[Lard Almighty]

Looks like some of you guys need an edumucation! Please follow me into the very frightening mind of a Bass Fisherman!

First, if you’re judging based on watching professionals (e.g. walking billboards fishing out of larger, motorized billboards), please STOP! It’s in their best interests to land fish as quickly as possible, since a missed fish can mean the difference between getting a check and going home broke. The longer a fish is in the water the more chances it has to shake the hook and get free. Which is why they use broom handles and parachute cord to swing a 5 pound bass in the boat like it’s a bluegill.

For us weekend guys, it’s more a matter of matching tackle to the conditions and cover we’re fishing, as opposed to the fish we expect to catch. Yes you can land a 5+ pound largemouth on 4 pound test, but not when it’s wrapped around a stump or buried deep under a hectare of lily pads. If you’re fishing around nasty junk that eats ultralights for breakfast, you’d better bring the beefy gear if you hope to land any fish.

So, you may now be saying, “But Lard! Why even bother fishing for bass, and go after fish that fight better and can always be caught on light gear?” Well, the answer is simple: I love fishing for bass. It’s one of the few species that can consistently be caught on a huge variety of techniques, they live almost anywhere (meaning I don’t have to drive up to Pulaski or the Great Lakes to catch one), and believe it or not, some of them do fight pretty darn hard.

I know I probably haven’t converted anybody, but that wasn’t my intent. Just wanted to show that everyone likes different things, even if it doesn’t necessarily make sense. You like apples, I like pears. You like IPA, I like stout. You like hockey, I like baseball. You like steelhead, I like largemouth bass!

Spring is here! Let’s stop debating, pick a fish we like, and GO GET ‘EM!