You can't teach courage. You can't teach heart. Etc.

[frogflogger]

Lots of good observations/comments- I'll add a sense of humor - been fortunate to fish with some really great anglers whose influence continues into today's game and everyone of them laughed a lot when we were fishing. It's fun !

[NYWayfarer]

Great thread and a good read.

 

My answer is patience and the willingness to try new things. 

[cheezyridr]

i think if we had a contest, even on the water i fish all the time, many of you would probably out fish me. 

i'm ok with that.  i don't fish to be the best.  i dont fish to outsmart the bass, or learn the structure or any of that.  i learn those things because i am fishing, but that's not why i'm there.  i'm there because i enjoy it for some reason.  i dont really think deeply about why.  i do, and that's enough for me. i can catch bass when all of my friends cannot. we play around with who's better, but i'm just playing along.  i dont really care. when i hook a decent fish, i dont reel him in quick as i can, like alot of folks  do.  i like to let him fight back some.  i like being out there, wading in a stream, or walking around a pond, looking for a spot i want to cast to, where i think a bass probably is. when i was in my 20's, i used to fish 4 times/week, for hours.  at that time, i had casting accuracy  that was insanely good.  i did take pride in that. it's fun to be good at something.  i thought about what kind of shot i might have in a real competition.  i decided that wasn't why i  was fishing, and never tried it. i dont fish nearly as much anymore, and my eye sight isn't what it used to be. i can't cast like that anymore, although i still cast well. i lost 3 of my favorite lures last weekend. a small price to pay for the peace fishing brings to me inside. 

[DaubsNU1]

On 8/24/2020 at 1:26 AM, Glaucus said:

What do you think you have that makes you a good angler? 

 

This is sort of a late night spiritual thread with perhaps a splash of ego boost, but I'm serious. We all have something that makes us different than the rest, even if we aren't quite gods (pros).

 

What makes me a good angler? 

** I am probably more lucky than good ** 

 

1. I love to research and learn new things (this forum, YouTube, web, talking with other anglers, etc.)

2. Good at preparation / planning

3. Not afraid to admit when I'm wrong...and try something different. 

4. I am persistent

5. Willing to work hard and "go the extra mile"

 

I approach deer hunting the same way. Tagged this old Muley on public land in Nebraska. Little bits of preparation, persistence, and hard work...lots of luck : ) 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cgolf]

For me I take some of those sayings Ike has, fish the moment and never give up, plus a couple of my own to heart. I am not afraid to go against conventional wisdom and generally never give up. 

 

I fish a local river for roughly 20 minutes on the way to work sometimes, and there have been many times that on my literal last cast I have gotten the only hit and fish of the day. It also has to do with focus on a tough bite. While yes my mind wanders time to time during a tough bite, I fight through it to find a way to stay focused so I don't miss what may be the only hit of the hour. Bass fishing can be tough some days and we just need to be mentally tougher.

[Fin S]

I'm always trying to learn something new and apply it, and I'm very patient (maybe to a fault). The other thing is I'm fairly content just to be fishing, whether the fish or biting or not, and attitude is a big part of having a good day fishing.

[HookInMouth]

On 8/24/2020 at 8:58 AM, A-Jay said:

I do not fish tournaments.

I think a lot of tournament winners are very happy that you don't. ?

[Swamp Girl]

This thread is a good read, so I'm commenting if you want to enjoy it too.

[geo g]

I have fished for over 50 years now and have found out that for the first 20 years I fished much too fast.  Since retiring I fish 5 or 6 days a week depending on weather conditions.  Some days from the boat, most days from the bank on one of the six lakes within a mile of my home.  My personal strength in the game is patience, love for the sport, and confidence in what I’m doing.  Fishing is my relaxation, and tranquility.  If the equipment is working properly, my casting techniques are on point, and the weather is not brutal, I am a happy camper regardless of how many fish I catch.  Knowledge and confidence are the key, and they come with experience and time spent on the water.

[Zcoker]

 

Thinking outside the box, going the extra mile, putting out 100%, willing to be super critical of every move….just some of the more common things that make me good at not only catching bass but basically anything I apply them to. Along with a straight forward pinpointed desire to succeed, no matter what. And if that means going outside of my comfort zone, then so be it. If there’s one thing that I’ve leaned with fishing: if there’s a will, there’s a way! Things may seem near impossible, that body of water may seem near impossible to catch fish in, it may be so dark out making the eyes useless, but it can be done. Barriers can be overcome, most of which are created in our own minds. Heck, look at what a bass has to overcome just to make it to adulthood, let alone trophy status! Nearly impossible odds in certain areas. Yet some of them beat those odds and prevail. Remember that next time you catch and hold a giant bass. Learn what you can from that which you are trying to catch. The secret is there, always has been. Just gotta seek it out and catch it! 

[WRB]

Some folks in emergency watch, some run away a few run to help that is courage.

Having the heart to stick too it come hell or high water doesn’t take courage it takes internal drive to grind it out staying focused on the goal. Few people have both courage and heart my hats off to those few.

Tom

[Catt]

I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

[Swamp Girl]

32 minutes ago, Catt said:

I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

 

This reminds me of the moment in "The Quick and the Dead" where Gene Hackman tells Sharon Stone, "I'm faster than you." and she replies, "Not today you aren't."

[Rockhopper]

On 12/15/2024 at 10:02 AM, WRB said:

Some folks in emergency watch, some run away a few run to help that is courage.

Having the heart to stick too it come hell or high water doesn’t take courage it takes internal drive to grind it out staying focused on the goal. Few people have both courage and heart my hats off to those few.

Tom

This could not be more spot on.  I see this year after year.  I have been coaching select travel baseball for decades now.  Living up north, we have some cold winters, and it is dark a lot.  We actually refer to the winter as the "winter grind".  Not every player shows up.  It is cold.  It can get boring and monotonous.  But those players who keep grinding day after day, week after week, wreak the results and it pays off ten fold for them when it comes time to perform in the spring and summer.  It takes a lot of heart to stick with that and I am always amazed at these young men.  They have taught me more than I will ever teach them about life in general.