The number one problem with bass, in my opinion, is that they're ...
well ... I don't know how to put this politely ... they're ugly.
I know it's not their fault, and I shouldn't be so shallow, but
your average smallie has a face that only a mother bass could love.
(PS - I'm only half kidding. There is something about the silver
bullet - trout or salmon - that appeals to our basic nature.)
(PPS - And there is something about fishing in clear, snag-free water
that appeals to people as well. I think it's human nature to avoid weed
beds.)
(PPPS - But I'll be hanging around Elk Lake in June anyway. Because
any fishing is better than no fishing.)
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I have bass fished and salmon fished. (actually two most common types
of fishing I do.)
They are both GREAT! Bass fishign with 8lb test or so, and having a light
rod, is so fun. And it requires more targeting casting than salmon fishing.
And you generally get more action.
On the other hand, salmon are world class fighters, taste good, and has
something that just appeals to me.
They are both great! (Its just that many salmon fisherman are so prejudiced
because they believe that salmon fishing is the only fishing. Well, its
not.)
I do both quite frequently and love both!
-chris
PS. The only way you can say bass fishing is inferior is to have tried it
several times on a GOOD day, (slow bass fishing is extremely boring
I'll give you that), and then they can make a decision. If you've
never tried it, you dont know what your missing. But the same goes for bass
only fisherman of course, you also dont know what youre missing!
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That means I have to pick up a spool of 30lb.test.I guess I don,t have to
worry
about the milfoil on my boat though.
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Chris,
WELL SAID! THAT is the point that I have been trying to make all along!
Bass fishing is GREAT, salmon fishing is GREAT, Trout fishing is GREAT,
aw hell...ANY kind of fishing is GREAT!
As anglers, our license fees SHOULD be directed to ALL fishery enhancement
projects and NOT just to salmon.
As for Bobber...I don't suppose you noticed that on the HomePage for
AnglingBC.com, the animated fisherman has caught a BASS....Not a salmon.
And Fishcarver, use whatever gear you choose...THAT above all determines
what sort of an angler you are.
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Of course it's a bass. That's why the animated fishermen keeps trying
to shake it off his line. He's afraid that his animated fishing buddy
will come around the bend and make fun of him. :)
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Laugh all you want BUT...I can go to any other INTERESTING region and catch
6 LargeMouth and 4 Smallmouth bass per day, How many salmon can you catch
here?...1...2?
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You can catch as many salmon as you want in any region that has them. The
limits depend on the species. How many do you need when they are 10 times
the size of a bass?
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Mac, you are right, this area was to be used by serious Bass fishers. They
should have just left the 2 of you alone!
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Bobber,
you are a true sportsman. Your sense of humour and wit are unparallelled.
Not only that, but it is quite apparent that you have a firm grasp on reality
and society. We would all be better off to have a Vedder full of you, however,
I suspect there wouldn't be much more than twenty of you on the whole
river.
May your lines be the taughtest, and your merriment never quelled.
I would also like to make special mention of fishcarver, barry, Catostomus
sp., Sandman and Chris. Your presence only makes this board more enjoyable.
Mac, you are sort of right, but one thing you must remember is Largemouth
suck, they're the worst fish on the face of the earth, that's all
you need to know about them, and smallmouth are borderline respectable.
You know, technically, smallmouth aren't even bass, they're panfish.
So in conclusion all bass suck!!!!
Mac, you have a good heart to, but trying to sell bass out here is like
Jehovah's Witnesses trying to convert the pope. It's possible but
not likely.
Ta.
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Mac, I know I said bass suck, but you must realize I only mean those that
do, like the largemouth stripers, the ones in freshwater, forget the chuck.
As I said before, I have a small tolerance for smallies (they are not
bass). In fact my little home town is becoming infamous for it's
smallie tourney.
You mustn't get too perturbed about the whole salmon thing. They are
hard to catch and for an easterner like you and me it takes a little getting
used. Don't fret. Fun can be had. You just have to make more of an investment.
