Bassmasters Century Mark

[bigpoppabass]

What's funny is after typing message mentioning Jordan Lee above, I got a tiktok vid feed of Jordan Lee talking about the Lake Fork torney, and the role ffs unquestionably played in it. He stated what I now know having fished Champlain many times. With ffs, you can now target disbursed fish with accuracy. And if they want to eat like during an early pre-spawn scenario, it is a game changer. 

PS. I have fished Champlain during Memorial Day weekends many times. I found good fish in small pockets (almost spawning pairs) pre spawn and hadn't moved up in 20 feet of water. I could spot them with my traditional scans, but could never really target them well making random casts to the tiny area where I thought they were. The structure area was so small. So when I watched the Elites on Champlain on tv, it brought back memories of these fish I had scoped but had little chance of catching. With the ffs you can hit those spots with accuracy rather than wasting your time trying to get a bait to them. 

Edited March 7 by bigpoppabass

[MeanFish]

I think in ways it could actually help fisheries maybe in a few ways, one we are learning more about bass and other species way faster than ever before now because of it, and if wildlife management starts using it they can get more in depth studies on how fish are acting/reacting in the moment instead of tracking tags over long time periods. Those bass that are sitting out deep that are primarily targets with ffs will learn and adapt as they see more baits than ever before. But also it can hurt some populations in lakes that maybe have a lower population to begin with, I can see how that small percent of fish that die from the stress of being caught and everything could make a  difference in overall populations since those fish had never been targeted before. Im still new to ffs, only owned one for a little over a month and i can see how much of a game changer it can be, i was finding bait balls and bass/crappie in areas i never would've seen before, but just because you can see them doesn't mean you can catch them lol, ive spent a fair amount of time casting at a fish and seeing my bait go right by without it even turning. As the spawn is coming around in most the country my actual fear is more that those fish that spawn a little deeper that maybe for the most part dont get targeted on their beds, now with perspective mode you can see them clearly so those fish will now be pulled off beds like never before which could also hurt them long run possibly. (And no, im not one of the anti-bed fishing guys, i still go out and target beds occasionally, just pointing out that those fish that you don't see in normal circumstances now can be seen and targeted off beds)

[Jon P]

I've been trying to break the state record in my homestate for seven years now. I know where I have a great shot to catch that fish and I know with FFS I could have a great shot at that fish, and easily break my PB in the process. That said, I'd never feel like I truly succeeded in my goal if buying the FFS is what finally made the difference. But even then I'm fishing against anglers in several thousand dollar boats with the FFS and the only reason they aren't catching those fish is because they haven't figured that lake out yet. I'd be proud as hell to succeed without it, but I'd feel awfully stupid to miss out on a giant fish for my pride.

On 3/4/2024 at 8:56 PM, B_larkin3 said:

I’m starting to think we’ll see guys wearing some sort of AR style goggles / glasses with the way it’s going. You could have all your screens on the ar goggles while keeping your posture normal and watching your line as well. With the way technology is advancing and being adopted by the fishing world, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see that sooner than later.

Run two livescope units on gimbals connected to two separate VR headsets with head tracking. That way you and your co-angler get a real time view of wherever you’re looking, don’t need to crane your neck downward to see, and both have access to the livescope visuals.

As to whether or not bass will be able to adapt to this, I’ll just say that folks have been spotlighting deer since the invention of a portable light, and the deer haven’t gotten any smarter. Yet big bucks still turn up where the dirt road access is poor and the tree cover is good.

[BoatSquirrel]

2 hours ago, Jon P said:

I'd never feel like I truly succeeded in my goal if buying the FFS is what finally made the difference.

100%. It will be all the sweeter when you do finally catch her! 

 

[MurdaJ]

I can’t read FFS without hearing “for fucks sake” in my head 

[Jon P]

1 hour ago, BoatSquirrel said:

100%. It will be all the sweeter when you do finally catch her! 

 

Amazed the record didn’t get broken last year. I barely got out at all so I’m going to be chomping at the bit this year since every time I hit my “spot” I see a handful of guys out there with bass boats fishing everywhere but where THE fish are. Only takes one guy with the livescope to put two and two together and stick that fish.

[Cookingandfishing]

2 stops in the South around the spawn - both top tens were 100% scopers. It's not going to matter if the fish are shallow or deep or hiding under a dock...live sonar is going to put every single fish in play. 

Anyone who says "it's just a tool" is a tool. There hasn't been a tech paradigm shift like this, ever. 

[Jon P]

9 minutes ago, Cookingandfishing said:

Anyone who says "it's just a tool" is a tool. There hasn't been a tech paradigm shift like this, ever. 

Gonna make good use of that line! 

[Hmoob]

1 hour ago, Cookingandfishing said:

2 stops in the South around the spawn - both top tens were 100% scopers. It's not going to matter if the fish are shallow or deep or hiding under a dock...live sonar is going to put every single fish in play. 

Anyone who says "it's just a tool" is a tool. There hasn't been a tech paradigm shift like this, ever. 

This is what I mean....FFS essentially makes it very similar to bed fishing, you just have to coax the bass long enough and it'll eventually bite it out of anger!!!!! 

Plus I feel like a lot of Big Bass will be poorly managed because of this and it will hurt the genetics in the long run!!!! More big fish caught will hurt the gene pool!!!! They were big for a reason because they was smart and rarely caught.....if a 10lber gets caught so many times all it takes is 1 person to hurt or damage it!!!! 

[bigpoppabass]

18 hours ago, Jon P said:

I've been trying to break the state record in my homestate for seven years now. I know where I have a great shot to catch that fish and I know with FFS I could have a great shot at that fish, and easily break my PB in the process. 

I hope you didn't jinx yourself going public with the state record quest and can't wait for the report..... Fish are going to have heart attacks when they feel the effects of predation getting surprised and caught in their deep water refuge aread..Jordan Lee said his impression of fish on Lake Fork was that they were disbursing due to fishing pressure during a time they used to team up to coral prey. Nowhere to hide! 

PS. Still saying an edge on the bass tour rarely holds up for the long term. Especially if it does not involve making predictions of fish preferences and patterns.  Been hearing a new name or two every year. Last year it was the Japanese fells on Champlain. This year it is a 19 year old whose name I do not remember already. 

Edited March 8 by bigpoppabass

[Jon P]

4 hours ago, bigpoppabass said:

I hope you didn't jinx yourself going public with the state record quest and can't wait for the report....

That's the thing I fear the most, I'm not exceptionally experienced or well equipped, the only advantage I have is faith in this technique. When other bass anglers ask, I tell them I don't catch a thing, and dropshot's the move.

[Mossypumpkin]

I hope everyone gets dependent on it and then the fish catch on. Nobody will remember how to catch fish without it. Helps the shallow guys like myself lol

[Jon P]

1 hour ago, Mossypumpkin said:

I hope everyone gets dependent on it and then the fish catch on. Nobody will remember how to catch fish without it. Helps the shallow guys like myself lol

I would love to see someone with a BASS pro sized ego get schooled by either a kid or a grizzled and greasy veteran of the sport because they became too reliant on their tech

[Cookingandfishing]

On 3/8/2024 at 12:40 PM, Mossypumpkin said:

I hope everyone gets dependent on it and then the fish catch on. Nobody will remember how to catch fish without it. Helps the shallow guys like myself lol

Not sure why you think it's only a deep water thing - they were picking fish off under shallow docks and laydowns. Last year guys were scoping cypress trees and not casting until they see a fish. Scott Martin caught bed fish with FFS to win the last Opens. 

Wait til the clown show goes to St. Clair this year...nowhere for fish to hide in that bathtub of a lake.