Top 5 Most Important Factors In Catching Fish

[kbj3579]

RW posted a response in "Leasons Learned" that got me thinking, what are your most important top 5 factors in catching fish.  I know it will come up so let's make it catching a limit, not big fish.   Maybe we can do that seperate.  Here's my top 5, with 5 being least important and 1 being most important.

5.  Equipment (Right line, rod, reel for job)

4.  Lure color.

3.  Lure selection.  (Spinner, jig, worm, etc...)

2.  Casting ability.

1.  Finding Fish

I think casting ability is only second due to you have to find the fish first, but I truly believe making soft and accurat entries are critical.  Which I know I still need some work on.  

[Chris]

1) The right knot and line for the job

2) Making the perfect cast

3) The right lure for the job

4) locating the right areas to hold fish

5) boat positioning, and lure presentation

[Raul]

It don 't matter if you make beautiful casts or have the prettiest lure, you have locate the fish first.

And how to locate the fish ? CONDITIONS dictate where the fish will be, knowing how the fish react to the conditions is what allows you to find the fish, select the proper bait and technique.

The most difficult thing to do is to locate the fish.

[roadwarrior]

#1  Finding the fish

#2  Lure/ bait (includes technique selection)

#3  Presentation  (includes casting and boat position)

#4  Equipment  (includes the right knot and line)

#5  Enough beer and cigarettes to last all day

[Raul]

Enough beer and cigarettes to last all day

Hey what 's the matter with you ?, those are number 1 !, skip the cigarrettes, Cohiba Habana Espl éndido, please bring two.  

[alhuff]

I've fished with different people at different levels of fishing ability, either bass or bait/bank or boat, and here is what I would say are important:

1.Equipment

    - Line

    -Rod/Reel

    -Right Knots

2.Knowing where the fish are

    -knowing what stucture bass and other fish live

     around is important in catching fish and not just

     fishing

3.The right time of day

    - Fishing the right time of day will help you catch  

     fish and not just fish

4.The right lure or live bait

    - The right lure or live bait can and will make a difference in

     catching and just fishing

5.Hook set

    - Not setting the hook when you feel a strike

     only makes you mad (my 6year old found that

     out quick while fishing lizards)

To me anyone can go fishing all day any day and still not CATCH fish.  

You can have the best and most expensive equipment but still not catch anything if you don't know where the fish live.  You can fish in the hotest part of the day and only get sun burned and yet not catch any fish.  If you are using the right lure at the wrong time of the day, again you will not be catching, just fishing.  You can have the next World Record bass on the line but if the hook set was not a good one then its only a fish tale.  

I guess you can say that I'm a, "Stick to the Basics" kind of guy.  If you have ever had to teach someone how to fish then there is a big difference in what CATCHING fish involves.  

Teach a kid to fish and YOU will learn how to fish all over again.

Alfred

[LONGEARS]

All above are good lists but to catch alot you need to 1) Be aware ( of changing conditions, fish feeding on the surface,etc) 2) It,s all in the hands

[Chris]

The most difficult thing is figuring out what will it take to make the fish bite not locating them. Locating them is the easy part. Also no matter how pretty your lure is if its not in the right place or worked the right way its not going to do you any good. Making the cast and fishing helps figure out what they want then you refine your patten. Then you expand and find the right areas that would hold fish. We are both on the right track.

[roadwarrior]

Chris,

Are there any professional tours where we could fish as partners? If you are half right and I'm half right, we ought to sweep them all!

What's 1st Place in every tournament and the Championship worth? Maybe this is the ticket we need to quit our day jobs! You find 'em, I'll catch 'em, or we'll both catch 'em or, heck, I'll just help you catch 'em!

We won't need to find any sponsors either, they'll be beating down the door just begging us to take their money. Watch out KVD, here we come.

[kbj3579]

Chris you would just need to make sure you have enough room for the beer and cigarettes, for RW.  

[Kendammit]

its hard to put on a list of 5, but focus and patience are very big factors in catching fish.  One has to be focused on what they are doing, where they are fishing, how the conditions are and how they are changing, and have the patience to last through the trying times in search of the fish.

[Will]

1) Find the Fish

2) Lure Color

3) Right Equipment

4) The lure

5) Lure Presentation

Catching fish is tough when they are not where you are.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Confidence

Confidence

Confidence

Confidence

Luck :

[Reaction_Strike]

Enough beer and cigarettes to last all day

Hey what 's the matter with you ?, those are number 1 !, skip the cigarrettes, Cohiba Habana Espl éndido, please bring two.

I like the way these guys think!

RW, you handle the squares.  Make mine a Fuente Fuente Opus X.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

You know what they say......................

1. Location

2. Location

3. Location

4. Confidence in your presentation

5. Right equipment

[Guest avid]

I would say

1      confidence

2      concentration

3      bass knowledge

4      current conditions

5      Ability to all elements together and catch fish!

[Marty]

It's been said many, many times, "better to throw the wrong lure in the right place than the right lure in the wrong place."

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

1. a boss that lets you

2. find the fish and a

3. G/f That lets you go so you can

4. figure out the lure and presentation needed to

5. light one up and crack a beer in victory!

[Hillbilly_Hooker]

Raul,

If those Cohibas are Cuban, I wanna fish with you!!!

[bassaddict62]

Here are my main factors:

1. Find a food source

2. Find quick access to deep water (bass escape route)

3. Put the lure where the bass is - don't make them work too hard

So, I just consider these three factors as I fish. I fish shallow ponds a lot, so this is what works for me.

[Nick]

I like avid's idea. The best fishermen I know don't go fishing, they go catching.  For them it's a matter of harvesting.  They have had so much success that they expect to do well regardless of the conditions. They have learned the habits of the quarry, and they know how to use the tools to make fish bite. Their confidence is acquired from repeated successes.

Successful anglers eliminate as many unknowns as possible. They can pretty well determine what they should be doing when they can cut the long list of variables that affect fishing.  It's making the best decisions to come up with the dominant pattern to put the odds overwhelmingly in one's favor. #1 find the depth of the fish based on season, water conditions,  weather, and food.

#2 fish the structural elements fish are relating to #3 determine the mood of the fish or activity level : active, nertral,  or inactive #4 select the proper lure to elicit strikes.