Whether we are talking about life in general or fishing all of the ideas we will cover remain the same and apply to both. We have probably experienced some failed quests, big mistakes, and some great successes. Often we learn much more from the failures and mistakes than we ever could have if things went exactly according to plan. We can take this idea to another level though. There are too many things to try, places to go, experiences to be had for you to do it all alone. Rather than only learning from your mistakes and successes learn the mistakes and successes of other! This will help you accelerate your development exponentially and make it further than you ever thought possible. You can learn from everyone and should never brush off an opportunity to listen in the hopes of learning something new by being too stubborn or thinking you know it all!
Everyone you meet will have a different approach to something whether it is fishing, work, or relationships. The ideas they have and tactics they use to solve problems are a direct result of the experiences they have had so far in life. What they know may work really well in the situations they encounter regularly but fail miserably when trying to apply them to your own situations. Alternatively, your ideas and tactics may work well in your situations and fail miserably in theirs!
Consistent success - be it in business, relationships, or fishing generally isn't luck. In terms of fishing catching the fish is not lucky. There is a reason why it was in the location it was at this time and that it decided to bite! It may be lucky that you decided to fish in that location but for the fish it was not luck. Others may not realize exactly what they are doing or why it is working but that does not mean you can't learn from the information they are telling you and develop this knowledge on your own. When someone tells you that something is working for them just listen! We naturally tend to hear and compare the story to our own situations or experiences which either make us think they are talking BS or that they are wrong. This is the wrong approach if you want to learn and you could be playing in two completely different arenas so nothing should match up anyways! Take a step back and think to yourself, why would this work? What are they doing that would give them a better potential for success? What would make the fish be in the places they are fishing? The five "W's" should be to used to establish the patterns that may be evident in the stories someone is telling you:
Where are they fishing? Is it a river? A Pond? The Great Lakes? Shallow / Deep Lake? Weedy or Rocky? All of these will make a difference
What are they fishing for? Are you sure the two of you are even targeting the same species? Each species has its own behaviours.
How are they fishing? What techniques are being used and does this allow them to present their bait to fish more effectively?
When are they catching these fish in these areas and with these techniques? It may be an early spring bite meanwhile they are telling the story to you in the middle or summer. It could only be an early morning or late night bite and not a mid day one.
Who are you talking to? This is an important consideration; did they really catch THAT many fish or are they known to stretch the truth? How much of what they are telling you can you actually believe.
If you are able to answer these questions or push the story into these boxes then you will be able to learn new patterns and tactics to use for your future fishing adventures! To learn more about the strategic approach to fishing and how weather/water bodies impact fish behaviour check out our Zero To Hero Fishing Masterclass at the link below: