GAME PLAN FOR BASS FISHING

 

Like all athletes, tournament bass anglers believe in mental preparation as part of their game plan for success.  Recreational fishermen can learn from them. 

Preparation includes such things: as confidence in your ability as an angler, ability to scout a water and know where fish are going to be, confidence in your tackle choice, and the reliability of your boat and electronics.  Pro anglers also have to be sure of their physical ability to withstand hours of fishing and travel. 

You need confidence in what you are doing in order to stay focused and keep a positive attitude.  If you lose it, you tend to fish too fast and make poor decisions. 

Much of bass fishing is all about bite.  One bite can tell you a lot.  If you are not in tune with what is going on you can miss some of the obvious signs.  You can miss what the fish are telling you that would point in the right direction. 

Another factor in mental attitude is keeping a positive one.  Stress in your life from other areas, mental fatigue or you are frustrated about something will affect your fishing.  Frustration carries over and you become impatient and fish faster than you should.  You are not really concentrating on fishing. 

You need a clear mind and be focused on that one bite.  A lot of the time that is all that is available.  It is just all about that one bite. 

When the bite happens, analyze it.  Did it happen when you are on a certain piece of cover, where did it happen, or what is your presentation?  Immediately say to yourself, OK I know what the fish are doing, I understand what they are on and immediately establish a successful pattern.  Once you establish a pattern read the fish as they begin to change. 

Successful bassers change with the fish and get on to the next pattern. 

By way of explanation, if it seems like you are just fighting the weather and your fighting the fish not biting good and the wind might be blowing and it might be raining or cold or hot.  Some other situations might mean that you lose fish or another fisherman gets on your best spot or your motor or trolling motor breaks.  There are a jillion things that can go wrong.  Not many times do you go out there and catch fish all day long. 

Try to remember that anything that goes wrong in the boat has been experienced by every other fisherman in the world.  Today might be your turn for things to go wrong.  In the course of a season everybody is going to have bad things happen to them. 

The important thing is not that things go wrong but what you do about them.  Do not let things bother you.  Maintain an attitude where you do not get too excited if you have a great day and not to get too down when things are not going well. 

Maintain an even keel and remain confident you know how to catch fish.  Try to reason out what is going on and adjust what you are doing to current conditions.  It is not that difficult.  A small minor adjustment in the depth your fishing, or the lure you’re using, or whatever, and you start catching fish.  The important thing is to maintain your composure. 

In fishing, emotion is more of a distraction.  Fishing is more like golf where you just kind of have an even temperament.  Try to figure out where the fish should be and deal positively with the bad things that might come your way.  Do not let the fish get you down.  Keep plugging away.  Such is easier said than done. 

The most experienced and successful anglers still have times on the water when they do not have a clue to what is happening.  Try to remember that it only takes 10 minutes to catch a limit of fish if you get in the right spot at the right time.  

Finally, remember that as far as attitude goes the last hour of the day is worth just as much as the first hour.  Do not give up.