A lot of people ask me why I love Bass fishing so much so it got me wondering about everyone else. Why do you like Bass fishing? Is it your favorite type of fishing?


I myself love the technical side of it, thinking like the fish trying to find structure and areas that look to have fish. Those spots paying off just make it that part of it even more enjoyable. Bass fishing is one of the very few types of fishing that you have to not only know the water but know whats on the land as well.

It's art. When you make that perfect cast and you feel the hit...It's like poetry for life.

Because its so inexpensive.

Long-time friend and fishing buddy, David, will kill me for posting anything pedantic here.

But, what first comes to my mind is a term of German origin, Gestalten, or you may know it as Gestalt psychology that many of us studied at some point. It literally means "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts." At least, that is an interpretation.

So, for fishing, you have locations to decide, weather conditions, presentations, lures, color, equipment choices --- lines, reels, rods, leaders, and on and on.

So, the entirety of the whole thing is greater than all of these "parts" most of us could discuss endlessly, enjoy talking about, thinking about it, doing it.

What's not to like?

Brad

Very well said.

For me, it's the challenge of finding fish from day to day,The unlimited techniques available to catch them, and the need to present a bait to the fish in a way to make them bite.

The challenge. I guess that's the real reason.

I wish

well said to you too....wait...WHAT!? Haha.

It can be inexpensive, but I haven't been able to figure out how to make it so. For me, it's a pretty expensive habit.

Fishing is an integrated part of man's history, like hunting.
It's in your psychological makeup. It's something our ancestors did to survive. So you're drawn to it.

Then there's the peace, quiet, serenity. Trying to solve the puzzle; where are they, what bait will be most effective, what effect is this weather going to play?

The longer you do it, the more knowledge and history you have to draw upon.
The more efficient you become.

And when the fish is a really good one......there's that adrenaline thing.
That's a hard combination to beat.

It's the thrill of it for me. Every time that Yellow Magic hits the water my heart beat increases 100%. My hands are shaking so bad when I get that fish to the boat, I have to stop and tell myself to breathe. OK, next cast....here we go.

It is the love of the outdoors that move those to test their skills on game that you usually cannot see. It is the pleasures of catching that big stringer that keeps us coming back and hoping that today will be the day. It provides most with the opportunity to get away, enjoy the beauty of the water, and share this love of fishing with a friend or spouse.

For me, it's like hunting. There's a mental challenge to it that keeps me coming back. Unlike say, Pier fishing, where you just lunk it out and wait. Can be fun too, but there's something about studying that lake, picking your areas, finding the right depth and the right lure, and then hooking up a nice fish - it's hard to beat.

because you can do it from the bank, a jon boat, a tube, a kayak, in waders, from a bass boat, from a pleasure boat, with a cane pole, by yourself, with someone, with a lot of people, while sleeping, while having a party, quietly, with a radio cranked up, in Mexico, in Canada, out of the neighborhood pond, in a drain, & all in an attempt to get that fish to bite your lure.

I sincerely believe that a passion is needed in one's life. A very wise professor once told me that being happy in life is simply always having something to look forward to. Without that, one tends to wander aimlessly in this life. Whether its the next tourney with my wife, big bass splash with friends, or helping 800 kids at a HS tournament, bass fishing is that passion for me. It's a jigsaw puzzle I will never complete. There is no end game and I know that, yet it still drives me to reach some unknown goal. It's primal, it's the unknown, it is me vs Mother Nature, it is gut wrenching at times, but it is these very things that keeps me coming back for more. Will I ever win? Define win? It is different for all of us.

It is personal and I believe our own psyche's and personalities are defined and reflected in how we fish for these creatures. Some of us attack life exactly how we fish!! Example- Finesse vs Power, Deep vs Shallow, Covering water vs picking it apart, fishing one spot for an hour vs running and gunning, 8 lb test vs 25 lb lb test. All of these are successful techniques and will work, but not all the time. It is the creature who adapts and evolves that so often wins, just like in life.

I agree with those that compare it to hunting, which makes it more competitive.

Fishing for other species is alright, but most are caught on bait, either dead or alive and they are seeking a food source. Bass fishing is about tricking the fish into hitting an artificial lure because they are either hungry, curious, protective, mad, being a bully or whatever. They attack with so much aggression, it is awesome. Some people tell me they don't like it because it is too much work, but honestly I love the intricacies of the sport and studying all the different styles and baits to catch bass on as much as actually catching them.

'cause my wife let me buy a new Ranger, and I get to drive it..