10 mistakes amateur anglers make

[Glenn]

What do you think are the top 10 mistakes amateur anglers make?

[lure junkie]

using too many different baits or changing too often

[Wayne P.]

Define "amateur", non-professional, beginner, some experience, etc.

[Glenn]

Whatever you feel it should be.

[Bobby Uhrig]

UH !!!!Listening to the anglers on Bass Resource-would be my first guess LOL- Ok  then-  They dont spend enough time on the water- They think that they are just going to bang fish every time they go fishing-thats not going to happen-second -staying with the same bait over and over for long periods of time -meaning they think that the fish are just not biting or they are in the wrong location-Keep changing baits and techniques- If you keep using the same bait and technique you will have the same results-now that could be good or bad- If you are catching them ,thats a good thing if not change it up. Let the fish tell you how and what they want- Learn different techniques-REMEMBER REPITITION IS THE FORMULA FOR SKILL

[florida strain]

Here is a few of my mistakes i made in the past

1.try to hard to be a pro, than what is important

2.not soaking in information from a boater if a co-angler

3.following the trends of what everyone else is doing instead of being ones self

4.not believing in yourself that what your doing is the right move

5.not experimenting, stuck on one or two things or ways

6.understanding and reacting to change of conditions

7.knowing on water experience is priceless

8.intimidated by others, rigs, and product.

9.not giving a 100 %,100% of the time

10.knowing the importance of self image/marketing skills

[Gatorbassman]

1. Thinking that the lure is the reason for not catching fish.

2. Putting to much emphasis on that perfect color lure.

3. Not spending the time to find the fish first.

4. Must have the best of everything in order to be successful

5. Thinking that that other fisherman across the lake is catching fish when he/she's not.

6. Being stuck on the same bait.

7. Always going back to the same spot because the fish were there last week, month, or year.

8. Not visualizing the lure under the water.

9. Not practicing accurate casting.

10. Not finding a fishing mentor.

[thrawn67]

1. Getting frustrated

2. having the drag set wrong, tho they usually learn that one quick

3. knots  also one they learn quick

4. proper care for gear

[SGT Rico]

I can sum it up with one word, IGNORANCE!!!!

[SoFlaBassAddict]

10. Not finding a fishing mentor.

This is my biggest problem.  My father was my mentor growing up, but I grew up saltwater fishing.  Bass were never part of the equation.  The few times we went saltwater fishing, it was treated as a joke day.  As I've started fishing freshwater more often, I realize the challenge of Bass fishing isn't the act of reeling them in, it's actually finding them and figuring out what they want to eat.  I'm able to take some of my saltwater techniques and apply them to bass fishing, but there are some drastic differences between the two.  Thankfully today we've got the internet and loads of information out there that can fill in a lot of the missing gaps.

[Red]

Fishing too fast!  I am getting better at this.  When I pitch my craw I just let it sit for a few.  Thats when the bites usually come, or on the first hop following.

[Bass Tracker 20]

I'm a very young angler, and very amateur, there are lots of mistakes that I have made but the number one mistake is not being confident.  When I started getting more confident when I went fishing, I started catching more fish and I fish alot better when I am confident. 

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

One is anglers not taking proper care of their boat letting it sit long periods of times without being cranked  or not storing it properly

[Blue Streak]

Define "amateur", non-professional, beginner, some experience, etc.

I am wondering about this myself. Does this mean people who do not fish for an income? Or does it just mean inexpierenced fishermen?

[SirSnookalot]

1. Emulating pros with multiple rigs.

2. Switching lures and techniques too fast... patience.

3. Overworking a bait.....slow down, don't get hyper.

4. Overspending.....reels and rods are only tools, they will not not catch more fish, if inexperienced.

5. No magic bullet, all lures will catch fish if given a chance.

6. Find the bait, you'll find the fish, up to you to entice a strike.

7. Relax and just let it flow, happens when it happens, take the pressure of yourself and just have fun.

8. Almost all fish do only 2 things, eat and reproduce, don't over analyze.

I fish both fresh and salt, 1 rod and no more than 3 or 4 lures with me, I keep it real simple and I catch nice fish everyday.

[burleytog]

Not spending enough money.

