Secrets?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on January 27, 2011 at 12:10pm

Everyone else has said it so much better than I did so I removed my initial post.  People have shared information with me and it has helped me get to where I am today as a fisherman and I am very grateful.  I am taking a leadership class right now and we spent some time the other day talking about giving, and how there are studies that show sharing and giving actually makes you happier and more successful in life.  I have never really hesitated to help people out and tell them what I have figured out because I like seeing other people succeed. This is why I decided to become a Track and Field coach after high school and I guess why I am in the grow the sport, help each other out, and have fun camp!  The best will still rise to the top come tournament day and guys like Ron, Jordan, Don, Mark, and Marc all prove this on a regular basis every year.

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on January 27, 2011 at 2:02pm

Along the lines of what PJ said about giving and happiness...it is no cooincidence that the most benevolent people are often times the happiest people.

Permalink Reply by troy kelly on January 27, 2011 at 4:13pm

Although I haven't fished alot of larger tournaments I do enjoy fishing club tourneys and the ones I do well in I will tell everything.  Looking back on it telling members how I caught my fish has never come back to haunt me.  I think there are too many variables in fishing that disguise successful areas between two anglers.  For example one fall at chelan I won a tourney fishing a small shallow water isolated rock patch.  We would roll in catch 1 or 2 and leave for a while then come back only to catch a few more.  This played out for two days.  During the tourney everytime we would pull in boats would be fishing up or down the bank that had passed through the same area only to not catch any fish.  I believe this sort of situation plays out for every angler at one time or another.  I think guys that do consistantly well in tournament dont do it with secrets, but do it by staying one step ahead of their competiton.

 

troy

 

Permalink Reply by Chris Jones on January 27, 2011 at 4:27pm

Don,

I just wanted to thank you. I attended one of your seminars in Tri-Cities , I wish I could have made to them all. A lot of the information that you shared was things that I had never really heard before or read in books or magazines. It changed the way I think about targeting larger fish and I plan on concentrating on this next year. I commend you on not being afraid to give away some of your “secrets”.  I think sharing this kind of information is only going to help the sport grow. We would all like to see more big tournaments in the northwest. I think the only way that we are going to get them is to have a lot more bass anglers and a lot more money being generated in the bass fishing industry. The best way to get more people out bass fishing and to convert some of the salmon guys is for them to have some success on the water. 

Don Hogue said:

It cuts both ways.  Tournament or not, angling will always be about finding stuff that others don't know about or don't understand the potential of - otherwise, we would all be fishing in the same location because that's all we know.   

At the same time, I can't pretend I live in a vacuum and that everything that goes into a successful day of fishing was all "ME".  I started the whole thread for a couple of reasons.  One, was the discussion on "backreeling"  I just assumed everyone knew about this, just that some chose not to do it.  They other was the "shallow crankbait" thread.  I've long been in love with the Speed Trap.  Until a few days ago, it was something I would rather not talk about.  But really, who am I kidding?  It's no secret, much less MY secret.   

I did three seminars for the Tri City Sportsman show last weekend.  Two of the seminars I spent describing how to locate bass on the Columbia and how to "Hunt for Trophy Smallmouth".  Not basic stuff either, very detailed with maps, pictures...heavy on theory.  I walked away from both wondering if people realized how much information I just gave away on those topics.  Within the time I had, I let everything fly - all I knew on both topics.  Most of it stuff I've never heard or read anywhere else.  So after it was over, I wondered if those who attended thought they were getting a bunch of bull...like Marc said, many will just assume you aren't telling the truth.  After all, who would give up that kind of info?  But maybe I'm just full of myself.  Maybe all serious bass fisherman know what I talked about, which is why I didn't see many familiar faces in the crowd. 

David Parnicky said:

So therefore, can it be determined that successful tournament angling has nothing to do with trying to figure out something that others don't know about and everything to do with applying what others already know better than they do?  This seems like a safe assumption and I definately agree that to do well in tournaments, an angler needs all the help they can get in figuring out the fish as quickly as possible.  Information sharing would definately help you figure the fish out better and noone would want to share information with someone that had a reputation for being tight lipped. 

