Old Fisherman New Tricks

Ever go fishing with that guy who knows EVERYTHING?  He’s always on a party boat or something talking about being the absolute master of fishing, etc etc etc.   Right?  We all know this guy. So how can they be stopped in the name of Big Game fishing?  The only real way is an old fashioned fish off. So the next time you come across this fellow, provided you are armed with the right tools, challenge him or her and hope for some luck.  If you lose, he gets to be right which he would have been anyway in is mind, but if you win maybe….just maybe this guy might be receptive to learning something. Whats the point of all this – the point is that never think you know it all.  I have fished nearly my entire life, and still am absolutely positive I have ALOT to learn and I keep learning from anyone I can. So many small little details in fishing add up to the big moment.  The chance for a grander Marlin might only come once in a lifetime.  It is better to have listened to people along the way on the 300 lbs fish for when the 1000 lbs strike. So many techniques, so many opinions, and so many disagreements, how can you wade through it all.  There is a way my friends.  It is called time and patience.  For me, I have the luxury of fishing all the time where huge Pelagic species like tuna, wahoo, marlin, and dorado lurk.  So I learn everyday.  For some, they may only get to go once a year or even less after big game.  If this is the case, how do you know what works?  You need time to learn. Fishermen go on forums and chit chat all day to wade through the mostly garbage that spew’s out of these forums because the fishermen and woman that know the answers are usually out in the ocean.  Everything else ends up being opinions and it is such a challenge to decipher any truth. My advice is to find a Mentor or Mentors.  What I mean here is a charter captain somewhere with years of fishing the local waters, and preferably one who has moved around and spent time in other oceans and other parts of the world.  I have fished all over the world, like many of you and I have been a captain for many years.  What I have seen is that it is always wise to listen and learn.  There is always, and I mean ALWAYS 2 ways to accomplish the same thing.  And, there is ALWAYS a better way. Listen to those who do it for a living, because they are the ones who’s survival relies on success.  And most importantly, be nimble, adaptive, and ready to learn new tricks anywhere you go.