Decisions we make as Anglers  Go Back
Author: Hein Henning    Date Published: 09 December 2019

The most prominent feature for any fishing session must be the arsenal of plans we formulated to achieve our fishing goals. These plans are the result of hours of discussions with friends, reading true all available magazines and based on previous experiences.

Let’s investigate a few examples to support this statement.

• If we visit our local tackle shop, we are confronted by the hundreds of baits and liquid attractors available on the market. We will sample the goods and normally buy the one that looks good, smells good or meets our personal approval.

• Discussions with fellow anglers and or club members normally are dominated by the success of baits and attractors. The focus on these goods becomes the main ingredient for our planning of the next fishing event.

• Publications, adverts and marketing strategies as published in magazines contribute vastly towards our decision in buying various baits and attractors. The moment a bait and or fish attractor is marketed with a photo of a big fish, we find that the specific items sales increases dramatically.

• Most times when fishing, we instinctively note what the people around us use. If someone starts catching fish, we normally focus on what they are using. This becomes our primary source of information that determines our fishing decisions.

With reference to the above mentioned, it becomes clear that our fishing strategies, planning and decisions are influenced by external expects that determines our fishing believes and identity as fisherman.

This means that we as fisherman are the product of influences that is far from building our own identity as fisherman and thus becoming followers of what the market and fishing industry what’s us to believe.

As we setup camp and prepare the first rod to cast, the first question always is, What to Use? This initial decision will determine the mindset for the rest of the fishing session. The fact remains that this important decision will be based on, WHAT WE LIKE and as explained, our thoughts are influenced by external factors.

Do we ever make a decision for the fish species we target? Why does the fish, its behavior, feeding patens and characteristics not influence and determine our thoughts and decisions?

As seen in all other nature related sports, the conditions and species are the main contributor in determining action. This means that we need to study and focus on the conditions and selected species and the result thereof must determine our decisions.

We need to put ourselves in the best possible position for positive results by adapting to what the fish wants as the determining factor for our decisions when fishing.

These actions will lead to more controlled outcome based decisions that builds our attitude and confidence towards fishing. You will find that all our decisions on fishing equipment, gear and baits will be the challenged by the information we get from studying the selected fish species.

The more we align our fishing decisions with this information, the greater the end result will be.

Build your fishing identity on that nature allows us to achieve. Base you’re fishing decisions on fact based information by studying the selected fish species. Become a better angler.