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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | bn - 11/15/2006 6:28 PM
Being able to consistently put nice fish in the net thru all seasons and all weather conditions.
Consistency is probably the key to a good fishermen. Anyone can go hit the sand flats of Mille lacs and put a big one in the net. Try to put big fish in the net on Mille lacs from start to finish as just an example.
I agree with consistency being part of what defines a "good" fisherman. However, the question I'd like answered is HOW do you maintain CONSISTENCY? So... using BN's Mille Lacs example... how you avoid the "Monkey see, monkey do" approach on the sand flats and consistenly catch fish from ice-out to ice-up? |
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| If we put catching aside, because obviously some of us have greater success than others. Most importantly novice or experinced is having a good attitude, without that you've lost a lot and of course good CPR  |
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Posts: 2753
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Being smart enough to recognize that fishing for muskies is a lot more than just catching a fish.
At the PI outing Plan C. was fishing with Howie Meyer on Sunday. I had Howie Meyer net a fish for me, and I almost lost Howie's (Muskiehopeful's) fish w/my net job. Howie did say it was pretty hysterical watching me net that fish!! Geez!! What an adventure, i.e., fishing w/ Howie.
Although he's pretty humble about it, Howie Meyer is a VERY GOOD muskie fisherman.
Al
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Posts: 8781
| Jlong,
How does one ebcome consistent? I think it's a two part process.
First part is a thorough knowledge of the lakes you fish. The guys I know who are most consistent don't just know the structure, they know the spots on the spots, they understand the forage, the movements of that forage, and how the musky population reacts to that forage. They understand the whole lake ecosystem, and can predict where the fish will be based on weed growth, water temperature, where the perch/crappies/etc. are congregated, and factors that a lot of people overlook.
There's a big difference between knowing that a lot of fish get caught in a certain area at a certain time of year and knowing why those fish are there, what they are feeding on, when they show up, and when they leave.
The second part of consistency in my opinion comes from being on the same lakes on a regular basis. Even if you aren't the mopst knowledgeable guy on the water you have a BIG advantage if you're out 4 days a week, because you can go back to fish you moved the day before, or a few days before. You see a few fish on a spot, hit that spot a few times over the course of a week or so, and you are probably going to catch those fish. If it was there yesterday, it's probably there today, and will probably be there tomorrow. But if it's there today and you come back in a month? Probably not.
So to summarize
1. Know the lakes you fish
2. Fish them often enough to know what's happening where
Doing either will give you a great advantage. Doing BOTH will give you consistent results. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | EA.... I'm skeptical of your #2.
Would it be possible to be consistent and never fish the same lake twice? Or how about those guys that travel to a "new" lake (one they have never fished before) and instantly have success. And do that no matter where they go?
I guess I'd say a guy that can fish the PMTT from KY, to New York, to MN and catch fish in all locations with minimal "prefishing" is a very good angler. Now... is that angler better than someone who fishes one lake all season long? I dunno... seems like apples&oranges to me. But I do know that if a guy can travel to a new body of water and crack it... they should have no problem cracking a lake they fish repeatedly.
THE ABILITY TO ADJUST TO THE CONDITIONS is perhaps what I"m suggesting makes a "good" angler? Conditions could be anything. New lake. Odd weather. Whatever. The question I have then is.... how do you learn to adjust? Time on the Water is no guarantee. Yah... its a great asset... but I feel it goes beyond opportunity. |
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Posts: 8781
| It's cumulative, Jason -- the more you learn about one lake, the better equipped you will be to approach a different one and be successful even if you've never fished it. I've never fished the PMTT, but I suspect that the guys who are consistently putting fish in the boat are doing their homework -- studying maps, pre-fishing, talking to the panfish guys, etc. Even though it may be the first time they've fished that lake, they certainly aren't going in blind knowing nothing about it.
As for #2? I'll agree that being really in touch with what's going on where on Lake A doesn't guarantee you will be able to fish lake B well, unless you are in touch with WHY what is happening on lake A is happening.
I guess it's not really 2 seperate things is it?
Which angler do you think is going to be more consistent:
1. We've been seeing fish on this flat a lot over the last few weeks (#2 above)
2. There's a steep drop off on the East edge of this flat over here, and the crappies should be starting to move up into the weeds to spawn any day now (#1 above)
3. We've got 62 degree water temperatures, it's the third week of May. Right before the Crappies move up into the weeds to spawn the muskies stack up on the break along the East side of this flat. We moved a couple big fish out here yesterday, and so-and-so got a 47 here on Tuesday (combining #1 and #2 above)
In this particular case, combining #1 and #2 should give your angler enough to find a similar set of conditions on a different lake. You may not know the sturcture as well, but find a similar area under similar conditions, at the same point in the season, and you should find fish.
Edited by esoxaddict 11/16/2006 10:25 AM
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Disagree with the "like anything you do, do it enough and you'll get good at it".
I've never believed the old addage of "practice makes perfect".
If you're not doing it right and and practicing right and learning. You're only getting better at doing it wrong every time you do it. I.e. "perfect practice makes perfect".
Golf is a great example of this... |
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| they have to be "coachable"...in order to learn anything you have to be capable of "listening"
exactly!
if any of us wants to improve, the first step is to stop thinking of ourselves as "good".
thinking "i'm good", or even worse, comparing oneself to others, is a huge barrier to learning and improving. ego leads us to put others into classes of "better than/worse than" and discount what many have to offer.
what makes someone a good fisherman? humility.
it's only through humility that we're able to put our ego aside and learn from others.
when we're humble enough to stop bragging about our own success and start listening to others' experiences, then we become "good" anglers, because it means we're improving...
