A good angler with good electronics and maps and the ability to decipher both well

This is the best post I have seen in TFF in awhile. What makes a "Stick" Well just two days ago I saw the post "Frozen" so if you are looking for a 9 pounder look no further than being in the right place at the right time with the right guide!

However, those of us that have fished coast to coast I think you will find that being a really good "Stick" (meaning Elites or FLW ) you must have total control of your instincts, an above average athletic capability, and as Don Harper stated ( an idea of where to catch fish from time on the water).

So, a "Stick" knows how to catch fish from Erie down to Seminole, from Cayuga to the Delta, tides, floods, or through a Zombie Apocalypse, or green or brown.

A "Stick" will make 5 casts to your 1 and also in place you would never cast. They will also do it left or right handed.

Those of you that have never had the pleasure of being in a boat with a "Stick" it will make you appreciate the difference between high school and NFL football.

These guys are good. And yes we can all get a jersey and a wrapped boat but very few will ever be a "stick" that I my opinion. The rest of you can vote for Hillary!

Some people have it - some don't. No different than any other endeavor in life. Time spent doing anything can make one better, sometimes even good, but some people are just wired for certain things. They will excel because of their God given talent, intellect, accumulated knowledge, physical ability, etc. That's why you get the KVD's, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan's, of this world. I call them "Dynamic Individuals". Sorry, but not ALL men are created equal.

Don't know who came up with the word " stick " as a homonym for a good angler but I don't see the relevance. A stick is a thin piece of wood. If you want to complement or acknowledge someone as a better than average angler I would refer to him as a " Van Dam ". He exceeds all the adjectives I've seen in this post. I'm not accomplished enough to change the line on one of Van Dam's reels but I doubt anyone has enjoyed fishing as much as I have. In that regard I am a an awesome angler.

And ya gotta know how to "go Ike" when you catch a two pounder...

A stick is being able to lead day one and two of the FWC without a transducer on ur boat!

A stick doesn't talk a bunch of s*%# to other anglers he just whacks em and lets the money speak for itself. Average joes talk all kinds of sh$! to the other guys. That's the way it seems to me.

Information, experience, and application...

1 JOHN COX DEBARY, FL 16 - 11 (5) 15 - 10 (5) 32 - 5 (10)

Leading the FW Cup right now, he doesn't have a transducer on his boat. Just Saying.

A strong desire for success.
Perseverance for learning and understanding the process of successful fishing.
A great aptitude to apply that time on the water, learning and understanding into skillfully locating productive scenarios while quickly eliminating that which is not productive.

Read the book Outliers. It will explain. Combination of "Time on Water" and pure natural ability. I coached high school and college basket ball for 13 years and what I saw in the very best pertains to fishing. Can't remember the exact number but it takes something like 10,000 hours before you become proficient at something. So take that plus natural ability but i think you have to have both.

Ex: I coached kids that were extremely talented but didn't put in the work so they never reached their potential. Had kids with no talent that put in the hours and became good but not great, then those rare few that did both and were truly great.


I'm screwed, I have no natural ability and I only get 2-4 days a month on the water.

They say eliminating water is key, he eliminates about 98% of the lake before he launches.

I find it very interesting how we give athletes nick names or titles. Jordan was "air Jordan", Earvin Johnson
was Magic. Together they had 11 championship rings. Bill Russell also had 11 but for what ever reason no nick name. Since everyone on this forum thinks "stick" is synonymous with the greatest shouldn't we give that nick name to some deserving angler like maybe Kevin Van Dam ? Based on the criteria I'm seeing on here he kinda fit the bill and he's won over 6 million dollars. I haven't seen anyone on this forum claim that title even though they know what it takes, just modesty I suppose.

When i was a kid we would all be fishing on my Grandmothers place and there was always a few that caught a lot more than others, my great Aunt said that it was a God given talent. I see no reason to doubt her.