Confidence is overrated

[burleytog]

Head to the lake this morning, knowing I'm going to kill 'em. No doubt in my mind.  Threw everything but the kitchen sink (and I almost tied it on) at them and didn't catching anything but some sun.

Every time I hit the water I'm confident, but I must not have the right kind of confidence or must not be holding my mouth right or something.

Sometimes I feel like Clark Griswold on Christmas. :-/

[JellyMan]

Clark... LOL

Man, I am the same way. But usually, it's those days when I'm like "well I guess I'll go out for a bit. It's nice out. Whatever."

Those are the days I usually pull em in. I think fact that you are relaxed and not "trying to hard" to catch fish actually helps. It's just like golf. You play much better when not worried and relaxed.

[Matt Fly]

What a beautiful night.   we went out last night and got started an hour  before dark.

   5-10 mph s winds, mostly gentle breeze, full moon, slight cloud cover at times.

    Fished till 4am and called it a day/night.     4 fish, not what I expected.

[grimlin]

Went out from 7:30am-1:30pm.Saw a bunch of bass just cruising around.

They looked to be pointing at us laughing the whole time.

I got 2 smallmouth to commit,my buddy got 1.

Not what i expected either.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

went out to my pond for a few knowing i was gonna slay um yup i did 4 bass total nothing huge but still knew i would. Sqeeeeters got a fill too .now i know why i like fishing mid-day such

[D4u2s0t]

Went out from 7:30am-1:30pm.Saw a bunch of bass just cruising around.

They looked to be pointing at us laughing the whole time.

I got 2 smallmouth to commit,my buddy got 1.

Not what i expected either.

same thing with me today.  woke up, went down to the lake, saw the bass jumping all around me, and got nothing.  1 bite, but i didn't hook it.  first time i've been in the lake and came out empty.

[Eddie Munster]

I think there are at least a couple types of confidence while fishing. Confident in the bait you're throwing (that you're presenting it well) and confident that conditions are prime to catch a lot of fish.

I'm confident in several baits that I throw and marginal for several others.

After numerous outings that I came up empty despite conditions that LOOKED prime, I gave up going in with any confidence that I would do well.

As with a lot of things, expect nothing and you'll never be disappointed.

[Fishing Rhino]

Confidence does not guarantee you will put more fish or even a fish in the boat on a given day.

Confidence does guarantee that over a period of time you will put more fish in the boat.

It's really quite simple.  Confidence is what keeps us plugging along with a positive attitude even when things become a struggle.

A lack of confidence results in surrender, or just tossing your hands up and giving up a pursuit.

[Madd Lunacy]

Same thing happened to me today.  I went out yesterday at about 10 am and I didn't stop till 5pm.  I caught 11 bass and stop counting after that, I bet I ended up catching at least 15 - 20 fish yesrday.  I didn't catch anything special, they were all between 1/2 lb to 1 1/2 lb, but it was still fun.  So I head out today thinking  I was going to have a good day.  I fished for 3 hours and had 2 bites and landed one of them wich was smaller than any of the fish I caught yesterday.  The only differnece between the weather today than yesterday was the wind, it was blowing 10-20 mph all day, so conditions were kind of tough, but it ended up being the worst day I have had so far this year.

[kms399]

I went out tuesday caught maybe 8 fish 2 guys 4 hours. went out friday 3 hours 2 guys in the afternoon caught a crappie barely bigger than my x-rap and a pike going around 1 lb on a sweet beaver. trying sunday we will see what happens I plan to go deeper 15' or so and fish really slow fishing a beaver or a lizard probably both confidence is very low as opposed to tuesday and friday. figures both times i went I brought a friend after telling them how well I had been doing.

[bigfish88]

Clark... LOL

Man, I am the same way. But usually, it's those days when I'm like "well I guess I'll go out for a bit. It's nice out. Whatever."

Those are the days I usually pull em in. I think fact that you are relaxed and not "trying to hard" to catch fish actually helps. It's just like golf. You play much better when not worried and relaxed.

haha YES YES YES, man i agree 100% bro.

[CJ]

Confidence should come "during" a fishing trip.

I always go with a neutral mindset. I've been let down so many times and I bet almost everybody has more than once.

I'm going with Ghoti tomorrow on Ky. I expect to catch some fish but I'm not pushing my expectations. I can't "make" it happen, just let it happen if it's the day!

[swilly78]

Im just confident that no matter what, being out on the lake fishing sure as heck beats anything else.  Well, darn near anything anyway.

[Fishing Rhino]

Confidence should come "during" a fishing trip.

I always go with a neutral mindset. I've been let down so many times and I bet almost everybody has more than once.

I'm going with Ghoti tomorrow on Ky. I expect to catch some fish but I'm not pushing my expectations. I can't "make" it happen, just let it happen if it's the day!

I think you may be equating confidence with anticipation, or as you said expectations.

Then again, I may be mixing up confidence and determination.

Sometimes reality bites, and the fish don't.

