Like a kid on Christmas eve, every single time I prepare for a fishing trip, I am filled with the exact same joy and excitement as what I was when I was a kid waiting for Christmas morning to arrive so that I could open my Christmas presents. I cannot fall asleep and all that goes through my mind about a million times is the hope and anticipation of catching the next “Big One”!
This is my ultimate passion – Fishing! For me, fishing is more than just catching a fish. Every trip is an adventure and a new story to tell around the campfire at the next fishing trip. There are so many parts to a fishing trip and each part brings about a different set of challenges and excitement. It starts with a thought about the fish you want to catch, then the planning begins.
As with just about anything in life, planning is always the cornerstone of any successful endeavor. In terms of a fishing trip, be it a weekend away at the local dam or a two week trip to The Amazon, knowing what fish you’re going to catch and how you are going to catch it is the first step. For weeks, sometimes even months before a big trip I’ll spend hours researching the fish I’m going to target. Google and YouTube have become extremely valuable tools in a fisherman’s arsenal, and this is where I get a lot of useful info from. Key things I’m looking for are what baits are the fish being caught on and what techniques are the successful anglers using to catch the bigger fish.
There are so many different options for bait out there that even for the seasoned angler it is still a very daunting task trying to find the right bait. Size, shape, colour, and action are some of the major considerations to keep in mind when getting your baits. The action of your lure, or how it behaves in the water, is probably the most important attribute to consider when selecting a lure. The movement of the lure is what ultimately triggers the fish to bite or hit the lure. This is why I say YouTube has become such an important tool, you cannot know by looking at a lure in its box how it’s going to behave in the water. Lucky for us, more often than not, there is an extremely passionate angler out there who has taken the time to review the lure you want to buy, and even provided video footage of how the lure moves underwater and the best ways to work the lure in order to get the fish to hit it.
But that is merely one piece of the puzzle, next comes size, then colour, then how many to get. A really good rule of thumb is to always try to “match the hatch”, meaning you should base your size and colour selection on the bait fish that your target fish is more than likely feeding on. If your target fish is feeding on small round white baitfish, then it is pointless throwing a long thin green and yellow jerk bait. Instead, try a smaller light coloured crank bait, you’ll probably have better luck. It is not an exact science, but there are ways to stack the odds more in your favour.
When it comes to bait, the topic is so vast that you could read a hundred well written articles and come out on the other side more confused than when you started. On top what I have already mentioned, you need to decide on the hooks you want to use on the lure, and what kind of split rings to use when attaching the hooks to the lure. Then you need to think about the line you will use which also affects the lure’s action. Further to this, your fishing rod needs to be able to assist you in being able to both work the lure right, and fight the fish. And lastly you have the reel which needs to balance the whole setup to help ensure your fishing experience is a great one! And that is all just for the one setup you will fish in a certain way, you will need at least two or three different setups to fish with on any trip.
This may all sound rather excessive and daunting, but it is in fact a big part of the fishing process, and dare I say it, just as much fun and exciting as actually catching the fish itself. Doing the research and getting all your gear ready for action extends the joy of fishing beyond the lakes, rivers and oceans that we fish, and I believe that is why fishing is probably the world’s largest favorite pastimes!
So far I have only brought up the gear side of things, the fishing destination is a whole topic on its own! The river, lake or ocean you intend to fish is another piece of the puzzle. You can be as well prepared (gear wise) as you want, but each venue has its own temperament, and fish in different locations usually tend to act differently. This is where local and current knowledge can make a huge difference to the success of your trip. What worked in a specific place today, won’t necessarily work there again tomorrow, but over a period of time a pattern immerges which will give you a higher probability of success on the water if you can identify it. This is also part of the fun and excitement, you are always learning as you fish, even if you have fished a venue a thousand times before, there is always something new to learn that you can add to your repertoire that will give you the edge next time you get back onto the water.
Fishing is such a dynamic sport that you could never know everything about it. There are so many different ways to catch a fish, and the sport is always evolving, this means that you could never get bored with it. Even when you find you know a lot about a certain way of fishing, all you need to do is try a different technique to find yourself back at the beginning and starting all over again, learning to master this new way of fishing and thinking. The fun and excitement starts from the beginning again, and once more you find yourself in that kid-like state, unable to contain your excitement as you get ready for your next adventure.
In the coming articles I would like to share all my fishing experiences with you and take you through my planning and though process, and share with you some of the successes I have had on the water. I look forward to receiving your feedback and hopefully making contact with some more like minded fisherman from all around the world! So until the next time, tight lines and always be safe out there!
