Opinions needed

[Darryl Morris]

Well Grizz beat me to the punch on the saying "10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish" and "90% of the fish are in 10%" of the water. That's why those that do catch fish have put in the work to catch them. To many, fishing is just having a boat, a rod and reel and some bait. What they've left out is working to build or find habitat, working to build a mental map of the lay of the land under the water, working to learn the fish's behavior and what affects that behavior, etc. There's more to fishing than just making your bait wet.

I've fished all my life and never had the success in catching as I've had in the past 5 or so years. If I still fished the way I did when I was a kid I'd still not be catching anything. I learned how to do it differently and how to adapt to changing conditions. I've often wondered what my grandpa would think about how I fish now as compared to how we did it then.

[SpeckWick]

Yeah, I live right aross from a lake many refer to as the dead sea, which is just fine with me. I love the lake myself. Really turning into a great crappie lake. But if the fair weather guys want to continue to dog it, then more for me I guess. As far as people not wanting to work at fishing, I see it all the time. One time in particular I was pulling into a creek arm I fish a lot and there were two guys on the bank fishing a really good laydown and not catching anything. I stayed away from it and picked up a few in other areas of the cove, but just couldn't help noticing that the other guys were still getting skunked, though the fish were obviously there and active. I hate to see someone getting frustrated while I am putting fish in the boat, so I asked them what they were fishing for and they said crappie, but that they weren't biting today. I was well away from the tree and made a few long casts toward the end of it and caught slabs on three straight casts after offering them advice on how they could catch a few fish. Instead of taking my advice and trying to learn something, they packed up and left, saying they couldn't do it because they didn't have a boat. I tore 'em up on that tree after they left, but their attitude was the perfect example of why a lot of people don't catch fish. I had a boat and they didn't, so that became their excuse. Rather than try another way, their way didn't work, so let's go home. It's the same as the guy with more money than desire who goes out and buys the $30,000 boat, thousands of dollars worth of gear and thinks that will automatically make him a better fisherman. Then 2 years later he's got his boat up for sale and saying the lakes don't have any fish. That's why I try to teach my boys as many different ways to fish as I can. we fish from the boat a lot, but occasionally we'll walk to some of my old bank spots, just to show them they can catch fish many different ways and places as long as they adapt to the fish and don't wait for the fish to adapt to them.

[hays47]

As I suspected most of you agree with me. " It ain't the fishin thats at fault its da dang gone fisherman. " Want you guys want to bet though the people that taught us how to fish could still catch fish today. Both my maternal and paternal grandfathers were great fisherman. One was a dyed in the wool panfisherman and ate all he caught. The other one was a trout fisherman mostly that won several tournaments. The kind of tournament
that awarded an expensive flyfishing outfit to the winner.

None of his grandchildren had to buy their own flyfishing outfit boy or girl. It was a rite of passage at or around 12 years of age. You were asked to come out to the porch and granddad would lay one of these beauties on you. Tell you something like " Now that your old enough to take care. " There were 15 of us all together and he still had rods left over when he passed. That was how good he was.

Thanks to all of you for your input.

[skeetbum]

Some folks are just too lazy. Or too closed minded. Had a woman tell me last week that Lake Wiess in AL is long gone, fished out. We know better. I didn't try to change her mind. Less people mucking it up for those of us who love what we do. I have been lucky to have had folks take me and show me the right way to do things, and I'm thankful for it. I guess not everyone wants to know. But I do agree that more regulation isn't always the answer.

[Cane Pole]

Some folks are just too lazy. Or too closed minded. Had a woman tell me last week that Lake Wiess in AL is long gone, fished out. We know better. I didn't try to change her mind. Less people mucking it up for those of us who love what we do. I have been lucky to have had folks take me and show me the right way to do things, and I'm thankful for it. I guess not everyone wants to know. But I do agree that more regulation isn't always the answer.

Technology has made it easy for the lazy folks. There is a lot more folks fishing (and fishing longer seasons). That means more fishes are being taken.
This is a good indicator (to me) that the fish count is going down. We need good management.

[LipJerker]

I am new to this site and very thankful that I found it. I joined so I could be around good fishermen and fisherwomen to learn all I can. Finding and learning how to find the fish is the fun part for me not so much the catching. I agree that most people don't want to work at it. That is just my 2 cents anyway.

I enjoy all the knowledge you all pass on so freely. Thanks

[dedfish]

Sad but true. Many people are just clueless, others look for some kind of "magic bait". Others have grown up without a dad to teach them.

The old Fishing Facts magazine had a saying: "Knowledge is the key to fishing success." Charlie Brewer, who wrote for FF said the same thing in a slightly different way: "There's little luck to catching fish."

Agreed.

[Kit Papermouth]

Some people don't have the knack for catching fish. It's like anything, they just don't have the God given Juju or get stuck in a pattern that only works a few days a year. We all aren't all capable being professional athletes, tight rope walkers or brain surgeons. I think fishin' is the same thing. Takes time (practice), skill, memory, observation and the best thing like all things in life is a good teacher.

Crappie are cyclical like all animals in nature. There population is so dependent on weather and water conditions during the spawn.
Lakes also change over time. Variations in numbers and size will take place year after year.
Many reservoirs were riddled with brush and cover when they were built and over 50 years they have deteriorated affecting the recruitment of spawn. Some argue this shouldn't make a difference. I don't have finite evidence, but I believe cover helps recruitment.
I've seen a few lakes go from stained to a clearer water. Kentucky Lake being a good example. We catch a lot more blacks now than whites during the days of old and it's not as easy as it used to be. Have to fish different than 15 years ago to catch the blacks. Some people don't and won't make a transition.

I do believe in limits and I do believe that they should be adhered to.

We just have to do the best with what we've got. Influence the powers that regulate our fisheries and place our faith in the Creator of all this splendor.

May God Bless you and your fisheries!