Dock Talk and False Prophets

[evangler]

If you’ve ever fished a bass or redfish tournament, you’ve no doubt heard what veteran tournament anglers call “dock talk.”

Dock talk is all the chatting that takes place around boat ramps, docks, hotels, and pre-tournament meetings.

Dock talk usually begins when we ask the innocuous question, “Catch any?”.

Dock talk has a way of taking less confident anglers out of their games. I may have found a pattern that fits me perfectly, but when I hear the rumor mill making the rounds, I’m going to give what I hear some consideration, especially if it’s coming from established pros.

I’m not saying most folks would intentionally mislead other folks in an attempt to create doubt in their minds, but that’s exactly what happens.

And some of those rascals just outright lie on purpose to try to give themselves an advantage over you.

Come tournament day, rather than pitching a jig to bass on the cypress trees I found during practice, I’m sitting out in deep dragging a drop-shot in 20 feet of water.

And, rather than sight-casting soft plastics to waking redfish, I’m paralleling the rock jetties with a Rat-L-Trap with 20 other bay boats.

How can dock talk lead you astray?

1. You may not try very hard to find fish if you think it’s a difficult bite.
2. You may give up too early if you don’t immediately catch fish.
3. You may give up a section of the lake you know holds fish to check their advice.
4. You may spend too much time throwing the lures you heard about rather than the ones in which you have confidence.

Read the rest at http://evangler.com/2010/04/26/dock-...alse-prophets/