It's not like fishing in the backyard pond for catfish. Seems it's
a little (read miniscule) bit complicated here.
Come on Mac, come over here, over here to the chrome side of the force.
It's not that bad, everybody else is doing it. I have faith in you Mac.
See you on the Vedder soon.
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Spigot,
I doubt VERY much that you will EVER see me on the Vedder...I didn't
reserve my 36 inches of shoreline this year. And no, salmon are not "hard
to catch" in my opinion, they are no different than "most" fish...I
just choose NOT to fish for them. It has never been about the FISH...just
the local angling conditions, that I can't be bothered with. That is
why I look for alternatives and as Bassfreak said...we'll have the whole
Bass Lakes to ourselves!
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There are ample opportunities for fishing in the lower mainland that don't
involve crowds. You just have to know where to look for them. Do not ask
where they are, because no one will tell you. That is why they are still
uncrowded. If I told you there was a lake where you could catch four pound
bass within 1/2 hour of Vancouver, do you really think you would have the
lake to yourself? Also, you seem convinced that bass are the solution to
BC's fishery woes, yet I really don't see you making a valid argument.
For one thing, if you are right and bass really are underrated, why do the
local lakes not consistently produce more and larger bass? If you have the
lake all to yourself, then either you are killing all the fish yourself,
(in which case the bass fishery has a lower carrying capacity than even
the steelhead, which receives much more pressure), or else the conditions
in the lakes are not suitable for producing the kind of bass southern lakes
do. Let's face it, the poor quality of the bass fisheries we do have
are the result of both the poor environmental conditions here in BC, and
the actual popularity of the bass as a targeted species, particularly for
young anglers. The question is, is it worth risking the environmental consequences
(which are real) to enhance an exotic fishery that real has no place
here. I am afraid the $13 a year you put toward the fisheries program here
in BC is not enough to cover the costs.
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What are you talking about "poor quality" bass fishery? I can catch
4lb Bass within an hour or so of Vancouver, actually at a lake about 10
minutes from my house in Vancouver. I figure about a dozen people know about
it and I plan to keep it that way. The bassfishing in BC is not poor quality.
If the weather was a bit hotter throughout the year it could be better,
that would increase the time the bass had to feed before the winter doldrums.
The bass fishing in the Okanagan is spectacular because of the warmer weather
that the largemouths prefer and the smallmouth fishing on the island is
great with 5lbders taken evey year, not to mention the 7lb largemeouth caught
at Mill in Abbotsford. As for the low numbers of BAss caught, you just don't
know what your doing then bvecause 20-30 fish days are not uncommon. As
well I have caught bass in EVERY month of the year.
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My point about the "quality" of the bass fishery is in response
to Mac's lament about it. If the fishing is THAT good, what the heck
is the problem? We certainly do not need to enhance a fishery that is doing
as well as you claim Damien. However, I still don't think the bass fishing
here is as good as the States.
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Mac,
A) You WERE lamenting. This whole conversation started because you were
having trouble finding "Really good" bass fishing.
On September 7th you wrote:
Does anybody know of any REALLY good places in SouthWestern BC for Bass
fishing? But first, I'll save you some trouble:
Vaseux Lake: Hard to access, no motors allowed!
Osoyoos Lake: Too many damn skiers and Sea-doos!
Bounday Lake (nr. Abb/Sumas border): PRIVATE!
I don't really feel like driving all the way to Creston/Grand Forks
area.
I had some marginal success at Vaseux Lake MANY years ago, but since all
of the private campgrounds started closing down, there's really nowhere
to launch a boat within an hour of where you need to row! The backwaters
of Osoyoos lake look promising, but again, hard to access. Anybody?
B)I know because I have fished both. Pay attention!
C)I am still here because I enjoy the banter. It takes my mind off my
research.