[Sam]

If the fish are not where you are putting your bait, all the confidence in the world will not help.

This is why we study the opponent to learn their behavior to try to increase the odds of finding them and then presenting something they want to hit, for whatever reason.

And sometimes the fish don't read the same articles or watch the same DVDs so they don't know what they are supposed to do.      

[Catt]

Some days are diamondssome days are stonessome days I'm better off not leaving home

I've long accepted the fact that this sport is called fishing, not catching, & that I'll do a lot more fishing than catching.

[tnhiker44]

I look at it this way... I am pretty confident that I am gonna get my boat from the drive way to the water. I have total control over that event. Once on the lake there are just too many things that I do not have control over to be confident. Weather (wind, fronts), fishing pressure, stubborn fish, ect.. Granted, I will do my best to adapt to the conditions... but some times it is just not in the cards.

When I am catching nice fish I do not get confident either. Just the opposite. I figure if I am on fish everyone else is too. I have only won a handful of club tourneys and have never placed in the money in any large "money" tourney I have fished in. I have never won a club tourney by running away with it... I have won only by a pound or two. But I have fished hard in each and every tourney I have ever fished in... which is where the word confidence comes in. I am confident I am going to fish hard. Period.

[cart7t]

Confidence should come "during" a fishing trip.

I always go with a neutral mindset. I've been let down so many times and I bet almost everybody has more than once.

I'm going with Ghoti tomorrow on Ky. I expect to catch some fish but I'm not pushing my expectations. I can't "make" it happen, just let it happen if it's the day!

Boy, ain't that the truth. I can't remember all the times I just knew this trip was going to be great because:

I'm hitting the moon phase perfectly, the lakes rising, a fronts on the way the next day, the water color is perfect, the fish are in pre-spawn, etc, etc,

and then you get to the lake and sputter... sputter.... fizzle....

Once the reality of the conditions don't match your expectations it's easy to become depressed and then lose all confidence.

Don't worry Burley, we've all been there. I still catch myself doing it to this day. It doesn't help when I watch the Bill Dance fishing show either.

I've found it's best to have a "Lets see what the fish are doing on the lake today" attitude. Using that mindset, you open yourself up to trying new techniques if the fish aren't cooperating. If you manage to find the key to catching decent fish that day your feeling of accomplishment becomes much greater which builds that confidence.

And if that doesn't work? Lie. ;D

You've got a photo of a nice 5lber from KY lake that could be "shopped" to look like you caught it anywhere.

[bass wrangler569]

Confidence does not guarantee you will put more fish or even a fish in the boat on a given day.

Confidence does guarantee that over a period of time you will put more fish in the boat.

It's really quite simple. Confidence is what keeps us plugging along with a positive attitude even when things become a struggle.

A lack of confidence results in surrender, or just tossing your hands up and giving up a pursuit.

X2 You hit the nail on the head

[Paul Roberts]

Good thread.

Even KVD gets his butt kicked. And it has less to do with his confidence or ego than the complexity nature can dish out.

[CODbasser]

i always just try to be confident in the fact that im going to have a good time..if im on the water i am happy, catching fish is just another added bonus to enjoying the outdoors...

[Mottfia]

Confidence by itself means nothing. But when combined with something can mean the world.

Confidence in your lures, your fishing location, your eqiupment, your knowledge, and yourself all come together in a way that can mean more fish.

Why? because when you are confident in all of these you focus harder.

You can focus what your lure is doing in the water and won't second guess your lure selection all day

You have more faith in the fact the you are around fish meaning that you fish the area harder.

You have confidence that your equipment is in good working order so you won't be distracted about the chance of it not working.

You aren't distracted by the negative thoughts of not being as good as the next guy, not being on fish or fishing behind a guy because you have confidence that you understand fish and have the ability to pattern them throughout the day.

And last but not least, you have the confidence that you are a good fisherman ( thats HUGE)

There are days that will come where you will be skunked or have a tough day but in the long run confidence will lead to many more fish

Mottfia

[SammyLee]

Yep, watched the tank bass at Bass Pro killing the chigger craw yesterday, which was a good bass day for me.  (PB yesterday)  Got some craws and hit the local lake this morning.  Man, I just KNEW I was gonna clean up. Hmm, one bite which I missed with a bad hookset.  5 hours fishing today and two brim and one dink.

The only thing I am confident of today is that I will fish hard the next time and learn from those I missed.  I love being outdoors and all but having a fighting fish on the line is a feeling like nothing else.  It leaves me with a buzz all the way to my heart.

[Pitchinkid]

lol Maybe burley, you just suck.

[Bull Hurley]

lol Maybe burley, you just suck.

We have a winner!!!!!!!

To add went out on the water with the wife saturday.  Didn't have much expectations other than I figure I would catch some.  Was on the water around 6:30am fished till 8:30pm.  Got 2 fish in the boat in 14 hours, my wife got one and I got one.  We did have quite a few come unbuttoned.  I don't have alot of confidence in this lake yet but I have also only fished it twice.