The enjoyment of Bass fishing

[BassNinjaV]

GeeWizzz..... not to sure what is happening in the cape with regards to bass fishing but i really thought being part of the bfsa and the KBT community would bring enjoyment to the sport that i passionately enjoy, but it has somehow turned out quite the opposite. What ever happened to the times when we all enjoyed seeing good catches and hearing good reports and everyone was really looking forward to the next event to catch up with the other chaps that they only see at a kbt or a social...now on every thread or new topic there is a major issue brought up which causes KAK everywhere.
Whenever a newbie joins everyone is quick to welcome and say "hope you enjoy the sight and learn alot" then the chap looks a bit deeper and its nothing but bitching....

I joined here a good few years back and have learnt heaps and have had the opportunity to meet some great people and i used to love doing reports and sharing my fish with a community that share the same interests and now with the way every post turns out it makes one not want to do a report...

ENJOY the sport and what it means to you. It isnt about who won what and who caught the biggest or has the biggest boat or tube or whatever. Its about bringing information on the sport into the open so that those that are just starting can ACTUALLY learn something and not look at everything on here and think what a buch of rubbish...

If people would talk more and be more social with one another instead of just wanting everything this site would be one of the best places to be on and at the moment it is a shocker....

Just something that has been brewing for a while now and i know i dont spk for myself...

[Rory]

After just over a year of bass fishing it seems this is the norm. Don't think it's a bfsa thing but a semi competitive bass fishing thing in general. I started fishing because it was RAD to hook into a fish. Now it is fast becoming a all consuming monster. I guess it's up to each of us to decide at what level you want to be involved. If I have learned one thing fast and hard its restraint or when to keep my mouth shut. Sad but true bru. I'm out.

[Navrik]

Bass fishing is what you you make of it. If you want to enjoy it and make new friends then enjoy it and make new friends.

I too have been burnt this week by guys I though were my friends. But I am turning the other cheek and if you want me to be I am still your friend.

I choose not to be part of politics. Sometimes difficult not to choose sides but I try my best to stay on the Switzerland side of bass fishing.

The competitive side of things sometime seems not to bring the best out of people.

Let's allow each other their place in the sun whether it is from the bank, float tube, kick boat, small boat, big boat or wherever rocks your boat.

Nav out...

[LaRocks]

Nice said guys and I agree with you all. Stop the pap gooiery, ag ek bedoel modder. :eusa_wall:

[BassingMad]

Politics...... eish I've burnt my fingers here before, sadly its something that is always around in competitive fishing.

ENJOY the sport and what it means to you.

Cant agree more with this statement. if we don't enjoy it we might as well stop, enjoyment is what has gotten me to what I have acheieved in this sport and i'm proud of that.

Tight lines guys and have a good evening.

[Riprap]

Guys, negativity breeds more negativity and conversely positivity breeds more positivity.
Politics, criticism, challenges, bickering, jealousy etc are all negtive and they feed on each other. Report backs, congratulations, answered questions, help received, kindness, appreciation etc on the other hand would be great to feed on now wouldn't it?
Think about that next time you converse with your fellow fisherman...........

[Navrik]

Hoor hoor...sorry this just doesn't translate so lekka!

[EmjaySmit]

Educate, learn, teach, tolerate. If it's negative rather not say anything. If a newby asks? Answer, but don't critisize the answer of the person who took the time to reply to a newby in the first place. Give options, and support your statements. It's a hobby not a race. If it doesnt feel right rather pm the person. I love both bassing and bfsa, both groups were started from a wonderful passion. Competing is a whole different ball game. I quit after 15 years of doing it not only because just like with any sport you will always have a mine is bigger than yours, I simply had more to offer my son who is old enough to enjoy it now...I Also enjoy teaching people more than competing with them. A pb smile you helped a newby achieve is so much better than groaning and stressing about gaining on your pb gram by gram.

