Confidence Fishing

[aeb603]

So for the last few weeks I have been exclusively fishing smaller ponds/reservoirs around my school (in the mountains of western MD) because well that's pretty much all I can do without owning a boat or kayak or having to drive hours away. I like to think that even though i have not been catching quality fish the quantity of fish i'm catching is really developing my skills. i've been keeping somewhat of a mental note and im somewhere around 50+ fish in the last two and a half odd weeks, but only fishing 3 times a week at most which i think is pretty d**n good. I've been challenging myself to use lures and or different styles that i normally do not use as i would like to become a more well-rounded bass fisher. My fishing confidence is at an all time high and just in time for the semester to be over where i'll be back home where I live less than 20 minutes from two of the best mid atlantic fisheries, that also happen to be two of Roland Martins favorites as well. I know that all the bass i've been catching are all buck males so its not all that impressive but i hope that all this practice and time i've spent perfecting techniques will pay off and help me land a real lunker and a new pb bass this year. I have only been fishing "seriously" for about 3 years now and all i can say is that i am truly addicted to the sport and truly look forward to fishing for the rest of my life. Thanks for reading, Peace.

 

 

 

Alex

[TBO]

small fish is till learning. its cool to hear your challenging yourself with different baits and presentations.  its how we all learned.  best of luck to you!

[Catt]

50 steps out my front door is a small bayou, the water is shallow & very clear. The bank is 8-10' above the water giving me a pretty good veiw of what's going on in the water.

I'll walk over to bank 5-10 times a day just to stand there watching.

I've been at this game 55+ year, every minute spent on a bank with or with out a rod in hand is a learning experience.

[long island basser]

I don't care what size the bass are, 50+ bass in 2 1/2 weeks is not bad at all.

Guys go that long without a single fish, so your doing well.

Keep learning and tight lines.

[scaleface]

Keep catching those small fish , big ones will come .  Some people fish for one bite . I fish for fifty bites plus that big one . Its a lot more fun .

[Mr Q]

   Small or large bass doesn't matter while honing your fishing skills, especially when it comes to bait/lure presentation, retrieve and hook setting. What does count is how many fish you land...providing the water can produce the fish.

[geo g]

My philosophy is to have fun and enjoy what you have to fish.   Do what brings you happiness .  If its experimenting with new baits, then do it!  If its fishing a confidence bait, catching numbers, then do it.  Do what makes you happy, whether its fishing with a friend, or entering a 100 boat tournament with lots of strangers.  When it stops being fun, then change tactics.  Don't worry about others, and what they think,  or what they're using.   There are hundreds of ways to skin a cat, and no one has all the answers.  Just go out and enjoy the situation at hand, and do what you feel right for the conditions .

[Surfcaster]

I have a VHS tape by Bill Dance from 1986 that I watch from time to time and will continue to watch as long as my VCR holds out and he says that confidence is the most important lure in the tackle box.

[scaleface]

  There are hundreds of ways to skin a cat, and no one has all the answers.  Just go out and enjoy the situation at hand, and do what you feel right for the conditions .

Good post .

[Catt]

Every minute, every hour, every day spent on the water with or without a rod in hand should be a learning experience.

Our goal is to hone our skills to a point where they become second nature!

[SirSnookalot]

I have a VHS tape by Bill Dance from 1986 that I watch from time to time and will continue to watch as long as my VCR holds out and he says that confidence is the most important lure in the tackle box.

Makes more sense to me than anything I read.  True confidence is being able to catch any kind fish on any kind water with kind of rod and and reel using any kind of lure.  When you can do that you have transformed yourself from a fisherman to an angler.  Anglers have confidence in themselves as they have learned to read the water and find the fish (it doesn't always happen), fisherman rely on lures, baits and that magic fishing combo to bolster their confidence.