 

Permalink Reply by BigBass Dez on January 27, 2011 at 7:48pm

Cool thread gentleman !! 

This thread makes me think about when i first started pursuing bass fishing as a "sport" .

About 17 years ago i only had 2 baits in my tackle box , one was a jointed rapala shadrap and the other one was just a bag of Berkley power worms . Like marc mentioned earlier in this thread , i also depended upon my bassmaster magazines to learn how catch bass and also how to properly use bass lures . Im very grateful that pro bass anglers speak at seminars and the many other bass organizations that have made it a point to educate the general public about this sport that we all enjoy.

Im also very grateful of the many of bass anglers that have shared tips and advise with me over a 17 year period which has played a key role into what i now know about bassfishing period . I consider myself simply a student of this sport and nothing more , so who im i to say that "I" have secrets about bass fishing. lol 

Now with that being said , i have giving tons of advise to anglers based on what i have learned and i have no regrets about doing that .I get great joy out of seeing those anglers show up at bass tourneys filled with excitement and anticipaction of what the day will provide for them . If our sport doesnt continue to grow and continue to get more partipation we are only hurting ourselves in the long run, thats not my opinion , its a true fact .

No tourney director will ever tell you that he or she is disappointed too see a ton boats showing up tourney morning .Keep in mind folks that there will always be a "first timer" or a "rookie team" showing up tourney morning ready to put there dime and time on the water for the sake of being a competitive angler soley based on there current knowledge of the sport . Those anglers have all been motivated by bassfishing information sources, other bass anglers , seminars , etc . Those same anglers  play a role in the pay-outs handed out by event organizers after the fish results have come in, So to me those new anglers are just as important as the anglers that are always at these events...

I ask everyone that reads this thread to ask themselves an important question , "Have you played a role in growing our sport by educating others?" and if not ,WHY ? Its 2011 and bassfishing has grown into the biggest its ever been before , that really means to me that there are no longer any real secrets and NO thats not a bad thing in my book ;-) 

 

Dez

Permalink Reply by Jerry on January 27, 2011 at 7:53pm

Very well put, Dez

BigBass Dez said:

Cool thread gentleman !! 

This thread makes me think about when i first started pursuing bass fishing as a "sport" .

About 17 years ago i only had 2 baits in my tackle box , one was a jointed rapala shadrap and the other one was just a bag of Berkley power worms . Like marc mentioned earlier in this thread , i also depended upon my bassmaster magazines to learn how catch bass and also how to properly use bass lures . Im very grateful that pro bass anglers speak at seminars and the many other bass organizations that have made it a point to educate the general public about this sport that we all enjoy.

Im also very grateful of the many of bass anglers that have shared tips and advise with me over a 17 year period which has played a key role into what i now know about bassfishing period . I consider myself simply a student of this sport and nothing more , so who im i to say that "I" have secrets about bass fishing. lol 

Now with that being said , i have giving tons of advise to anglers based on what i have learned and i have no regrets about doing that .I get great joy out of seeing those anglers show up at bass tourneys filled with excitement and anticipaction of what the day will provide for them . If our sport doesnt continue to grow and continue to get more partipation we are only hurting ourselves in the long run, thats not my opinion , its a true fact .

No tourney director will ever tell you that he or she is disappointed too see a ton boats showing up tourney morning .Keep in mind folks that there will always be a "first timer" or a "rookie team" showing up tourney morning ready to put there dime and time on the water for the sake of being a competitive angler soley based on there current knowledge of the sport . Those anglers have all been motivated by bassfishing information sources, other bass anglers , seminars , etc . Those same anglers  play a role in the pay-outs handed out by event organizers after the fish results have come in, So to me those new anglers are just as important as the anglers that are always at these events...

I ask everyone that reads this thread to ask themselves an important question , "Have you played a role in growing our sport by educating others?" and if not ,WHY ? Its 2011 and bassfishing has grown into the biggest its ever been before , that really means to me that there are no longer any real secrets and NO thats not a bad thing in my book ;-) 

 

Dez

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on January 27, 2011 at 10:45pm

Don, keep giving seminars at the level you just did, and never give a thought that it will hurt you; as a teacher I am sure you can relate that your best students also become your best teachers. 

