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Posts: 90
| If having to own the best of everything is what makes you happy, you have serious issues and misplaced priorities.
Guaranteed, like JJJ is eluding too, it sure as heck doesn't make you successful or any better than the next guy. I would imaging it is also quite infuriating with the guy with 5-10k invested into all his gear routinely shows you how its done. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | "IT" is a subjective concept. "IT" is whatever you want it to be.
If you can afford the best of everything and having the best of everything is important to you, go for it.
If you can afford to travel to the hottest musky bites and it is important to you, go for it.
If you have the time and choose to spend every waking moment in pursuit of the fish that drives us all crazy, go for it.
Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing, and IMHO that is what IT is all about ! |
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Posts: 50
| Heard something the other day that I think applies.
"Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about." |
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Posts: 455
| Yea that is a dumb statement. I have seen Howard Wagner fishing the St. Lawrence out of a big ole piece of junk and he was catching fish. I fish the Larry every year and it`s no problem. If it`s windy I go a different week or chill and drink beer on the bad days. I also fished lake St. Clair and wished the boat was bigger. Things like being able to back in the driveway or fit the boat in my garage are important. Also the smaller local lakes don`t always have launches or parking for a mega rig. Then I have to consider if I do fish big water am I fishing out of a guides boat or a friends boat. There is a lot to think about. I just know on an average weekend on my local lake I would rather have my boat. For two or three days a year I wish I had his boat. |
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Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | LOL - Some of us don't need to fish big water! Big water is not exclusive to big fish......If you really believe that, you are missing some opportunities....
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | muskyrat - 1/26/2014 2:06 PM
Yea that is a dumb statement. I have seen Howard Wagner fishing the St. Lawrence out of a big ole piece of junk and he was catching fish. I fish the Larry every year and it`s no problem. If it`s windy I go a different week or chill and drink beer on the bad days. I also fished lake St. Clair and wished the boat was bigger. Things like being able to back in the driveway or fit the boat in my garage are important. Also the smaller local lakes don`t always have launches or parking for a mega rig. Then I have to consider if I do fish big water am I fishing out of a guides boat or a friends boat. There is a lot to think about. I just know on an average weekend on my local lake I would rather have my boat. For two or three days a year I wish I had his boat.
I don't think you are either qualified or welcome to decide what is or is not a 'dumb statement' here. Take that to heart. |
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Posts: 455
| Well didn`t mean to stir trouble. I have been fishing muskie for over twenty years. Not sure if that makes me qualified but you can fish big water out of an inexpensive boat. |
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Posts: 90
| Ja Rule - 1/26/2014 9:44 AM
JOHN FALLON - 1/26/2014 9:39 AM
if u have a 5 thousand dollar boat you are not gonna be able to fish any kind of big water.
I know guys who fish or have fished LSC in 12 footers. I also have a buddy who fishes Lake Michigan every single weekend of the open water season in a 24' that he has less than $5k invested into.
The only boats out on St.Clair in 12 footers would be freighters or the coast guard. The only thing they could be fishing for is a body or two........ |
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Posts: 617
Location: Clintonville, WI | Eureka.....more time on the water! By George, NOW I think I've got it. |
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Posts: 136
Location: Chicago | Ultimatly it is you I completely agree with that statement. Yet to ignore some of the innovations and developments of the past twenty years or so would be foolish. It has completely changed the game and gives us an edge like we never had before. While not all of us can afford all those great tools you can prioritize what you do feel is necessary to aid you. Even a blind squirrel can find a nut sometimes, but fishing where giants live and being at the right spot at the right time are things you don't buy. Anything I can buy that helps me do those things effectively and efficiently im sold.
Edited by jaycbs74 1/27/2014 11:38 AM
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Posts: 93
Location: Des Moines IA | Well I will fish out of anything as long as I have a opportunity to catch fish. Make due with What you have and get after it. I'm not to worried about keeping up with the next guy. Seems simple to me... |
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Posts: 415
| 2roofmusky - 1/27/2014 10:10 AM
Ja Rule - 1/26/2014 9:44 AM
JOHN FALLON - 1/26/2014 9:39 AM
if u have a 5 thousand dollar boat you are not gonna be able to fish any kind of big water.
I know guys who fish or have fished LSC in 12 footers. I also have a buddy who fishes Lake Michigan every single weekend of the open water season in a 24' that he has less than $5k invested into.
The only boats out on St.Clair in 12 footers would be freighters or the coast guard. The only thing they could be fishing for is a body or two........
