If You Want to Catch More Fish, Learn to Think Like One

Yes, you can leave your fish catching success to chance, but if you want to catch more fish, you must learn how to think like the fish you are trying to catch. Consistent success and fishing enjoyment is more than just baiting up your hook, casting it out and waiting for the fish to bite. This one basic premise will improve your fish catching ability and will set you apart from the fishing novices. How do you think the fishing pros are able to consistently catch fish when other fishermen do nothing but drown their bait? They use the same fishing tackle, rods and reels, fishing lures and live bait as everyone else, but they always catch more fish.

You will catch more fish!

That little teaser should have caught your attention. However, learning how to put this technique into practice takes time, patience and persistence.

Let us start at the beginning. How do you learn to think like a fish? For starters, pick one of your favorite target fish species and begin to learn everything you can about that fish. It is important to understand things like, how it feeds, how it moves around each day, what are its migratory and breeding patterns, what kind of habitat it prefers, what type of fish or food source it feeds on, just to name a few. Also important to understand is how the current, tides and moon phases effect your target fish species' activities and habits.

One way to start learning how to catch more fish, is to learn how to find your target fish species under any circumstances. Visit your local fishing tackle and bait stores. Get to know these people, because often they will have a broad knowledge of the fishing in that area. They can be a great source of fishing knowledge and how-to tips of not only learning where to fish, but also the why and how of locating fish. Instead of just asking them where the best fishing spots are, also ask questions about your targeted fish species. Try to learn what makes the fish tick, and what are it basics habits and tendencies. You will be amazed at how willing most of these folks are to share their expertise, especially if you are returning the favor and patronizing their store.

The next thing to do is to go fishing. Prepare yourself ahead of time with the proper fishing tackle, lures, bait and a notepad. Start in an area known to hold your targeted fish, and make notes about the current conditions; including, the date, time, wind direction and speed, temperature, tidal flow, water conditions and any other specific notes you feel like making. The most important thing is to start thinking like the fish you want to catch. Ask yourself, where would you be hiding and moving to. For example, if it is a real hot summer day, and the current is slack, and a low tide, the fish may not be up on the shallow flats. They may be looking for cooler water, so they may have moved to some deeper pot holes, or slid off a ridge or shallow bank and eased into deeper waters. Keep looking and when you find the fish, make more notes. The old saying that practice makes perfect is certainly true when it comes to catching more fish consistently.

To help you along, learn your local fishing waters and fishing grounds. Locate the 'fishy' areas and mark them on your GPS unit. If you do not have a GPS, then buy a nautical chart, or fishing chart. Locate shoreline points, eddys, potholes, sandbars, oyster bars, rock piles and submerged structures, and over time you will learn which places to go to depending upon the current conditions you are faced with, and that will make all the difference in your fishing world.

Learning how to think like a fish will make you a more complete and competent fisherman and angler, and will make your fishing outings with friends and family a lot more enjoyable.