Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

I was scrolling through the photos on westernbass of all the fish caught recently and noticed about a half pound bass caught on a really expensive swimbait lure. I know this man was looking for the "Trophy", but it was amusing seeing the little guppy on those huge treble hooks. After (me) catching a 7+ pounder recently on a hula popper, it made me think: Since when did someone need to pay 50+ dollars for a lure to catch a nice bass???
I'm only 19 and have been fishing since i was 4 years old. So my dad has always got me into the original ways of fishing, the classics: spinnerbaits, split-shotting, texas rigging, poppers, torpedo topwaters (the lure with the spinny thing near the hook). These are all just simple examples of what im use to fishing with, yes I love drop shotting and using senkos, they have caught some big bass for me. But I have yet to give into buying a lure that costs anything more than 20$. I haven't bought a lucky craft shiny holographic 79$ dollar swimbait or a 500$ Baitcasting reel thats perfect for a JIG...
Fishing, especially in California, seems to be losing its value of being a relationship to people, a fun hobby to get out and relax and take someone out who's never been before, it's ALL ABOUT THE DOLLAR VALUE. "Oh I was using a 300$ zillion with 50 pound braid (30$) with an 8 foot pole fishing with a 50$ bait" Or the others who rip the waterways and rip the fish's mouths out to win a tournament. Money Money Money, Money money money........

This must be my brother.

Funny you mention that since I just filmed a True Bass show that will air next weekend and we decided you couldn't use anything that cost over $10. We had a pretty good day fishing on a budget.

kb

kb wrote:Funny you mention that since I just filmed a True Bass show that will air next weekend and we decided you couldn't use anything that cost over $10. We had a pretty good day fishing on a budget.

kb

Excellent Idea. I always thought it would be great to get the pros to do a benefit with nothing but Barbie rods. Be great for laughs.

I have just as much fun as you do using my expensive rods, reels and lures. I have fished for bass since the early 60's and have used all the lures you're talking about, the hula poppers and the lucky 13's. But now that I'm retired and have sent all my kids through college, it's now my turn to buy anything I want. You have to remember, you have a lot of time left and I don't, LOL. So I'm going out in style because I can. Thank you very much!!!!
Grumpa aka Paul aka Survivor

All this being said talk to the swimbait guys and look at the numbers over 10 on big baits.

BTW for me buying the good stuff is a hobby. I dont smoke or drink. Fishing is what I spend my money on!

biteme wrote:All this being said talk to the swimbait guys and look at the numbers over 10 on big baits.

Avoid talking to them at clear lake in 2008 though.

if you think that fish weighs a half pound, i think you might be bummed to see your "7+" hanging on a scale, haha.

If he's having fun, what business is it of ours how much his gear is worth?

fourbizzle wrote:If he's having fun, what business is it of ours how much his gear is worth?

Darn good point. Very obvious. You simplified it for us lol.

Okay, so i understand that whatever makes you happy, makes you happy, And yea i have nice reels and rods too. I just bought the new-ish abu garcia ambassadeur cost me a fortune. It's amazing i cast that thing down to the beginning of the spool. And yea maybe I'll go buy a nice swimbait now because i'm itching to catch a nice 10 + bass. But honestly, I was just annoyed when I walked into delta bait and tackle and saw a lure that cost 80 somethin dollars. Ridiculous. And I never said there was anything wrong on spending money on fishing. That is always money well spent dont get me wrong.

And yea I agree this year at clear lake is way different than most years Ive seen this year. I lost my biggest bass at clear lake on a swimbait though. It was a missionfish swimbait, and as I get it closer to the boat my curado decided to jump off my rod so there was no line tension and it got away. I also forgot to address the comment about not having much time left and going out in style. I like your way of thinking champ. Maybe once i'm out of college I'll be able to afford a 30$ huddleston or somethin, but for now im satisfied with what i got.

Bottom line is fish with in your own budget. You don't have to have all the top dollar stuff to catch bass, or big bass. It has taken me years to get all the equipment that I have, but well worth it!

Start cheap, or with in your budget, and as you get older and your budget gets better spend more on better gear!

Not everyone is after big fish or big limits. Some just like to go and be out there and are plenty happy just fishing.
If you are happy then it's all good no matter what you catch.
It's only good if you like it.

Don.

PS. 30 to 80 bucks is the norm. 150 is the upper end.

KB so you can still get a stick of DYNOMITE for $10? Dont give out all of your secrets... HAR!

kb wrote:Funny you mention that since I just filmed a True Bass show that will air next weekend and we decided you couldn't use anything that cost over $10. We had a pretty good day fishing on a budget.

kb

I hardly ever fish a bait that cost more than 10 bucks unless I'm throwing swimbaits. I mean 10 bucks will get you just about any jig made, almost all plastics made,pretty much any crank, ripbait not names luckycraft.

Haha, well I actually use swim baits now I was just jealous of all the big fish I wasn't catching! Oops

Funny how perspective changes over time and circumstances...

Although the bottom line is that you can catch a giant with a 50 cent worm, or some other cheap lure, and you can catch a dink with a $150 swimbait... it isn't always about the Benjamins in fishing!