LOL, I meant fishing out of 12' boats, not fishing in 12 foot waves. |
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Posts: 455
| My bad on the use of word dumb. I have to work on my politeness for sure. Yea I was thinking twelve foot waves and didn`t want to say BS lol. I saw perch jerkers on the St. Lawrence in jon boats anchored behind islands. Those guys were crazy! |
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Posts: 477
| I find it funny that now that I'm a little older, I have more of the nicer gear, but much less time to use it. Back when I was cutting my teeth in the sport I had minimal gear and lots of time to use it. Funny how the game changes along the way. Enjoy the ride. |
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Posts: 47
| speaking to 12'ers, I thought he meant 12' waves at first as well, but fishing the great lakes, realize what he meant. Do Not ignore the 12' boats on the great lakes, unless you don't like a good fish fry. Anyone fishing Green Bay can attest to this. We don't call them harvest without warrant. They aren't looking for the 'hot' bite, they're on it. They aren't out there to whistle Dixie. These guy flat crank fish. Used to watch Dave's father in law out on the bay north of Peshtigo crankin walleyes like nobodys business out of his 13' northwoods. Take Heed. Harvest craft. They're for real. Yarr..
Edited by Strawberry 1/28/2014 12:05 PM
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Posts: 31
Location: Illinois | For my first five years of musky fishing, I was beggin boat rides and borrowing lures for gas money and beer. I probably learned more and had the most fun during those years. Musky fishing is in your blood not your wallet.. PERIOD!!!! |
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Posts: 1358
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | I don't have any of the special gear. I used to... But now I do most of my fishing out of my 12' converted duck boat, only depth finder is a converted vexilar. and a trolling motor mounted in the back.. have nice rods, good reels and a decent number of baits. I still catch fish. (except last season...ugh). For what it is worth, I get more gratification out of catching fish without all of the bells and whistles then I would if I have them. it's kinda like the difference between catching a musky on a Musky Mayhem lure, or one you built yourself. I would rather on the one I built myself. Now if I could afford all the bells and whistles I'd have them. But in the mean time, I love catching it without all the gear, like the old timers did.
I am not going to sit here and claim that I am a great musky guy, cause trust me,. I have a ton to learn. BUT I know I can catch em without all the gear which makes me feel good about my knowledge of the water, the spots I fish and the techniques I use to get the job done. To me, it brings me much more gratification then if I used technology to help me out.
I guess the question I would ask. For all of you that have all the nicest gear... If you were forced to get rid of all of it, do you still think you would put up the same numbers? Or catch with the same consistency?
I know adding all that gear to my boat and arsenal would increase my fish, but would your decrease without??? |
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Posts: 8863
| For the most part, NO. But I have to admit, without quality rods and reels, one might not catch as many fish. Long rods = better figure 8's, using the right combo for the lures you are fishing = less fatigue. Not having to deal with malfunctioning equipment = more time casting. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | I know adding all that gear to my boat and arsenal would increase my fish, but would your decrease without???
I think you just answered your own question. |
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Posts: 7113
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | I grew up fishing out of a 14.5' aluminum shell that leaked and the motor rarely ran all day. I remember standing in an inch of water (without water proof boots) all day in late October. I learned to cast on 1940s pflueger supreme reels (if you have never cast one, try it, makes you appreciate the knobs on the sides of your reels) and until I had the ability to upgrade my rods, none were over 5'6". Baits fell apart (same vintage as the reels) and my leaders and line sucked.
I am now SO happy to not have to stand in freezing ass water all day with a boat that doesnt work, gear that is basically garbage, etc. If you can afford it, and it enhances your fishing experience, then buy it.
BUT, because you dont have the money, or choose not to use it for fishing/boating gear, you're not better or more powerful than the rest of us who do. It's just your choice.
What it is about is fun. Don't tell me my enjoyment is sullied because my sh*t is better or more expensive than yours. |
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Posts: 1358
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | Propster - 1/28/2014 4:25 PM
I know adding all that gear to my boat and arsenal would increase my fish, but would your decrease without???
I think you just answered your own question.
I would venture to guess that there are a handful of guys out there that could lose all the "best" gear, or all the electronics and still catch consistently. So I am wondering how many guys out there feel strongly enough to say that they would fall into that category? And how many are willing to admit that they would spiral downwards fast without all the "gear"
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | And there are cabinet makers who could build nice cabinets with hand saws and sanding blocks. Doesn't mean those are BAD tools, but they are not the best, either. What Slamr said. |
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Posts: 2686
Location: Hayward, WI | FAT-SKI - 1/28/2014 4:08 PM
I guess the question I would ask. For all of you that have all the nicest gear... If you were forced to get rid of all of it, do you still think you would put up the same numbers? Or catch with the same consistency?
I know adding all that gear to my boat and arsenal would increase my fish, but would your decrease without???
I don't have the nicest gear but I'll bite. I have a basic Powerdrive bowmount with plenty of power for any wind I can stand in, 2 color gps units, and good long rods and pretty good reels. I fish out of a 16' Alumacraft Navigator. Pretty capable boat but nothing crazy.
