[James]

Ok, so now that I got your attention...

I caught about 30 Bass over the past 2 days, and thought I should mention this...

If I named my favorite 4 places to fish for Bass, 3 of them will NOT open back up this year due to the flood .

If I named my favorite 10 Bass waters, 7 of them were effected, and most are not open yet.

Are there 10 spots you fish for Bass? Were any of them effected, or even closed?

What does this mean?


What that means is that me, and all the guys I fish with, plus a ton of other Bass anglers will be hitting new lakes/ponds. 3 out of my 4 favorites were closed. That's 75%... The remaining 25% will be hammered.

The Bass spots remaining are going to see a lot more pressure, and be more crowded. The good cover spots are going to be hit hard and often.

Yeah, this is jus my opinion, but I think everyone should think before naming small Bass waters in posts. I have lots of spots, but will still be fishing new waters.

Now of course the guys that don't know too many spots to fish for Bass will strongly disagree. As they're hoping to find new places.
The guys who like to meet other men for companionship will also disagree. As the more guys there are fishing, the more chance for them to find camaraderie..

If you'll notice though. The best Bass fisherman on this site, never name locations. (i.e. to name an example. I remember a guy on here, Marbles(?) Used to always post monster Bass pictures, but not name spot). There's a reason..
I love Bassing, and keep locations pretty secret.

I won't lie. If I see a report on here with a few big Bass. I'll be planning a trip. I won't be the only one...

Personally, I like having a spot of cover all to myself. With another spot unoccupied to hit next...



The more people that fish a water----------------

The more the fish are pressured ---- the harder they'll be to catch

The more the fish are handled ---- greater chance for them to die

The better chance some of them will be litters ---- the dirtier the area will be

The chance of people breaking rules will be ---- fish caught with bait swallow hooks deeper, and the mortality rate goes up

The chance of fish being poached goes up ---- less fish (can Really hurt a water if done during spawn)

Speaking of spawn, the greater the chance it will be effected ---- less fish in the future

Again, this is my opinion. Just please think about it a little before posting locations. You may've had a great day, and want to share it. I don't blame you. However, a lot of the forum members enjoy seeing the pictures with out the location being named. Will your day be as great the next time you fish the same pond, and there are 20 extra guys trying to catch the same Bass as you?




Also, the best way to hold a Bass is by lip AND tail. 2nd best is vertically by the lip.

The worst way is one handed horizontally by the lip

Thanks for reading

Close Photo...​

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[James]

Just wanted to say that I posted this on another forum as well. Hope it will stay and be read, but...

 

[baseballjohn66]

Very good reasoning and advice James! Hear, hear!

 

[KTaylor]

Legitimate vent.
I didn't explore forums till about 2005 and I wish I had seen a post like this right away, instead it took about a year till I realized I was repeatedly sticking my finger in a hypothetical light socket.

Forums like these can be of great benefit and they can be destructive.
I have had many conversations with fishing/hunting partners on how forums are fishing/hunting's biggest enemy, yet can be its best friend if used correctly by passing on useful tip and tactics without giving out TOO much info. Forums can be utilized by a inexperienced angler to gain information to "keep him in the game," where before some "newbies" may have gotten frustrated and given up. The more sportsmen we have in our sport the stronger we are.

I always think back to when I was a kid in SW Iowa.
The Crappie spawn in early spring was a huge deal to my father and I. He had a group of fishing buddies and so did I but the crappie spawn on local lake was OUR thing. We could share our bass, catfish, panfish holes with our buddies but when the Crappie spawn hit we were as tight lipped as it got.
Hitting the exact date of when the Crappie turned on varied considerably from year to year depending on the spring temps. We always had a general idea and would start early. My dad and I would sit for hours and hours on a chilly, wind beaten rock dam catching next to nothing for weeks at a time.
All of a sudden one day the god lord would throw a switch and the spawn was ON. We never would tell anybody but people would always figure out eventually that the spawn was on.
Some of my best memories of my Dad was sitting with him on that dam catching next to nothing.
I always think, if there had been forums would I have been cheated of those outings by Dad's ability to just LOG ON and figure out if the crappie were spawning yet?

Just saying....Its always wise to consider who you might be cheating by giving up TOO much info.

 

[Opry99er]

Agreed whole-heartedly... Couldn't agree more.


so.... Got any tips on small bass ponds for me, James?

 

[kirbydog]

Exactly right.

