How much skill does it take

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on August 25, 2009 at 9:04pm

Finally a decent topic! It has been a while and I'm sure a weiner joke will find its way into this discussion before its finished.

I haven't been around long enough to speak about all of this stuff intelligently but here is what I have observed and experienced in my second season of tournament fishing.

I believe Ben is correct in his assesment of skill. Some guys are just born fishier than others. Just like some guys can jump and some can't. The one major difference between fishing and athletic sports is that some of these born defficiencies can be overcome. No amount of time on a basketball court is going to make a short guy with no leaping ability be able to dunk a basketball.However, it is possible for a guy without as much natural fishing talent to become competitive but he may never be as good as a guy with talent who works just as hard. I think the reason more guys, who don't have as much natural talent, don't end up becoming more competitive is the amount of work it takes. Most guys don't have the time or desire to put in that kind of work.

I have been fortunate to fish with some of those guys that Ben listed and there is definitely something different about them. I remember the first tournament I ever fished in and Steve Mcmannis and his brother took a bunch of money from some incredible fishermen in a 16 foot basstracker. Every boat in the field took off down river at 70 miles an hour and the Mcmannis boys idled just outside the marina dropped the trolling motor and put 25 pounds in the box. They did the exact same thing the next day and won by a mile. Neither one of them was even 21 years old at the time so it had nothing to do with experience and they had the slowest boat in the field. Since then they have repeated that many many times.

It also seems more than cooincidental that the guys winning tournaments are also the same guys shooting giant bucks and bulls. They are the same guys limiting on ducks and geese every time out. Most of them live an outdoor lifestyle...not all but most. I don't know if it's the same set of skills that helps them in all of these areas but it can't hurt.

Men always want to know how they stack up and Ron is right. There is only one way to find out! The results will tell you exactly that. Results don't however help you figure out where to go next as far as what you need to do to become more competitve. I think the only way to figure that out is to be in a boat with one of those guys for a day and you will quickly see just how much work you will need to do to get there. That is if you are honest with yourself.

I think you also have to be a little obsessive compulsive. Notice I left out the disorder part . When you want to become really good at something you have to be a little obsessed with the project and I don't consider that a disorder. I know there is a hell of a lot more to it than that. These are just a couple of things I have observed of a few of the succesful guys.

Permalink Reply by Ben Hanes on August 25, 2009 at 9:19pm

Josh and Marc, very well put, and those were excellent posts!

Nitroman, your comments are weird. We're just trying to shed some light on what we thought might be an honest question.

Josh Potter said:

Finally a decent topic! It has been a while and I'm sure a weiner joke will find its way into this discussion before its finished.

I haven't been around long enough to speak about all of this stuff intelligently but here is what I have observed and experienced in my second season of tournament fishing.

I believe Ben is correct in his assesment of skill. Some guys are just born fishier than others. Just like some guys can jump and some can't. The one major difference between fishing and athletic sports is that some of these born defficiencies can be overcome. No amount of time on a basketball court is going to make a short guy with no leaping ability be able to dunk a basketball.However, it is possible for a guy without as much natural fishing talent to become competitive but he may never be as good as a guy with talent who works just as hard. I think the reason more guys, who don't have as much natural talent, don't end up becoming more competitive is the amount of work it takes. Most guys don't have the time or desire to put in that kind of work.

I have been fortunate to fish with some of those guys that Ben listed and there is definitely something different about them. I remember the first tournament I ever fished in and Steve Mcmannis and his brother took a bunch of money from some incredible fishermen in a 16 foot basstracker. Every boat in the field took off down river at 70 miles an hour and the Mcmannis boys idled just outside the marina dropped the trolling motor and put 25 pounds in the box. They did the exact same thing the next day and won by a mile. Neither one of them was even 21 years old at the time so it had nothing to do with experience and they had the slowest boat in the field. Since then they have repeated that many many times.

It also seems more than cooincidental that the guys winning tournaments are also the same guys shooting giant bucks and bulls. They are the same guys limiting on ducks and geese every time out. Most of them live an outdoor lifestyle...not all but most. I don't know if it's the same set of skills that helps them in all of these areas but it can't hurt.

Men always want to know how they stack up and Ron is right. There is only one way to find out! The results will tell you exactly that. Results don't however help you figure out where to go next as far as what you need to do to become more competitve. I think the only way to figure that out is to be in a boat with one of those guys for a day and you will quickly see just how much work you will need to do to get there. That is if you are honest with yourself.

I think you also have to be a little obsessive compulsive. Notice I left out the disorder part . When you want to become really good at something you have to be a little obsessed with the project and I don't consider that a disorder. I know there is a hell of a lot more to it than that. These are just a couple of things I have observed of a few of the succesful guys.

