Becoming a better fisherman.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 17, 2011 at 4:14pm

Last year I can say without a doubt that people were what made me progress as a fisherman.  This was through joining a club, fishing tournaments, and just making new friends.  I kinda got it last year, but I have to say that this year I am very excited about utilizing my own bass boat as a learning tool.  I am looking forward to going out and fishing more on my own, and experience the freedom and challenges that come along with that. I am going to try and learn how to utilize the tools I have like the Hummingird Side Imaging and combine that with my knowledge in an attempt to become a better fisherman.  I am most looking forward to learning the art of boat positioning and decision making during a day of fishing, particularly a tournament day.

Permalink Reply by Nick Berto on February 17, 2011 at 4:32pm

Utilizing the Hummingbird... AKA utilizing all of Delay's waypoints...

P.J. Koshi said:

Last year I can say without a doubt that people were what made me progress as a fisherman.  This was through joining a club, fishing tournaments, and just making new friends.  I kinda got it last year, but I have to say that this year I am very excited about utilizing my own bass boat as a learning tool.  I am looking forward to going out and fishing more on my own, and experience the freedom and challenges that come along with that. I am going to try and learn how to utilize the tools I have like the Hummingird Side Imaging and combine that with my knowledge in an attempt to become a better fisherman.  I am most looking forward to learning the art of boat positioning and decision making during a day of fishing, particularly a tournament day.

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on February 17, 2011 at 4:49pm

For the 3x I might go out on Sammamish during the winter... Of course I will :)

NickBerto said:

Utilizing the Hummingbird... AKA utilizing all of Delay's waypoints...

P.J. Koshi said:

Last year I can say without a doubt that people were what made me progress as a fisherman.  This was through joining a club, fishing tournaments, and just making new friends.  I kinda got it last year, but I have to say that this year I am very excited about utilizing my own bass boat as a learning tool.  I am looking forward to going out and fishing more on my own, and experience the freedom and challenges that come along with that. I am going to try and learn how to utilize the tools I have like the Hummingird Side Imaging and combine that with my knowledge in an attempt to become a better fisherman.  I am most looking forward to learning the art of boat positioning and decision making during a day of fishing, particularly a tournament day.

Permalink Reply by Don Hogue on February 17, 2011 at 8:14pm

I remember my grandfather talking about when guys first started using electric (bow mount) motors for bass fishing.  He said a lot of guys would just go down the bank with the electric because they could, and it actually made guys worse at fishing for a while.

I think some of that applies to side imaging technology and to power poles.  It probably took me a couple of years to learn how to use the side imaging effectively.  Not that it doesn't have obvious benefits and even results the first time you use it, but there are also some learning moments with it where you may base your whole day on it and not really understand what you are doing with it.  I have found lots of cool stuff with it, but very little of it has resulted in great fishing.  Some of my best fishing areas look as plain as can be with the side imaging, and if I had been looking with it without knowing any better, I would have never fished there.   

Somewhat similar with the power poles.  I have had some great fishing moments with them, but have also planned a whole tournament around them and that was a serious mistake.  Sometimes I'm driving home thinking about my fishing and wonder why I didn't use them in a certain situation. 

So my real answer is that the new technology is awesome...a real game changer.  But it may also cause you to regress for a period of time until you get used to really using it.  I'm hoping with time, I will get better at fishing using the new toys, but the new toys won't be the reason.  I'll have to change and adapt how I fish in ways I haven't even discovered yet.  But that's good news to me.  Kinda like that guy that learned how to fish without the trolling motor and then went crazy when he first starting using one and "forgot" how to catch fish.

Permalink Reply by Pat on February 17, 2011 at 8:57pm

great point don, i don't care to become a better fisherman, i want to become a better "CATCHER"

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on February 17, 2011 at 9:33pm

I have learned it pays to have more fun.

 

When I make sure I have more fun, then I am more successful with my fishing.  If you need to make money to have fun then you are fighting a losing battle.

 

ciao,

Marc Marcantonio

Permalink Reply by C-RIDE on February 18, 2011 at 5:58am

Good input Don. I have experienced a couple of those days already where I found areas that looked amazing on the screen but no bites. And then you catch fish in a spot that looks like nothing special. I think that is one of my biggest challenges in open water fishing. Finding out why a fish is where it is, and whats holding it there. I am a much better fisherman when fishing/reading the bank structure. Maybe that needs to be my goal this year.

Permalink Reply by BigBass Dez on February 18, 2011 at 8:40am

+ 1 Marc !!!

 

 make it your point of not being afraid to go outside your comfort zone .. Risk vs Rewards !!  

Marc Marcantonio said:

I have learned it pays to have more fun.

 

When I make sure I have more fun, then I am more successful with my fishing.  If you need to make money to have fun then you are fighting a losing battle.

 

ciao,

Marc Marcantonio

Permalink Reply by Joel Alinen on February 18, 2011 at 11:23pm

I agree with Jeff,

I am going to try and fish new water and use all the tool in my tackle box.

I think the worst part about winter is you have way to much time to look at Tackle Warehouse and think about all the different baits you could use and you think about every situation you could use them in!  Swimbaits, spinner baits, swim jigs, crankbaits, creature baits, bed baits, worms...and the clackin craws=)  The list goes on and on...I need to start fishing=)