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | By the way, I can be a 'good' angler one day, and not-so-good the next, because I'm not focused or am plain not paying attention. Another point to make, success by the day, or even the year, is fickle.
Reality is based on personal perception, and your's is going to differ from mine. If someone thinks I am 'good', and says so enough out there, then folks see my skill level as high. I don't place any value on that at all other than the inevitable ego boost, because what others think doesn't put any Muskies in the Frabill.
It boils down to learning all the time, applying what's learned, and good execution of the mechanics. My skill level doesn't change day to day, just my execution; some days it's just a desire level at work. The beauty of this sport, unlike golf or basketball, is physical prowess and athletic 'gift' isn't going to make or break you.
The concept that big muskies equal talent is flawed to a degree. If you are a reasonably accomplished angler and fish where there are good numbers of big fish, you are going to catch them occasionally. Although there is SOME validity to the idea that catching a few 50" fish a year makes one 'good' by perception, if one lives on the Wabigoon, then the accomplishment is not as impressive as it would be on the Chip, or Pelican. Same goes for huge numbers, if you are fishing water that has 5 adult muskies per acre, you are GOING to catch more fish than I will on Pelican with a .3 fish per acre total. If you only catch twice as many as I do, then who's the 'better' angler? No idea, and more importantly, who gives a hoot?
I find that the really consistent anglers know how to read the water. Some are just good at it, some are totally reliant on electronics. Either way, it's important. That same consistency is coupled to the read-the-water thing AND Boat Control, paramount to execution. Those two things will make or break you, no matter what else you know. I'm not much of a troller, so my boat control using that technique is poor. I'll get my fanny handed to me if it's a trolling bite. Thing is, trolling is illegal where I spend most of my time, and inefficient where I vacation most of the time. SO I'm NOT 'good' at that, and need to work on the technique. |
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Posts: 3867
| I'll add one thing to the ideas above.....
Minimize downtime in the boat.
I bet I get as many as 30% more casts in than some folks I fish with because I have my 4-6 rods set up as I hit the water and everything is always organized and ready. Using flouro leaders has eliminated changing kinked sevenstrand leaders after boating fish.
Also, respect the environment, never ever litter and always pick up trash. |
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| Just Fish |
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Posts: 1636
| The Yeti - 11/16/2006 6:16 PM
Just Fish
Exactly!
Of course there is more too it than that, but just like athletes, you perform best when less is on your mind. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | The Yeti - 11/16/2006 6:16 PM
Just Fish
...... with intelligence.
Yah... I'll "just fish" when I'm frustrated and perhaps beginning to over-think stuff to the point of losing confidence. But... to "just fish" by simply "going through the motions" or with a "monkey see, monkey do" approach can be an absolute waste of time. And in this day and age... who has time to waste? |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | GOOD = making the finals in matchfishing! hahahahahahahahaha 
I'm not so good. At least I don't consider myself very good. I bumble into a fair number of fish out here cuz I get pretty intimate w/ the ONE water that I spend time on. I probably post more pictures than I should. I envy the muskie anglers who seem to catch fish where ever they go. But you know what? I don't care. I don't care if I'm good, and I don't really care if I ever get good. I have fun. I take my kids fishing for muskies and they want to let them go when they catch them (I'm kinda proud of that). They have fun (I'm really proud of that). I would hope that the people that are with me have fun. I have more important things in my life than whether or not I can catch a fish. It's my recreation, not my yardstick. I have met a fair number of folks that I really, really like associating myself with due primarily to muskie fishing (and this website), some may be considered 'GOOD', some maybe not so much: it's not, however the criteria I use to decide their value in my life. I gotta make it to another outing...
S. |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Sorno, why doesn't surprise me that I like your Good fisherman post best?
Kevin
Making good gravy is not easy.
Edited by MuskyHopeful 11/16/2006 9:25 PM
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Location: The Yahara Chain | sworrall - 11/16/2006 12:47 PM
The concept that big muskies equal talent is flawed to a degree. If you are a reasonably accomplished angler and fish where there are good numbers of big fish, you are going to catch them occasionally. Although there is SOME validity to the idea that catching a few 50" fish a year makes one 'good' by perception, if one lives on the Wabigoon, then the accomplishment is not as impressive as it would be on the Chip, or Pelican. Same goes for huge numbers, if you are fishing water that has 5 adult muskies per acre, you are GOING to catch more fish than I will on Pelican with a .3 fish per acre total. If you only catch twice as many as I do, then who's the 'better' angler? No idea, and more importantly, who gives a hoot?
This paragraph nails it my world....well put Mr. Worrall.
The anti-good stick
Sometimes it is as simple as "Who gives a hoot". I fish for Muskies because I love it, my wife thinks maybe a little to much. For me it is a passion, putting a few fish in the net is just the iceing on my cake. |
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| if he respects the musky,
if he respects the environment,
if he respects the water,
if he respects the other fishermen,
he's a good musky fisherman. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Bytor - 11/16/2006 10:44 PM
Sometimes it is as simple as "Who gives a hoot". I fish for Muskies because I love it, my wife thinks maybe a little to much. For me it is a passion, putting a few fish in the net is just the iceing on my cake.
I agree!!! However, this post wasn't about WHY we fish for muskies. Its asking for people's opinions on WHAT makes a GOOD muskie fisherman. Perhaps what motivates people to fish is part of the success equation?
In all honesty... sometimes I think I fish for muskies just cuz I like casting the lures. Seriously. Some lures are just fun to fish with. I think we all fish for different reasons.... and perhaps that subject is worthy of its own thread? Why do you fish for muskies... vs..... what makes you a good musky fisherman? |
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