cool tips from mark sosin
 

The Confidence Game

Confidence holds the key to catching fish consistently. It's critical to believe in the spot you are fishing, the technique you are using, and the bait or lure secured to the end of the line. When you begin to have doubts about any facet of the process, it's time to make a change. Serious anglers go through the mental exercise of thinking that a fish is about to grab their bait. They work their offering as if something is about to happen. If they lose that edge, they change baits or lures, try another technique, or change spots. Remember that there are several effective approaches to catching any fish. Have confidence in the one you are using and it should produce positive results.


The Elimination Process

The elimination process holds the secret to most research. Instead of looking for something, you try to eliminate those places where it isn't or those things that won't work. That approach moves you toward the right answer rather than away from it.
Fishing is no different. The only thing on which you can count is some type of change. Conditions are never the same. One lure may have worked yesterday, you'll need a different one today. The hotspot last week turns out to be as cold as the ice in your cooler this week.
Veteran skippers and experienced anglers constantly work a system based on the elimination process. They'll start at the last known reference point or where they are told the fish should be. Then, they'll try different baits, a variety of lures, and even modify techniques until they discover the system that works at that moment. It might change again in an hour and they'll make further adjustments.
The key to catching fish on a consistent basis centers on one's ability to recognize change and work through the elimination process using experience and reason to produce educated guesses. Try it!

Time For a Change

Habit sings a siren's song that hides a deadly trap. We tend to be creatures of habit, fishing the same areas, using the same lures, and following identical patterns every time we're on the water. That approach may work on many days, but it also has built-in limitations. Conditions change constantly and fish modify their behavior to adapt. If the fish aren't biting, look for new spots and try to analyze he conditions. Experiment with different tactics. Keep changing your setup and approach until something positive happens. Learn to search the entire water column when possible. Work an area with a game plan rather than at random. Even on the good days, it pays to spend a little time experimenting and searching for new spots. As you add to your knowledge, you will be better equipped to produce fish on those days when most folks return to the dock with only a suntan.



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these are great tips i don't care what anyone tells you!

That right there is some of the best advice you will ever read.

Time For a Change

Habit sings a siren's song that hides a deadly trap. We tend to be creatures of habit, fishing the same areas, using the same lures, and following identical patterns every time we're on the water. That approach may work on many days, but it also has built-in limitations. Conditions change constantly and fish modify their behavior to adapt. If the fish aren't biting, look for new spots and try to analyze he conditions. Experiment with different tactics. Keep changing your setup and approach until something positive happens. Learn to search the entire water column when possible. Work an area with a game plan rather than at random. Even on the good days, it pays to spend a little time experimenting and searching for new spots. As you add to your knowledge, you will be better equipped to produce fish on those days when most folks return to the dock with only a suntan.

"Serious anglers go through the mental exercise of thinking that a fish is about to grab their bait."

I always try to do this, and then when i quit paying attention something slams my lure! LOL

I like what he says about the elimination process too, a lot of times I will cruise around a general area I like and sure enough one spot might have cleaner water but less baitfish, then the next spot has dirty water but less boats and fishing pressure. then just weigh the positives and negatives and key in onto the best area.

almost a scientific approach!

WOW! I got a serious problem. I expect to get bit on every cast.:rolleyes:

that is the right thing to do salty