5 Tips to Help You Become a Better Fisherman
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With many of the skills we develop in our lives, the process involves learning the right technique and then practicing it thousands of times. But fishing is a unique activity. It involves countless techniques. Some of them work great some of the time, but poorly at other times. So becoming a better fisherman has as much to do with versatility as being great at any one method. With that in mind, here are 5 tips that will help you become a better fisherman.
5. Watch YouTube Videos
The old ways of learning about fishing techniques usually involved watching the few outdoors shows that were offered by your local tv or cable provider, reading magazine articles and occasionally renting a video. That expertise was limited to a few big pro-fishing names that were fortunate enough to land their own TV show or write features in the few outdoor magazines of the time. But the information was usually pretty high-level and not very specific.
But with YouTube, we can learn from many more people, both amateurs as well as professionals. Many of these folks are better in-tune with the specific bodies of water and the species we are targeting. And there are some amateur fishermen out there that can hang with the very best of professionals when it comes to their fishing skills. YouTube has volumes of great videos ranging in duration from a few minutes each to entire feature length programs. This is an easy and very convenient way to learn.
4. Socialize with Other Fishermen
Fisherman are generally good people. While they are not likely to divulge the location of their honey hole (nor should you expect them to), many of them are more than willing to give you a few pointers on techniques to help you put more fish in the boat.
If you have the time, joining a fishing club can be a great way to meet and socialize with fisherman that are interested in the type of fishing you enjoy. You might also make some new friends along the way.
If fishing clubs aren’t your thing and you’re looking for an easier way to socialize, a fishing forum is a great way to trade information with fellow fishermen. Being in Michigan, I often used the Michigan Sportsman Forum, but there are similar forums in most states. Our Regs & Reports menu includes links to several such forums related to fishing the Great Lakes region.
3. Think Like a Fish
Fish are relatively simple in terms of what drives them. For 80-90% of the year, they are driven by the need for food. The other 10%-20% they are either preoccupied by spawning, prepping to spawn or recovering from spawning. Thinking like a fish means knowing which of these modes the fish are in, and within the body of water you are fishing, which area will provide them with their needs at that time. Each and every time you head out on the water, you should ask yourself, what is driving the fish and where would they likely be to obtain their goal.
2. Experiment
As fishermen, we sometimes get caught in the trap of continuing to try the same method that has worked in the past, regardless of the results we are getting. It is appealing because after all, the method has a proven track record. But over time, a fish’s environment changes and they must adapt accordingly. Sometimes, their behavior can change several times within a day or even a few hours. This means that you must adapt if you expect to catch fish.
Once you have located fish, it shouldn’t take long to catch them if the right presentation is used. If you aren’t achieving results in 10-15 minutes, you need to try something else. Try changing baits, colors and even techniques. By finding what they are concentrating on, your catch rate will increase dramatically.
1. Put in Your Time
When it comes to fishing, there is no “one size fits all”. This is because each lake, river or stream is unique. Where walleye hang out on one lake may not be the same on another. As the old saying goes, “90% of the fish are in 10% of the lake”. But it will take a little time to figure out where that 10% is on each body of water.
So while the tips above will better prepare you for your fishing trip, trial and error will train you the best. There is no substitute for this. Like it or not, following the above tips will not pay off if you don’t spend time on the water. But as you spend the time, and better understand your target, your catch rates will continue to get better and better.
There will still be days, of course, where you find yourself skunked, but they will become very few and far between. But spending time on the water and utilizing the tips above will help you become a better fisherman!