Winners vs. Great Anglers
March 18, 2009
Life is all about what you put into it. The old adage, crap in equals crap out, is well-documented but it’s become a cliché that people tend to ignore. If you look at successful people, though, they all have one thing in common – they pay attention to details.
Look at top professional athletes in any major sport. Their training doesn’t stop when they get off the practice field or outside the weight room - they watch films of themselves playing, hoping to correct something they’re doing wrong. They also watch films of their competition to find their weaknesses and gain an upper hand.
These top athletes also make sure they are mentally prepared prior to a game by having all their equipment in order, getting enough rest prior to the game and maybe even visualizing themselves in the game.
The same traits are evident among successful business professionals. Owners and presidents of large companies didn’t attain their lofty positions by not paying attention to detail. Most often they were the ones who started out at the bottom and worked their way up the food chain to become the top feeder because of their diligence. Successful businessmen have a penchant for making sure things are done properly, and then, when they think they have it all sewn up, they go over it all again just to be sure. No “t” is missing it’s cross and no “i” is missing it’s dot. Everything is absolutely perfect.
So what does this have to do with fishing? You may be surprised.
I am often asked why I am such a successful angler. Over the years I really had no good explanation except that I worked hard at it. People sometimes say I have a sixth sense or that I spend a lot of time on the water practicing but that has never really been the case. Just recently, it came to me why some people are successful on the water when others, who are indeed great anglers, rarely seal the deal.
The Devil is in the Details
The old saying above holds true, especially when we’re talking about anglers who consistently win. How many times have you read a tournament report or participated in a tournament and witnessed first hand, “I would have won if I hadn’t lost that fish.” Or how about, “I spun the hub on my prop and couldn’t get to my fish.” Or, “My circuit breaker on my trolling motor broke and I couldn’t fish all day.”
All very good reasons for being unable to finish in the winner’s spot but if anglers would pay attention to details, most of them are avoidable.
Let me give you a personal example:
My son, Richard, is without a doubt a better fisherman than I am. He has a better knack for finding fish and knows how to get back on his fish if they move. But he doesn’t pay close enough attention to those little details that could make him a winner. He fishes with old line, he doesn’t check his hook points to see if they’re still sharp and he often goes out on game day unprepared. Heaven help us all if he ever starts to take the details seriously!
Ways of a Winner
Over the years I’ve fished with many of the nation’s best anglers. The common thread amongst anglers who win is that they leave no stone unturned. Nothing associated with catching a fish is taken for granted.
Now, I’m not saying I’m the best at this but I have won my share of tournaments and I attribute that to my preparation - my attention to detail.
I have a mental list of things I do the night before each tournament day that I find helpful. Whether it’s the day before an event or right after weigh-in, the first thing I do is fill the boat up with fuel and put the batteries on the charger. Next I rig tackle and rods. I do all this before I even sit down to eat or unwind.
But there are other things that I do before and during the tournament that put the odds for success in my favor. Here’s a list of some of the details I don’t take for granted.
Hooks – Today’s chemically- and laser-sharpened hooks are a far cry from the old days when we had to sharpen each hook by hand. But, just because a hook comes out of a package labeled “pre-sharpened” doesn’t guarantee they’re sharp. I check every hook before I put it in my boat. That’s one detail I never overlook.
I also check my hooks on a regular basis throughout the day, especially after a hang-up or fish, for sharpness. If the hook point is rolled I’ll hit it with a sharpening stone and if that doesn’t fix it, I’ll tie a new hook on.
I also keep extra treble hooks at the ready for my ripbaits, cranks and topwater lures. If a hook point rolls I cut the hook off the bait and put a new one on. The time it takes (maybe two minutes) to do this far outweighs me losing a critical fish.
Reaction Baits – If I’m on a good ripbait, crankbait or topwater bite, I always have multiple rods rigged before I hit the water. This way if I get a backlash, break off or a hook goes bad, I have a rod I can instantly pick up and use. I don’t want lose that time re-rigging if I can help it.
Line – This is probably the most important detail but the one most taken for granted. Before a tournament I make sure all my line is new unless its braid or heavy mono and fluorocarbon. Line under 10-pound test gets changed after each day. I check my line frequently during the day and especially after I catch a fish or get hung up. If there’s any sign of a nick or kink I retie.
Rigging Rods – The night prior to a tournament day, I haul all my rods into my hotel room, change line and then rig them for the next day. This way I know in my mind I’m ready.
Rigging Baits – If I’m on a grub, jig or tube bite, I pre-rig at least six baits on heads the night before and place them in the carpet of my boat. These baits are notorious for getting hung up and if lose one, all I have to do is grab one out of my carpet and retie. I don’t need to fumble around in my compartments looking for heads, skirts, grubs and superglue.
Another bait I pre-rig is the Senko. I am a firm believer in using o-rings and nail weights in Senkos, but it’s a pain to put the o-ring on. If I know I’m going to be fishing a wacky-rigged Senko, I always have a number of them pre-rigged before I go out on the water.
Carolina Rigs – I don’t fish this rig much but it’s a must when fishing smallies on places like the Columbia River. When I know I’ll be fishing a Carolina rig a lot, I make sure to pre-tie a number of leaders before I’m on the water. A Carolina rig is a bit time-consuming because of the three knots you have to tie, and you need to have leader line readily available. By pre-tying the leaders, I save myself a lot of time and that means more casts that can produce that one significant fish.
Rods – I always have at least two utility rods (7’-3” medium-heavy) in the boat that can be used for a number of applications should I need them, like when I’m on a great ripbait bite and want a number of rods ready for action.
Boat Preparation – I can’t stress boat preparation enough. Here are some of the items I make sure to check before any tournament begins.
-
Oil in boat (not just in reservoir but an extra bottle)
-
Extra props for the trolling motor and big motor
-
Tool kit
-
Extra trolling motor
-
Make sure batteries are charged and have water in them
Mental Preparedness – Paying attention to the details I listed above help with my mental preparedness. If I haven’t done them all I can’t rest and won’t be able to sleep, so I make it a point to take care of these details before heading to bed. All I have to do in the morning is get up, get my partner and go fishing.
I also make sure I’m well-rested. You won’t ever catch me up at all hours of the night playing poker or drinking in the bar. I pretty much hit the hay after all my gear is in order.
Conclusion
There are some quality fishermen out there these days and you’re taking some big chances if you’re overlooking the details. Do everything you can do to put the odds in your favor. It comes down to those key bites and if you lose them because you’re not paying attention to the details, you won’t win. Fortunately, it’s that simple.