Big M

[DADAKOTA]

I know a good day on the water without counting fish, but to each their own.  If I want competition I'll fish another tourney.  When not tourney fishing I am not competing, but learning, trying new techniques, locations, baits, etc.  When in relax mode I do not want whoever is with me to continually announce how many we've caught and how many they have caught as it tends to put me in more of a competitive mode than a relaxing mode.  

[mixermarkb]

6 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

That doesn't even remotely sound like fun.   I'm not that guy.

If you aren't that guy, then don't call BS on those of us who are. 100 fish days may not happen flipping jigs over dock cables on LOZ, but they can and do happen with smallmouth on TR and Bull. Now I'll grant you my spring fishing days are more like 10 hours then 8, but still, careful who you call out- 

 

[Old plug]

37 minutes ago, mixermarkb said:

If you aren't that guy, then don't call BS on those of us who are. 100 fish days may not happen flipping jigs over dock cables on LOZ, but they can and do happen with smallmouth on TR and Bull. Now I'll grant you my spring fishing days are more like 10 hours then 8, but still, careful who you call out- 

 

I have never tried to catch 100 bass a day in LOZ. I would not be proud of it if I did. Most bass fishermen I know on LOZ would not be either. I am proud though of the 2-3 hour period one evening that I and my neighbor caught 18 keeper 16 to 18 " long. As far as casting and pitching over dock cables that is only one very effective way. And its not just a way it is it is skill. 90 % of the fishermn doing tht on LOZ are not skilled at it, I do not much of the cable pitching and flipping. My fishing days rarely run more than 3 hours. I fish the feeding bite most of the time. With a very limited arsenal of lures. Up here you if say I got 7 today everyone assumes it is keepers. Anything else if we even count them they are considered dinks. My guys up here fish quality. I cannot imagine anyone I know bragging about catching several small bass that do not in total match one keeper.  

[mixermarkb]

Old Plug, I hear you on fishing for keepers. I'd say about 25 of one of those 100 fish days are keeper smallmouth, maybe a few more given the health of TR and BS smallie population. The majority of the rest of those are chunky 12" to 14" smallmouths, and while they are protected by law, will give quite the battle on 4 to 6 pound line. At least 3 or 4 will be in the 18" class, and those will make you think you have hooked JAWS. 

I like to catch big LMB too, and I've spent several days this year fishing for bigger fish with big baits, and caught 7 or 8 17" fish and a four pounder and been happy.

Don't knock the smallmouth though, these aren't your dink spotted bass, these things pull. Different strokes for different folks, but catching a bass every five minutes or so is hardly a crappy way to spend a spring day-

 

[chi0082]

....."I can catch more bass than you"

......"I can catch bigger bass than you"

......let me join in the fun guys....

"I can catch walleye on purpose."

Sorry I had to.

What are bass?! 

[Ketchup]

I'm one of those numbers guys also. I would rather catch 20 sub-keepers than 1 keeper on any given day.  Just makes the time on the water so much more enjoyable for myself, spouse, and kids. Now during tourney time, give me that 1 keeper anyday. I do keep track of my numbers "total fish caught" each outing until the next outing. Just been doing it so long I can't help it. 

[mixermarkb]

Lots of guys on here outfish me on a regular basis, both for size and numbers. 24/7, Ham, Champ, Dave, Bo, Quill, and of course Mr. Bill, plus many more. My point was just not to call BS on someone, just because you haven't done what they have done. Our lakes don't rival Erie for big fish, but numbers of 2-3 pounders are a lot of fun! 

[Mitch f]

At the end of the day, I guess how many I caught, might be close, might not. But I will remember the number of fish over 17", if I happen to catch them. Like someone said, to each his own. I'm also just as happy if someone catches the big one and I don't. If the numbers start getting extremely lopsided, then I get a little concerned? Who doesn't?

[MOPanfisher]

I might remember the bigger ones, or I might just remember the perfect cast into the perfect looking place that caught NOTHING, or I might remember the 12 inch smallie that came from nowhere and smashed my jig, in a place he shouldn't have been, then fought like a demon and threw the hook.  I might just remember the how good the breakfast was that morning on the gravel bar, or maybe the snake that swam close enough to really freak out one of my buddies, who knows what I will remember.  Some trips the most memorable thing was the Dr. Pepper slushy we got on the way home.  Every trip is a joy and every fish is a prize to me, I don't mind if others want to count every fish, species etc. they catch and use a clicker for each species, no worries for me.  I would even happily fish with them as long as when they ask me how many I have caught they can accept the answer of "I don't know, several, with a few good uns thowed in"

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, mixermarkb said:

If you aren't that guy, then don't call BS on those of us who are. 100 fish days may not happen flipping jigs over dock cables on LOZ, but they can and do happen with smallmouth on TR and Bull. Now I'll grant you my spring fishing days are more like 10 hours then 8, but still, careful who you call out- 

 

Yeah cuz the only kind of fishing I do is pitching jigs over dock cables  I'm not calling anyone out, I'm just making fun of ya for winching in scads of dinks and patting yourself on the back for it.  

I usually keep track of my best 5 by weight, and I know that if I am catching 3 times more shorts than keepers then I need to adjust what I'm doing.   

If you get a kick out of counting every fish, that's fine.   I get a kick out of making fun of you for it, so don't knock me !