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I was just reading the excellent thread in this section started by Darren, about 'Kelp', and as i read it, it made me think about tha changes that i have had to make to 'up' my catch rates, and the degree to which i have had to 'unlearn' certain things, and move outside of my comfort zone.
When i first started Bass fishing nearly 2 years ago, i had never Sea-Fished before, so i had to learn 'everything' from scratch. I soaked-up info from everywhere (books, magazines, tv, etc. . . ). After about 6 blanks on the trot, i finally landed my first ever Bass . . . only a small one, but a Bass, and a moment of complete elation & uncontrolable joy !!! I then barely blanked for weeks & weeks. Only problem was that i wasnt catching any Bass over about 2lb. I 'seemed' to be doing everything right (from what i knew), but just couldnt crack it !!
To cut a very long story short, last year i think that i managed to finally 'unlearn' some of the things that i'd worked hard to 'learn' the year before, and it was only then, that i started to catch decent sized Bass, and on a regular basis.
For example, i always thought when i started-off that some of the beaches i fish, fished best 3 up, 3 down. But, all of my best catches last year on that beach, occurred around LW (apart from one).
I also used to like to find a nice spot on the rocks, and make camp for the day (because it was nice & comfortable & easy). It was only when i learnt the virtue of moving around, and made the effort to seek out new locations, that it really dawned on me that sometimes you have to go & find the fish if Plan 'A' doesnt work.
Initially, when starting off, i was mortified when i lost gear to snags, thinking of what the gear cost, and how much time i'd spent building those rigs. Now, if i havent lost gear, i don't think that i'm trying hard enough, and i am almost certainly in the wrong place !! I certainly wouldnt have dreamed of casting 'into' kelp, knowing that my chances of getting the gear back are slim if a fish doesnt pick it up first !!
I also thought that fishing the ebb was a fruitless excerise . . but again, i've caught some stunning fish on the ebb this year, and some venue's i 'only' fish on the ebb !!
I could go on, as there are so many things that i have had to 'unlearn' !!
Does this sound familiar to anyone . . . . or am i alone ???? :rollineyes:
When i first started Bass fishing nearly 2 years ago, i had never Sea-Fished before, so i had to learn 'everything' from scratch. I soaked-up info from everywhere (books, magazines, tv, etc. . . ). After about 6 blanks on the trot, i finally landed my first ever Bass . . . only a small one, but a Bass, and a moment of complete elation & uncontrolable joy !!! I then barely blanked for weeks & weeks. Only problem was that i wasnt catching any Bass over about 2lb. I 'seemed' to be doing everything right (from what i knew), but just couldnt crack it !!
To cut a very long story short, last year i think that i managed to finally 'unlearn' some of the things that i'd worked hard to 'learn' the year before, and it was only then, that i started to catch decent sized Bass, and on a regular basis.
For example, i always thought when i started-off that some of the beaches i fish, fished best 3 up, 3 down. But, all of my best catches last year on that beach, occurred around LW (apart from one).
I also used to like to find a nice spot on the rocks, and make camp for the day (because it was nice & comfortable & easy). It was only when i learnt the virtue of moving around, and made the effort to seek out new locations, that it really dawned on me that sometimes you have to go & find the fish if Plan 'A' doesnt work.
Initially, when starting off, i was mortified when i lost gear to snags, thinking of what the gear cost, and how much time i'd spent building those rigs. Now, if i havent lost gear, i don't think that i'm trying hard enough, and i am almost certainly in the wrong place !! I certainly wouldnt have dreamed of casting 'into' kelp, knowing that my chances of getting the gear back are slim if a fish doesnt pick it up first !!
I also thought that fishing the ebb was a fruitless excerise . . but again, i've caught some stunning fish on the ebb this year, and some venue's i 'only' fish on the ebb !!
I could go on, as there are so many things that i have had to 'unlearn' !!
Does this sound familiar to anyone . . . . or am i alone ???? :rollineyes: