Am I the only one?

kennethdaysale · 10-01-11, 11:22 PM

I'll try to make this short. Lets say I'm fishing one of my high confidence private well managed 100 acre lakes.(that I've fished 100 times before) I've fished there 3 times in 10 days and have a good idea that I'll find them on steep rocky points and catch them on trick worms. Within an hour I find fish on those points and I'm catching them on those tricks. Great you say! BUT NO my mind starts flippin choices around in my head.You should be bumping a deep crank right on top of those mussell beds" no i got it "You need to throw a Rat L Trap by the rip rap at the dam" or "You're doing OK with this but if you'd go to the high side and pitch a jig to those laydowns you'd do even better" but the more i think about the water temp-water level and wind direction and speed "I'm convinced you should be dragging a carolina rig along the deep ledge" etc etc etc.
Now don't get me wrong I can be as focused and in the moment as anybody and more so than most but this self inflicted indecision or disatisfaction can be frustrating. Do any of yall ever second guess what you are doing just for the sake of maybe better weight or more numbers or just a funner way to fish??? If I am the only one...I fear it may be early onset dementia.

PS I understand the tournament mentality about "NEVER LEAVE FISH TO FIND FISH" but I am just fishing for fun.

Bassboss · 10-02-11, 01:01 AM

Do it all the time. Have the time it's something I don't have with me too!

joedog · 10-02-11, 01:51 AM

Guilty as charged! Good example today. Shore fishing, carrying 3 rods, one has quarter oz. finese jig ( use normal or razor chunk for swiming), one has hard jerk bait (rapala x-rap slashbait) one has plastic worm (dinger 5 in.). Start with the jig, 2 casts and I'm thinking should of started with jerk bait, so back to shore switch poles take maybe 4 casts and I'm already thinking; with the worm, I can flick it ( like jerkbait, slow sink weightless, similar to slow fall of finese jig and then crawl it accross bottom) cover everything, so I switch poles again. I really dont think this is what Kevin was talking about in his first newsletter. I have actually thrown a lure and you know how you kind of mentally visulize on the retrieve what the lures doing, I have caught myself visualizing how a different lure would be acting if I would of thrown it instead. And I too can and do spend alot of time on one lure trying to perfect presentation for signifacant amounts of time. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this challenge!

Bubba_Bruiser · 10-02-11, 09:43 AM

It's the nature of the beast. I don't care if I am catching 50 fish an hour. I am always in overdrive thinking about what I could tweak or change to catch a little better fish. I tend to get in them and if they are hitting fast, I will change and see what else is working just to see if I can FOOL the bass.

keithdog · 10-02-11, 10:29 AM

What your describing is something I often do by choice. If I'm zero'd in on a good pattern and have been catching a good number of bass, I often decide to leave what I am doing in order to experiment. I release most of what I catch anyways. If I was fishing in a tournament I would probably stick with what I was doing. But since I don't, I take a moment like this to self educate. I KNOW how to catch them, but what if I do something else instead just to see if maybe the larger bass are over here or over there. I'll try a different tactic to see if THAT will also be successful. It's not because I can't stay focused on whats working. It's because I AM focused and want to experiment and learn what else could be working, and perhaps find the larger specimans. If I was just out to catch large numbers of bass I'd stick with plan one. But once I"ve accomplished that portion of my day and enjoyed a couple hours of landing fish, I expand my possibilities. Thats how one learns to be a better fisherman.

bcklash · 10-02-11, 10:50 AM

That's a good time to try something you don't do often or very well. The best time learn something new is when they are biting so you can get the feel.

kennethdaysale · 10-02-11, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keithdog

What your describing is something I often do by choice. If I'm zero'd in on a good pattern and have been catching a good number of bass, I often decide to leave what I am doing in order to experiment. I release most of what I catch anyways. If I was fishing in a tournament I would probably stick with what I was doing. But since I don't, I take a moment like this to self educate. I KNOW how to catch them, but what if I do something else instead just to see if maybe the larger bass are over here or over there. I'll try a different tactic to see if THAT will also be successful. It's not because I can't stay focused on whats working. It's because I AM focused and want to experiment and learn what else could be working, and perhaps find the larger specimans. If I was just out to catch large numbers of bass I'd stick with plan one. But once I"ve accomplished that portion of my day and enjoyed a couple hours of landing fish, I expand my possibilities. Thats how one learns to be a better fisherman.

I agree that some of the best diversity and confidence I've ever gained was when I gave in to those voices in my head and did as they suggested. But a lot of times I just wish they'd be quiet and let me fish. Reading your post makes me think about the times when I couldn't buy a bite using a technique that "should" be killing them, thats when the voices turn to screams and the real SELF EDUCATING needs to happen. When I change programs in the middle of a hot bite and the bite stays hot thats great but when they seem to have lock jaw or left town and you still manage to catch a mess that's when you get the feeling that you're making the transition from just an OK fisherman to maybe a little better than OK. Ken
Thanks for yalls input

hdmoorefootball · 10-02-11, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennethdaysale

I agree that some of the best diversity and confidence I've ever gained was when I gave in to those voices in my head and did as they suggested. But a lot of times I just wish they'd be quiet and let me fish. Reading your post makes me think about the times when I couldn't buy a bite using a technique that "should" be killing them, thats when the voices turn to screams and the real SELF EDUCATING needs to happen. When I change programs in the middle of a hot bite and the bite stays hot thats great but when they seem to have lock jaw or left town and you still manage to catch a mess that's when you get the feeling that you're making the transition from just an OK fisherman to maybe a little better than OK. Ken
Thanks for yalls input

This is true, pretty rewarding feeling having friends askin how you caught um and being able to give them accurate, original information!

