Written by Martin Montejano
We’ve all had slow days of fishing, and we’ve all been skunked before. No matter how experienced of an angler you are, or how long you’ve been fishing, there’s always the potential for a zero fish day. But, how do we measure success on the water, and what is it that influences our perception on whether or not we had a productive day?
To Catch A Fish
It’s often said that anglers go through a certain progression in their journey, and it starts with learning the basics and how to catch fish. In my experience, this phase can be one of the most frustrating, but also the most rewarding. I’ve had many hours on the water wasted untangling knots and struggling to tie on a fly or new section of tippet. But, when everything comes together and you make a cast better than any of the previous ones that landed your fly in the tree behind you, then a trout comes up and snatches the kebari off the surface, it makes it all worth it.
I remember being discouraged by days where I had gotten skunked during this time, but when I look back on the beginning of my experience as a tenkara angler, I see how all of the little moments throughout my time on the water contributed to where I’m at now. I wouldn’t say that missing a hookset, or getting my line tangled up in a branch was all negative; Instead, I see those moments as learning opportunities. Ones that have helped me to become a better angler.
Fishing For Numbers
After learning the basics and how to catch a fish, many anglers progress to a point where they want to catch a lot of fish. Their measurement of a successful day is based on the amount of fish caught. This is a stepping stone along the path. I’ve had those days, and on occasion, still set that as a goal for an outing.
When numbers are our main focus, it’s important to remember that progress isn’t always a straight line. You may have one day where you catch more fish than ever before, and the next time you’re out on the water you may only catch a few. Don’t be discouraged by this!
There will be times where the bite is hot, and times where it’s not. There are many factors in this. Fish activity could be influenced by weather and temperature. Maybe an angler had fished their way through a section of water and put the fish down just before you arrived. No matter what the reason is, an alternative measurement of success in this phase, and one that I would encourage as being more important, is consistency.
In building consistency in your catch rate, you will gain more knowledge and understanding of the waters you fish, as well as skills that are applicable to many different situations.
The numbers phase can be fun, but the amount of fish caught isn’t always the most important aspect of recreational fishing. As the anglers who have set this as their main priority for a period of time know, it soon progresses into something else…
Chasing "Big" Fish
Following the numbers phase, many anglers start to chase after bigger and bigger fish. Of course, this is relative to what you fish for, and where you fish. Everyone will have a different personal best, but it shouldn’t be a competition that takes the fun out of fishing..
Catching a new personal best is amazing, and by no means am I trying to discount the rush that we get when we bring a hard-fought fish to the net and the shakes set in. If chasing big fish is how you want to measure the success of an outing, there are ways to extend the pursuit beyond your all around biggest catch.
Try setting a personal best for different waters you fish. A personal best on a small tributary may very well be a different size from one on the main section of the river that the tributary feeds.
Alternatively, you could set a personal best for each species you chase after. When it comes to trout, brown trout have a longer lifespan and will grow to be larger than a rainbow trout. The size of a “trophy” rainbow trout from the river will be different from that of a “trophy” brown. Along with that, species that live higher in elevation, such as brook trout, tend to be smaller. Catching a twelve inch brook trout from a stream in my area is considered a great catch.
I mentioned that the size of fish will be relative to an area. It's easy to get envious of anglers on social media who post a picture with river giants, but those size fish aren’t available in all regions. If you live in an area without any access to tailwaters, you may not have the opportunity to tangle with a twenty-four inch brown trout, and that’s alright. It’s your personal best that you’re trying to beat, not that of someone else on the internet.
Turning A "Slow Day" Into A "Good Day"
So what do we do when we are having a slow day? Whether you’re after numbers or big fish, there’s bound to be times on the water where your expectations exceed your reality.
Take a break! Step off to the side. Find a nice spot along the bank to sit down and relax for a bit. I find this to be a great time to eat a snack, because I do get frustrated as I get hungry. Some may even say I get "hangry."
During this break, be sure to take a moment and take in your surroundings. Make observations about what’s going on around you. The weather, the bugs, the plants, and the animals nearby. If you find something interesting, inspect it! Shake some bushes, look for some spiderwebs, or flip over some rocks in the water to see what kind of bugs may be present that day.
If you’re still determined to try to catch a fish, consider switching up your tactics. Maybe try a new tactic or a presentation that you aren’t familiar with. In doing this, you set yourself up to learn and practice new skills.
It's All Practice
There’s no better time to experiment and try new ideas than when the fishing is slow. What do you have to lose? Or, better yet, what can you gain? It’s a great opportunity to associate yourself with a new technique or presentation that you’re not well-versed in, and to learn the execution.
Putting new ideas to practice, or refining your skills on the water offers different dynamics than practicing at home. The practical application becomes clear, especially if you’re able to entice a strike from a fish. If you are able to gain some attention from fish with a new tactic, run with it! Continue using it and learn what you can while the fish are keyed in on it.
The Pursuit of the Experience
As I said at the beginning of this post, we all have slow days. Sometimes we don’t meet the goals or expectations we had in mind before we made that first cast. But, when we set aside the focus of the number of fish caught, and the chase of bigger fish, we’re left with the experience. I wrote about this idea in a previous article titled “What Do We Fish For?,” but as it pertains to this post, I wanted to stress the importance of enjoying your time on the water.
Fishing should be fun and enjoyable. I believe that everyone should fish in a way that brings them satisfaction - regardless of the fish brought to the net. Those who enjoy their experiences on the water will remain anglers for a long time, and will always be rewarded with new and exciting experiences.
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