 

ciao,

Marc Marcantonio

Don Hogue said:

It cuts both ways.  Tournament or not, angling will always be about finding stuff that others don't know about or don't understand the potential of - otherwise, we would all be fishing in the same location because that's all we know.   

At the same time, I can't pretend I live in a vacuum and that everything that goes into a successful day of fishing was all "ME".  I started the whole thread for a couple of reasons.  One, was the discussion on "backreeling"  I just assumed everyone knew about this, just that some chose not to do it.  They other was the "shallow crankbait" thread.  I've long been in love with the Speed Trap.  Until a few days ago, it was something I would rather not talk about.  But really, who am I kidding?  It's no secret, much less MY secret.   

I did three seminars for the Tri City Sportsman show last weekend.  Two of the seminars I spent describing how to locate bass on the Columbia and how to "Hunt for Trophy Smallmouth".  Not basic stuff either, very detailed with maps, pictures...heavy on theory.  I walked away from both wondering if people realized how much information I just gave away on those topics.  Within the time I had, I let everything fly - all I knew on both topics.  Most of it stuff I've never heard or read anywhere else.  So after it was over, I wondered if those who attended thought they were getting a bunch of bull...like Marc said, many will just assume you aren't telling the truth.  After all, who would give up that kind of info?  But maybe I'm just full of myself.  Maybe all serious bass fisherman know what I talked about, which is why I didn't see many familiar faces in the crowd. 

David Parnicky said:

So therefore, can it be determined that successful tournament angling has nothing to do with trying to figure out something that others don't know about and everything to do with applying what others already know better than they do?  This seems like a safe assumption and I definately agree that to do well in tournaments, an angler needs all the help they can get in figuring out the fish as quickly as possible.  Information sharing would definately help you figure the fish out better and noone would want to share information with someone that had a reputation for being tight lipped. 

 

Permalink Reply by Chad Simon on January 28, 2011 at 6:00am

To put this in to retrospect combining this thread, and the one I started earlier this year about how we educate ourselves. We learn

10% of what we read

20% of what we hear

30% of what we see

50% of what we hear and see

70% of what we say

90% of what we say and do

 

Therefore, your only doing yourself good by preaching what you practice, and vise versa!

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on January 28, 2011 at 5:12pm

Chad all of this is very true!  I know its clear by the statistics but the amount of retention and understanding increases greatly when there are multiple senses involved.  That's why time on the water, friends, mentors, seminars, and clubs are some of the greatest tools to learn about fishing.

Chad Simon said:

To put this in to retrospect combining this thread, and the one I started earlier this year about how we educate ourselves. We learn

10% of what we read

20% of what we hear

30% of what we see

50% of what we hear and see

70% of what we say

90% of what we say and do

 

Therefore, your only doing yourself good by preaching what you practice, and vise versa!

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on January 28, 2011 at 8:39pm

I would have loved to be at your seminars, man some people really missed out, the biggest thing I would have paid attention to would not have been the spots or the baits, I would have paid most attention to the way you had came to the conclusions of why and how. I get more out of learning how people think about fishing and not actually the techniques or baits that are employed, I think I would have learned a ton.... maybe next time :(

Don Hogue said:

It cuts both ways.  Tournament or not, angling will always be about finding stuff that others don't know about or don't understand the potential of - otherwise, we would all be fishing in the same location because that's all we know.   

At the same time, I can't pretend I live in a vacuum and that everything that goes into a successful day of fishing was all "ME".  I started the whole thread for a couple of reasons.  One, was the discussion on "backreeling"  I just assumed everyone knew about this, just that some chose not to do it.  They other was the "shallow crankbait" thread.  I've long been in love with the Speed Trap.  Until a few days ago, it was something I would rather not talk about.  But really, who am I kidding?  It's no secret, much less MY secret.   

