Confident Fisherman

[bassmaster]

In light of Seadogs post about confidence lures it got me thinking, should we not maybe concentrate on being confident fishermen rather than have a confidence lure?

There are a few reasons I would think we have a confidence lure, here is what I think...

1. We probably fish with this particular lure more often than not which would automatically give you more fish on that lure.
2. We fish that lure in the correct manner, for example a fluke should be fished in a different way to a senko as they imitate two very different foods
3. We fish the same waters often and are aware of where to find fish and what their natural food is or what lures they hit constantly.

So what is my point? Why do we rather not concentrate on becoming a confident fisherman who can go almost anywhere and catch fish no matter which lure you are throwing? Now I know there are factors that could influence the bite on any given day but I'm going to leave them out of the picture for now.

I really feel that if you have more confidence in yourself and that you are presenting the lure in correct way you should catch fish. So how do I come to this conclusion you might say? Quite easy actually, next time you go out fishing for the day or at a comp just ask around what the guys where catching on, chances are there will be a very wide variety of colours and lures that were producing fish. You may have even thrown something someone else caught on and never got a hit, maybe you were not presenting it correctly?

Anyway, it's all just food for thought and I know I am trying to be a more confident fisherman rather than master of one lure. :blue-smile:

[August]

100% NOTHING beats confidence...

[Shannon]

Agree Totally, it's all about attitude. Almost everything in your tackle box can catch fish, you just have to have the confidence in your own ability to be able to make it happen.

[Bassassin]

A year ago I seldom threw plastics, my goto bait was a crank followed by spinnerbait, plastics came last. I have since then forced myself to fish soft plastics and although I dropped a lot of fish initially I have started to land more and more as time goes by. I guess that confirms what BM says, use a variety of lures so that you are confident with all of them, they will all catch fish.

To be honest, the average size of my fish has dropped, I caught fewer, but bigger fish on cranks and spinnerbaits. :blue-doubt: Even though I am more confident with plastics now, when I do catch a bigger fish it's invariably on a spinnerbait or a crank.

[SteadyEddy]

just how confident are you about cathing some smallmouth oinkers this weekend?

[August]

Like Bassassin also said. It does pay to get more confident in a bigger variety off lures. The more lures you can fish with confidence the more easily you will chop and change and plus you will fish the changes with the same amount of confidence making it easier to find the pattern :blue-biggrin:

[bassmaster]

just how confident are you about cathing some smallmouth oinkers this weekend?

Danielle sun, we will make many smallies have chinese eyes this weekend!! Wax on wax off.... :blue-biggrin:

[HPS]

I love Chinese smallies...........Aiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!! :blue-badgrin:

[Bassassin]

just how confident are you about cathing some smallmouth oinkers this weekend?

I'll be trying my best to give some Clan smallies chinese eyes this weekend :blue-lol:

[August]

Are you staying over bassassin? Where? We also going. We are camping at the clanwilliam resort or something.Doing bulshoek one of the 3 days,probably friday. Planning on leaving very early friday morning

[Bassassin]

August, I'm going up on Friday afternoon (kids at school etc), we are renting a chalet at Rondegat. They tell me that there is water there and that a boat can still be launched. My cell number is 082 552 5540, I think Plaasdam is also going, maybe we can meet up somewhere at some point, if not I'll more than likely see you on the water.

[August]

Cool. Will definitely meet up somewhere this weekend. Dont know if there is a clubhouse or something but we can maybe have a drink somewhere..will give you a ring.

[Q]

The last 4 outings have been tough (actually, the whole summer have been tough so far). But it forced me to build on my confidence.
I always started with my confident bait, and failing that, then slowly started looking for something else that works.
After a few hours of nothing and scrappies, I gave my confident bait another try. But this time it is different. I think a bit more carefully. Concentrating. Read the water and weather. Look at structure and believe the fish must be there. Believe that your confident bait is going to work. Then I concentrate on my technique.
Then it started working again.
So, for me, confident bait makes me a more confident fisherman. Because it makes me look at my other short comings en let me build (confidence) on that.