So, if you took away my bow mount completely, I feel that would change my whole ballgame. I'd have to turn into a drifter. I might be able to adapt to that style but I think it would cost me some fish. Give me a stern mount trolling motor and that would be better, but there's a fair chance that would knock my fish count down a couple ticks.
Take all of my electronics away (talking depthfinders) and I'd be totally lost. I could probably catch a few fish per year but it seems it would be rough. I tend to follow deep breaklines fairly precisely, and would be completely lost without them. Knock my fish count down 75%. Or, I just become a slop fisherman and hit visual structure. Would be a total 180 though.
Take away my long rods - take away most of the fish I catch in the figure 8 each year, and might also lose a few more. Take my long rods away and reduce my catch by 10-15%.
Give me a 12-14' boat with small outboard. This would probably not hurt me a whole lot providing I had electronics, a bowmount, and good rods and reels. Only thing is there are some conditions I can fish in now, that I might not venture out into with a small boat. For the most part, though, I don't fish big water and could hack it from a little boat. It MIGHT cause me to fish less often, and shorter days though, which could hurt the fish count a lot.
Take it all away - give me a little boat, short rods, NO electronics of any sort, and I wouldn't be surprised if my catch rate was cut by 80% or worse.
On the other hand... give me a nice row troller with no electronics on a lake with an excellent suspended bite and I may be fairly ok. 
Oh yeah... Take away 90% of my baits but let me keep 5 that I pick: Little to no change in catch rate, sadly.
** Most of this is considering trying to fish the way I do now, without all the equipment. I think a lot of this equipment lets us find the cribs, the bottom transitions, the bait balls; lets us work structure accurately and efficiently, etc.
Take ALL of that away and I'd have to change my style. Find and drift big weed flats, reeds, slop, shorelines, visual rock piles. In reality, the fish count may not drop by as much as I'd think, but I bet average size would. Comfort and enjoying being out for a long day would be significantly reduced.
I think I could manage ok without all of IT. But, I work 5 days a week to enjoy as much if IT as I can afford on the weekend.
Tucker
Edited by curleytail 1/28/2014 5:21 PM
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Posts: 596
Location: deephaven mn | I appreciate the cabinet maker analogy.
efficiency and proficiency
good tools please, I prefer good tools |
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Posts: 3511
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I'm not going to put myself on any pedestal because there are many, many, many more good sticks out there than I am, but I will say if I were to go back to gear I started with in my early days, my lures would be smaller for the most part, but I don't think the overall catch rate would fall. The gear to present those lures might not be as long, may not cast as far, or be as easy to use, but it would get the job done....I'd learn how to adjust presentation based upon the equipment I have to use.
Take away my electronics and GPS, and I might be fishing different structures such as ones that could be visually seen unless I trolled over an area and hit weeds or bottom, which I have been fortunate enough to find doing so many years ago, but could then triangulate from there to get back to the same basic area to fish it again. I'd learn the directions to places on the lake, even with many islands by visual cues and a simple map, and I could get around, although night fishing would be out as danger levels arise in situations such as those when you cannot see.
Put me back in a little 12 or 14 foot boat with oars and I can get to those spots on days I was strong enough to move into the wind and anchor, I think I could fish the area slowly, but effectively. I may not travel as far from camp, but I would definitely know that part of the lake better than any other because the limits of travel ensure thorough exploration of small areas. If I were mobile to fish other lakes, I could get into areas that big boats could not access..thus, areas of limited fishing pressure and potentially some great fishing.
Now...take away my education from all the various sources with which I have been fortunate enough to accumulate a vast knowledge of the fish, where they live, how and when to present certain lure types, etc. etc., I think I'd be in a little bigger bind. It would put me back to the days before muskie fishing became popular...before Doug Johnson, Dick Pearson, Jack Burns, and many more who were instrumental in bringing this sport we all love to the level it is today and enjoyed by so many of us here. Without that education, my catch rate would be much lower.
Steve
Edited by VMS 1/28/2014 6:17 PM
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Posts: 455
| Give me a row boat and a zebco push button outfit with a budwiser lure and I will still catch a muskie. |
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Posts: 559
| am I the only one that understood what an x70a was showing me when I got my head wrapped around it I caught 10x more walleyes I used to fish muskies in Ont with my foot on the tiller handle of rental boat and we did just fine
n |
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Posts: 559
| OH by the way when this is was talking about IT I thought they were talking Rudy He is The S##t Everybody kows that |
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Posts: 32957
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | And folks used to hunt deer with sharpened tree limbs, too.
I'll use my cross bow and my 7MM Mag anyway.
And Rudy IS the bomb.
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Anyone fishing out of expensive boats that isn't having a good time, please PM me and I'll gladly trade you my boat for yours.
Edited by Pointerpride102 1/28/2014 7:36 PM
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