Confidence Is Everything

I am very impatient when it comes to sitting in one spot if it isn't producing. Call it ADD or whatever, but I have the theory that if a fish is (1)hungry, and if he is (2)there, he is going to bite if I give him what he (3)wants in the right (4)way. So, where does the confidence come in? First of all, lets address number 1. I dont care how bad the conditions are, you will never convince me that every fish on the lake is inactive. Too many times I have told myself, "Man the bite sucks today," then I luck into a spot that is loaded with active fish, and in some cases limited out very quickly. Just keep moving. Also, you have to be confident in your presentation. That is something that makes a HUGE difference, and it just comes with practice. Some days color is everything, and some days they will hit anything. I normally don't worry about that too much until I know for sure that I am on active fish and what I have on is not working very well. I almost always use two poles, so I can experiment to find out what they want more quickly. So in a nutshell, be confident in your abilities. If they are there you can catch them, if you are not catching any, you must not be on the active fish. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, and try not to get stuck in one spot if it is not producing. If you assume that they are not biting, you are more likely to get stuck in one spot, and not go searching for them. This has just been my experience guys. I see a lot of people get stuck in this cycle on slow days and wonder why they didn't catch any. I used to do the same thing. Just be confident that you can (1)find them and (2)give them what they want, and you will catch more fish.

Good advice

Before anybody accuses me of bragging, let me explain a little. I am not saying I find them every time out. I still get my butt whipped every now and then. But when I do, I don't chalk it up to being a slow day. I have done that too many times, just to meet three guys at the boat ramp that all limited out in an hour! Talk about losing confidence! The difference is, they either found them that day, or they figured out what they wanted, and I did not. I am just trying to share what I have learned, so no death threats please. :Rofl

Good advice:)

Good information!

I think be confident in your abilities said a lot in fishing. Also and what work yesterday do not mean it work today the same way.

Truer words never said.

Guilty of all the above. Thanks for reminding me of my fishing weaknesses. I feel oppressed and downtrodden by the fish catching masses.

Well, when I do get out to fish, It's usually from the bank. I have a few jigs and cranks, but just one pole. So it takes a bit of time to figure out what they want and how they want it. But I look at it this way, if I don't get any today, then there's that many more for me to catch the next time, if I can just get the pattern right. I always enjoy the time spent out doors enjoying the day, no matter what the weather, as you never know when the time will come when you cannot make the trip through the door. Only the Man upstairs knows that. So I enjoy it while I can.

Bragg away! You can flat out fish! I like reading your post and love the info. Very seldom single pole. Only in spring in my waders. But did for 40 years. Then the SPIDER bit me. I agree that confidence is everything.

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Originally Posted by blackfish

Bragg away! You can flat out fish! I like reading your post and love the info. Very seldom single pole. Only in spring in my waders. But did for 40 years. Then the SPIDER bit me. I agree that confidence is everything.

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Thanks Blackfish. I love single poling, hard to beat the thump. But there are lakes that I won't even attempt it, and I gotta admit, it sure is fun when all eight rods go down at once. Unfortunately for me, it is usually because I have hit a brush pile!! :Rofl

Thanks Cmj...and know that I'm takin' notes!

"The force is strong in that one"....

Not going to agree or disagree on confidencei but think alittle common knowledge on when where and how.I have enough confidence to catch a whale out of our local waters and no matter how much I move around looking for it my confidence stays high.I know if I moved far enough down river into the ocean my luck would be better finding a active whale.Confidence does not come with tec tools on board it come with knowledge knowing that to look for,type day your fishing,water color and time of year.Fish are like humans,have their magor feeding time and snacking time,feeding times doesn't last long but some will snack alday long.By moving and moving until you find a feeding school only means they are feeding where you moved from too,time of day,or the school moved to where you have found them.When they move in on a brush top depending on how big the scbool is it doesn't take them long to eat ever thing in site,a few will hang around but the school moves to find another stick or log to feed .Jig size and its fall rate though the water,its color its not that important if they are feeding,if they are just snacking color is more important as the fall rate of the jig.knowledge,if I fished in a road ditch with enough confidence to catch a whale will I catch one.Unless you carry a long handle dip net knowledge will put more fish in your boat.






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You are correct. There is more to catching fish than just being confident, but to cover it all, I would have to write a book, not a post on crappie dot com. BTW, I am not even close to being knowledgeable enough to do so. This was just a tip about something that I have observed over the years. There is way too much water, and too many inactive brush piles, for me to just pull up and wait on a school to stroll through for a few minutes, which may or may not happen. This is just my method for finding ACTIVE fish, which most days means bigger fish too. I keep moving until I find them, THEN I slow down and fish the area out. Once it slows down, I move. I will tend to come back to those spots later because fish will key in on specific areas on certain days and those spots will reload. That is another advantage to moving until you find them: it helps you pattern the fish. Once you find them in a certain area, you can cut out a lot of wasted time fishing spots that are not productive. What pattern are you learning from throwing your anchor out? If you are content on sitting on top of the same brush pile all day, then go for it. I see lots of guys doing that and they seem to do okay. Whatever works for you.

I agree with all, but thats what is so awsome about our website. Everyone has their ways, and their "go too" systems, and what is top and bottom on the list of "how to's" and "when and where's"...but we get to share them with others. Then the rest of us can take it, see what works and use it.

Thanks Cmj for the great post!!