I did three seminars for the Tri City Sportsman show last weekend.  Two of the seminars I spent describing how to locate bass on the Columbia and how to "Hunt for Trophy Smallmouth".  Not basic stuff either, very detailed with maps, pictures...heavy on theory.  I walked away from both wondering if people realized how much information I just gave away on those topics.  Within the time I had, I let everything fly - all I knew on both topics.  Most of it stuff I've never heard or read anywhere else.  So after it was over, I wondered if those who attended thought they were getting a bunch of bull...like Marc said, many will just assume you aren't telling the truth.  After all, who would give up that kind of info?  But maybe I'm just full of myself.  Maybe all serious bass fisherman know what I talked about, which is why I didn't see many familiar faces in the crowd. 

David Parnicky said:

So therefore, can it be determined that successful tournament angling has nothing to do with trying to figure out something that others don't know about and everything to do with applying what others already know better than they do?  This seems like a safe assumption and I definately agree that to do well in tournaments, an angler needs all the help they can get in figuring out the fish as quickly as possible.  Information sharing would definately help you figure the fish out better and noone would want to share information with someone that had a reputation for being tight lipped. 

 

Permalink Reply by Don Hogue on January 28, 2011 at 9:34pm

If I would have seen you in the crowd, I would have spend an hour on how to tie knots! ;)

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

I would have loved to be at your seminars, man some people really missed out, the biggest thing I would have paid attention to would not have been the spots or the baits, I would have paid most attention to the way you had came to the conclusions of why and how. I get more out of learning how people think about fishing and not actually the techniques or baits that are employed, I think I would have learned a ton.... maybe next time :(

Don Hogue said:

It cuts both ways.  Tournament or not, angling will always be about finding stuff that others don't know about or don't understand the potential of - otherwise, we would all be fishing in the same location because that's all we know.   

At the same time, I can't pretend I live in a vacuum and that everything that goes into a successful day of fishing was all "ME".  I started the whole thread for a couple of reasons.  One, was the discussion on "backreeling"  I just assumed everyone knew about this, just that some chose not to do it.  They other was the "shallow crankbait" thread.  I've long been in love with the Speed Trap.  Until a few days ago, it was something I would rather not talk about.  But really, who am I kidding?  It's no secret, much less MY secret.   

I did three seminars for the Tri City Sportsman show last weekend.  Two of the seminars I spent describing how to locate bass on the Columbia and how to "Hunt for Trophy Smallmouth".  Not basic stuff either, very detailed with maps, pictures...heavy on theory.  I walked away from both wondering if people realized how much information I just gave away on those topics.  Within the time I had, I let everything fly - all I knew on both topics.  Most of it stuff I've never heard or read anywhere else.  So after it was over, I wondered if those who attended thought they were getting a bunch of bull...like Marc said, many will just assume you aren't telling the truth.  After all, who would give up that kind of info?  But maybe I'm just full of myself.  Maybe all serious bass fisherman know what I talked about, which is why I didn't see many familiar faces in the crowd. 

David Parnicky said:

So therefore, can it be determined that successful tournament angling has nothing to do with trying to figure out something that others don't know about and everything to do with applying what others already know better than they do?  This seems like a safe assumption and I definately agree that to do well in tournaments, an angler needs all the help they can get in figuring out the fish as quickly as possible.  Information sharing would definately help you figure the fish out better and noone would want to share information with someone that had a reputation for being tight lipped. 

 

Permalink Reply by Matt Fish on March 10, 2011 at 9:33pm

I think if you are confident in your abilities sharing info shouldn't be an issue. I think the elites share things more freely than the average angler because of their confidence. I think the best fisherman are the best listeners. I've learned a lot from just watching others and asking questions. Here is an example. I was fishing an area I wasn't really familiar with and saw a kid on the bank fishing. I got to talking to him and he told me he caught a 2lb smallmouth there a week before. That got the wheels turning in my head.... I fished that spot 3 times without a bite. The 4th trip in I caught a grip of nice smallies. I had confidence their were fish in that spot, thanks to him. Even with information, without confidence you have nothing. Some of the most unlikely people have given me bits of info that have turned me on to fish. I believe the average fisherman has the urge to brag, share info and stories. Not sure if it's a pride thing or just being helpful, but being a good listener can pay off huge,and sometimes striking up a conversation and helping someone else out can benefit you a lot!

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