[Crafty]

I have had my first C4C competitive season this year and it has been great, had a rocky start but finished well within my goals.
There is a couple of things I have noticed as well. People turn into monsters when there is money involved. Like some of the first comps, asking someone what they caught it on and where and being answered with total ridiculous answers like a pink fluke at 10M, knowing that it is a super dirty dam fish wont even see pink at that depth. I might look stupid but I'm not that stupid. So I set off doing my own thing never asking anyone anything, until we started to win a few and placing top 5 in others the questions started coming my way... I kept my side clean. Told people what I got them on. I say this to all anglers asking me questions, I will never lie to you, but if I don't want to share, I will say " I don't want to tell you" -- AND THIS is what I expect back from my fellow anglers. Tell me the truth, or just tell me you don't want to share at this time! No harm, no foul, It is a competitive sport after all but don't lie and try to throw me off in order to boost your chances. That is just horrible sportsmanship.

Overall I had a very fun year, made friends, fished new waters, got loads of nice bass and cool stories to tell. It was great and I'm looking forward to next year!

[Jim_From_Zim]

I'm going to stick my neck out here, and if the mods ban me, well - so be it.

Vaughn, forgive me but you are speaking with a forked tongue there pal. You are 100% correct that this site is all about sharing and caring. But I for one have not seen you share anything in a while on this site. I have not seen you share your secret tubing spots, I have not seen you share your secret banking spots, I have not seen you hand out free goodies, I have not seen you share tips, tricks etc with newbies.
I have seen you hold your hand out expecting freebies when my rules of a give away clearly stated that I wanted it to go to a less fortunate person, not only on my hand out, but on another one too.

So what is it exactly that you are trying to say? Are you perhaps getting upset by the fact that you were at Applethwaite on the weekend, in the reserve area and when people asked on another thread as to why someone is on the water (perhaps pre-fishing when they cant), you type the above to try and be defensive?

How about give us a write up as to how you did on the weekend, perhaps who went with etc? What lures did you use, how was the weather etc? That, I think, will be much better than bleating about not enjoying this site anymore.

Rip is right, we have to be constructive, but when a post like this is started due to another thread being directed at you then why on earth are we here?

I had a chat with Smurf about this last night, he mentioned to me that as you grow in the sport, the amount of info you give away becomes less and less as you get higher into the game of competitive fishing. He even went as far as saying that the day you make it into a top level, your best friend will be the one who will stop giving you info as you are now competing against him.
This cannot be further from the truth in your case. You seem to be a sponge for information et al, but yet when people ask where did you catch it and on what, you go to ground and not share the info at hand.
So who's the pot calling the kettle black now?

Sure, you might share the info with your close friends, but I can assure you you dont share with all.

Now what about trying to do good for the sport? Does fishing in a reserve area do good? Does holding back info as to the venue do good?

So what am I trying to say? I think, in my small world opinion, that you took a beating hard on the pre-fish thread, could not take the wrap on the knuckles and came out trying to defend your position by bleating about the enjoyment of fishing? Huh? Did I miss something here?

Please, pull my other leg - it has bells on it.

I'm not going to bow out of this thread, unless I am banned of course. So if you wish to continue having a debate with me, please feel free to do so here. If you wish to bow out and do good like you suggest, then post a report back on how and what you did on the weekend so that people may learn from it.

I look forward to yours, and other members replies.

By the way, congrats on your 4.4kg pb at said venue.

[Riprap]

Some more food for thought my fellow fishermen:

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life...

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

"One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.

"The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

"This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
"Which wolf will win?"

The old chief simply replied,
"The one you feed."

[Riprap]

There is no banning necessary here Jim, yet.
I think in the interests of honesty and transparency, it would not be a bad idea to reveal just how one caught a PB in a pre-fish at what seems to be a very protected venue. Afterall, there isn't a million bucks up for grabs or a glitz and glammer trophy waiting for the winner. Still, it's a matter of personal choice........

By the way, I never lie when I share what works for me, even in comps because the problem is when you get asked a second time, you can't remember what it was that you lied about in the first place!

[Navrik]

Jim you will not be blocked by me either...unless of course you decide not to share your secrets baits for the last weekend :eusa_shhh:

[breedesmallie]

I love bass fishing so much and I will always share the truth when asked for tips or something. As a rule I am a loner when fishing for bass and competitive fishing just aint for me, I've got nothing to proof to anybody. I like the od comp now and then but that's it. For all those arguing about nonsense, just enjoy the fishing and forget about what others are doing and that is the secret to win a comp. I just cant understand why people can make something that's supposed to be enjoyed so unpleasant.

[Navrik]

Ego + money (prizes) = problem