Having been an avid basser for years, and not having the wherewithal to purchase a boat, I've often felt cheated and frustrated about not being able to get out to deeper waters (where I was certain the real bass were). Having succumbed to this delimma for some 40 years or more, I finally had something come my way that I never knew existed: my local bass fishing club.
I mean, I knew bass clubs existed, but I didn't know they were for me. For one thing, how can you join a bass fishing club if you don't have a boat. Additionally, isn't it just the best bass fishermen that are in these clubs? These guys do tournaments and such. Not sure if I could measure up.
Low and behold, the old saying "you won't know if you don't go" proved itself once again. Thanks to an Internet buddy, I was enlightened. I got the address and went to my first bass club meeting. It was simple, friendly, fun and I was fishing with them that weekend.
First off, let's address the notion that you have to be a great bass fisherman to belong to one of these clubs. This is not true. In fact, most of these anglers are people just like me, only with a little more experience (remember, I didn't have a boat - I was bank fishing). Most of these people are happy to share that experience with you.
Secondly, you do not have to have a boat. In fact, most clubs are looking for non-boaters to help share the expense of the trip with someone who owns a boat. Brilliant!
That really surprised me. Why didn't I know this years ago? It makes perfect sense, yet somehow this information escaped me.
Owning your own boat can be expensive. A decent boat purchased new can easily run you around $15,000. Ouch. Then there is the issue of storage, insurance, fuel, the trailer, something to pull it with, maintenance and a whole slew of other expenses that come with the package.
But not for the non-boater. I paid my bass club dues (very affordable) and within 2 days I was out with the gang on my first local bass club fishing tournament - in a boat. My share of the costs was extremely reasonable compared to those in the last paragraph. It was a 3 day trip and we even shared the cost of a room.
Don't ask how the fishing was; that's a whole other article.
In this club, we go out once a month to a different lake and have our own little bass tournament. Each time we go out, the non-boaters are matched up with a boater (also a different one each time). This way, you get to learn a little something from everyone.
So, if you are bank bound like I was, and want to head out for more exciting fishing, go online or open up the phone book and contact you local bass fishing club. You could be out on the boat in no time. Whether or not you catch any fish remains to be seen.
Michael Russell
MgrCentral.com
Established 2001
Home Business Training and Information Guides
Many anglers who are new to fly fishing consider dry fly fishing the "traditional" way of catching trout. Well, that's not entirely true. Wet fly fishing dates back hundreds of years, well before dry fly... Read More
Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself angler. But the maintenance of these lures is just as important to ensure a tip-top condition.After buying or making the fishing lures there is still... Read More
As the owner/operator of a full service boat detailing-yacht maintenance business I can't help but chuckle sometimes at seeing the extremes that otherwise bright, intelligent, successful, people will go to in a misguided attempt to... Read More
For the most part, I am an advocate for catch and release fishing.Sustaining the fish and habitat in the sport you love only makes sense.However, sometimes a freshly caught trout, bass, or crappie is just... Read More
The use of light, either chemical or battery powered plays an important role in catching swordfish. There is no question that the use of artificial light increases the probability of catching a swordfish.Swordfish have giant... Read More
Class Is In Session.... Baitfish 101Okay.So you would think that in this information age we fishermen and fisherwomen would have all the knowledge of baitfishing at our fingertips.Evidently, some of us have been slow to... Read More
If you are like me, you love to fish at the drop of a hat. While I do plan fishing trips, I also like to go on a whim.Sometimes the urge strikes out of nowhere... Read More
The Garmin Fishfinder 250 is Garmin's latest addition to their family of marine chartplotters, handheld GPS, fish finders and GPS sounders and its already gaining a great reputation amongst the angling community.We met up with... Read More
Should you approach the fishing industry for sponsorship?First let's look at it from the lure manufacturer's standpoint. Just think of your favorite lure manufacturer for a minute. Now imagine that you work at their plant.... Read More
The Garmin 160 Fish Finder has some big advantages over the competition. First, the exclusive See-Thru? technology allows the Fishfinder 160 to hear both weak and strong signals simultaneously, giving it tremendous dynamic range. The... Read More
