The key to a successful fishing trip is to be prepared. Everything that you do before you head out to fish is going to be what helps you catch fish or come back empty-handed. Of course, even being out fishing is good enough for most people even if they don’t catch anything. For those that do need to make sure they have something to bring home it takes a bit more than just showing up to the watering hole.
It could be the equipment you purchase, to the planning for the weather. These things may seem very simple, but they are details that make all the difference. In this article, we will go over what some of those things are that you can do ahead of time to get the most out of your fishing trip.
1. Plan where you want to go
Where you go is going to have the biggest effect on what you catch, if anything. This can even include when you are on vacation. If you are looking for things to do in Lake George, for example, then you will find that there is some good fishing there.
There is a lot of preparation that has to go into what you will catch and how but you have to know where you’re going before you can start that process. Pick a place that is either convenient or even just someplace where you haven’t been yet and go from there. The rest of the research process will all start from that point.
2. Pick a target
To fish successfully, you need to have a certain strategy that is going to help you catch fish. Each strategy is going to change depending on what species you are going to target. For instance, if you are looking to catch flounder, you have to have the right gear and fish the bottom. You won’t catch much if you have the wrong hooks, bait, and are not fishing the bottom.
Before you can create a strategy you have to know what fish are going to be available at the place and time where you plan to fish. Do some research ahead of time to figure out what the catch is going to be. Once you have the species sorted out you will need to research what the rig should be and which bat they like.
3. Know the rules
Fishing in most areas is highly regulated. This is because conservation is a priority for many states since it is easy for an area to get overfished. This means that you have to know and follow the rules. Before you head out see if a license is required. In just about every state a freshwater fishing license is required. There are even states that now require salt water fishermen to have a license.
There are also limits between the size of the catch and the size of the fish. You are generally only allowed a certain amount of fish to catch and take home on any given day. The size of the fish is also regulated so any small ones have to be thrown back.
Some species are only allowed to be targeted at certain times of the year. If you catch a fish in the wrong season it will have to be tossed back. There are also some species that are off limits to catch at all. Lastly, there are also some places where you are only allowed to practice catch and release.
Being ignorant of any of these regulations is not an excuse. You risk some serious fines for breaking any of the rules if you get caught by the game warden. They won’t accept that you didn’t know.
4. Know the conditions
Weather is going to play one of the biggest parts in your success with fishing. For starters, if you are going to be on a boat or small craft for fishing then the conditions could even be dangerous.
Even if you are not worried about conditions being dangerous for fishing, it pays to know what they are so you can plan better. The tides are something that have a huge effect on whether fish will be feeding or not. The same holds true if there are high winds or turbulent waters.
You may need to change the fishing location depending on the weather you may encounter. For instance, if it’s windy then you may be able to find an area that is out of the wind for better success.
