Psst, wanna know the secret to fishing success? Pay attention if someone shares it

If you catch a lot of fish, or bigger than normal fish, folks will probably ask, “What’s your fishing secret?”

This eternal question usually centers around a few surface assumptions. In my case, I’ve had folks bore in on wanting to find out if there’s a secret lure, while others want the coordinates of the secret spot. Spot, or lure? (Yep, it is!)

As most good anglers will probably tell you, their secret to catching success can cover a truly wide range of factors they’ve been able to identify by luck, skill or the help of another who’s mastered a skill they’ve adopted. I’ve had good fishermen share their hard-won secrets with me and the tips have ranged from lures, tactics, strategies, spots, timing, techniques and fishing insights or combinations of several of these factors that have been refined into successful patterns.

Many times the special knowledge good anglers pass on is counterintuitive to current theory — the essence of a good secret in my book. I’ve seen good anglers share a special insight but the recipient refuses to believe the tip because it doesn’t fit their preconceived ideas of what they should do.

The other funny thing about fishing secrets is that they tend to have short shelf lives due to all the variables that create windows of opportunities that good anglers identify and exploit as they unfold. They may tell you about a special fishing spot, but they don’t elaborate about the key time of year, the right time of day or using a special lure in an unusual way.

Yes, lots of anglers have their never-fail “secret lure” that’s buried deep in their tackle box. I’ve seen many fishermen quietly pull out a lure that you’d think is a crown jewel by the way they handle it, then they whisper that this is “the one!” Many times it doesn’t look like anything special, but you never say that! For most, it’s the product of trials and trips proving this lure has the right stuff.

We may all laugh about anglers we know who are very secretive and private about their fishing, but in a world where whatever you share can end up on the cellphones of unknown numbers of folks and competing anglers, it’s no wonder anglers have become so much more private and paranoid. That’s why trust is such a big angler issue. Your secret spot could become the No. 1 attraction on the latest online fishing app.

Fishing secrets are part of our sport and everyone knows a good angler who probably has a few of them stashed away. Develop your own special tricks — it’s what makes our sport special.

Never give up!