03-18-2014, 07:35 PM
For me, it would have to be a little bit of science, and a little bit of luck on top of the artistic side of things.
On the scientific side, I like to make sure I know the information that's available on any given waters. Reading whatever is out there can usually give me an idea what type of situation to expect and I can plan from there. I can also learn a great deal more about places I thought I knew.
If I find that a lake has a maximum depth of 160ft and is known to produce large hybrids, I might consider fishing really deep unless I also find that normally anything below 30ft is a dead zone without enough dissolved oxygen to support the target species.
Without even going to the lake, I've already saved myself a lot of time. Thanks, science!
There's usually somewhat of a scientific approach with how I fish and that can be blended in a lot of ways with the artistic or creative side.
How long I let my presentation sink, how quickly I hop the jig along the bottom, what kind of casting motion I use to cut through the wind, using English on the rod tip to swim my offering the way I need it, etc. They go hand in hand.
Applying past experience with creativity can lead to some of my best luck, which I'll happily accept.
To be an effective angler, it's important to have a healthy balance of all sides. As was mentioned earlier, strong scientific fundamentals and creative application of them will often lead to a lucky situation.
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On the scientific side, I like to make sure I know the information that's available on any given waters. Reading whatever is out there can usually give me an idea what type of situation to expect and I can plan from there. I can also learn a great deal more about places I thought I knew.
If I find that a lake has a maximum depth of 160ft and is known to produce large hybrids, I might consider fishing really deep unless I also find that normally anything below 30ft is a dead zone without enough dissolved oxygen to support the target species.
Without even going to the lake, I've already saved myself a lot of time. Thanks, science!
There's usually somewhat of a scientific approach with how I fish and that can be blended in a lot of ways with the artistic or creative side.
How long I let my presentation sink, how quickly I hop the jig along the bottom, what kind of casting motion I use to cut through the wind, using English on the rod tip to swim my offering the way I need it, etc. They go hand in hand.
Applying past experience with creativity can lead to some of my best luck, which I'll happily accept.
To be an effective angler, it's important to have a healthy balance of all sides. As was mentioned earlier, strong scientific fundamentals and creative application of them will often lead to a lucky situation.
[signature]