[Mattlures]

Man I must be the worst angler ever. I do all the mistakes the amateurs do!!!

I absolutley have to have the perfect lure for the situation and I belive there is usualy 1 superior lure for every situation. I believe Color is extremly important. I have zero patients except when trophy hunting, and even then I dont like it but I know I will eventualy be rewarded.

If I am not getting bit then I have to change something.

I spend money on quality gear.

Even when I shore fish I have at least 2 rods sometimes 3. When I take my boat I usualy have at least 15 rigged and ready. I like to have a specific rod for every technique I do.

I over analize things

I never had a mentor , I had to teach myself.

I go back to the same spots that worked before

I use several different baits and a change them often untill I find the right one.

It bother me if someone else is catching fish and I am not.

I declare I am the biggest amatuer of all!!! :-[ :-[ ;D

Two mistakes that I see other amatuers make that I do not is, They get frustrated and give up and I will never give up. I may not have the answer all the time but give me enough time to over analize it and I will figure it out.

And I am always observing and learning. You dont always need to have a line in the water to learn. Sometimes I just watch the bass.

Sooo I guess my answers are

They give up to easy

They dont observe their quarry enough.

They buy junk gear(doesnt have to be expencive, just decent)

They use stupid lures

They fall for gimiky products.

They listen to people who pretend to know what they are talking about.

They dont know enough, to know who to listen too

They use theri gear in the wrong way.

[Sam]

Buying baits and equipment that they see advertised on TV or in magazines which prove to be useless. 

Not suscribing to bass magazines nor purchasing DVDs about baits and techniques.

Not being a member of this site. 

[Catt]

Failing to understand what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively.

Failing to understand the predominate prey species in your lake and how that species relates to structure with each season...morning, noon, and night.

Failing to understand that next after location is timing; just because you don't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure.

Failing to understand that to consistently catch bass is a process of elimination and duplication. Eliminate patterns and waters that are non-productive and duplicate patterns and waters that are productive.

Failing to understand the #1 key to consistently catching bass is between your ears not between the folds of your wallet.

Failing to understand it takes a rare breed of fisherman using simple techniques to perfection to consistently catch bass

The average bass fishermen does not like to anchor, or even own a anchor

Anglers often respond to failure and frustration by over-complicating theory and technique. As much as it helps our egos to regard a difficult task as complex, this type of thinking is often the biggest obstacle between you and your fishing success.

Failing to understand that if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got

K.I.S.S. 

[steezy]

1. fishing too fast.

2. not paying attention to environment (structure,weather,water)

3. using too many setups

4.-10. (see 1. & 2. & 3.)

[fishfordollars]

1. Fish too fast

2. Casting accuracy

3. Lack of knowledge

4. Maintain tackle(Line)

5. Focus

6. Learn to set patterns

7. Realize they are on fish(The right fish)

8. Make a move when they need to(Instincts)

9. Lack of time on the water

10. Relying on another's info when their own would be better

[Crestliner2008]

They forget the basic principle of finding fish; depth & speed control.

[Daniel My Brother]

5. No sunscreen.

4. No mosquito spray.

3. No rain gear.

2. Not checking your line often and retying.

1. Spending too much time with your bait out of the water.

[roadwarrior]

1. Location, location, location.

2. Fishing too shallow, too much

3. Fishing too fast

4. Not being able to recognize structure and cover

5. Shoddy or cheap gear, especially line and hooks

6. Ignoring natures clues: especially baitfish and birds

7. Poor techniques, both presentation and hook-up

8. Trying too be "versatile" before mastering basic skills

9. Moving too often

10. Changing lures too often

8-)

[Shad_Master]

In no particular order:

1) changing too often or not changing enough

2) being intimidated (e.g., not throwing lures into the heart of the brush piles, etc.)

3) getting tied to the bank

4) not being precise or smoot with the presentation (splashing the water)

5) fishing history (I caught 'em here last year!!!)

6) not spending enough time studying bass behavior

7) not spending enough time learning new techniques

8) getting stubborn about a particular lure, color or techniqe

9) taking what other fishermen tell you a gospel (it's good to learn from others, but don't always count on them to tell you the whole truth)

10) leaving an area when fish are biting