K.i.s.s.

[papajoe222]

Keep it simple stupid! These are quickly becoming my 'words to fish by'. I have a tendency to over think things, often before I even get on the water. That presumptuous thinking has been costing me productive fishIng time.

Do you find yourself giving too much thought into your on water approach, or do you start out with a simple approach and refine it as you go?

[Todd2]

Yes...I'm guilty. Or was I should say. It was becoming paralysis by analysis. I keep it pretty simple now. Lately I keep a jig rod out and another fancy jig with two willow blades (otherwise known as a spinnerbait) out.....that's it. My numbers and size have gone up so I'm going with it.

The approach I use with these two lures use varies from slow rolling deep structure to pitching to shallow stumps/laydowns depending on time of day/weather. Cutting down my options has made it more fun and that's why I fish.

[RossCo91]

For me it depends on the setting, 

On social days out, I'll be in no Rush, I'll go to new spots to try new things, I'll always try hook one fish on the day with a known technique to boost the confidence and to make sure the fish are biting.

On a competitive aspect, I will try get in practice before, on the practice days I'll cover as much water as I can to have enough spots so that I don't panic on comp day.
Comp day I'll aim to my best producing spot first to get limit, for me Limit is always key, doesn't matter about the size, I find I am far more relaxed for most of the day then and fish better,
In the last hour of fishing if its going well I'll tie on a bigger bait hoping for just a big bite.  

[Felix77]

I am wrapping up my 3rd tournament season and I can say that the more experienced I get the more I try to adhere to the K.I.S.S. principle for tournaments.

 

For fun fishing days I don't mind experimenting and actually enjoy the process of analyzing and tinkering with my tackle to entice fish with different techniques, colors etc.

[Fishes in trees]

I understand "don't over think stuff"  I also understand that by restricting yourself, focusing only on the basics, an important piece of the puzzle can get overlooked.

 

You can never be totally cognizant of all the different factors in play at any specific fishing moment.  You can make an effort to be conscious of the "big picture" while you are fishing.

 

While I definitely think that over thinking stuff is possible, I truly believe that under thinking stuff can turn into an intellectual tar baby.  I think that it easy to get stuck on keeping it simple.

 

That is one of the reasons that I generally go fishing with10 to 20 rigs, rigged up and ready to fish.  It is also one of the reasons that I fish alone most of the time.

[starcraft1]

I feel the K.I.S.S. idea is great if your having trouble with a cretain bait or two, or if you know the lake/river/pond your fishing. If it's water I know (time of yr., water temps., ect.) I'll rig up 4 rods all the same a couple others with stick baits (senkos, flukes, ect.) 2 with blade baits, another couple with tubes, and ALLWAYS at least 4 rods with jigs. I'll also keep a rod or two rigged with swim baits and the same for top water. I also carry around 20 rods in the locker.

On a tournament week I'll narrow it down to what's working and only have 10 rods on the boat on tourney day.

[Raul]

My friend Moises is poor, and I mean it with no disrespect for his economic condition, he´s flat out broke, he only has a couple of setups and some baits, mainly soft plastics, a couple of spinnerbaits and a handful of cranks, with such few things given the current mentality of " in order to be successful you got to have a lot" this guy would be in the screwed in the gutter. As frugal as his gear is his approach, soft plastics are mainly fished weightless, split shot or T- rigged, I´ve fished with him many many times and he fishes those three rigs probably 90% of the time, as for cranks and spinners his approach is also very frugal, out of 100% 80% he spends his time fishing soft plastics.

 

Now, so he fishes mostly with soft plastics, which soft plastics ? cuz soft plastics is an entire universe by it´s own right, there is a particular bait he appreciates, down here where we´re at lots of japanese baits are found in the most unlikely place ----> the "garbage", here soft plastic "garbage" is raw material for manufacturing rubber soles for shoes, he goes out to the garbage deposits hunting for baits to fish, he specifically hunts for two baits one is the Nories Power Balance and the Ecogear Paramax.

 

One is a jerkbait ( Power Balance ) and the other is a grub which can be found in several sizes. To make the story short, the poor dude with a handful of baits, a frugal approach can whup a lot of rear end by being simplistic.

[geo g]

There is alot to be sad for Keeping It Simple Stupid!

[Catch and Grease]

I over think things way to much as well...

[RoLo]

Does anyone truly believe that there's any such thing as 'Over-thinking'?   Is KVD an 'Over-thinker'?

Indeed, there is thinking that goes down the wrong path, but the best cure for errant thinking is 'more' thinking rather than less.

 

If I were told that I had to keep my fishing simple, I'd be looking for another avocation.

New lures, new knowledge and new technology don't complicate fishing, they keep it exciting.

An earthworm under a bobber will always catch fish, we do not need 'side-imaging' and 'on-site chart processing'.

On the other hand, I enjoy on-site chart creation as much as I enjoy catching fish. No chart company in the world

can devote the time necessary to create accurate charts of your favorite lakes...but you can.

 

Roger

[Catch and Grease]

I agree with you roger, but sometimes we over-think things as in we overlook the basics...

[RoLo]

I agree with you roger, but sometimes we over-think things as in we overlook the basics...

 

 

Overlooking the basics is going down the wrong path, something we realize after more thinking rather than less.

 

Roger

[OntarioFishingGuy]

I fell like I always do better with my ultralight and a bunch of small cranks than I do with all my rods, out in a boat on a large lake. I just feel more relaxed and fish better because of that.

[Lund Explorer]

The term "Over-Thinking" should really be changed to "Directionally Challenged Thinking".

 

With any amount of experience, an angler should know the basics of how to go about catching fish.  However, if you have to spend hours trying to decide which type of rod and reel to use, what kind of line should be on it, which of a myriad of lures, and what color of who knows how many colors should get tied on, you are losing the battle before you make your first cast!

 

You'll know you've hit rock bottom when you are following the advice for all of these choices, given to you on an internet forum from somebody 1,500 miles away from you. 

[FrogFreak]

My humble opinion on the matter is that I love thinking about what strategy I will employ on the water. I don't think of it as over thinking but as preparation. I think all week about what the weather will be, what the seasonal patterns will be, what lake I'm fishing, what I want to try etc. etc. I then go out and execute my plan. Now, I do understand that if my plan doesn't produce, I need to have a fall back. And my fall back is normally to slow down my presentation. 

 

Once I'm done fishing, I then analyze what happened and what I can do better next time. Heck that's why I love fishing so much. It is so cerebral. Take that away and I'll go try something else.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

The more I think about it simple was more success for me when I was younger.I caught more because of 2 things I had more time and less lures to choose from so I exploited both to be a very successful fisherman.1 rod and 5 lures at most ( no stock pile back then) a Rapala, mepps, spinnerbait, plastic worm or lizard and a beetle spin.all I had all I needed

[greentrout]

I live in a large urban area where the counties provide fishing opportunities from the usual city park lakes to the not

so usual flood retention ponds and lakes that can be on bayous or in urban areas with FLB and other species.

 

The deal: you get two rods in the counties and only one in some of the utility districts.

 

Catch and release is mandatory for the FLB on most locations.

 

Old school basser...