The human mind is complex, and everyone is programmed differently. There are times when great fishermen are beat mentally before they even put their boats in the water and make their first cast in a tournament. Other times, average fishermen get on a roll where they seemingly can do no wrong and win back-to-back events, simply because they believed strongly in their chosen technique or the lure they were using. In the end, it's all about an individual's mindset.
It was legendary bass fisherman Bill Dance, who once said, "Confidence, without a doubt, is the most important lure in your tacklebox."
Writer and bass angler Kenny Covington found that an interesting observation.
"It wasn't until I started studying and following the career of Rick Clunn," he noted, "that I became totally aware and immersed in the human mindset and its power while fishing. While I don't profess to have all the answers when it comes to developing a strong mental outlook on the water, I do have a few things I'd like to share, in hopes they work for you as well as they have for me.
"For example," he continued, "I have learned to control my own mindset and not concern myself with the way my competition thinks. This allows me to block out distractions and focus on what I'm trying to do on the water.
"First of all, I don't believe in luck. Many years ago, I learned I couldn't allow 'luck' to determine my success or failures. I put too much time and effort into this sport to leave my fate up to the luck factor. With this mindset, I always have believed the more I prepare, the luckier I get, and I've proven to myself that this is no coincidence.
"At tournament weigh-ins, I always hear things like, 'well, we lost a lot of fish today,' or 'my partner lost a 5-pounder at the boat,' or 'I had two fish break me off.' Upon hearing these things, I automatically start wondering: 'Were you using the right rod and reel for the technique you were using? Were you using the correct hooks for the lure and technique? When was the last time you changed your line? Were you using the correct line for the technique you were using, and did you tie a good knot?' Was it bad luck? Maybe, but I'm willing to bet it was more due to human error than the fishing gods not being on your side.
"Good or bad, you create your own luck."
Covington also doesn't listen to dock talk.
"Unless you totally trust the person providing the information, be careful about believing what you are told," he said. "My being skeptical of people is a trait I've had since childhood, and it has come in quite handy. For some fishermen, three pounders always are five pounders in conversation. And it they tell you 'we must have caught 40 today,' half that number likely will be closer to the truth. Too much specific information is not a good thing.
"Instead of asking about particular lures and specific areas on a body of water, I'm more intererested in what the fish are doing. If someone tells me they are catching 'em on a spinnerbait, then I can determine the fish are actively feeding in shallow water. If someone says they are catching their fish on a jig, chances are they are fishing cypress trees or are in a situation where they can flip or pitch.
"Building a plan off general information you have gathered is what wins tournaments. Relying on specific information another angler has shared will get you beat."
As anyone who's ever fished a bass tournament knows, regardless of the conditions encountered, someone always wins. Covington loves bad-weather tournaments.
"They are the easiest to win," he said. "When I hear my competitors talk about how miserable the weather is, I know I already have an advantage. I have fished in sleet, snow, rain, high wind...you name it, I have fished in it. I also have been successful in each scenario. I never have fished a tournament when no fish were caught. Someone always catches them, so why can't that someone be me?
"I allow the conditions, regardless of how bad they are, to help determine what I can or can't do to be successful. As a rule, if it's windy, I probably need to use a lure like a Rat-L-Trap, spinnerbait or crankbait...something I can feel in the wind and doesn't require me to work the lure. If it's raining, I like to slow down and flip or pitch jigs and soft plastics, which is contrary to what you see in a lot of fishing magazines. On cold days, when it's cloudy, with bits of sleet or even snow, I have done exceptionally well throwing a big spinnerbait. The higher the weather pressure system, the deeper and slower I usually fish."
Covington further has learned the worse the weather scenario, the more patience he must have as an angler.
"Keep your mind in the game," he reminded. "I always have believed most tournaments are won or lost in the final two hours of the event. It's during this time, regardless of the time of year or weather conditions, when your mental focus tends to lack the most. You haven't had a bite in a while; your back is hurting from standing all day; and you're hot, tired, hungry, or whatever else may be going through your mind. Now is when you'll get the one bite that can make or break your tournament day...and more times than not, it's the latter."
At 12 o'clock each tournament day, Covington tells himself, "Let's refocus and get this thing done," noting that during the day, "I make sure I take a minute to drink something or eat a snack. I also may think about relocating to another part of the lake, or maybe refresh my thoughts on what I've been doing until this point of the day. Everything or anything I can do to make sure I am just as fresh at 2 o'clock as I was when I started at 6 a.m. is the goal. It's your job to keep your mind sharp and make good decisions.
"The lost lunker, like the worst-tasting pill, sometimes is the best medicine."
Covington also cautions against falling prey to the mind games some fishermen play. Anything that is within the rules to gain a competitive advantage is fair game, especially for older fishermen. Once anglers see they can get under your skin, the mind games will continue...not just from other fishermen, but you probably will do it to yourself, too.
Another no-no for Covington while on the water is taking a cellphone call. For the most part, he doesn't read or respond to text messages, either.
"Control the controllable variables, and prepare for the ones you can't," he said. "A lot of non-fishing things that mentally destroy anglers on the water are things that easily could have been avoided. Not preparing for the current weather is the most common culprit. Not having enough clothes to stay warm is another, along with not having the proper rain gear to stay dry. Don't overlook these things; they will come back to bite you.
"When you are tired, wet, cold, hot, hungry, thirsty, or any combination thereof, you will have a hard time being successful on the water."
No comments:
Post a Comment