Now that we're past the start of the New Year, fishing is back on all our minds; it is time to go back and review how last year's fishing season went and set some goals for the upcoming 2025 season. Sit down, grab a cup of coffee, a piece of paper, and a pen/pencil, and make two columns on your paper. Write down what went well on one side and what needs to be worked on this year on the other side. That is the best way to start this process of how well you did last year. The most important thing here is to be honest with yourself. If you aren't, you're only hurting yourself. Off that first listing, ask yourself what you want to change in your first round. This will give you a few items that will start your list to work on for 2025.
In the first year of this process, make your breakdown easy and pick only 1 or 2 tactics you want to work on and learn. As the years go on, you can refine your plan and add to the size of your list, but to start, let's keep the first year's plan easy: pick two new tactics. Let me use these two subjects as examples to get better with forward-facing sonar and learn how to fish a Neko rig.
These are prime examples that bass fishermen face today. Now, take these topics and rate them 1-2 in importance. Rate one as the most important and two as your secondary choice. If this were my list, I would number them in the order they are here: 1-FFS and 2-Neko Rig. One thing to note is that these two tactics work hand in hand, so it will be easy to work on both tactics as one. This will make this an easy learning process and help you build some experience this first go around.
Once your two topics are set, start learning by gathering information on your subjects. Start by doing some Google searches on these topics and watching YouTube videos. Take notes about what the anglers are using and what they are noting as essential points.
Next, go to your local sports show and attend a few seminars, talk with some of the pros at the show, and ask them what their preferences are and the baits they use for these tactics. Do this breakdown for each one of the categories you want to learn, gather as much information as you can, and start from there to set up a plan.
Next, head to your local bait store and get a few baits to help you with these tactics. Don't go overboard; get only a few different choices. As you get better with your tactics, you'll have a better idea of what works, and you can expand your baits based on the knowledge you have gained from your experiences on the water.
Create a fishing log to help track your progress and keep records of your fishing trips. Track weather and water conditions (water temperature, water depth, log waypoints). Most importantly, what are you fishing for, and how? Record lures, action, and what you were doing to catch bass. These details will give you a better picture of what is working and what is not. Out of these details, you'll get a snapshot of what to do more of, what has produced when on the water, and what is not.
To help you keep notes on the water, get a small hand recorder and record details and points when on the water. Turn these recordings into notes in your fishing log to determine breakdown details and results. I keep detailed logs of all my days on the water in a notebook year by year. This gives me key information about tactics and presentations and their yearly results. It has also helped me see and put together yearly patterns that are starting to stand out, allowing me to improve and expand on what is catching bass and what is not. This information has also helped me develop tactics, and as I go and notice specific tactics taking shape, I have expanded and refined my fishing skills.
Learn with patience! Learning a new tactic or presentation won't happen overnight. Getting these tactics and presentations down and succeeding will take some time. Your learning process is not over. Continue to look at videos and ask more questions along the way. After doing this, you'll better understand what is working and pick up more details and points that will help you answer some of the questions you may have. One of the best ways to expand your learning process is on the water. Ask a fellow fisherman who is good with this technique to take you out on the water and have them show you what they are doing so you can expand on your skills and the progress that you have made. Once you do that, you often will get a better picture and can accelerate your learning curve.
A few more points make sure to fish these tactics during the season's prime time. It won't do you any good to try to fish a tactic in its off-season (if there is one). Your goal is to be productive with this presentation, so fish it in its prime time of the season, as this will help you be more successful and learn faster so you can utilize this tactic better. Another point is that you must be resolute and try this fairly. One way is to make this the only rod you take out of your rod locker that day. Fish it in the prime-time frame and in locations that will help you catch fish, and don't put it down. It's the best way to learn and get better at what you're trying to do. All you need is a few bass at the end of your line to help you get better and start to catch more fish along the way.
This plan will help you expand your base and learn a few new tactics this year, expand your fishing skills, and help you put more fish in the boat. They say practice makes perfect, Have A Great Fishing Season!