 

[eyehunter27]

The floods also decimated all the walleye lakes in northern Colorado. From HWY 66 North...all gone. I hear Cherry Creek, Aurora, and Chatfield are thriving though as well as puddles south. If you live in the metro area I suggest stay where you ar at or go south. Your welcome.

I agree with you James on all points even before reduced waters. On most lakes the easiest access points will be the most littered and the most fished/reported on. Unfortunately with ponds this could just mean location.

There is one pond I taught my son to fish on that has a good population of everything and nice bass. I could ruin it with just a couple of reports so easy. I don't report anything though, so lets hope it stays off the radar and no tool from fish explorer moves in the neighborhood. It is really just a matter of time though with the Internet...

 

[mogul buster]

Great post James.....some call it "C and R crybaby talk"......but I call it required education....This is not Florida people!......growth rates are severely slower.

Eyehunter is right.......northern lakes and ponds took a beating.....and not just walleye waters.....almost ALL waters......go south indeed.

 

[rivrunnr1]

Nothing south. Nothing to see here folks, move along nothing to see here. :lol:

 

[crankn101]

Nothing south. Nothing to see here folks, move along nothing to see here. :lol:

yeah, we heard how great the dbm did down south...

 

[rivrunnr1]

LOL....indeed. The res is never good this early.......for bass anyways. That's why I said nothing to see here folks. Been a fairly cold winter.

(didn't stop me from catchin a 5 recently tho )

 

[redleader]

I've watched enough stupid bass fishing shows to know I don't want to be a Bass Angler, lol.

 

[flyfishgeek]

Similar problem over here with the loss of ponds to winter kill, I have already noticed a LOT more people pounding places I used to have to myself. Talked to a guy the other day who said "I didn't even know this place was here", I have been fishing there for 20 years

 

[kirbydog]

I got so concerned about fewer places to fish I rejoined a private fishing club
just to get away from the masses.

C&R, no trash along the banks, solitude and agreeable fish 12 months a year.

 

[dieseldoctor]

I hate seeing small ponds being put on any fishing forum.... It doesn't matter how much we promote C&R on small bodies of water, with more pressure comes more delta bravos looking to fill their freezers and leave their trash behind.

 

[swimbait]

I've watched enough stupid bass fishing shows to know I don't want to be a Bass Angler, lol.

I've watched enough stupid bass fishing shows to know I don't want to be like stupid bass fishing show hosts.

 

[JWurgaft]

Really good post James! I wonder if it's still up on FX too....?

 

[JWurgaft]

Legitimate vent.
I didn't explore forums till about 2005 and I wish I had seen a post like this right away, instead it took about a year till I realized I was repeatedly sticking my finger in a hypothetical light socket.

Forums like these can be of great benefit and they can be destructive.
I have had many conversations with fishing/hunting partners on how forums are fishing/hunting's biggest enemy, yet can be its best friend if used correctly by passing on useful tip and tactics without giving out TOO much info. Forums can be utilized by a inexperienced angler to gain information to "keep him in the game," where before some "newbies" may have gotten frustrated and given up. The more sportsmen we have in our sport the stronger we are.

I always think back to when I was a kid in SW Iowa.
The Crappie spawn in early spring was a huge deal to my father and I. He had a group of fishing buddies and so did I but the crappie spawn on local lake was OUR thing. We could share our bass, catfish, panfish holes with our buddies but when the Crappie spawn hit we were as tight lipped as it got.
Hitting the exact date of when the Crappie turned on varied considerably from year to year depending on the spring temps. We always had a general idea and would start early. My dad and I would sit for hours and hours on a chilly, wind beaten rock dam catching next to nothing for weeks at a time.
All of a sudden one day the god lord would throw a switch and the spawn was ON. We never would tell anybody but people would always figure out eventually that the spawn was on.
Some of my best memories of my Dad was sitting with him on that dam catching next to nothing.
I always think, if there had been forums would I have been cheated of those outings by Dad's ability to just LOG ON and figure out if the crappie were spawning yet?

Just saying....Its always wise to consider who you might be cheating by giving up TOO much info.

X2 on this, getting there is half the fun. I've anyways felt a much greater sense of satisfaction if I put the time in to figure out a lake ex. rather than just get spoon fed someone elses spots and methods.

 

[rob]

Says the gentleman who named pella in his reports numerous times. Hypocritical?

 

[bass star]

Wait there's bass in colorado?