeting walleye here. If you think a $50,000 bass boat is expensive, you should see some of the deep v fiberglass walleye boats and deluxe ice castles people are using. Walleyes are stocked in a lot of lakes here by the DNR and there isn’t any stocking of bass I’m aware of. A lot of walleye anglers here look down at people targeting bass. They are considered a lesser gamefish not worthy of specifically being targeted. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User casts_by_fly Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Access and availability. Not everywhere can support trout, musky, pike, walleye, etc. But just about any place has bass. And lots of public waters from small park ponds to the biggest rivers and impoundments all have them with good public access. Try that with trout streams. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User islandbass Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 @gimruis: not here either. I live where salmonids are king. Period. Some people even hate bass because they’re here but not native (they do have that point). However, they can believe that all they want. Just means more bass for me to catch. I’m a minority not by the color of my skin but by the species I prefer to target, 😂😅😂😇 and I most certainly don’t mind at all. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 @islandbass it doesn’t bother me either. Less pressure. Another item to consider is that we usually have a real winter with ice on lakes for 4-5 months. No one is specifically targeting bass through the ice. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GreenPig Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 No idea. I'm court ordered to bass fish at least once a week and my PO holds me to it. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bird Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Because of Covid, everyone ran out and bought a bass boat. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Jar11591 Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Perfect combination of challenge, catchability, excitement, availability, fighting ability, and size. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Short and easy answer: Ray Scott He's the godfather of modern day Bass fishing as we know it, he was an absolutely brilliant marketeer, and cared deeply about the health and preservation of our beloved Bass...."dont eat your catch/catch N release" was started by Ray Scott as we know it today. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted March 22 Global Moderator Share Posted March 22 Cuz trout suck 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MIbassyaker Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Around here, Trout, salmon, walleye, and panfish are all more popular than bass. But bass have some inherent advantages that make their appeal much broader and more widespread: --They are adaptable, and can thrive in many different environments; so in most parts of the country you're not far from good bass waters. --They are frequently found shallow and shoreline oriented so they're among the easiest fish to access no matter your means. --They strike virtually every kind of natural bait and artificial lure, so you have a good chance of catching one no matter what you're using. --They are hardy and robust, tolerant of human development and activity, and not particularly fragile compared to other gamefish. -They are big enough and athletic enough to provide excitement, but not so big they are hard to handle. -They are easy to catch occasionally, but challenging to catch consistently, so they appeal to both novices and experts. All together, these factors have conspired to make bass among the most widely familiar fish in the country to casual anglers, and an absolute marketing dream for the broader fishing industry, which has taken advantage. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegillslayer Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 You can target them all over the country (and world). Endless ways to target them including many presentations (topwater, bottom, ect). Often times the most fun fish to target depending on the body of water. Targeting them is like a massive puzzle no matter where you are. Finally any skill level can have fun targeting bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowhunter63 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 The way they Hit,Fight,Jump.So many different ways to catch em. The places they live. Plus Smallies are the greatest fish swimming. It’s a great lifestyle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantbebo Posted March 22 Author Share Posted March 22 2 hours ago, gimruis said: Bass aren’t the king here. Walleyes are. I know nothing of walleye fishing but I would love to catch one someday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susky River Rat Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 In PA trout is king. “Fishing season” is trout season. Where grown men fight over fish stocked in those waters a month before hand. People LIVE for trout opening day of trout. I would say catfishing here is over running bass. Then walleye/musky are about even. Maybe even musky having the edge since there is more musky water than walleye water. I think over all bass are fun you can catch enough in a day usually to make it enjoyable. The fight is great. At the very core it’s cheap. We bass heads make it expensive. You can go spend $100 tops at Walmart and go catch bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Catt Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 MONEY! 😉 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Brown Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Yeah basically because of money but for me because they're around and fun! If I lived in Senegal Africa I'd probably target Barramundi. If I lived in Iceland, I'd probably target Snook and Cod and Pike. In NC, bass is where it's at! I will say this: fishing pressure has made bass much harder to catch around here and I am seeing more and more folks go for panfish/catfish/crappie and I'm very okay with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Tennessee Boy Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 9 hours ago, grantbebo said: There are so many kinds of fishing. What makes bass fishing so special? There are bass boats, bass pro shops, bass tournaments, etc. I live a mile from the lake that produced the world record walleye. You can’t buy a walleye boat here. There are no walleye tournaments. There is no Walleye Pro Shop. I can fish for world record walleye here but I can’t spend any money doing it. What fun would that be? 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Mobasser Posted March 22 Super User Share Posted March 22 Bass are ready available, hit a wide variety of lures, and can be caught in different types of water. I'm not sure if they're the most popular around here. More folks seem to be fishing for crappie these days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zcoker Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Because folks can make a heck of a lot of $$$ bass fishing! I’ve seen industry figures in the tune of $60 billion dollars a year annually in the US alone. That’s a lotta cheddar! Who wouldn’t want to jump on that bandwagon? I’m sure a lot of that is the bait monkey lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaubsNU1 Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 9 hours ago, gimruis said: ....A lot of walleye anglers here look down at people targeting bass. They are considered a lesser gamefish not worthy of specifically being targeted. @gimruis, yep, I have met a few here in Nebraska as well. And have met a few die-hard Musky fishermen. I like chasing Bass, pike, Musky, and panfish...love to cast and retrieve, and move around the water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
33oldtimer Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 Fishing in general is popular. Nearly every time I buy fishing stuff at Walmart someone smiles and comments about me going fishing. Just yesterday I was walking out of Walmart with a new rod and two elderly ladies walking by me were smiling and said something about me going fishing. My conclusion is fishing simply makes people happy and for many stirs up good memories. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.