Every angler out there maintains an unshakable faith that whatever they’re doing will eventually work, even when there’s evidence to the contrary. We target specific hatches, return to the same spots, use the same lures and baits, and hope we’re doing the right thing to get the job done.
But sometimes you still get skunked. Then, anglers will say things like “the fish weren’t biting” or “it’s called fishing, not catching” or “the big one got away.” The truth is fish are always biting, you can always catch them, and you let the big one get away. In reality, you probably aren’t learning from your mistakes.
Fishing Lore vs. Fishing Fact
Most of us learned how to fish as children from an older mentor. They in turn learned from someone else, and so on. Each of these elder anglers passed on their own grains of wisdom, which most anglers take as gospel. However, most of these “facts” about fishing are actually just opinions. Common ideas like big fish only eat big baits, fish stop biting in the rain, or that the best time to fish is always dawn or dusk aren’t actually true, at least not 100% of the time.
Many anglers continue to make mistakes because they continue to practice or believe fishing lore, especially when it’s incorrect. It only takes a little willingness and a few fish to debunk some of these angling myths.
It Worked Before
Just because something worked once doesn’t mean it will work every time. Yet, many anglers stick with a lucky lure or bait, fishing technique, or magic fishing spot even when they don’t work. Instead of trying new techniques, baits, or areas, it’s easier to stick with what you know, and that can be a fishing trap.
Just because you caught a bunch of fish on a certain lure or bait in a certain area doesn’t mean you’ll do it again. Fishing holes change. Just because a stream had a pile of fish one year doesn’t mean it will next. Habitat changes. Floods, fish prey, and climate conditions can change overnight. Don’t keep going back to the same spot that produced for you way back when, especially if you’re getting skunked. If you only stick to what you know, you’ll never evolve as an angler.
You’re Too Sentimental
Whether it’s because you learned a specific technique from your grandfather or you and a buddy had a record day at your favorite fishing spot, anglers get sentimental about fishing. And, sentimentality will make you stick with certain baits, techniques, or fishing holes even when they don’t work. Get your lines and emotions tangled, and you’ll repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
Try Something New
Everyone makes mistakes on the water. The key is to learn from them so you don’t make the same ones again. When it comes to fishing, a lot of us have blind spots for our shortcomings. If you can set aside the fishing lore and nostalgia, you’ll have plenty of chances to grow as an angler. And, yes, that should mean more fish.
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