Another Way of Thinking

[nofearengineer]

As fishermen, most of us are often guilty of a few basic errors:

1. We throw at the bank all day when the fish are just not there, mostly because that's what we've always done.

2. Those of us fortunate enough to have fish finders base our fishing spot selection a device that shows us fish are underneath our boat, but not necessarily where we'll be casting.

3. Even with the 100% certainty we are never going to be professional bass fishermen, we still try to emulate, rather than learn from, the pros; if they don't do it, we don't do it.

http://www.gordellis.com/articles/bass_04.htm

I read this article recently I think you should read. It concerns trolling crankbaits. Now I know some of the more "elite" bass fishermen among us will turn up their noses at the very idea, as if it's beneath someone of their skill, but it is a valuable and greatly under-used technique these days, especially when fishing a new, unknown lake.

Like I may have mentioned before, I learned trolling from listening to Buck Perry, one of the all time greats of the fishing world. I'm not too interested if some modern-day pro thinks anyone can do it so it must be for beginners only. That's a weak way to think. Given two ways to accomplish something, one easy, and one hard...pick the easiest way. Trolling covers the most water in the quickest, most efficient way possible. For the life of me, I can't understand why a "power fisherman" wouldn't do it more often. Find the fish with your hooks rather than an LCD screen.

There is the added benefit of levelling the playing field. You can troll with a 5hp kicker motor, when the guys with the big-dollar boats might actually be wasting time blasting all over the lake in their 250hp rockets. You'll get to the same spot eventually, but you might run across a big school of bass on your way and never have to.

Anyways, give it a read, and consider it next time you're out.