[RichTrox]

I read somewhere that when translated, a local Indian tribe's word for striped bass means "stupid fish". Many years ago, before the advent of mono, fishermen were pulling moby stripers on linen and then dacron line, crude lures and tins, and chunks of bait. Then came mono and spinning reels. Now you have fluorocarbon, high-tech reels and rods, a gazillion plugs in every color imaginable

, enough how-to books to fill a library

, etc. Are bass really that smart, or have we just intellectualized a dumb critter to a level that causes analysis paralysis for the fisherman? What are your thoughts.

-Rich

 

[JACKSON]

"we just intellectualized a dumb critter to a level that causes analysis paralysis for the fisherman"

 

[rpsurf5]

JACKSON wrote:
"we just intellectualized a dumb critter to a level that causes analysis paralysis for the fisherman"

I agree !

For fear of jinxing myself with the bass gods, bass are not hard to catch.

 

[JACKSON]

Sometimes hard to find though

 

[ag3]

I think the challenge is to catch BIG bass; 40+ pounds; and from surf especially.

 

[JACKSON]

algreek3 wrote:
I think the challenge is to catch BIG bass; 40+ pounds; and from surf especially.


Al, a better challenge for you would be to go a whole day without cigarettes and a frap

 

[ag3]

JACKSON wrote:
algreek3 wrote:
I think the challenge is to catch BIG bass; 40+ pounds; and from surf especially.

Al, a better challenge for you would be to go a whole day without cigarettes and a frap

LOL...

I am down to only 10-15 cigs a day (from 2.5 packs a day)...And today is the first frap I had in 3 weeks. saving lots of money.

When u going to pottery barn again?

 

[ihavegills]

Dumb or not is unfare to say. Bass eat and we simply do our best to imitate something they want to eat or bait them with what they do eat at times and places we have found them feeding. That does not make them dumb or smart. You could possibly bait and hook me if I'm at Peter Lugers on a steak! Since I've only been there once you'd have a hard time hunting for me. You'd have more opportunity at Jimmy Hayes in Island Park but I might be a little more leader shy.
Let's expand.
How many other creatures on this earth do you think you could bait and hook on land. I bet setting a treble in a pile of corn feed with a penn 6/0........ oh but that would be cruel. HeHe!
How many of you pitched to your dog or cat this winter and thought how dumb they were for striking? But I bet your dog can listen to commands and some cats urinate on the bowl for people!

 

[toyotaoffroad91]

they outsmart me everyday...but those 40's are geniuses...

 

[SORTIE]

I have another question: are all bass lazy, or just the cows?

has anyone caught a large bass by pulling wire in the middle of the column?

 

[RichTrox]

ihavegills wrote:
You could possibly bait and hook me if I'm at Peter Lugers on a steak! Since I've only been there once you'd have a hard time hunting for me. You'd have more opportunity at Jimmy Hayes in Island Park but I might be a little more leader shy.

I would hide the treble in the baked potatoe

I agree with most of the posts, dumb but instinctive, relatively predictable and easy to catch, but ocassionally fickle or hard to find, particularly in summer, and definitely can't be taught to pee in the bowl

Good stuff guys

-Rich

 

[ihavegills]

I keep seeing the "over 40" comment.
Most creatures in the world eat larger meals less frequently as they grow. That does not make the larger fish any smarter, just less opportunity for you to get them. Another factor I belive in is the % of 40# + fish. If 40# + fish make 5% or 10% of the population does that make them smarter than the rest? No, just less common. Alot of overthinking here. How many people here target 40#+ religiously for a whole season? Need to know what's found in those 40#+ bellies to be successful and where and when they like to feed, that's all.

 

[RichTrox]

sortie wrote:
I have another question: are all bass lazy, or just the cows? has anyone caught a large bass by pulling wire in the middle of the column?

Hey Skip, glad you could check in. As this is the "Surf" forum, I don't think to many of us guys are pulling wire As for catching big fish on wire, Capt. Jimmy George pulls wire with his big spoon creations and regularly yanks big bass out of the rips at Montauk. Just not mid-column.

Although I frequently characterize big bass as "lazy", I think it's probably more genetic or programmed behaviour. Lazy implies making a choice. I don't think big bass can make that choice because the amount of energy it takes to run that big body causes them to be more selective in the what they feed on and how they feed. Nature programs them to ignore chasing grass shrimp at that stage in their life because the cost to benefit ratio isn't there.

I would describe their behaviour as economical and opportunistic

-Rich

 

[RichTrox]

ihavegills wrote:
If 40# + fish make 5% or 10% of the population does that make them smarter than the rest? No, just less common. Alot of overthinking here. How many people here target 40#+ religiously for a whole season?
I used to, and I agree. It was all about finding them. Once you are on them they will eat the same chunks that teen fish do, just the bite doesn't last nearly as long.

-Rich

 

[HungryJack]

RichTrox wrote:
Nature programs them to ignore chasing grass shrimp at that stage in their life because the cost to benefit ratio isn't there.
Largest animals on the planet live entirely on shrimp.

Shrimp offer more protien per pound than any forage fish.







Catching larger bass, LOCATION is far more important than technique.

 

[RichTrox]

Touche, Jack.

I stand corrected. Krill is the basis of an entire food chain, right up the certain species of whale. But it may not be the way big bass are programmed, or build for that matter. If they had huge gaping bucket mouths that could syphon 5 lbs of grass shrimp in a single quick pass, then the effort for that yield would work. Big bass are oportunistic and can feed on a wide range of large baits. This is a successful strategy as far as survival of a species goes. Look at the panda bear. They may be cute, but they are bust as far evolution is concerned. They feed only on bamboo (not very nutricious) and they don't mate enough. Shrimp may contain the most protien per pound, but in the concentrations available in these waters, the effort to chase down a meal is not worth it.

See my previous post about location. I do agree.

-Rich

 

[SORTIE]

HungryJack wrote:
Catching larger bass, LOCATION is far more important than technique.hence the hatred of spot-burners?

Rich: I just saw the topic; hate to intrude on surfrat turf, altho you guys are the smart ones with crude oil at $115/bbl!

 

[RichTrox]

sortie wrote:
Rich: I just saw the topic; hate to intrude on surfrat turf, altho you guys are the smart ones with crude oil at $115/bbl!

No intrusion ever, you are always welcome here.

Oil companies are keeping their promise. I flat out refuse to buy gas from Exxon/Mobil, the 800 pound gorilla.

-Rich

 

[toyotaoffroad91]

ihavegills wrote:
I keep seeing the "over 40" comment.
Most creatures in the world eat larger meals less frequently as they grow. That does not make the larger fish any smarter, just less opportunity for you to get them. Another factor I belive in is the % of 40# + fish. If 40# + fish make 5% or 10% of the population does that make them smarter than the rest? No, just less common. Alot of overthinking here. How many people here target 40#+ religiously for a whole season? Need to know what's found in those 40#+ bellies to be successful and where and when they like to feed, that's all.
they way i see it is those 40's gotta be around 15-20 years old..if there that old they gotta be smart enough not to eat "that chunk" or "that pencil"

 

[frankiesurf]

We are only catching a small percntage of the Bass that are out there. Suffice it to say most of the fish have never encountered any of our plugs or chunks.
Plus we are not everywhere the fish are. There is probably a hole out past Montauk with a half a million fish hiding and laughing at the stupid ones who leave to eat our silly wooden fish.