What would it be?

For me it was something that i really came to the realization of over the past 2 weeks being on vacation.

No matter what type of water you fish or species you target you can always bridge the gap between water types ( sweet -salty , River - Ditch) and species, they behave and hunt the same. So use some simular techniques you do in other situations and it will help produce more fish, especially reading the water.

Be patient
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That fishing most of the time is not about the catch... but the mental and physical pursuit.
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keep a detailed log of your fishing exploits: What worked, what didnt work, wind, moon, tide, season, water quality, how long you stayed, what other people were doing/using and where... the more information the better. Its kinda fun looking back and remembering a really good day, who you were with and what happened; You'll be suprised how much you forget just off the top of your head. Me especially :smokin:

Have FUN
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fish out every cast as though a fiddy is eyeballing your plug.

Teach your kids about the importance of catch and release.
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Have FUN
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YUP!

Have FUN
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THIS

You can't catch fish with your line out of the water...

IF SOMEONE HOOKS UP STAND 2' AWAY AND CAST DOWN CURRENT!
FOR REAL..... TAKE OUT WHAT YOU BRING IN. DONT CRAP WHERE YOU FISH!

Being a good steward to the environment.

I'm tryingto pass on to my kids the joy, mystery and respect that comes from fishing. To always treat the animal with respect, even those "trash fish and bait stealers". It's their ocean, we're just visiting, they're doing what they were meant to do.

You Should've of been here yesterday :)
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When fishing wooden plugs (or any kind of artificial) vary your retrieve speed and find how the fish like it!! I see too many people who think "FAST".........is the ONLY way!:uhuh:

No cell phones.

Respect everyone and everything you come in contact with on the water.
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Lotta good responses.

Mine would be that I am an idiot and not a good fisherman and probably never will be. The best lesson I learned was to get over myself, accept that I will never be "great" and just enjoy what little time I have to fish, whenever I can.


I think the true "greats" have it in them to begin with and hone their skills through practice. If you have ever watched and observed people when they fish than you know what I mean.

Don't fish with me. I suck! :rotf3:

Catching fish is a bonus, enjoy the chase in it's entirety. Watch the sun/moon rise/set. Listen to the surroundings, enjoy the act as a whole. Appreciate it . And swear alot because it helps.
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Its not about catchin ><><ENJOY

The one lesson I try to impress on my nephews is to pay attention to the details. Re-tie knots, sharpen hooks, plan where you are goin to land a fish before your first cast. Check you leader and line often. All the simple stuff and the main reasons guys loose trophy fish. "The little things"

Don't take it seriously
Don't put fishing before friendship
Have a plan in case of emergency!

Trust your gut. If something inside of you tells you to try something or someplace do it. It's put 3 of the big fish on my walls by doing so.

i am with Chris on this,don't take it seroiusly,it is only a fish.it is all about the people you meet and the good times you have.when you get over trying to prove youself you will find it is much easier to put fish on the beach.

You wanna meet some great people pick up a surf rod an give it a try.There are some really great people out there.

Same as it's ever been, "Be Prepared", and slow is better.

That it's not about the fish.

don't crowd a guy who is catching fish and was there before you ... respect.

Or cast on my side
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its hard to ride a bike drunk, even on a flat bike path.

just get out there.

Be patient... by doing this, you relax, enjoy and observe.. if you do that you will have sucess even if it is the form of understanding more about yourself.

Understand why... it's a lot more important than the questions people usually ask which seem to be where, when and on what.

leave the spot cleaner than when you arrived.

Lotta good responses.

Mine would be that I am an idiot and not a good fisherman and probably never will be. The best lesson I learned was to get over myself, accept that I will never be "great" and just enjoy what little time I have to fish, whenever I can.


I think the true "greats" have it in them to begin with and hone their skills through practice. If you have ever watched and observed people when they fish than you know what I mean.


Funny, I would bet that all the true "greats" started out thinking the same way!

No one is born a great angler, but become so through practice, patience and perseverence. Remember that you are only as good or as bad as YOU think you are!

What would it be?

.

Don't fish next to me? :jump1:

Funny, I would bet that all the true "greats" started out thinking the same way!

No one is born a great angler, but become so through practice, patience and perseverence. Remember that you are only as good or as bad as YOU think you are!

You may be right to some extent but I still think that some people just have "it" or they dont, no matter how hard they pratice (the latter would be myself :) )

Out of all the people I have observed fishing in my life there are 2 that I can say I have seen this certain grace with a fishing rod and lure that I just cannot describe but it is a beautiful thing to have been able to watch them in their element, their "being" if you will.

Keep fishing, after that pod of bluefish have moved on.

When you're in the presence of wise men (whether it is on the water, at the bait shop, or at a cook out), close your mouth, listen and/or watch. Ever since I was a kid, I've learned more by watching sharpies on the water and noticing very subtle details, and they have made a world of difference. I have no idea who most of them were. What I did know is they were out fishing me and I wanted to know why.

