Bass fishing is still a mystery to me!

After over 50 years of fishing, I still don't understand all the little
nuances of this sport!

My brother-in-law came by for a couple days. He is not an avid
fisherman, but loves to wet a line when he can. He had never used
artificial baits before! I took him out in front of the cabin where the
water is pretty clear, and demonstrated how the plastic worms looked in
the water, and the action you could instill with different techniques.

His confidence level was barely above zero .

I took him to the shady side of the bank where I often catch as many
small bass as I want. I caught a couple little ones, and he at least
admitted that maybe it works . We fished for about an hour and I
caught maybe 5 or 6 under a pound, but he didn't get a bite! Same bait,
same line, same technique! I am really disappointed...for him. But he
gave me the old cliche...I don't really care if I catch a fish, I just
enjoy being here, doing this!

We did a BBQ, and had some cold MGD's, told some "sea stories", and
called it a day.

He had to leave the next morning at 10:00am...he got up before I even
acknowledge that a new ay has began. I was awakened by a knock on my
bedroom window...and, "HEY John, look out your window!". He was holding
a 4-5 pound bass up, and smiling like the proverbial cat!

I grabbed my shoes, stepped outside to admire his fish...biggest bass he
has ever caught, and the first fish he has ever caught on artificial
bait!

I held the fish while he went and got his camera, and I recorded the
"event" for him....I told him that the bass would live in infamy on
film, and maybe another 10 years in reality. He slipped the old girl
back in the water, and stood there just staring at the swirl she made as
she went back home. He turned and said to me...."Now I don't have to lie
to you any more about not caring if I catch a fish or not!" grin

What a great moment for us both!

He told me later that catching the bass was almost an accident....he
threw the worm up into the weeds, had the line tangled up, and finally
worked it lose, the worm hit the water, the bass hit the worm...he said
it scared the hell out of him. I had the drag set too loose, and he said
the bass was heading for the other end of the lake before he found the
drag, he had never used a spinning reel with a rear drag before...said
he almost unscrewed the spool .

But he got his fish!

Sometimes too much help is indeed too much help! Bill caught his first
big bass the same way I did mine....almost by accident !

John K

"John B" wrote in message
...
After over 50 years of fishing, I still don't understand all the little
nuances of this sport!

My brother-in-law came by for a couple days. He is not an avid
fisherman, but loves to wet a line when he can. He had never used
artificial baits before! I took him out in front of the cabin where the
water is pretty clear, and demonstrated how the plastic worms looked in
the water, and the action you could instill with different techniques.

His confidence level was barely above zero .

I took him to the shady side of the bank where I often catch as many
small bass as I want. I caught a couple little ones, and he at least
admitted that maybe it works . We fished for about an hour and I
caught maybe 5 or 6 under a pound, but he didn't get a bite! Same bait,
same line, same technique! I am really disappointed...for him. But he
gave me the old cliche...I don't really care if I catch a fish, I just
enjoy being here, doing this!

We did a BBQ, and had some cold MGD's, told some "sea stories", and
called it a day.

He had to leave the next morning at 10:00am...he got up before I even
acknowledge that a new ay has began. I was awakened by a knock on my
bedroom window...and, "HEY John, look out your window!". He was holding
a 4-5 pound bass up, and smiling like the proverbial cat!

I grabbed my shoes, stepped outside to admire his fish...biggest bass he
has ever caught, and the first fish he has ever caught on artificial
bait!

I held the fish while he went and got his camera, and I recorded the
"event" for him....I told him that the bass would live in infamy on
film, and maybe another 10 years in reality. He slipped the old girl
back in the water, and stood there just staring at the swirl she made as
she went back home. He turned and said to me...."Now I don't have to lie
to you any more about not caring if I catch a fish or not!" grin

What a great moment for us both!

He told me later that catching the bass was almost an accident....he
threw the worm up into the weeds, had the line tangled up, and finally
worked it lose, the worm hit the water, the bass hit the worm...he said
it scared the hell out of him. I had the drag set too loose, and he said
the bass was heading for the other end of the lake before he found the
drag, he had never used a spinning reel with a rear drag before...said
he almost unscrewed the spool .

But he got his fish!

Sometimes too much help is indeed too much help! Bill caught his first
big bass the same way I did mine....almost by accident !

Oh man John, THAT is a great story and one that will be retold for years to
come.

Thanks for sharing,
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Great stuff John. Congrats all the way around. My wife got converted to
soft plastics this year when she nailed a 2 lb-er by letting one of Randy's
glittery worms fall off a lilly pad. It sat on the bottom, she twitched it,
and wham!, her first big bass. Since then she only wants to fish for bass
and only wants to use plastics. My next mission is to put her onto the
spinners.

I have to tell you that is almost - almost - more fun watching someone else
catch one, especially when it is their first.

Excellant tale! That fish is going to haunt you...

Thanks

Jim

On Tue, 3 Jul 2007 19:35:33 -0500, (John B) wrote:

After over 50 years of fishing, I still don't understand all the little
nuances of this sport!

My brother-in-law came by for a couple days. He is not an avid
fisherman, but loves to wet a line when he can. He had never used
artificial baits before! I took him out in front of the cabin where the
water is pretty clear, and demonstrated how the plastic worms looked in
the water, and the action you could instill with different techniques.

His confidence level was barely above zero .

I took him to the shady side of the bank where I often catch as many
small bass as I want. I caught a couple little ones, and he at least
admitted that maybe it works . We fished for about an hour and I
caught maybe 5 or 6 under a pound, but he didn't get a bite! Same bait,
same line, same technique! I am really disappointed...for him. But he
gave me the old cliche...I don't really care if I catch a fish, I just
enjoy being here, doing this!

We did a BBQ, and had some cold MGD's, told some "sea stories", and
called it a day.

He had to leave the next morning at 10:00am...he got up before I even
acknowledge that a new ay has began. I was awakened by a knock on my
bedroom window...and, "HEY John, look out your window!". He was holding
a 4-5 pound bass up, and smiling like the proverbial cat!

I grabbed my shoes, stepped outside to admire his fish...biggest bass he
has ever caught, and the first fish he has ever caught on artificial
bait!

I held the fish while he went and got his camera, and I recorded the
"event" for him....I told him that the bass would live in infamy on
film, and maybe another 10 years in reality. He slipped the old girl
back in the water, and stood there just staring at the swirl she made as
she went back home. He turned and said to me...."Now I don't have to lie
to you any more about not caring if I catch a fish or not!" grin

What a great moment for us both!

He told me later that catching the bass was almost an accident....he
threw the worm up into the weeds, had the line tangled up, and finally
worked it lose, the worm hit the water, the bass hit the worm...he said
it scared the hell out of him. I had the drag set too loose, and he said
the bass was heading for the other end of the lake before he found the
drag, he had never used a spinning reel with a rear drag before...said
he almost unscrewed the spool .

But he got his fish!

Sometimes too much help is indeed too much help! Bill caught his first
big bass the same way I did mine....almost by accident !

John K