Gathering information about fishing will never be as crucial as putting it into practice

I think we all want to learn more and become anglers. However, I’ve noticed some trends in how we think and make decisions that I believe are becoming bigger impediments to actually improving our skills.

Recently, I had an angler come up to me and ask if he could talk to me privately about my techniques for trolling for stripers. Lots of people query me about how I do things , but this guy began by telling me what he does and why. After 20 minutes, he paused only long enough to say he “knew” about my techniques because he had talked to some other anglers — as well as going online to figure out my stuff.

I asked how I could help. Turned out, he only asked me things he thought he already had pegged. He was literally confirming his strongly held beliefs — as long as I agreed with his conclusions. He hadn’t ever really produced any big fish at all in several years but was sure he was on the right trail. He wasn’t there for any help but just to show me how much he knew. I could have helped him, but I think it was more important to him to prove he “knew” a lot. I found out he hadn’t even tried out downrigger trolling. This encounter and others like it made me think about why it went as it did?

The guy wasn’t looking to learn anything, he felt that by talking to other so-called experts and then going online that he could load up on information . He clearly talked as if he was on an equal footing with anyone. No matter that he had never actually “ done” it at all as long as he could talk a good game . In fact, his opinions would be just as good and valid as someone who had “done it” for 25 years. An expert in his own estimation. Easier to do this than to put in the work and produce results . Several thoughts popped out at me.

First, I believe today’s iPhone culture has produced many anglers, who just like my friend, collect information endlessly rather than ever actually applying it. The belief that “knowing about something” is in every way equal to the opinions and insights of someone who’s been highly trained, competent and skilled in the art is at the root of this delusion. I think that our very culture is becoming one of the pursuit of information — where everyone wants his/her opinion to be treated equally, even if it’s not warranted. Outcomes and bottom line results prove the point that practical application and actually doing it are the real acid test in our sport

Second, I believe from all my angling, training and being mentored by three Olympic coaches that it’s critical to have some humility that you really don’t know everything. It’s the key to learning. I’ve watched somewhat successful anglers and athletes refuse to change anything because their coach’s new ideas didn’t pass the judgment bar of their preconceived ideas of how it should be done. They’ve actually told me that the new ideas (from an Olympic coach!) just didn’t seem reasonable or possible to them, so why try? Their comfort level is the bottom line for them. I’ve heard anglers tell me they would never fish the way I do — not because they can’t, but because they don’t believe it will work for them. The real heart of the matter isn’t usually belief; it’s not wanting to do the work.

If you’re trying to improve but aren’t open to listening, learning and putting in the same work the others did to reach success, it’s just an exercise in gathering info.

I see many anglers so busy trying to get the next new piece of information — the latest training video or scanning social media — but they’re prouder of what they know than how much they improved their skills on the water.

Making the main thing the main thing is still the bottom line while managing to avoid the traps that slowly suck your results dry. Your mental game is truly the key to improving in my book. That’s what I have found separates both great anglers and athletes from the masses. Never give up!

This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Gathering information about fishing will never be as crucial as putting it into practice."