While jealousy is a harsh mistress, I must point out why guides filled the cooler when you returned empty handed.
Why do guides catch more than you?
It's more than just experience, it's simple things they put into practice, things you can put into practice on your next fishing trip.
Time on the Water
It's part of operating a fishing charter that allows them to know where the fish are.
You know why I didn't fish Muscle Bay on a recent charter?
Because I didn't catch anything there the day before.
But you weren't on the water the day before because you were at work.
And guess where you went? Muscle Bay!
All joking aside, you can't spend three to five days a week on the water. But you can go fishing when the opportunity arises.
And I mean going fishing when the opportunity arises.
Go When You Can
If you want to be as good as a guide, you can't afford to pick your days.
A great day to launch the boat is the day you can go, even if the conditions aren't perfect.
Realize you have the advantage of doing whatever you want on your fishing trip.
This is the opportunity to learn in ways a guide cannot, because he is forced to stick with a routine to make his customers happy.
Masters of the Basics
You won't see fishing guides in southeast Louisiana throwing fancy lures.
They use simple, but effective, tackle that is proven to put fish in the boat. A great example is the Inshore Rig.
In addition to this, they focus on the overall strategy of finding a pile of biting fish. This is what I cover in the Louisiana Hustle.
Guides get in and out of spots in a hurry, only sticking around if the fish are biting.
I can count on a spot not being productive if I don't catch in five minutes. This is the case provided I see the following conditions:
- clean water
- moving water
- presence of bait
...and I have done the following things:
- fan cast around the boat
- fished the top of the water column
- fished the bottom of the water column
They Have a Network
Having other anglers to talk fishing with is key. It's good to have someone to bounce ideas off of, catch your mistakes and generally learn from or even teach.
I have one helluva network that I can tap for insider fishing information. (I rarely do. I enjoy finding my own fish.)
Guides are the same. They chat at the dock and stay in touch during the day to help each other catch fish.
Summary
These are all things you can do, too! Go fishing when you can, use tackle that works and make fishing friends!
The first two are up to you, but I can help you network with other anglers.
Join my forum, Louisiana Fishing Reports, register an account (it's free) and post an introduction. Just click here.
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