Keep your mouth shut about spots, shut up and listen when old salts speak, and no matter how many dead 50s you pose with you will not earn the respect of guys who truly respect the resource.
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It's not how big or how many but the memories you walk away with.

Also, avoid fishing websites and social media, they have contributed to the destruction of the fisheries IMO.

Also, avoid fishing websites and social media, they have contributed to the destruction of the fisheries IMO.

Said the guy with over 7,100 posts on a fishing website, lol.



I agree with everyone who says just have fun and enjoy the time spent fishing. For me, fishing is something I do when I'm not working to relax and enjoy myself. There's no need to make it stressful or not fun.

Fish at night and have fun.

Ignore every "rule" and try it your own way. Just because everyone else does things the same is no reason to follow suit.

If something is worth doing, it's worth doing well and I don't think you can do something well without taking the time to first learn how to do it and then practicing so you can do it well.

Think about the word "angler"

I fish many boulder feilds and the one thing I have learned over the past several seasons is to change the "angle" of my rod when fighting a bigger fish. By simply changing angles when a fish is digging in or heading in an unfavorable direction, often times you have more control of the outcome (but not always).

Remember that you know what you know because someone took the time to instill this fire within you. Whether it be dad, brother, grandpa in my case my great uncle. We all started somewhere... I try and remember that when I'm about to lose my patience with someone less seasoned. We all got our start somehow try not to lose sight of that :)
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Ignore every "rule" and try it your own way. Just because everyone else does things the same is no reason to follow suit.

Is that why you cast in the wrong direction 15 minutes after a current change and consistently cross me up? ;)
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Even though I'm only 25, I'd give the advice of LEARN HOW TO SWIM. Even though it is not technically fishing, God forbid a wave pulls you out or you fall off the rocks, etc. (even if you aren't doing anything stupid) you DO NOT want to end up in the water not having that knowledge. You are constantly around water and you should respect the power of water. Know how to save yourself because you may be like me and fish alone. But even with a friend, they cannot swim for you.

Directly related to fishing: PLAN WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO LAND YOUR CATCH AND PLAN FOR THE FISH TO BE 50 POUNDS. I see too many people when leaving the beach and bay not scouting for a landing rock on the jetty or rock piles and making a dangerous climb down or rock hopping with no Korkers or a belt around their waders. Some have some very nasty scars to prove my case. No fish is worth your life. Ever.

[QUOTE=fishbones;996855]Said the guy with over 7,100 posts on a fishing website, lol.

HAHAHA

So you wanna fish?
Do yourself a favor, stick to golf.
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[QUOTE=fishbones;996855]Said the guy with over 7,100 posts on a fishing website, lol.

HAHAHA



7100 posts over 12 years. I am speaking from experience!! :)

No one can deny that this board as well as all the others as well as the media of all kinds TV, mags' etc have contributed to overpopulation of key fishing areas.

Respect.

I see so many young kids that don't have it. I try to teach my kids to have respect for many things, be it the ocean, the old timer sitting on his bucket or a fish and how its to be placed and not thrown into the drink. I teach them to respect the sea because if you don't she'll take your life in an instant. Like Vic's sig says.. It's all about respect baby!

watching someone else fish.

Just get out there and fish. You can always learn something fresh or salt. Many times it is not about the catching, just being out on the water

Share ... I am not a big canal guy

One day I was hooking up every other cast and the guy next to me just had the wrong lure after the 2nd fish I reached in my bag walked over to the guy Handed him my spare lure and a quick explanation 3 casts later he was tight . and the look on his face made a good day just a bit better

Don't take it too seriously
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Look forward to fishless trips with friends, life's about so much more.
Don't combine fishing with money.
Keeper does mean keep her.

Each one, teach one!

Look for structure/obstructions. And slow presentation (for the fish I target at least).

Don't overwhelm yourself with too much gear. Take the time to learn a few plugs or lures, and fish them till you are familiar with their strengths in certain situations and locations. It's easy to reach for another plug as soon as the action slows, instead of figuring out WHY they stopped biting. I used to be guilty of this alot, till I downsized to a smaller Mak belt style bag. It forced me to be more aware of the place I was fishing, and the conditions, and what you hope will be the right choice. Youll always have your "stash" in your truck to fall back on, but it helps you to think, which IMO, is more important than any plug you can tie on.
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One lesson that I was given and didn't take it too seriously until recently...it's just fishing. I was very obessed with catching fishes and pursuing huge ones from the shore and struggled for more than a few years. Then I started to catch bigger ones with improvements in the results. However, whatever I catch or not, I am glad to be out with my buddy or chilling out right by the water.

Having fun is the most important ... bar none ... life is too short ...

... but also, for someone starting out - whether they want to learn how to use lures, jigs or flies - I would recommend to start by fishing with bait first ... watch how fish interact with/attack bait ... incorporate that into the presentation of artificials ...

AS my English uncle said to me many years ago:

If it's not for tea...set it free..........

I think the Thoreau quote sums it up: "Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"

As many have mentioned, make sure you are NOT one of those men. Enjoy everything about the experience, catching or not...

Edges & seems, fish slow first, then speed things up, establish and record patterns.