Many anglers understand that giving off good “vibes” on the water can be more productive! It goes without saying that a happy employee for example, is usually a productive employee and will accomplish more work in a day than say a disgruntled employee. This is my approach to fishing. When I am happy and enthusiastic, I am generally a more productive angler and seem to put more fish in the net, as opposed to when I am frustrated and feeling down.
Many people do not talk about this subject, but I believe it is very important to discuss and implement into your “fishing system”. First off, I would like to discuss how I feel about energy, and how that affects my daily catch limit or effectiveness when out on the river. I firmly believe that when I am happy, when my gear works properly, and when my lure runs straight and true, my energy is calm, and I am sending out positive vibrations which the fish can feel. How can the fish feel my vibrations you may ask? I believe that when you are sending out positive vibes, you are holding the fishing rod in your hand, then once you cast, your vibrations are transferred into the water by the line which is attached to the line. It is in my opinion, that the fish feel these vibrations and react according to my energy I am emitting outwards. You ever had a day when you and your fishing partner head out and are using the same rod, same reel, same lure etc. The one angler seems to be catching more fish than the other angler, and often, we cannot figure out why. Sometimes it can be the technique used by the one angler, but I believe it can also be that the one angler is sending out positive vibes, and as a result, the fish react to that positive energy, as opposed to the other anglers negative, frustrated energy. I truly believe that positive energy puts more fish in the net.
How to create positive energy.
Positive energy is created much before you step on the banks of the river or onto your boat for the day. It is created by checking your gear, by making sure each and everyone of your lures is in tip-top shape, and it is created by paying attention to the small details BEFORE you head out onto the water. Here are some of the details I pay attention to before even leaving the threshold of my door.
- Clean and check my reels that I will be using for the days trip. This includes lubricating the reels in the spline of the reel, the ball bearings in the handle, as well as, lubricating the inner housing of the reel. I want to make sure that the reel is clean and free of and dirt or grime. I want to make sure that the reel is spinning properly and not binding up in any way. I will double check the screws in the reel as well, making sure none of them are coming loose in any way. Then I will flip the bail of the reel open and closed several times, making sure the bail will open and close properly.
- Making sure I have fresh line is very important to me. There is nothing worse than getting out on the water and having line issues that waste time and effort. I would rather check the line at home, and if I feel that there will be an issue of any kind, including line twist, breakage, or if the line is brittle in any way, that I remove the old line off my reel the night before my planned trip, and respool with new fresh line according to the quarry I intend to target. What I mean by that is this. If I know I will be targeting 4-6lb trout, I will spool my reels with 8lb test line.
- Checking all my lures for defects including cracks in the bills of the lures. It is super important to me that my lure is swimming tried and true from the beginning of the trip, until the end of the trip. If I see visible cracks in the lure, or the lure appears damaged in any way, I will leave that lure at home and replace it with a new lure from the factory packaging. It is also necessary for me to remove any old line from the lures I have used on previous trips from the lure before I head out fishing. In many instances, leaving old line on the lures can cause breakage of the line, leading to frustration of losing a fish, or possibly losing the lure when casted.
- Using your confidence baits will increase hook-ups! Most of us including me have their favorite lures they are super confident with. Once I have checked that the lure is working properly with a few test casts, I feel confident and at ease. My energy level is positive which leads a great day on the water. I believe it is important for you to have this same confident approach every time you fish. This brings us to our next point. What if I am having a frustrating day on the water, what should I do?
- If in fact you have followed all the steps contained here in this chapter, and your day goes sideways for any reason, what should you do? Either by boat or shore fishing, I will stop and take a break and let the feelings of frustration subside or pass. If I am in my boat, I will immediately pull my boat off the river in a safe location and get recentred. If the lure is not working properly, I will adjust accordingly. If my casting is not accurate, I will sit there and have a drink or just pause to take in my surroundings. Whatever it takes to get rid of the frustration or negative energy, I will do before carrying on with my trip. Same thing applies when I am shore fishing. I will pause and sit down and just take a break then resume fishing once my frustration level goes down. After I feel calm, cool and collected, I will pick my rod back up and resume casting.
- Having sharp hooks that are in perfect condition is another important factor for me to create a happy, positive fishing experience. Before I leave the house, I make triple sure my hooks are sharp and undamaged. Often, our hooks get damaged from previous trips and become dull, bent, or broken entirely. If we triple check our hooks before starting our day, we will often notice these defects. I will remove the hook from the split ring and replace the damaged hook with a laser sharp Eagle Claw hook. I find these hooks strong, and super sharp, which I trust. Having faith in a product and trusting a product, will keep you confident and happy on the water!
To summarize, having confidence in your gear will lead to a more positive, productive fishing experience each time you are on the water. If your energy vibrations are high, chances are, so will your catch ratio be. For me, this is a very important part of my fishing system which often goes overlooked by other anglers. It is a key factor in my success, both fishing alone, and when I have clients in the boat when I guide. Keeping the mood happy, and positive, translates into more fish in the net.
When choosing to fish with another angler, that other angler must also meet these criteria; meaning, that angler must also have a positive attitude while fishing with me. There is nothing worse than fishing with a partner with an attitude that is negative and pessimistic. I choose to fish with positive, enthusiastic anglers with good vibes and high energy levels. It makes for a productive, happy day on the water. Keep your attitude in check, be supportive, triple check your gear before you leave the house, and fish with happy positive people. This will put more fish in your net, and a bigger smile on your face!
Tight Lines,
Mike