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And I'm still here because it takes my mind off the fact that I can't
find a steelhead ANYWHERE, and it's driving me nuts. I have single-handedly
dammed entire river systems with gigantic clumps of white wool, diverted
stream channels by filling them with jensen eggs, and driven more than one
tackle shop owner into a nervous breakdown with my incessant whining. I'm
up to my 9,995th cast (trust me, I've counted) and if I don't
find one on Friday - THIS Friday - I'm leaving my 40-foot drift rod
and carefully tied leaders behind, in favour of an ugly stick and spinner
baits (whatever the hell THEY are).
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My problem with your reasoning is simple Mac. You seem to take some fun
at enraging "salmon folk" and yet are quite surprised when someone
actually responds to it. All I have done in any of my posts is to point
out certain points that I disagree with. Such as when you suggested that
bass were native to BC. This was simply false, they were introduced at the
turn of the century. What is wrong with me pointing this fact out? You cannot
expect everyone to agree with you, that just isn't going to happen.
The very definition of a "discussion" involves a debate, an exchange
of ideas. You must be open to conflicting views, and stop taking it so personally
when someone disagrees with you. I do not know why I am accused of being
condescending. I have said nothing offensive. I have never resorted to name
calling. I try my best to provide evidence to support my arguments. And
I invite others to engage me. I honestly do not understand your objections.
Is this not what "friendly conversation" is about?
For instance, I am still confused as to your objection to my being involved
in a discussion about bass fishing. Why do you keep suggesting that I am
NOT a bass fisherman? That I have nothing to offer a discussion on bass
fishing? Talk about condescending. Is it perhaps because I do not fish exclusively
for bass? You yourself have admitted to as much, or do I have to remind
you of that bit of "history" as well? I have nothing against a civilized
discussion on bass fishing. I HAVE made other post to this discussion that
did not involve debate with you. However, if you are going to incite a debate
with me, be prepared, I will accept your challenge. Believe me, I am not
without fault. I have been wrong in the past. In fact I rather enjoy it
when someone teaches me something I don't know. Knowledge is a wonderful
thing, you can never have enough, or too much. You are more than welcome
to convince me of your ideas, but you will be required to back up what you
say. Remember, I do not accept poorly constructed arguments or unsubstantiated
claims.
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Ok Mac I stand corrected on Spigot. Tyler seems like an alright guy even
if he does call himself a faucet. I kind of like the sound of spigot,it
sounds like somfthing you could use to fling trash fish into the bush with.
Well the rest is in the history.
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Chris light'en up, I was just fun'en.
Bobber nothing wrong with carping if you have the right gear. I use a 45lb
recurve rigged with a reel and lined with 30lb. backing. A solid fiberglass
arrow helps if there more than 6 ft. down. Carp seem to know when your stalking
them. It's good sport. ops damb thought that bass was a carp
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As this watershed and surrounding ones are bass free, (I've not
fished for them) and having read the above posts not hastily, but not
thouroughly, I did not detect anybody taking any home for food.
I know in the USA prior to all the big money derbies, people used to eat
them. Maybe they still do. Hush puppies, greens, battered fillets...deep
fried...
You folks harvest for foodfish, or just c/r?
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I don't eat the LMB in the Lower Mainland due to the fishery being fairly
new, but the smallies on the islands are tastey.
I roll the fillets in FishCrisp and pan fry them in canola oil. YUMMY!
Chad T. Keogh
West Coast Bass Anglers
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I did eat bass caught from Duck Lake near Creston. Bass have a fairly distinct
flavour. They are lean and have a character some consider 'fishy'.
Best fried in a batter. I also have eaten smallmouth but it was years ago
and don't remember that well other than they were fine. Similar to cod
or rockfish. Eating lots of LM and Valley large mouth would be a good way
to start fishing out populations from illegal stocking
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Ralph's right, bass does kind of taste like cod. Very tastey!
Just don't know if I'd eat the ones in the Lower Mainland due to
being in VERY urban waters. High pollution levels don't make for very
good table fish. For sport, sure.
Chad T. Keogh
West Coast Bass Anglers
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