Too many fishermen leave their success to chance. Chance, sometimes, has to do with being a lucky Fisherman. Preparation has everything to do with being a successful One.
Here are some secrets that will help you to increase your fishing success:
- Know your equipment. Whether you're bait fishing, casting lures or throwing a fly, you need to be able to use your rod and reel to its maximum potential. Time spent picking out backlashes, casting short, or not making a delicate presentation of your fly greatly reduces your chance for success. Learn to use your equipment so that it becomes second nature. Becoming adept with your rod and reel develops confidence in your own abilities and your gear's capabilities.
- Spend the off-season tuning up your equipment. Make sure your reels are in top-notch shape before you get on the water. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to fix an equipment problem that could have been avoided with a little attention prior to your outing.
- Do your homework first. After deciding where you want to fish, do some research to determine when you should strike out on your trip. Conditions constantly change in bays, oceans, lakes, and rivers. The phrase, "You should have been here yesterday," has a ring of truth to it. The more current your information, the greater your chance for success. Talk to a fishing buddy who has recently (within the past week) fished the same area, or make a phone call to a local bait shop or sporting goods store for up-to-date reports. Fishing guides who specialize in the area readily provide good information.
Also, there are many fishing-oriented websites and bulletin boards that give current reports for specific destinations. Check them out on a regular basis so you can see how the fishing is trending.
- Be a weather watcher. Tides, moon phases, water temperatures, barometric pressures, among others, all play an important role in fish behavior. Learn what conditions are optimum for the species you are targeting. For example, fishing during the full moon for trout might not be the best time for success, but bass fishing at night during the same moon might be just the ticket for catching "hogs." Moon phases affect tidal movement which can be an important factor on fish feeding habits.
- Feed them what they want to eat. There are lots of baits that fish eat, and hundreds of lures that attract them, and thousands of flies designed to fool fish, but only a few of them work best in the location you are fishing. Talk to locals or bait shops to learn what's catching the fish, and you can whittle down the choices to a much more manageable number. Focus your choices so you don't waste time on a whole arsenal of baits and lures that are of little interest to the fish.
Fish with confidence. If you think you're going to catch fish, you probably will. Keeping a positive attitude will bring more fish to the net. Just as in any other endeavor, negative thoughts bring negative results.
fishing print projects
Create T-shirts, magnets, and photo frames featuring our beautiful fly-fishing design. Just the thing to frame the picture of you and the one that didn't get away!
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