Something about seminars focusing on fishing amaze me. I’ve personally done thousands of seminars myself, worked with countless other anglers in producing the Super Walleye Clinics and I’ve also attended dozens of other seminars conducted by anglers who I respect. At each and every one of these seminars, I’ve picked up information that has made me a better fisherman.

Part of the reason I learned the walleye game so quickly back when I jumped into tournament fishing 25 years ago, was my open mind. I fished with as many fellow anglers as I could fish with, picked the brains of others and over time that melting pot of information got mixed with what I learned myself through countless days on the water. The amount if information I’ve gleaned is amazing and priceless.

Ironically, when I find myself in seminar venues I’m conducting or others are putting on, I look around and the people who come are for the most part average Joe’s who want to be better fishermen. The people missing from these seminars are the army of anglers who think they are good enough they don’t need the information being shared.

I got news for everyone who fishes. No one is beyond learning a trick or two that can make them a better fisherman. No one has all the answers all the time or even part of the time. Fishing is such a complex subject, it takes a lifetime of practice just to master the basics. The finer points of fishing are a light bulb that pops on when you least expect it.

These days I no longer have time to fish tournaments, so that learning curve in my fishing career has come to an end. I supplement that loss by fishing on TV with as many talented anglers as I can line up. Each day on the water my learning curve is on the upswing and that’s exactly the way I intend to keep it.

If one morning I wake up and come to the conclusion I know it all, shoot me because I’ve gone insane. The road to fishing success is a long one and every day there are presentations to refine, things to learn about the fish themselves and most importantly things to learn from others. TAKE NOTES

Back in my college days I developed a system for learning that has served me well my entire life. At lectures I took notes like every other kid in class. After class however I went to the library and copied down those notes a second time. With a little more time to elaborate on points made in class I was helping myself commit to memory important points by simply taking the step to copy those notes and reinforce that information in my mind.

Just before test time, I’d go back and read those notes over and over again until I had the information committed to memory. On test day, I was always confident and my grades proved that point.

So what’s the point here? When we learn things all too often we assume our memory will serve us well. In fact, our memory doesn’t do a very good job of storing information, especially information that’s fleeting. It’s way better to take some notes.

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When saving a waypoint at a place that’s producing fish, don’t just save the waypoint.... Name it! That way the next time you’re fishing the spot you will remember the significance of this particular spot. 

Keep a journal of your fishing trips and in that journal take a few notes regarding fishing conditions, how you were fishing, how successful you were, thoughts on what might work better next time, etc. A log is an important tool in the learning curve. Use it to your advantage instead of trying to remember everything. Some great mind once said, “you should never memorize anything you can easily write down and look up.”

DO IT NOW

How many times have you come home from a fishing trip all excited about something you learned? It happens for me almost every time on the water. I bet you came home and made a mental note concerning things you could change to make the next trip more productive. I also bet, you didn’t bother to do the very things you came to the conclusion were necessary.

After a fishing trip is the perfect time to make necessary changes in your gear. Maybe you need to switch from monofilament line to braided line on a couple reels? Perhaps, the jigs you were using could have been a little better designed and you need to invest in some additional gear? My point is there is a time to do things and it’s right away while it’s fresh in your mind, not months later after you have forgotten all the critical details.

DON’T BE SHY

This is something I’m working hard to teach my youngest son Jake who enjoys fishing and finds himself talking fishing with friends, teachers and other people he sees on a daily basis. When talk turns to fishing, forget about the casual approach. Pump whoever you’re talking with for details. Say your buddy just caught a couple nice steelhead in the Manistee River. Great, now follow up with what did you use to catch them, what part of the river where you fishing in, what was the weather like, were there other people fishing in the same area, etc., etc., etc.?

Fellow fishermen are more than willing to share information. Sometimes that information is a touch of an exaggeration, but mostly the information is accurate and freely shared. Take advantage of that gift by asking the right questions. Don’t assume the angler doesn’t want to share. If you start asking questions and obviously get a stiff arm approach, then you’ve just learned this particular anglers is in no mood to share.

Those who know me best, know I’m always willing to share fishing information with others because I learned many years ago you can’t get information unless you’re willing to give some up. Back in my tournament days I used to be amazed at those guys who walked around all the time stone faced, like the information they had on fishing was somehow better than mine or that of other anglers. These were often the same guys who left for home at the end of the tournament before the checks were passed out! 

Share the information you have with others and you will find them more willing to share with you. Don’t hold back and once you have information, takes some quick notes so you will not forget what you learned before you can put the information to the test.

SUMMING IT UP

This season get a little more serious about your fishing and follow a few simple guidelines that are sure to help you learn and to catch more fish. Keep an open mind. Attend seminars when you have the chance. Read magazine articles, books and watch DVD’s on fishing. The information in these is priceless.

Take notes on key bits of information for future reference. On the water work hard and after fishing, make necessary adjustments quickly before that edge gets dulled. Always be pumping others for information and share information freely with them. Remember the thing about fishing is you can never master it. All we can do is get as skilled as possible because the playing field is constantly changing. That’s exactly what I like most about fishing. It’s a pursuit I can never master, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try!!