Thanks Turtle for the great addition!!

Thanks to all of you that share your "ways" with the rest of us, your what makes this site so great!!

Note to self. Talk to my psychiatrist about confidence issues.

Good material.

I'm not setting and waiting on nothing unless its a sure thing,some days I wonder why I'm even out on the water on high blue bird days.I had rather fish on lockjaw days as to jumping in the boat days,its wears me out trying this and that looking and wondering what where when.With knowledge and condifenece you can sneak a mess in the cooler.My biggest problem comes when the fish does not want the bait to move,they want to study it for 5 or 10 mins. Before they decide to lick it taste it and suck it in.I cann't set still for that kind of bite,I speed up the tm and hope for a reaction strike.Just because I read a book doesn't mean I can catch,fix,anything thing its gives knowledge for me to have confidence in what I do.To many ways to catch a fish,to many colors,to many jig sizes,the list goes on and on.No bells and whistles in my boat because I have enough confidence I don't need them.Looking at a area to fish,at the bank,open water and other objects will give a ideal where to start by noticeing things and whats happening on the surface.Some spots will produce all year while others spots just a few days and some spots never do,just go fishing and relax,for a blood rush catch and release the unharmed ones.

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Originally Posted by Turtlebait

I'm not setting and waiting on nothing unless its a sure thing,some days I wonder why I'm even out on the water on high blue bird days.I had rather fish on lockjaw days as to jumping in the boat days,its wears me out trying this and that looking and wondering what where when.With knowledge and condifenece you can sneak a mess in the cooler.My biggest problem comes when the fish does not want the bait to move,they want to study it for 5 or 10 mins. Before they decide to lick it taste it and suck it in.I cann't set still for that kind of bite,I speed up the tm and hope for a reaction strike.Just because I read a book doesn't mean I can catch,fix,anything thing its gives knowledge for me to have confidence in what I do.To many ways to catch a fish,to many colors,to many jig sizes,the list goes on and on.No bells and whistles in my boat because I have enough confidence I don't need them.Looking at a area to fish,at the bank,open water and other objects will give a ideal where to start by noticeing things and whats happening on the surface.Some spots will produce all year while others spots just a few days and some spots never do,just go fishing and relax,for a blood rush catch and release the unharmed ones.

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I agree, I can't stand sitting in one spot all day. I don't have the patience for it. Yesterday was the exception though, we fished all over and wasn't picking up many fish. So we hit this certain brush pile and caught a 2lber right away, then just a fish every now and then. But we stayed because the bite was just slow and I knew that pile was holding fish. This post was intended for people who are still trying to learn how to catch fish, and is just one of many things that a fisherman needs in his bag of tricks to help him catch fish consistently. What helps a beginner out more, telling him a specific method for locating and catching fish, and then telling him to be confident in that method, or just saying, "You gotta have knowledge to catch fish?" Knowledge is what I am trying to give.

bag of tricks to help him catch fish"You gotta have knowledge to catch fish?" Knowledge is what I am trying to give.

Thats what alot of use try to do,give knowledge,learn our self from others,not do the same o same o if its not sorking.My hat is off to the guy that can set in one spot for hours,sooner or later they catch fish in that spot because of confidence and knowledge of the spot and feeding time.I think they are more relaxed in their way as the deer hunter setting all day in a stand waiting.I think most waterways has fish as most woods have deer,rods or guns are not important unless you teach a beginer to look for food and trails.Like the blue herion if he is setting high the bite is slow the lower he sets to the water the better the fishing.Deer have patterns you can key in on fish have patterns to key in on too.Teach the beginer to look for signs b/c most doesn't have high tec tools to find them for him.Teach them if the fish are not in the brush look for single stick barely at the water surface or a floating leaf being pushed the wrong way as the wind is blowing.Sure color, how deep,size of bait are important on some days but in most cases its really not.Its alot easier for a beginer to shoot a 410 as to the 300 mag both will get the job done if he is on the right trail,deer move fish move to other spots to feed.Teach the beginer with no tec toys what to look for and what to stay away from,like not expect a deer to feed on sweet gum balls.

CMJ you done have to defend yourself. Like I said- YOU CAN FLAT OUT FISH! Most people like your post and the info you give. Dont worry about the others. Lets get together this spring. I know a few decent spots.

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Originally Posted by blackfish

CMJ you done have to defend yourself. Like I said- YOU CAN FLAT OUT FISH! Most people like your post and the info you give. Dont worry about the others. Lets get together this spring. I know a few decent spots.

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That would be awesome man! Just say when and where.

Chris - keep giving andvice and tips on catching crappie. I will listen! I am sure there are others too. I also like your pictures that you post. You have kind of been slacking in that area lately. I need to see pictures of big fish to remind me that it is possible to catch them. Keep up the good work!

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Originally Posted by D10

Chris - keep giving andvice and tips on catching crappie. I will listen! I am sure there are others too. I also like your pictures that you post. You have kind of been slacking in that area lately. I need to see pictures of big fish to remind me that it is possible to catch them. Keep up the good work!

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Attachment 143039Here ya go bud. This was the last bunch I kept. I have been practicing C&R for the last few days. After seeing Don's 2lber yesterday, I think I may have thrown back one that came very close to 3 a few days ago. I guessed it at 2 but it made yesterdays fish look like a minnow. Oh well, I guess I will never know. :dono

That's what I'm talking about!