6 Fishing Mistakes to Avoid from Now
For a lot of anglers, fishing is all about luck. As most anglers know, fishing luck is created by being prepared and avoiding simple mistakes. Those simple mistakes, though, can end your chances of finding and landing fish. They can also ruin a fishing trip and even put lives in danger.
Here are six fishing mistakes anglers of all ages and experiences make and should do all they can to avoid.
Ignore the Weather
In many ways, weather, incoming or present, heavily impacts your chances of catching fish. Weather elements like wind, precipitation, temperature, approaching, stalled, or departing fronts, and barometric pressure all impact fish, the water, and the environment fish live in.
Here are a few weather tips for your next fishing outing:
Approaching low pressure in winter can prompt feeding in anticipation of bad weather.
Low pressure in warm weather can prompt a feeding burst right before the front hits, but fish will then move to deeper water.
A high-pressure system moving in can prompt fish to move back into shallow water.
If a high pressure follows a low pressure that has been in place for a few days, fish will be hungry and chase baitfish into inlets and bays as well as river and stream mouths.
High winds can push your boat off your fishing grounds and stir up enough silt on the bottom.
Winds blowing out to sea can affect water levels if you are fishing in a bay, inlet, or river mouth, particularly if the tide is lowering or is at its extreme low.
Flooding can expand the range of a fish or push fish into deeper water if a lot of debris is present.
While your fishing guide will know the weather, knowing what is going on can help you make fishing decisions throughout your trip.
Ignore the Tide
Many anglers ignore the tide if they are fishing miles offshore. Ignoring the tide cycle, even miles offshore, can be a mistake because various points in the tidal cycle can prompt fish to move, settle down, or head to deeper or shallower water.
Fish move when the tide changes and tend to set at the extreme high and low tides. As the tide moves in, fish will follow it, chasing baitfish into bays, inlets, rivers and stream mouths. When the tide recedes, fish will tend to follow it out.
During the high and low points of the tidal cycle and about an hour before and after, fish will settle on the bottom, content to let bait slide past it in the slower current.
If a tide runs particularly strong, fish may settle on the bottom to conserve energy and lay low for protection. In this scenario, fish will attack a meal they see floating by, so drift fishing with any current can put your bait in the attack zone.
Fail to Inspect Your Gear
Always check your rods, reels, and other offshore fishing accessories before you head out. There are few things worse in fishing than losing one because your gear failed. Here is a brief checklist:
Put your reels through a few “dry runs” to ensure they are in working condition.
Inspect your rods and look for damage to eyelets and on the rod itself.
Check any lures or leaders for damage.
Inspect your hooks and verify each is sharp and not bent or distorted.
Inspect other equipment like gaffes, live-wells, bait holders, harnesses, etc.
Another tip: Make sure you have enough fishing tackle, equipment, and gear: lures, weights, hooks, spare reels, leaders, bait, etc. You do not want to run out of something mid-trip.
Leave Your Rod Unattended
Once fishing, a common mistake anglers make is to leave their rod unattended, especially when bottom fishing. Maybe nature called the angler, or they wanted a drink or even some time out of the sun or weather. Regardless, a fish can strike any time bait is in the water, and by the time the angler is back on the scene, it can be gone.
Preferably, stay with your rod whenever you have bait in the water. If you have to leave, have someone you trust to keep an eye on it.
Ignore Your Drag
Drag management is one of those aspects of fishing that even seasoned vets sometimes mess up. Improperly set drag can snap lines, give a fish too much leeway to set the hook or damage the reel.
After each cast, test the drag and adjust it to suit the fishing conditions.
Ignoring Safety
A great fishing excursion can turn into a life-changing experience in a heartbeat. People usually think of a life-changing event on the water involving drowning, but there are many other ways to injure yourself or get yourself in danger.
For example, not paying attention to the weather can push your boat into danger zones. Rough seas can lead to someone falling overboard. An improperly inspected vessel can mean becoming stranded.
Use a safety checklist and ensure you adhere to all safety protocols.
Avoid These Mistakes to Give Yourself a Better Chance
Fishing is about putting yourself in the best position to catch a fish. That starts with avoiding these common mistakes many anglers make. Avoiding these mistakes is no guarantee you will land a fish, but it makes it easier to catch them.
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