Defining Success

[badbass]

How do you personally define success when it comes to fishing?

For me, even though I'm more of a casual fisherman, I suppose it would be catching more fish than my dad, or whoever I'm fishing with. I'm just a competitive person.

It's also important to have fun, but I can still fail in the sense of not catching more fish, and manage to have fun.

[earthworm77]

Success in fishing is consistency

[Pond-Pro]

              Succsess to me is having a good time.  Catching a bunch of nice bass can help me have a good time.  

[kajun]

   I think the definition of success varies depending on each fishing trip.  Alot of variables are involved like who you are fishing with, what you are fishing for(recreational or tounament) and skill level.  For me, since I'm still learning, every trip on the water is successful because I'm either learning what I should or should not be doing.  Catching fish is just an added bonus.  I can honestly say that I've learned just as much if not more on days that I didn't catch anything compared to days that I couldn't keep my lure in the water.  As my skill level goes up my definition of success will change.

                       Kajun

[Big_Bass_Rich]

Success: Having fun and accomplishing a goal you have set for the trip. I set a goal for every trip, it may not be a big goal - maybe something like "I will learn to fish a crankbait in shallow brush" and by the end of the trip I have accomplised this goal, making it a success. If I catch a few bass, it's a bonus.

[Maineiac]

Defining success in terms of fishing could almost be like defining how high "up" is. It is also something that is absolutly transitional and often situational. That which would have constituted success for me 20, 30 or 40+ years ago might not even get on the list of items of importance today. I think you all have a handle on it by your posts. In a tourney I guess it is doing well and maybe cashing a check but I have seen times when even getting a limit made it a pretty good day. If my grandsons are with me, success is measured by what they catch and how much fun they have. I often measure success by what I can learn about a new lake or by what I can learn new about a lake I have fished often. I can even think of a few days of fishing when success was measured by me and my equipment still being in one piece and able to fish again another time. It sure wasn't measured by what I caught. Oh wait refer back to that learning thing, I learned there are some days you should just stay home by the fire, so I guess even those days were successfull.

[L.D.]

Success to me is seeing everyone on the boat catch fish, have fun, and enjoying the day.

[Chris]

Success for me is knowing that when i am in a tournament i did everything right even if my limit didn't pan out.  If i go home knowing that every fish was played right and every cast was where i wanted them and every bite was hooked and everything that i can controle was in my favor then i feel i found success.

[Danarchy]

I'm with Rich on this one. Accomplishing goals defines your success like nothing else. I sometimes go to the hole with a select few baits, most of which I've never used. I leave my go-to baits at home, and try to learn how to catch fish with the selected baits. Doing this not only expands your fishing resources, but it may help you find a new go-to bait and help boost your fishing confidence over all. The way I see it, every lure on the shelves will catch fish, if used in the right place and right time. Expanding your experience in different lure types will give you more options and help you succeed in the future. A fisherman should know how to use every lure in his tackle box.

[crankbait]

Any day I get to go fishing is successful in my book. ;D

[BamaCoast]

Like some of the other post I think success is defined in many different ways. This time of the year success will not be measure by how many you catch but may be measure by the quality of what you catch. The great thing about bass fishing is its a thinking mans sport. If you set out to catch a big bass by using only large baits and you only catch one lunker  and nothing else then I would have to say you were successful. I think success may be measured differently with each trip.