I understand that not everyone is competitive.  And maybe that’s the reason more people, specifically more women, don’t join bass clubs.  But, really, you don’t have to be competitive.  Eventually, you may become that way – it’s just natural.  As far as just getting involved, though, it is really a great way to learn a lot about fishing, make some great friendships, and spend some time outdoors.  You shouldn’t feel out of place as a woman or a novice when you join a bass club.  The reason clubs exist is to help people learn new techniques and improve their fishing.  Everyone is there to learn something!

Another misconception about bass fishing is that is has to be really, really expensive.  You don’t need a lot of equipment, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money.  Don’t get me wrong.  At this point, I probably spend more on bass fishing than is prudent, but I’m okay with that.  It’s my hobby, my passion, and it could probably even be called my vice.  In reality, though, you can at least get started fairly inexpensively.

You don’t need fifteen expensive rods and reels to start with.  A couple spinning set-ups will work just fine to start.   You don’t need a bunch of tackle to start, either.  You might pick up a little terminal tackle like hooks and sinkers, a few bags of soft plastics, maybe a cheap spinnerbait or two, and call that good to start with.  I’ll cover tackle in another blog post, though.  But suffice it to say that you don’t need a boat load of tackle.  Heck, you don’t even need a boat!

That’s part of what’s great about fishing with a local bass club.  You can fish as either a boater or a non-boater.  Being a non-boater is just what it sounds like.  You fish with someone else out of his or her boat.  Even if you have a boat, when you first start out with a club, it can be a great idea to fish with someone else at least part of the time.  You can definitely learn a lot from the boaters in your club, and there’s no better way to do that than to spend a day in the back of their boats.

When you join a bass fishing club, you are really there to learn.  When I joined my first bass club, I didn’t know much of anything about bass fishing.  I’d done it a couple of times, but with varying amounts of success.  But when I joined the club, I really started to learn a lot.  I was very lucky to have my boyfriend who taught me so much about bass fishing.  But I did learn a lot from other guys in the club, too.

I think it’s a great idea for anyone who thinks they might want to try fishing, to join a club and just learn from other anglers.  Even if it’s only for a year, it’s a great way not only to learn, to be meet people who enjoy the same things you do – and you might even find you enjoy fishing more than you knew.  A simple Internet search can provide you with some clubs in your area.  Check them out and find one that works for you.  You will never know how much fun you’re missing if you don’t!