Dogmatic · 10-03-11, 09:20 AM

No matter how many rigged rods I have, covering every technique under the sun, I always "convince" myself that there is something else I could be fishing.

kennethdaysale · 10-03-11, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogmatic

no matter how many rigged rods i have, covering every technique under the sun, i always "convince" myself that there is something else i could be fishing.

that's it....kinda reminds me of the "frasier" episode where him and niles finally gain access to the gold spa only to find a platinum door

10-01-11, 11:22 PM	#1
kennethdaysale BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: rock hill, sc Posts: 2,315	Am I the only one? I'll try to make this short. Lets say I'm fishing one of my high confidence private well managed 100 acre lakes.(that I've fished 100 times before) I've fished there 3 times in 10 days and have a good idea that I'll find them on steep rocky points and catch them on trick worms. Within an hour I find fish on those points and I'm catching them on those tricks. Great you say! BUT NO my mind starts flippin choices around in my head.You should be bumping a deep crank right on top of those mussell beds" no i got it "You need to throw a Rat L Trap by the rip rap at the dam" or "You're doing OK with this but if you'd go to the high side and pitch a jig to those laydowns you'd do even better" but the more i think about the water temp-water level and wind direction and speed "I'm convinced you should be dragging a carolina rig along the deep ledge" etc etc etc. Now don't get me wrong I can be as focused and in the moment as anybody and more so than most but this self inflicted indecision or disatisfaction can be frustrating. Do any of yall ever second guess what you are doing just for the sake of maybe better weight or more numbers or just a funner way to fish??? If I am the only one...I fear it may be early onset dementia. PS I understand the tournament mentality about "NEVER LEAVE FISH TO FIND FISH" but I am just fishing for fun. __________________ Sometimes you gotta risk it to get the biscuit.

10-02-11, 01:01 AM	#2
Bassboss BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Shawano, WI Posts: 7,761	Do it all the time. Have the time it's something I don't have with me too! __________________ If you can't fix it with heavy squats or fish oil, you're probably going to die.

10-02-11, 09:43 AM	#4
Bubba_Bruiser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South MS Posts: 3,659	It's the nature of the beast. I don't care if I am catching 50 fish an hour. I am always in overdrive thinking about what I could tweak or change to catch a little better fish. I tend to get in them and if they are hitting fast, I will change and see what else is working just to see if I can FOOL the bass. __________________ \,,,,/ ROCK ON! HRN4L!

10-02-11, 10:29 AM	#5
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	What your describing is something I often do by choice. If I'm zero'd in on a good pattern and have been catching a good number of bass, I often decide to leave what I am doing in order to experiment. I release most of what I catch anyways. If I was fishing in a tournament I would probably stick with what I was doing. But since I don't, I take a moment like this to self educate. I KNOW how to catch them, but what if I do something else instead just to see if maybe the larger bass are over here or over there. I'll try a different tactic to see if THAT will also be successful. It's not because I can't stay focused on whats working. It's because I AM focused and want to experiment and learn what else could be working, and perhaps find the larger specimans. If I was just out to catch large numbers of bass I'd stick with plan one. But once I"ve accomplished that portion of my day and enjoyed a couple hours of landing fish, I expand my possibilities. Thats how one learns to be a better fisherman. __________________ Just one more cast, and then some!

10-02-11, 10:50 AM	#6
bcklash BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elliston, Va. Posts: 4,372	That's a good time to try something you don't do often or very well. The best time learn something new is when they are biting so you can get the feel. __________________ The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. keep us free:

10-02-11, 01:51 AM	#3
joedog BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: JANESVILLE,WI. 53545 Posts: 3,415	Guilty as charged! Good example today. Shore fishing, carrying 3 rods, one has quarter oz. finese jig ( use normal or razor chunk for swiming), one has hard jerk bait (rapala x-rap slashbait) one has plastic worm (dinger 5 in.). Start with the jig, 2 casts and I'm thinking should of started with jerk bait, so back to shore switch poles take maybe 4 casts and I'm already thinking; with the worm, I can flick it ( like jerkbait, slow sink weightless, similar to slow fall of finese jig and then crawl it accross bottom) cover everything, so I switch poles again. I really dont think this is what Kevin was talking about in his first newsletter. I have actually thrown a lure and you know how you kind of mentally visulize on the retrieve what the lures doing, I have caught myself visualizing how a different lure would be acting if I would of thrown it instead. And I too can and do spend alot of time on one lure trying to perfect presentation for signifacant amounts of time. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this challenge!

10-03-11, 09:20 AM	#9
Dogmatic BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bucks County, PA Posts: 714	No matter how many rigged rods I have, covering every technique under the sun, I always "convince" myself that there is something else I could be fishing.

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