26 pound bag

[Lvn2Fish]

4 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I thought it was fish24/7 that was so confident. 

I’m confused!  me too! …but what ever . When it comes to fishing I’m about as confident as they come . But a $1,000 gamble isn’t worth it . Although I’m confident I would take your money . I usually try to be modest and not toot my own horn . But I’m pretty d*mn salty up there . Maybe in the future when I’m up that way we can have some friendly competition. 

[fishinwrench]

5 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I thought it was fish24/7 that was so confident. 

I was throwing that out there for anyone that wanted to play.   

The thing I've learned about competitive fishing over the years is that I don't care how much of a hammer you think you are......on any given day, one-on-one, I have, at the very least, a 50% chance of taking your money.  

And if you're doing it from a kayak, or a jonboat with a trolling motor...... I've got an 80% chance.     A good stiff breeze, or a number of other uncontrollable conditions would put the odds even MORE in my favor. 

[Fish24/7]

On 12/24/2021 at 12:51 PM, fishinwrench said:

I was throwing that out there for anyone that wanted to play.   

The thing I've learned about competitive fishing over the years is that I don't care how much of a hammer you think you are......on any given day, one-on-one, I have, at the very least, a 50% chance of taking your money.  

And if you're doing it from a kayak, or a jonboat with a trolling motor...... I've got an 80% chance.     A good stiff breeze, or a number of other uncontrollable conditions would put the odds even MORE in my favor. 

Dude exactly little boats suck in the wind. That's why I have an anchor and some days the anchor is too light so I have to just quit. Sometimes on days I get to fish it's just way too windy to even launch so I usually just walk the bank on those days. 

Looking forward to getting a diff boat in 2022. My little boat  experiment the past few years was nothing but a way to force myself how to figure out how to catch fish where I am that given day. When you don't have the option of running around  you have to learn how to make them bite where you're at and that was the best thing I experienced by far.  In the past with a big boat and motor I was conditioned to just pull up the trolling motor and go find another spot where I thought they might be biting instead of forcing myself to stay in that spot and figure out what I was doing wrong. With the knowledge I've gained I only expect my catches to get even better from here on . 

I'll never own another bass boat though, it will be metal  v bottom and a small motor say a 40-60max.   I'll be able to stay out there on those windy days and be able to pattern  fish and target more species year round  again.  

I used to fish Loz back in the 90's. I figured out a lure and a special way to rig it that bass would eat year round day or night and we always caught fish every trip. Thanks Bass Pro for discontinuing that lure 😞

 

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Fish24/7 said:

My little boat  experiment the past few years was nothing but a way to force myself how to figure out how to catch fish where I am that given day. When you don't have the option of running around  you have to learn how to make them bite where you're at and that was the best thing I experienced by far

Exactly 👍 

I learned "bass fishing" in stip pits and farm ponds, and still attack BIG WATER the same way.   Pick a cove or creek arm that has a variety of cover & structure options.....and just imagine that it has a dam across the mouth of it.   

On any given day there are definitely enough fish living in that one confined area to win.  You just have to figure out a way to get the fish to bite.  Don't leave that cove until you've figured out a good solid pattern.    Only then are you smart enough to study a map and go running around the lake looking for other (potentially better) places to fish.   

It always takes me 2-3 (preferably consecutive) days (FULL DAYS) to put together a solid strategy that makes me feel worthy of competing against anyone. 

What kind of boat I'm in really doesn't matter as long as it is capable of navigating the water and handling the conditions.   

[mixermarkb]

That’s a fantastic bag, but as much as my bass boat running ego hurts to admit, I’d put my money on 24/7 being able to catch a 20 pound sack on pretty much any day he chooses to go, big boat or not.

Because of all the high water, the numbers of bass in bull in that 5 pound class or better has to be just silly right now, and 24/7 and all the other locals around who can pick which day and time to go can go out and put 20 pounds in the boat pretty close to at will. 
 

Can I? 

heck no.

I'm from St. Louis, and like a derby guy, I’m at the mercy of whatever the conditions are on any given day and time I get to fish. If I get the conditions that match my fishing strengths, I can do it too, because the fish are there.
 

(assuming there are ANY days I get to fish, which is a big assumption these days)

I’d still say even without getting to pick the day, time, and weather, that you better be ready to throw over 20 pounds on the scale in any of the joe bass or winter bass-o-thon derbies to stand a chance at doing anything other than donating.