Your 2017 Fishing Goals

[reerok]

Great thread, Glenn.

1. Enjoy the time on the water with friends and family - always priority 1

2. Learn how to read a lake better and find the fish

3. Learn how to adapt on the water - when one approach isn't working, know what to switch to next

4. Always remember to be thankful.  Fishing is a luxury and love it, respect it, and appreciate it as such.

[Djf3864]

I am going to put effort into improving the following areas:

• Swimbaits (both hard and soft) - bouth a bunch from TW during BF sale and picked up a Dobyns Fury SB rod to have the right set-up.
• Jig Fishing will be a focus - both flipping jigs and using swimjigs
• Try more soft plastic presentations - Carolina rigging, shakey heads and wobble heads.

That should keep me busy for the 2017 fishing season.

[scaleface]

I located a school of bass late in the year close to a creek channel that I  didnt know was there . 2017 I plan on dissecting that channel .

[everythingthatswims]

I plan to try to film most of my outings. I know I can make good videos, and I'm working on getting cameras and editing software to make it all happen. Should be interesting!

[stk44]

On 11/28/2016 at 3:50 PM, Scott F said:

Spending more time fishing next year is going to be my first priority.. it's going to be easier next year than this past year. I worked for the first 6 months of this year and was laid up after back surgery that made me cancel most of my summer and early fall fishing. Today, I officially retired from my job and 2 days ago, I bought another boat designed for my style of river fishing.  My goal for next year is to learn where the big smallies hide out on the Wisconsin River now that I have the right tool for the job.

Congratulations on the retirement

[Fish the Mitt]

Awesome thread @Glenn

 

My 2017 goals (in no particular order):

1. Get closer with my Scientific Angler fam and finally learn to fly fish.

2. Make the transition to competitive kayak fishing. 

3. I'm in the process of replacing all of my GX2s with McCain Hi-Performance Rods so I'd really like to spend some time getting to know the ins and outs of all the gear I use.

4. Continue building on my jig/swimjig fishing.

5. Fish with my daughter more.

6. A new PB would be nice!

7. Finally fish Lake St. Clair.

[Jeff H]

Travel/camp/fish new area/lake one weekend every month.  I'm geared for it now, just gotta do it!

[brgbassmaster]

2016 was a great year for me. I caught 3 fish over 8 lbs this year and a ton of 5-6lbrs. And learned very well how to fish a deep crank. So here are my goals for 2017.

1. Learn to fish Glide baits (deps 250 specifically) I love swim bait fishing but have never thrown these. 

2. Catch a DD

3. Learn my electronics better

4. Learn to use my new go pro and edit videos better

 

[Mr. Aquarium]

break 8lbs largemouth. that may not sound hard. but im from new england. they are here but not easy.

break 7lbs for a smallie. i caught a 6.9lbs this year and 7 is going to be alot harder then the 8lbs largemouth

[the reel ess]

Fish more often

Get a new PB. Meaning, fish more for large bass.

[CTBassin860]

1. Get out more than this year.

2. New PB.

3. Find a new fishing buddy .

4. Stop throwing my frogs in trees.

5. Keep a fishing journal.

6. Get comfortable with spinning gear

7.Have fun doing what I love most.

 

[CybrSlydr]

As someone very new to this, my one and only goal is to catch more than 4 fish next year!

I'll get to fish during the spring, so hopefully I'll be hitting some large ones!

[SWVABass]

So I have a couple goals I want to achieve or continue

Take my daughter fishing

continue fishing with my son

fill out a limit in a club event

become confident with a jerkbait

catch a new personal best both largemouth and smallmouth

[Wind Knot]

1. Get better at kayak fishing

2. Do more river fishing than I did last year

3. Become proficient and frogging and jigging

[Derek Petter]

My goals for 2017 are pretty simple: 

1) Fish more than I did this year

2) Become a better angler

3) Win or do really well in a tournament 

4) Catch one on top water (never came around to do it)

5) Build more relationships with my partner

6) Catch a "sharelunker" (look it up if you don't know what that is)

7) Upgrade my arsenal

8) Teach my family more about fishing

[bigfruits]

catch new PB with 5" hard swimbait (that's big around my way!)

