Catching a fish isn’t just a case of using one or two of your senses. In fact, a lot of experienced fishermen would argue that it takes every human sense in order to catch a fish. However, there’s also a secret “sixth” sense that plays a huge part in any successful fishing trip.
The sixth “fishing” sense
Yes–we’re talking about your sixth “fishing” sense! This is perhaps something that only the most experienced fishermen can use. It’s all about understanding the fish and, essentially, putting yourself in their scales. It’s about knowing where fish like to hang out, the areas that they feed in and also your experience of an area. The more knowledge you have of your favorite fishing locations, the more likely you’ll know where the fish are hanging out and how you can take advantage of this knowledge. If you know where the fish are or what signs to look for that tell you where they might be hiding, then it’s going to give you a huge advantage over other fishermen.
In addition, it’s important to study the types of fish that you plan to fish or that you know are lurking in the waters of your favorite fishing spot. Some fish prefer to hide under areas like lily pads for cover, while others enjoy hanging around docks. Learning where you should cast is going to have a big impact on the overall success rate of your fishing trips.
Listening to advice
Even if you’re an experienced fisherman, it’s important to perk up those ears and start listening to other people. This is especially important if you’re fishing somewhere that you’re unfamiliar with. If you ever decide to go out on a boat rental for a fishing excursion, then it’s a good idea to listen to people that have fished there for longer than you. This will help you attune yourself to the local area so that you know which bait and lines to use for the best chance of catching something.
For many people, this could be a matter of pride. A lot of fishermen are stubborn and don’t want to listen to others. Sure, their ears might perk up when they mention a “secret” fishing spot that’s full of potential, but when they start recommending different bait or lines, it’s like they stop listening and start ignoring it. Unfortunately, this is a closed mindset that doesn’t help improve your fishing ability. Instead of clamming up and refusing to listen to others, make the effort to listen to other people’s advice and become a student of fishing. There’s always something to learn, especially if you’re in unfamiliar waters so keep those ears open!
Seeing better than others
Your vision is one of the most important tools that will help you fill up your sack. Most people don’t realize that polarized sunglasses can help you see much better than if you didn’t have them. They can help you identify where you’re casting your worm or fly and it will also prevent the sun from blinding you whenever you cast in a certain direction. It seems like a trivial thing, but your sense of sight is going to have a huge impact on your success rate.
Make sure you get yourself a good pair of sunglasses, preferably something high-end for durability, and keep them only for fishing. Don’t use them when you’re at the beach, don’t use them for driving and don’t wear them to show off. Wear them for fishing purposes and keep them in a hard protective case so that they don’t scratch.
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Your sense of touch
Lastly, we’ll briefly touch on your sense of touch. A lot of people learn from an early stage that it’s important to “feel” your bait. If you can’t feel it due to your line being a little too slack, then a fish might latch on to the bait when you’re least expecting it. Due to the slack in your line, it’s going to be hard to catch the fish. You should always be able to feel your bait so that you can react quickly whenever a fish grabs your bait.
Of course, your other senses are also going to make a difference when it comes to your success rate. But we believe that using your ears, sight and your sense of touch should be a priority to help you catch more fish during your trips.