Generally speaking, it takes a lot of study and a lot of time on the water to become a really good bass angler. By "really good" I mean good enough to be able to go fishing just about any time of year and be able to catch a few bass under most conditions and rarely get skunked.

To those of you that consider yourselves really good anglers I ask this question; If you had to start all over again right from the beginning, to learn how to fish for bass, would you do it?

I ask because I'm not sure if I would. It was a lot of fun but it was also a lot of work.

I may not fall into "really good", but I'm pretty good. And yes I would. It's what I love doing. I find peace on the water. Even when I'm being humbled.

Yep would do it again, just wish back then we had the electronics like we have today, but in a way I do miss my old Green Flasher

I maybe could have or should have phrased my question this way: If you have put a lot of time and effort into becoming the angler that you are, would you be willing to start all over again from scratch?

I don't want to exclude anybody but the question has more significance to those those that have more to lose.

No Doubt, I Would!

For eternity....and I plan on that too!

Since you put it that way. Yes

I thought you put this in the wrong topic and was asking about marriage. I won't answer that one pleading the 5th.

On fishing, I would do it 1,000 times over if that is what it took. If you are questioning it maybe you should take up a different hobbie. If something is not fun and enjoyable why do it. Just like hitting my hand with a hammer. I don't enjoy it, so that is why I'm trying to quit. I've been doing pretty good lately, but sometimes I start up again. Maybe there is a support group for finger smashing addiction.

Well I need to get off here and go pick up my boat from the hospital. She had to have the steering replaced. They opened her up and then realized they had the wrong length of cables. The doctors new they were in trouble so they had the organs lifeflighted in the next day. I was nervous, she had to lay there opened up for a day waiting on the right organs to come in. Is it wrong to stop by the florist and get some flowers.

LOL, and you think I have a problem!

She will recover. Just needed a little TLC.
Too the QUESTION: There are places in this world that are close enough to put together a stringer like Mr. Packs everyday. I would not give anything for the knowledge that I gained by spending on the average of $25K every year to gain it.
What I would do differently is take that money and go to those places as often as I could take off from work and enjoy those big stringers. Spending all that valuable time in our US. lakes was a mistake on my part.

Great topic, I'm a rookie with bass fishing, but I can share my experience for other things. I seem to go in 8-12 year cycles per activity or hobby. I'm end of year 2 right now with bass fishing. My previous activities I started just like I am now with bass fishing... 100%. I have fun early on, but do everything I can to advance as quick as I can. My previous activities I would reach a "regional" peak about year 4-6 and then make a final even harder push to compete at national level. I was always towards top of regional level before stepping foot into national level. I never reached top of national level in anything, but would make fair showing as middle of the packer. A couple years of middle of pack national level you realize you are 99% there, but that last 1% is hard as that first 99% to achieve. I then step back to regional level and usually about year 8-12 I lose most drive, so back off and pick the next victim, now bass fishing. . I stil have most of the skills and equipment of past activities, still try to get the rust off couple times a year, but all my available energy goes into the new endeavor.

Short answer it is all worth it, the journey is most important, not where u end up because there is always someplace further you could have ended up.

Rob, Your cycle theory is really good. I guess we're never quite as unique or as alone as we think we are.

Now that we have the internet its easy.But old school fishermen long ago would give you bad advise so you would not compete with them.

I am as old school as it gets. I have never given anyone bad advice as far as fishing goes. Everyone is going to do his best to become the best fisherman he can become if he or she is intent on competing. So you can spend all your hard earned money fishing for 5 bites a day or you can go the other route where you can catch 100 per day.

I don't think I'm in quite the class of fisherman you are speaking of, but from where I am now, I would never go back and not put in the time. Bass fishing is one of the best things in my life, it has its ups and downs, but by far the positive outweighs the negative.