Permalink Reply by Steve Hastings on August 25, 2009 at 9:20pm

Marc,

Nice job as usual, I also noticed the missing "?"

I'd just add two comments, and Marc almost said it in number "8" above. Its consistency. Being a really good tournament angler to me is simply being consistently good. It is what I strive for. Any one can win a tournament, but truly good anglers place high and win more consistently. You can call yourself a good angler, but with 5 tournaments under belt...well I have more than 100 and don't believe I am even close to what I can be as a Tournament angler. The other item is "Instinct", not in the scientific definition but more in the conotation, as in developing good instincts. You absorb all the environmental factors around you at that moment and time, and with little to no conscious thought choose to do something specific, like quickly tie on that darker jig and throw to that area of stained water, that was created by the heavy rain run off. If you have recently taken anyone new fishing, you will witness the lack of developed instincts. I think really good anglers have highly developed instincts. They may not be any brighter than a small appliance bulb when it comes to opening an door, but their fishing experience has provided these highly developed instincts. Finally one of the primary reasons I choose to fish qualifiers as a non boater was to have that opportunity to fish with other more highly skilled anglers to watch what they do and learn. I might recommend you give it a whirl and see where you stand against that level of competion.

Steve

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on August 25, 2009 at 9:20pm

I actually spent time answering this moron's question then realized he is just another one of these jealous "hate the rich" idiots.

I have what I have because I earned it you loser. You will never have what I have because you are too retarded to figure out that instead of sitting around whining like a jealous douche you should be seizing one of the countless opportunities you are too small to recognize.

My disdain for your ilk is not born out of insecurity but is the product of intolerance for mindless parrots like you.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on August 25, 2009 at 9:21pm

Being an attention whore is not a good thing if you are trying to get better. It will come automatically.
Dissing guys that have busted there asses all their lives so they can enjoy the fruits of there labor (boats, food, viagra) is not the way to go. I have 3 awesome friends that have boats with 300hp motors. Not a single one of them would ever confess themselves as pro fisherman, I don't really consider myself one either. It sounds like you know someone or like Reimers said are jealous of someone.
Tip:
#1 Bust your ass and make enough and save enough if a 300hp. is in your dreams
#2 If you are finishing in the middle of the pack now a better boat isn't going to make a whole hell of a difference where you finish. Many a tournament has been won out of a nitro might as well stick with it
#3 Making enemies is not good making friends is better, I credit all my success to my friends.

nitroman said:

Not stupid just an attention whore and it looks like i got yours

Brian Reimers said:

You playing stupid is just your way i guess....You've always been good at it.

nitroman said:

Its very interresting to see the insucure people come out of the wood work to make personal atacks twards people when you make a statement about a boat size or the physical appearence of the mass majority of the male population. what i really wanted to know is do all of those crutches help a man catch a fish. Or can i get lazy and let myself go physically and waste a lot of money and still be a happy go luckly person as i am.Or will the pressure of keeping up with the jones and riding on peoples jockstrap get the best of me and make me sacrifice my personality

Brian Reimers said:

Nitroman you sound sad! did someone hurt your feelings. Maybe your problems will come to light if you just looked in the mirror........ and yes i can't see my belt and i do get paid a lot money.

The funny thing about your post is you sound so ( JEALOUS ) =)

Permalink Reply by nitroman on August 25, 2009 at 11:55pm

Thanks to everyone who gave the feed back. It was great to be a part of it. I never ment to offend anyone. Its the mentality of some that i dont understand. And if not understanding makes me stupid so be it. And yes i will pony up and fish with and against the best and the worst all the same. And get beat by the worst as well as the best. And if i meet any of you on the water i will give you my secret worm to help you catch fish. As far as freinds i consider all fishermen my friend. You dont make friends it just happens. As for being rich, being rich is not what you have its what you need. And i have what i need so im rich as well . best of luck to all

Permalink Reply by Lloyd on August 26, 2009 at 8:26am

We will all be looking for Ron Storment in the standings soon.
Good luck Ron.

nitroman said:

Thanks to everyone who gave the feed back. It was great to be a part of it. I never ment to offend anyone. Its the mentality of some that i dont understand. And if not understanding makes me stupid so be it. And yes i will pony up and fish with and against the best and the worst all the same. And get beat by the worst as well as the best. And if i meet any of you on the water i will give you my secret worm to help you catch fish. As far as freinds i consider all fishermen my friend. You dont make friends it just happens. As for being rich, being rich is not what you have its what you need. And i have what i need so im rich as well . best of luck to all

