Become One of the 10% That Catch Leave a reply

I have always heard the old addage that 10% of fisherman catch 90% of the fish.  While this may not be an exact figure, I do believe that there is some accuracy to this.  As an observer of fisherman I have always wondered why there is that one guy that always seems to catch fish while others have all the excuses, and believe me I have had to pull a few of those excuses out of the hat before.  Everything from I didn't hit the tide right, I had the wrong bait, the fish haven't shown up yet, it was combat fishing, or my favorite, It was my buddy's fault. So what gives? Why is it that the 10% out there catches the most fish? I believe I can answer that for you.

The first thing that comes to mind is time.  Some guys just put in the time, and have that experience and knowledge from trial and error to draw on.  I know that from my days in the NFL.  Towards the end of my career I could just see things easier and anticipate the when, where, and how.  We like to say that our good buddy Ron Garner is "lucky" when his wife Jean lands a 141lb halibut on her first drop of the season, but I would just say that Ron has been there and done that before.  He knew when to show up, where to go, and how to get it done.  What Ron and many other fisherman have is local knowledge of the fish they are targeting.

With salt in our veins, my boys and I have had to use these strategies to catch local bass.

Part of the problem we face in this fast paced world we live in is that ability to put in that time to attain that local knowledge.  On the flip side, this world we live in provides us with unlimited ways to attain that knowledge without ever hitting the water.  When I first moved here and started to fish for salmon it was completley different to anything I had ever done while growing up in Florida.  The idea of using a big plastic flasher while trolling seemed very strange.   Luckily I had the internet.  The world wide web provided me with all the resources I needed to learn the ins and outs of salmon fishing. Magazines also provide us with a great way to attain the knowledge needed to target our favorite fish.  The maps, how to articles, and run timing are all great things that many magazines provide on a regular basis. We are also in the fortunate position here in the northwest to have more fishing clubs and seminars than anywhere else in the world perhaps.  Joining a local club that has a focus on the type of fishing that you like to do is perhaps the best way to close the gap on the guys that have the knowledge and yourself.  See if you can have one of them recommend a guide or take you on a trip themselves.  Going out on the water with a good fisherman is a great way to become one yourself.  Hang around successful people and do what they do, and you to will be able to experience success.

What's next after attaining all of that knowledge?  I believe that the the most important thing to becoming a 10%er is attention to detail.  This is something that has been pounded in to me by variuos coaches throught my career.  There is no point in putting in all that time on the water and attaining the necessary knowledge if we are going to go out and not practice what we know.  One thing that has always struck me when talking to a good fisherman is that they always ask the detail questions.  It is not enough for you to tell them about the fish you caught but they want to know where you were?  How you did it?  What you were using?  When were you there?  The good fisherman I know bank all of this knowledge and use it when the time is right.  Details are not lost on these guys.  Good fisherman never cut corners, they make sure things are done down to the last detail.  Most of the guys that you know that seem so LUCKY have stacked the odds in there favor before they ever left the dock.