Do you consider yourself a better angler from the rest?

[whiskerwhipper]

What makes a great angler? Better rods, reels, boat, tackle, skills, etc? People always say I'm a good fisherman. One guy who fishes a DNR lake near where I live says of all the other fishermen he seen that fish that particular lake, I seem to catch more and better quality fish, even better than himself. When I went to the coast recently, I pulled up a "few" fish from the surf and a lady jogger says of the whole week she's been staying down there, I was the only person to ever to pull a fish in. There are times where I even out fished my highly skilled, equipped partner(he's somewhere on here) out of his own boat.

I don't have high quality matching rod and reel outfits (own a couple high dollars poles among my pile of closeout store junk), not able to fish much due to work ,
have my fish catching assumptions completely wrong, bad logistics like bait store that I thought was open on Sunday closed, etc.

[RCC]

Most of us are only great fishermen in our own mind. If you think you are a better fishermen than someone else, go ahead and think it. The worse fishermen probably don't even know they are in a fishing competition. Just because a person doesn't open his cooler for everyone to see doesn't make him a bad fisherman.

[eric 3501]

Well, it don't matter one I owe da what other people think. If you feel your better at anything than someone else, then that's the way you feel. But the day you quite learning something about what ever it is you think your so good at, hang it up, cause someone is going to learn something you don't know. There is but one that knows everything about everything, and Sir, he isn't down here no more, except in the hearts of those that call him Father......Just my opinion.

[CrappiePappy]

Everybody is better than somebody else ... just not EVERYBODY ELSE. Only ONE person can be that, at any one time.

Myself, I don't strive to be better than anybody else ... just to "get better" for my own sake. I'm not in competition with other anglers ... I'm in competition with the fish, playing the game on his home field, and just try & outsmart a few for the pan !! Fish can't cheat ... if I lose the game, I got no one but myself to blame !!

... cp

[KDAVID1]

nope--I'm less than average when it comes to Crappie fishing.

[Cmj]

No.

[eric 3501]

Shoot, truth be told, I'm not as good as the fish are...just try to fool them enough to get me a little something for the stomach....too many times of the little one's eatin' the biggin's in my tummy leaving a big empty feelin'....lol

[M R Dux]

I've been thru the competitive end of fishing and ended up with ulcers the size of basketballs and much less in my bank account. I've had my 15 minutes of fame and that and $1 will buy a cup of coffee some places.

Now it is about enjoying my time on the water and trying new techniques and equipment. I try to be the best listener I can but also enjoy sharing much of what I learn with others. I will always keep a small % of what I know stored back away from the public in case I need it later.

I would never consider myself special in the fishing world but I have seen special and much of it resides here at Crappie.com in the form of some of the best fishermen I have ever sat in a boat with like Chaunc and Wiskers. I try to learn from everyone I have the pleasure to share the boat with and hope they might learn a thing or two from me.

[crappie1133]

Never considered myself a great fisherman,but I love the challenge. At my age I feel God has blessed me and given me the opportunity to go one more time. I learn something good or bad each time I get to go. Some times the fish come out on top, sometimes I come out ahead. Doesn't matter, I love being able to go,trying to figure out what they are doing or biting on that particular day. I give away the fish I catch about 95% of the time to those who can't go or can't catch any. I will never learn all there is about crappie fishing, but I LOVE the chase...Waiting for water to cool down and fall to turn on the bite. They can be caught when it is hot, I just don't like wiping sweat trying to catch fish I am going to give away. My retirement moto is " if its not fun , I don't want to do it" Get ready everyone cool weather is almost here.....crappie1133

[shipahoy41]

What makes a great angler? Better rods, reels, boat, tackle, skills, etc? People always say I'm a good fisherman. One guy who fishes a DNR lake near where I live says of all the other fishermen he seen that fish that particular lake, I seem to catch more and better quality fish, even better than himself. When I went to the coast recently, I pulled up a "few" fish from the surf and a lady jogger says of the whole week she's been staying down there, I was the only person to ever to pull a fish in. There are times where I even out fished my highly skilled, equipped partner(he's somewhere on here) out of his own boat.

I don't have high quality matching rod and reel outfits (own a couple high dollars poles among my pile of closeout store junk), not able to fish much due to work ,
have my fish catching assumptions completely wrong, bad logistics like bait store that I thought was open on Sunday closed, etc.

The MOST IMPORTANT item you can have in your tackle box is YOUR CONFIDENCE. You have to believe you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right lure, at the right depth, and using the right presentation in order to catch fish. Without that confidence you will always be second guessing yourself. Whether you think you can...or whether you think you can't...you are right.

What the fisherman can conceive and believe they will achieve. Put some confidence in your tackle box my friend.