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When it comes to fishing, we all make mistakes.
I've been chasing bass most of my life, and I still make
mistakes. But each time I make a mistake, I pay close attention
to what I did and learn something new from the experience.
To eliminate many of the mistakes you make,
you must understand that a big portion of fishing success is mental.
Bass fishing is really a game of concentration, so it's
critical to always be aware of what is going on around you. For
example, if bass are feeding on the surface, you should quickly
key on this feeding pattern and switch to a surface lure. You
should also be focused on the changing conditions and be ready
to adapt your presentation to capitalize on the moment.
Also, be thorough in your approach and presentation,
and always maintain a high level of confidence in the methods
and techniques you use. There will be periods when you cannot
buy a strike. You will quickly see that these trying times make
it difficult to keep a positive outlook on your game plan. My
advice in this situation is to rule out any negative thoughts
and replace them with something positive. I know this is easier
said than done, but be persistent and you will learn the talent
of turning a negative feeling into a positive mood.
To be a better than average bass angler,
you must always be alert. It helps me to visualize what the lure
is doing during the retrieve. By focusing on the lure's
action and my presentation, I keep my alert level at its peak.
I concentrate and believe that I will catch a bass on every cast.
This obviously does not happen, but when I do get a bite, I am
alert and ready to set the hook.
If you believe that you will catch a fish
each time you make a cast, you will be mentally prepared to capitalize
on each opportunity when a bass does strike.
Staying alert will also help you fish each
spot more thoroughly. When you are focused on one particular area
and have a desire to catch fish, it will help you tune into the
surrounding environment that may reveal a productive pattern.
One of the most difficult aspects of fishing
is maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods
of time. Daydreaming when the bite is slow is a common mistake.
I still find it difficult to concentrate on the fundamentals of
fishing when I am fishing for fun with friends. Simple mistakes
such as forgetting to re-tie, making sloppy casts, missing subtle
strikes, getting the lure hung in brush, not paying close enough
attention to my boat position or simply not fishing the lure with
the proper presentation are just a few of the things that can
go astray.
When I really need to catch fish, I pay close
attention to every small detail. First, I charge myself up about
the prospects of catching a load of bass. I also focus on everything
I'm doing to catch fish. I pay attention to what is around
me, the angle of each cast, the distance of each cast, the speed
I retrieve the lure, the depth where I'm fishing, my boat
position, water clarity, type of terrain and cover that is present,
plus the wind direction and speed. These are just a few of the
hundreds of thoughts passing through my mind when I'm seriously
hunting bass.
It is critical to be alert and on the lookout
for clues that will help you unravel the secrets to a pattern
that will produce plenty of strikes. With practice and determination,
you can learn to filter out those things that are not important
to your fishing success while sensing everything that is important.
Many anglers often get stuck in a rut by
spending too much time fishing the same areas over and over. A
more productive approach is to fish those areas that hold some
promise but always be ready and willing to fish new locations.
Fish areas the bass like rather than those spots you like. If
an area does not produce any bites, I'm ready to set the
rod down and motor to another spot. I will stick with the same
lure for a little while, but I always have another size, color
or completely different style of lure ready to toss in the water.
If the lure or presentation is not working,
you should always be willing to try something different. A slight
change in the presentation, such as slowing up the retrieve and
moving out into a little deeper water or moving in toward the
bank and fishing shallower water, can make a huge difference.
Just because something worked yesterday does not guarantee it
will produce the following day.
Locating and catching bass is a process of
elimination. You will never become a versatile angler who can
adapt to any type of change if you do not experiment when you
are not under pressure. It is extremely important for you to learn
new techniques and constantly check out new waters. A good bass
fisherman is able to adapt to the various seasons, alter the presentation
for different water temperatures and colors, and use a variety
of lures in both shallow and deep-water areas. He will also know
the habits and habitat of his quarry on different types of lakes
regardless of whether they are lowland, midland, highland or canyon
bodies of water.
It is also essential to know how to fish structure
that's located in both shallow and deep water. Learning
to fish structure requires a commitment and willingness to learn.
You will need to master the art of reading contour maps and understanding
your electronics. You'll also need tons of patience. It
is very time consuming and perhaps the most difficult form of
fishing, but it is also one of the most productive for consistently
catching lots of fish. Do not make the mistake of not including
structure fishing in your game plan.
A lot of anglers mistakenly refer to structure
as cover. I hear it all the time. "Boy, we've planted
a lot of structure on the point and in the back of the cove."
Or I'll hear someone say, "The lake is full of structure,
timber, brush and vegetation." However, brush, timber and
vegetation are forms of cover. Structure is an old creek channel,
a main-lake point, a hump, a drop-off or a rockpile. Consider
structure to be the floor of the lake extending from the shallows
to deeper water. More precisely, it is unusual or irregular features
on the lake bottom that are different from the surrounding bottom
areas.
Structure comes in all shapes and sizes.
It can be straight or crooked, contain dents and depressions or
be flat. Structure can be located in shallow or deep water, along
the shoreline or out in the middle of the lake.
Just remember, becoming a successful bass
angler will require that you work at it. There are no miracle
methods, no secret lures and no shortcuts. That is why your mental
attitude must always be positive. You must believe that the next
move you make will be the correct one.
You also must stay alert. Do not make the
mistake of becoming discouraged when the fish are not biting.
Continue to believe that your approach is best and you will catch
more fish. If you don't get the results you expect, review
what you did and learn from those mistakes. Tell yourself the
next time will be different.
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