Permalink Reply by nitroman on August 26, 2009 at 9:51am

Thanks for follwing my career loyd. You can be the first member of the nitroman fan club

Lloyd said:

We will all be looking for Ron Storment in the standings soon.
Good luck Ron.

nitroman said:

Thanks to everyone who gave the feed back. It was great to be a part of it. I never ment to offend anyone. Its the mentality of some that i dont understand. And if not understanding makes me stupid so be it. And yes i will pony up and fish with and against the best and the worst all the same. And get beat by the worst as well as the best. And if i meet any of you on the water i will give you my secret worm to help you catch fish. As far as freinds i consider all fishermen my friend. You dont make friends it just happens. As for being rich, being rich is not what you have its what you need. And i have what i need so im rich as well . best of luck to all

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on August 26, 2009 at 9:54am

As someone who doesnt fish tournies....I'm not sure how valuable my feedback is, but....I think I have 2 good cents.

The re-occuring theme I see from Marc's post, and from the perceived better anglers on this site.....is INTELLIGENCE!

Bass Fishing is so dynamic, and I've learned a lot in the last couple years, but you have to be smart enough to put this chinese jigsaw puzzle together consistantly. Going out and catching fish for fun is difficult enought...but then add pre-fishing tactics, and managing your routes for day 2, or 3....etc....etc...it just seems ridiculously complex.

In my opinion, mental capacity is THE limiting factor. Guys like Berto, Delay, Hobbs, Tag, Marc...etc..etc....they are obviously intelligent people. I think people with strong memories, the ability to strategize analytically, and the ability to solve complex puzzles make good consistant fisherman. These are traits you are born with. You can improve them over time with effort, but much of it is obviously natural. The other thing is probably the willingness to understand your quarry like Marc said.

I have a problem with not really caring what is going on....I just like to fish, and keep my line wet...so that probably hurts my understanding of the fish. Sort of like blowing on a duck call without ever just listening to natural duck sounds, and watching ducks work and re-act with the call in your pocket.

As for equipment....I have a feeling that depth finders can make a big difference, but the length of boat, and HP matters little. Although i would like to see Hobbs make that 75 mile FLW run in my 16 foot aluminum boat with a 25hp :-)

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on August 26, 2009 at 10:46am

The problem with your theory on intelligence= a good fisherman is that there are always exceptions to that rule......

Jake "The Snake" Anderson said:

As someone who doesnt fish tournies....I'm not sure how valuable my feedback is, but....I think I have 2 good cents.

The re-occuring theme I see from Marc's post, and from the perceived better anglers on this site.....is INTELLIGENCE!

Bass Fishing is so dynamic, and I've learned a lot in the last couple years, but you have to be smart enough to put this chinese jigsaw puzzle together consistantly. Going out and catching fish for fun is difficult enought...but then add pre-fishing tactics, and managing your routes for day 2, or 3....etc....etc...it just seems ridiculously complex.

In my opinion, mental capacity is THE limiting factor. Guys like Berto, Delay, Hobbs, Tag, Marc...etc..etc....they are obviously intelligent people. I think people with strong memories, the ability to strategize analytically, and the ability to solve complex puzzles make good consistant fisherman. These are traits you are born with. You can improve them over time with effort, but much of it is obviously natural. The other thing is probably the willingness to understand your quarry like Marc said.

I have a problem with not really caring what is going on....I just like to fish, and keep my line wet...so that probably hurts my understanding of the fish. Sort of like blowing on a duck call without ever just listening to natural duck sounds, and watching ducks work and re-act with the call in your pocket.

As for equipment....I have a feeling that depth finders can make a big difference, but the length of boat, and HP matters little. Although i would like to see Hobbs make that 75 mile FLW run in my 16 foot aluminum boat with a 25hp :-)

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on August 26, 2009 at 3:02pm

He was talking about himself, Aaron Martins, and David Dudley.

Jon Sessler said:

And what's his name?

Mike Bess said:

The problem with your theory on intelligence= a good fisherman is that there are always exceptions to that rule

Permalink Reply by Eric DeLay on August 26, 2009 at 3:05pm

EAD

nitroman said:

Thanks to everyone who gave the feed back. It was great to be a part of it. I never ment to offend anyone. Its the mentality of some that i dont understand. And if not understanding makes me stupid so be it. And yes i will pony up and fish with and against the best and the worst all the same. And get beat by the worst as well as the best. And if i meet any of you on the water i will give you my secret worm to help you catch fish. As far as freinds i consider all fishermen my friend. You dont make friends it just happens. As for being rich, being rich is not what you have its what you need. And i have what i need so im rich as well . best of luck to all

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