Roger

I think it was because I didn't have a swimbait pole, now I do. So my problem is solved, I mainly use lunker punkers and other big top waters with it, but I throw swim baits once in a while. Only swim baits I have caught fish on are the mission fish, matt lures and r2sea. Question: Do people throw their money minnows, or whatever type you use, on a swimbait rod? I usually use them on my pole i use for cranking or spinnerbaits because they arent very heavy

Haha, anyone notice the green slime is finally getting off the lake?? Time to take the boat out!

kb

Excellent Idea. I always thought it would be great to get the pros to do a benefit with nothing but Barbie rods. Be great for laughs.

Barbie rod and a crappie grub under a bobber - ultimate combo

You're probably not old enough to remember the song, "Anticipation", but when you're throwing a swimbait, your breath is a little shallower, your heartbeat is a little faster, and you're on edge a little more. And when you get bit it's definately more of a rush, like topwater.

Even though a lot of people don't care for his fishing shows, I learned a valuable lesson from Bill Dance, when he said there has never been a fishing lure sold that does not work..You can choose lures just as inexpensive or as expensive as you want..You can do the same with the rods and reels and the line you you use to present the lure..You do not have to have the most expensive equipment to enjoy the thrill of catching a bass..I have been doing it for well over 50 years, I do find myself spending more now, but I have yet to pay over $50 for a lure..But I would not care to try and determine just how much I have invested in lures, rods, reels and line just to chase the green monsters we strive to conquer..

mac

mac (Doyle McEwen) wrote:...I learned a valuable lesson from Bill Dance, when he said there has never been a fishing lure sold that does not work..

One lure that doesn't actually work is his very own Dance's Eel (currently marketed by Yum as the Dancin' Eel)...

I was fishing with a young man on Clearlake a couple of years ago and he was using that lure..As a matter of fact he had several of them..He caught a couple of bass on them, nothing to brag about as far as size goes..Personally I have never tried them and don't own any..But they can catch fish..I have numerous lures that have yet to be effective for me, but I do not doubt they can work..I have a tendency to not use a lure that I have tried and didn't do well with..I think most people are the same..Give a new lure several trips to produce, but if it doesn't then we usually just set it aside and not try it again..We all prefer to use something that has worked for us..

mac

fish_food wrote:

mac (Doyle McEwen) wrote:...I learned a valuable lesson from Bill Dance, when he said there has never been a fishing lure sold that does not work..

One lure that doesn't actually work is his very own Dance's Eel (currently marketed by Yum as the Dancin' Eel)...

A friend of mine caught a double digit personal best on that lure.

A friend of mine caught a double digit personal best on that lure.[/quote]

Bass are so stupid haha

fish_food wrote:

mac (Doyle McEwen) wrote:...I learned a valuable lesson from Bill Dance, when he said there has never been a fishing lure sold that does not work..

One lure that doesn't actually work is his very own Dance's Eel (currently marketed by Yum as the Dancin' Eel)...

I beg to differ the Dances eel is a killer bed bait in the spring when the're spawning give it a try you'd be surprized

offduty wrote:

fish_food wrote:

mac (Doyle McEwen) wrote:...I learned a valuable lesson from Bill Dance, when he said there has never been a fishing lure sold that does not work..

One lure that doesn't actually work is his very own Dance's Eel (currently marketed by Yum as the Dancin' Eel)...

A friend of mine caught a double digit personal best on that lure.

I'm sure the Dance's Eel has accounted for some nice catches (as has Roland Martin's Helicopter Lure ). I just mentioned that particular lure because Bill Dance's name was brought up and the Eel is his signature "adaptation" of Storm's Lil Tubby series.

I remember when the Senko came out and my first thought was...Are you freakin' kidding me, 60 cents a piece for this hunk of plastic?????

Ah, those were the days.

- Wolfeman

Gotcha covered on that..There are a whole lot of lures I haven't tried yet..That is just one of them..

mac

when i first started fishing i bought all i could aford it was not the best but the best i could buy. a frind of mine told me about a pro to go talk to about being in a tounament , right off the bat he put my boat down said it was to slow and he could make 100 more casts than me because he would be at his spot before i could, or my rods and reels were not as good i felt like crap. went to the tourn ament at havasue and guess who pul;s up besid me John Murry and on the other side Dean roJas boy i felf small . but John herd me talking to some one about how my stuff wasent the best john said to me look your fishing the fish they dont care about youre boat or reel. made me feel better oh ya i came in 5 th place as apro and kicked the guys *** that siad his stuff was better than mine, so fish what you got have fun and keep the faith.

fish_food wrote:

mac (Doyle McEwen) wrote:...I learned a valuable lesson from Bill Dance, when he said there has never been a fishing lure sold that does not work..

One lure that doesn't actually work is his very own Dance's Eel (currently marketed by Yum as the Dancin' Eel)...

ANY lure that has been bought has caught it's target. Whether it works for you out on the lake is realy irrelevant to the intent and marketing etc of the manufacturer of said lure.