Often lake fish will gather in schools and cruise around looking for food, but often it is the small fish that rise to take surface insects while the bigger ones feed in deeper water.Where the... Read More
My first experience surf fishing was with my father on Wrightsville Beach, NC in the 60's. He parked our shiny black Ford Fairlane in a gravel parking lot off the beach and we hiked over... Read More
There is a craze going on that produces big bass, it's called flippin. Flippin puts the lure where the big bass are.....in cover! You will want a 7 1/2 to 8 foot rod with at... Read More
Great fishing supplies are an essential when it comes to netting the big game out at the lake or the stream. You can't expect the fish to bite, though, if you don't bring your A... Read More
I was watching a TV Show with Bill Dance and he was talking about concentration. I thought well this is going to be a boring show but of course, it wasn't. Matter of fact it... Read More
We have a problem in our fish farms, especially Salmon. You see for 500 plus million years the Salmon spawn up river and then swim down to the ocean grow real big and swim all... Read More
Picking a fly fishing rod is a tricky endeavor. Do you go with your ego, expected fishing environment or something else? While length is a factor, the bend or action of the rod is a... Read More
When you are going fishing, whether nearby your home or on a long distance trip, there are many fishing safety rules that you need to keep in mind.These rules can help prevent injury to yourself... Read More
When most people think of saltwater fly fishing their minds drift to tropical climates and fish species such as tarpon and bonefish. While the Pacific Northwest lacks the hot weather and the typical saltwater gamefish,... Read More
Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and one species of Atlantic salmon? Further, did you know that all 5 species of Pacific salmon run wild in Alaska?We're proud of our... Read More
Hi Lee Palm/Red Rooster crew(San Diego - California).. Keep my rail spot cool for me - won't you? Fishing Report from Nassau Bahamas (8-10-2000)(Thursday)(Air Temperature 92 degrees. Water temp. ? mid 80's degrees). Clear skies,... Read More
The thrill of trout fishing! It is the best, isn't it? No matter where you plan to go trout fishing, you know you are more than likely going to enjoy your trip. The sport is... Read More
Written on the rod blank or handle is a code number which indicates the line that the rod manufacturer suggests is best for most customers; i.e., 6 line. To most fly anglers, this means that... Read More
Preparation is the Key To Successful Night Fishing, You Better Have These...Night fishing requires quite a bit more preparation than daytime fishing does. Even if you "think" you know the waters pretty well, you need... Read More
How many fish have you missed?It is said you could be missing over half the fish that are coming after your spinner bait. Why? Because you're getting short strikes.There is one way to fix that... Read More
Ah, fishing in the rain. You may not like the rain, but the fish sure love it!You may not believe it, but you may catch more fish while it is raining. There are a few... Read More
Just when you thought you had seen it all. Just when you thought what in the world can I get for a unique and different Christmas present,Fathers Day gift,or executive gift-- along comes a fun... Read More
When looking for information on how to fly fish, fly fishing tips or fly fishing techniques, many anglers, or anglers to be,who limit their search to books or material written ithin the last few years... Read More
Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the variety of beautiful natural surroundings in which anglers often find themselves; a secluded stream up in the mountains, a peaceful meandering river deep in the... Read More
It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming. ~John Steinbeck1. How Fish ThinkWhen you hunt for deer, and any other animal... Read More
Method 2The second method that works really well for me is drift fishing. Lets start by explaining how drifting works. It's really pretty simple: you cast out bait and drag it behind or from the... Read More
Have you ever been on a lake and thought to yourself or said to your fishing partner, "We should have caught some fish by now"? Well, maybe it's time to downsize. One reason to downsize... Read More
Want To Catch More Fish At Night, Watch the Moon!Sounds like a crazy idea, doesn't it?I thought so to, until I experienced it first hand.Using the moon, you are able to learn several things about... Read More
There is a fairly new technique when it comes to bass fishing but it works great especially when bass are under a lot of pressure, it's called drop-shotting. When you see other fishermen using worms... Read More
There are several elements that go into creating the ideal charter fishing experience. The most important of these elements are not within the control of the charter service, captain, or the customers:THE WEATHER: By weather,... Read More
Fishing Fishing |