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Like Hull City, and Reading before them, I'm suffering from that difficult second season syndrome! I think I'm starting to get the plugging "Yips" as these blanks are beginning to get to me!!!
Had one schoolie in March on a daft lure that looks now like it was a complete and utter fluke and one small Sea Trout to show for my season so far. Went up to the Lake District this weekend to a mark that was teeming with life in the bitter cold of early spring with a resident seal (!) and fished it hard. Tides were nigh on perfect, lows just before dusk and dawn with plenty of water movement in the hazy light, good water clarity with just a hint of silt, temperature showing as 11 degrees... But NOTHING. For the first time this year I never felt confidant.
Spent the whole winter researching lures, techniques, practicing using them at any opportunity but the force is growing weak now. On Saturday, I gave up. Turned over a few stones and had a rummage around in the estuary silt for Harbour Rag and used an Abu Toby with a short hooklength to use as a baited spoon! Had 8 flounder and a plaice in about an hour and a half!
Was my success last year purely beginner's luck? I think the problem could be that I'm trying too hard, or over-thinking things but can anybody help with this crisis of confidance? I'm thinking about splashing out on a guided trip or something to see where I'm going wrong! Anybody else experienced this, how do you break the cycle?
Had one schoolie in March on a daft lure that looks now like it was a complete and utter fluke and one small Sea Trout to show for my season so far. Went up to the Lake District this weekend to a mark that was teeming with life in the bitter cold of early spring with a resident seal (!) and fished it hard. Tides were nigh on perfect, lows just before dusk and dawn with plenty of water movement in the hazy light, good water clarity with just a hint of silt, temperature showing as 11 degrees... But NOTHING. For the first time this year I never felt confidant.
Spent the whole winter researching lures, techniques, practicing using them at any opportunity but the force is growing weak now. On Saturday, I gave up. Turned over a few stones and had a rummage around in the estuary silt for Harbour Rag and used an Abu Toby with a short hooklength to use as a baited spoon! Had 8 flounder and a plaice in about an hour and a half!
Was my success last year purely beginner's luck? I think the problem could be that I'm trying too hard, or over-thinking things but can anybody help with this crisis of confidance? I'm thinking about splashing out on a guided trip or something to see where I'm going wrong! Anybody else experienced this, how do you break the cycle?