Saw this on another post and thought it would apply here as well, plus it's like a refresher class. What have you learned this year to help you become a better fisherman?For me

1.)Reading my fishfinder and understanding what I'm looking at.
2.)More confidence in my jigs.

Attend Seminars...Listen to Ernest.

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steve pine

1)Slow down the jig
2)Spider Rig/Slow trolling
3)Loop Knot, to make the jig hang horizontal
4)Crappie like manufactured housing
5)Shooting jigs
6)Caps and Coleman Rig
7)Cannon Balling
8)Kentucky Rig
9)Paper Clips are handy
10)Line watching/Hi-vis Line
11)Why my dad always loved Crappie Fishing!

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Gotta quit wishing, Gotta go fishing..J.Buffet..TWright

One thing I have learned is to be quiet as possible. I here guys in there boats listening to loud music and I ask myself "what are they thinking"?

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Hal Dodd
Arlington- Home
Part Time Fishing Guide
www.HowellDodd.4t.com

HalDodd
I don't think the being quite is that big a deal any more, We fish brushpile in 10 foot of water this summer with my honda generator and 3 150 watt light going on our pontoon all night and did better than we did during the day? Figure that?

Let's see....

Everything!!!

I hired Ernest in early July and haven't bought a minnow since. I came from old school "tye to that tree, sink eight minnows and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait..."

I learned VOLUMES on that single day. I don't post that much, but I lurk almost every day. Can't say thanks enough to those who knowing/unknowingly contribute their knowlege on a daily basis.

Went to the tying session on Tuesday, Bass Pro on Wednesday for supplies and tyed about 8 or so. Took them to CC on Thursday and caught 14 real nice ones in the 11" - 12" range. One went 13 3/4". It seems silly, but I sure got one heck of a thrill catching those fish on jigs I made myself!

Other than that...I ain't learned much!

Thanks to all,

Beav

Bass like Country Music. I was fishing Lake Somerville one day and had Country Music on the radio. Caught a 9 pound Bass. Or at least she was around 9 pounds. I didn't have any scales and I released her, she was 24 inches long. I have pictures but don't know how to post them.

Tini

This has been my first real year of fishing. I have never fished as much in my life. So, I have learned:

1. trolling the HP and all its technical secrets
2. using a 9' pole to jig
3. jigging slowly
4. watching that hi-vis line
5. understanding that fish relate mainly to structure changes. i.e. brush, bends in a creek, dropoffs, rip-rap, trees, humps.
6. starting to learn my Eagle 320
7. small bait is definitely good for big fish
8. crappie taste really good
9. catfish respond to running water, (ask ERNEST)
10. This website rocks! The anglers on this sight are extremely willing to teach others and constantly display their knowledge.
11. Learning how to fish for many different fish is great!

Constantly learning and experimenting is the key to catching.

Rookiefish

HawgWild,

I am familier with most of the items you mentioned except Cap and Coleman Rig, Cannon Balling, and the Kentucky Rig. Can you share some details.

Some of what I've learned this year:
1. Get a GPS and use it, once you save a location as a waypoint you can find it quick the next time you are on the lake.
2. Listen to Ernest.
3. Hi vis line is a must, and it doen't spook fish.

The more fish I catch, the more fish I catch!

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BENCHMARK MORTGAGE
972-429-9776

Larry, my parents have a dock on Hubbard Creek. I catch 75 crappie and white bass in 1.5 to 2 hours at times. My brother and his kids get there and talk and smoke and run up and down the dock and fishing drops dramatically. Thats what I speak of.

When fishing Joe Pool the other day under the bridge I got my limit while the boat 20 yards away listened to Black Sabbath and suffered greatly.

You can't honestly believe you can make noise and it doesnt effect your fishing.

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Hal Dodd
Arlington- Home
Part Time Fishing Guide
www.HowellDodd.4t.com

Hal, I wonder if depth has someting to do with it. I would think that if the fish were a little deeper noise would not spook them as much.

I agree that that might be a deciding factor but can you agree that you being stealth doesnt add too your catch.

I give!

Hal, all things considered - I don't listen to a ballgame on my boat radio until after I've caught my share of fish for the day. My wife and I still laugh about the day we were fishing early in the morning on Sardis Miss and she was feeding port rinds to our labrador. It was a grand morning in the early spring and I was working hard to sneek up on shallow bass. The spring birds were singing their hearts out - you know the type of morning. All of a sudden I hear this "Munch Munch MUNCH" as the lab is scarffing down the pork rinds! I turned to my wife and mentioned something about "destroying the quiet of the moment" which I have yet to this day to live down. She gets too much mileage about this comment to this day...

Another great way to become a better fisherman is to take a trip out with a local guide. Can't stress enough how much great info that you can pick up from an experienced one such as Ernest or Jerry that will greatly improve your fish catching ratio and save you from wasting a lot of time.