[lakeannaangler]

Catch New PB

Catch another citation smallmouth

Catch a 50" muskie( highly doubt it's going to happen in VA)

Start saving for a bass boat

Donate gear to local kids 

[Ohio Archer]

Get better with my electronics including boat control with the TM. 

Fish at least one weekend a month every month. I have other hobbies and activities that need attention as well. 

Catch a 40+ inch musky. 

Finally catch a limit of bass from my local reservoir. 

Get away from the bank and learn to fish in water deeper than 15'. 

Take the time to set my new boat up to be more efficient and more productive. 

Have fun on the water. 

[Ratherbfishing]

Simpy to get out more often and to more places.

[Kris2016]

Since I have only been back into bass fishing for four Seasons I have a short list so far.  This way I can focus on only a couple of things at a time.  

1.  Shave down my rod collection and set up the remainder for specialties

2.  Get better with my new electronics

2.  Pay better attention to conditions

[Jon P.]

(in order of personal importance)

1. Catch a new PB and/or Montana state record

2. Get a new fishing kayak

3. Expand my swimbait box

4. Thoroughly map the Bitterroot and Clark Fork rivers for better bass fishing

5. More tournament fishing

[Cgolf]

Since this year was really bad conditions for fishing I will first pray for better weather. I did make the most of it though, but my list is surprisingly similar to what I would have said last year.

1. Get my boat out more, make the time for it not excuses

2. Fish the reed beds and sand flat, on the vacation lake, they sit on late into the night for trophy Bass, Walleye, and Musky. Been saying I would do this for many years and have yet to do it.

3. Fish the drop shot more, worked well one year and quit using it.

4. Work on my home grown rig that I just don't give enough time even though I know it is a winner.

5. Do some videos on my reed fishing tactics, guessing that many don't do.

6. Fish the stupid Senko, get bored with it again after 2 casts, but repeat many times until I see that it can catch fish instead of giving up on it after those 2 casts.

7. Change lures more often, I generally don't switch out a lot, I need to switch out more.

8. Be more patient and like Ike never give up

[Junk Fisherman]

Love this topic and always create a new list of goals of every year.

1)  Continue to improve with finesse fishing.  Several techniques put a lot of fish in the boat for me last year and I want to fine-tune my finesse fishing.

2)  Enjoy tournament fishing more.  I always feel anxious and worry about something unlike fun fishing.

3)  Get my daughter into fishing.  She is 6 and while we have gone a couple times before she is at the age where she will have a little longer attention span.

4)  Catch a 5 lb smallmouth in Lake Michigan around Chicago.  I have caught plenty of 5 lbers in northern MI and WI but I have only caught a 4.7 around my local water.  I definitely had 2 on last summer but one broke my line and the other came unbuttoned under the boat.

5)  Use the double uni knot for dropshot and learn the FG Knot.  Like Aaron Martens predicted, the Palomar knot let me down a couple times in a tournament last year.

6)  Learn my local waters better by using my electronics more and fishing different spots.  I was on a local, heavily fished lake this past fall and there was a big tournament.  All the common areas had a lot of pressure and I went to spots I had never fished.  I did really well.  How many other spots are like this?

 

[Robeng]

Fish more.  Focus on two or three new techniques one at a time till proficient.  Get even better with electronics regarding depth and frequency.  Fish more with my son and grandkids.  Fish more alone.  Thats a paradox!  Maybe a new(er) boat so my misses and grandkids can fit comfortably - all 9 of them!  Practice falling overboard with clothes on in summer and climb back in.   And go to annual Ultimate Fishing Expo in January.  

[geo g]

Same as every other year.  Have fun, and enjoy it with friends.