Whatever happened to the beginner fishermen

Very good rant !
Common sence skipped a generation ?

 

Boy oh boy I dont need to add anything to that. I've been saying the same thing for a while now. My biggest fish have came on a maybe a 2 dollar bait . But from rod to reel line and hook I knew from time on the water what gave me the best chance at hook to land ratio. It's simple people don't want to pay their dues anymore. Read everthing you can but nothing beats experience. Learn to walk before you run.

 

Maybe it would help if a newbie wasn't crucified on social media and received death threats for keeping a thirteen inch bass for the frying pan. Maybe if people didn't have to worry about their toddler getting threatened with physical violence if they responsibly harvested a fish of legal size hooked so badly it had almost zero chance of surviving...

 

Glorified/stylish fishing is trending. They’ll either figure it out or phase out of it. I hope it’s the latter. I always have spare time and extra baits with me for those, old or young, who are genuinely trying to learn to fish. You can usually tell as they don’t carry an ego around as if they own the water or can outfish you because their gear has less hours on it than their bait company jerseys.

 

So your'e sayin' I can catch fish throwing a giant swimbait on a Spinning rig with 8# line? I'm off to Walmart!

Good rant!

 

I have always used the cheapest gear I can find, and have a tendency to use cheaper plastics. The only two things I worry about are hook quality and line quality. I laugh when friends talk about getting into fishing and are thus thinking about saving $300-$400 to get set up. Yeah, they'll get set up, but I have told a couple the biggest necessary expense is the license. Everything else can be had cheaper and still get the job done. And its not a total heartbreaker to break something or lose something when your biggest outlay is $40 on a reel or $6 on a spook or something.

 

But how can I become prostaff and internet famous with just nightcrawlers?

 

It is most gratifying to see a young child fishing by thereselves. Years ago, before the wall was installed along the Mexico/ California border, next to the All American Canal, I often saw a young boy that lived in Mexico, a hundred feet away in a small ranch house. He was fishing with a hand line in the All American Canal. I’d stop and ask how he was doing? He’d show me his stringer. The Border Patrol left him alone. Every time I was scheduled to check on fields in that area I would make up a care package of hooks, line, sinkers, illustrations of knots and bait like worms or shrimp. I’d throw it across the canal to him. He was in hog heaven. But then we built the wall and it blocked him from fishing the All American Canal. That young boy is now in his 20’s. I’ve often wondered how he turned out. I’ll bet he still enjoys fishing.

 

150 on a lure, unless I am a professional no way I am spending that much on a lure.. I have a hard enough time spending that on a reel.

 

Thank Salty Crew for a lot of this...

 

Okay, but there's no way these women will date me with my cheap Walmart gear.

 

I've been too low budget for anything nice until recently... Caught everything on a 100 dollar rod/reel setup an old surfcaster (that was stolen), my own tackle, and a borrowed conventional rod from a friend.
You really don't need crazy gear to catch nice fish.


(edit): I have been buying some more expensive rods and reels recently...

 

Linebig thanks for the thread, its a good one. I started fishing the old fashion way of drowning worms. I learned a lot about my prey that way. The weren't huge fish but I leaned their habits and for the most part I think they are the same as they grow. With That being said ,this is a new age . I work with these 20,30,and 40 year olds and they are definitely wired different. To each his own on where they start. I do believe in paying your due's. I also hate the fact that you can't share all info for obvious reasons. I have ask for help with largemouth out at the river in recent times but I am more than willing to put in the time and I feel strongly that I should.
As far as buying expensive gear. I was all ways taught to buy quality and I do because when it breaks I want it replaced. Company's such as sage back up there high priced gear. It breaks due to craftsmanship then they replace it for free. If I break it I pay $50.00 and get a new rod or at least a new section. This can be tricky with some company's not to name any name's (Calstar). I sold dozens if not over a hundred Calstar rods when I use to work for Bob's bait and tackle. I would tell the customer you can buy one Calstar in your life time or three Penn's your choice. At that time Calstar replaced any broken rod no questions asked. Years later they changed it to one year.???? So that can happen I guess.
Got to get back to work.
Steve

 

Now I see why so many fishermen are interested in freshwater bass fishing.

 

Well put...same with the guys who want to be youtubers more than fishermen.

I have yet to see those ladies at the bat ray grounds.

 

That's cuz they hang out with the fly fishermen ! But I have no proof One day I'll get my break.