<\/p>\n
Every angler out there maintains an unshakable faith that whatever they\u2019re doing will eventually work, even when there\u2019s evidence to the contrary. We target specific hatches, return to the same spots, use the same lures and baits, and hope we\u2019re doing the right thing to get the job done.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
But sometimes you still get skunked. Then, anglers will say things like \u201cthe fish weren\u2019t biting\u201d or \u201cit’s called fishing, not catching” or “the big one got away.\u201d The truth is fish are always biting, you can always catch them, and you<\/em> let the big one get away. In reality, you probably aren\u2019t learning from your mistakes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Most of us learned how to fish as children from an older mentor. They in turn learned from someone else, and so on. Each of these elder anglers passed on their own grains of wisdom, which most anglers take as gospel. However, most of these \u201cfacts\u201d about fishing are actually just opinions. Common ideas like big fish only eat big baits, fish stop biting in the rain, or that the best time to fish is always dawn or dusk aren\u2019t actually true, at least not 100% of the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Many anglers continue to make mistakes because they continue to practice or believe fishing lore, especially when it\u2019s incorrect. It only takes a little willingness and a few fish to debunk some of these angling myths.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Just because something worked once doesn\u2019t mean it will work every<\/em> time. Yet, many anglers stick with a lucky lure or bait, fishing technique, or magic fishing spot even when they don\u2019t work. Instead of trying new techniques, baits, or areas, it\u2019s easier to stick with what you know, and that can be a fishing trap.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Just because you caught a bunch of fish on a certain lure or bait in a certain area doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll do it again. Fishing holes change. Just because a stream had a pile of fish one year doesn’t mean it will next. Habitat changes. Floods, fish prey, and climate conditions can change overnight. Don\u2019t keep going back to the same spot that produced for you way back when, especially if you\u2019re getting skunked. If you only stick to what you know, you\u2019ll never evolve as an angler.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Whether it\u2019s because you learned a specific technique from your grandfather or you and a buddy had a record day at your favorite fishing spot, anglers get sentimental about fishing. And, sentimentality will make you stick with certain baits, techniques, or fishing holes even when they don\u2019t work. Get your lines and emotions tangled, and you\u2019ll repeat the same mistakes over and over again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Everyone makes mistakes on the water. The key is to learn from them so you don\u2019t make the same ones again. When it comes to fishing, a lot of us have blind spots for our shortcomings. If you can set aside the fishing lore and nostalgia, you\u2019ll have plenty of chances to grow as an angler. And, yes, that should mean more fish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\nFishing Lore vs. Fishing Fact<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
It Worked Before<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
You\u2019re Too Sentimental<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Try Something New<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n