What’s the difference?

Have you ever sat back and wondered “what if” after a day on the water? Wondered to yourself; if a different approach or method would have made a difference in your outcome for that particular day? Of course you have, we have all done that exact same thing countless times in search of answers that will help us next time we go out.

The questions can be general or perhaps very specific, either way they can lead you in all sorts of directions both good and bad. When you get too consumed with some of these questions that’s often times referred to as “paralysis by analysis” and cause you to lose confidence in what you are doing. In the fishing world, losing confidence is about the worst thing you can have happen because it starts a domino effect that can be difficult to reverse. Confidence in your ability, pattern, and technique can be the difference between success and failure on the water, so it’s crucial to maintain that mindset as much as you possibly can. Anglers who employ good common sense and techniques they are confident in will almost always out-fish those who don’t.

I’ll freely admit that from time to time I am as bad as the next guy about wondering or second guessing. “Did I fish that area far enough? Did I stop too shallow? Did I stay too deep? Did I use the right color?” These all come to mind, especially after a lackluster outing.

The best medicine for that situation is to use the bad day as a learning tool and apply what you learned going forward. If you felt like you may have been early or late to an area and did not get to fish the best part of the tide, make it a point to be there on time the next opportunity. Change up your approach or lure size in an effort to both explore different water depths and to get out of the old rut. When you reach the end of a flat, keep fishing a little farther to make sure you covered it all. Small details can mean the difference between success and failure along with keeping you from doubting your choices.

Always remember that a confident fishermen will do things such as present their lure with a little more effort or pay more attention to the variables that area presented to them. All it takes is one bite to start a great day, so make each cast count and be thorough, because it truly matters.

Over the years I have seen several examples where the difference of a few feet between an area to fish meant success or failure, or the size of the lure was the difference between never getting a bite or having a fish on every cast. Easily one of my most memorable times where I witnessed how much a few feet can be the difference was on one of my first scouting trips as a young guide with Dickie Colburn. Dickie knew the Sabine River as good as anybody ever will, so when he offered to show me some things I was more than happy to take advantage.

We stopped on a stretch of bank that had some defined drop-offs nearby, and a little bit of structure that ran out in the water perpendicular to the shore line. We sat on anchor for about 15 minutes with no bites before Dickie pulled the anchor and allowed us to drift down the bank another 30 or 40 feet, just enough to reach the other side of the submerged point. Each of us hooked up on our very first cast and it stayed like that for quite some time. That small adjustment made a world of difference and I think about that lesson to this day. I also wonder how many fishermen, myself included, have been so close to enjoying an epic day on the water but were just a few feet short of actually realizing that goal. If that doesn’t make you think I don’t know what will.

While on the subject of “differences” I have to admit I cannot understand what’s happening to our freshwater brothers and sisters. Regardless if you are watching TV or social media the BASS world has gotten to be almost comical when compared to their saltwater counterparts. I have never seen someone set the hook with a movement that can best be described as that of a drunk gymnast doing the macarena at a wedding reception while screaming “it’s a giant.” The whole thing seems insane to me. All those theatrics for a fish that seldom, if ever, pulls any drag is beyond overkill. For the life of me I can’t understand the theatrics.

Saltwater folks catch much larger fish on much lighter tackle without all the front deck break dancing that seems to be the norm now. And don’t even get me started on the unbelievable amount of electronics those folks use; it looks like the command center at NORAD on their consoles. I would love to watch their eyes light up when they hook a slot redfish on 10 pound mono because that would be worth the price of admission.

In all seriousness, I appreciate all the innovations and tackle technology that have come from the freshwater folks because many of those things have also proven useful in the salt. I feel sure all the extracurricular stuff they have going on is for TV but it certainly leaves you shaking your head after watching it.

Now as you read this column there are undoubtedly two of the best things in the outdoor world happening and these are fish schooling under birds and blue-winged teal buzzing the decoys as September gives way to October. The schooling fish on Sabine during this time of year are as predictable as the sunrise and just as pretty. The white shrimp will be dumping as the successive cold fronts begin to empty the marshes. Once those shrimp hit the open lake it will be a free-for-all as the gulls, terns, and pelicans shadow those groups of feeding fish.

Obviously, shrimp imitation lures are the best bet fished either on a light jighead or under a rattling cork. This is “high numbers” type of fishing so do yourself a favor and throw lures with single hooks, this makes it much easier to release the fish or untangle the lure from the net.

My absolute favorite bait for this is the ZMan 3.5” Prawn Starz because it’s incredibly lifelike and beyond durable. I have caught just about everything from speckled trout to snapper on the Prawn StarZ this year. When the Prawn StarZ was first introduced it came pre-rigged in a two-pack but now it’s being offered in a loose body fashion so you can rig it any way you like. The ElaZtech plastic will amaze you with its durability and will allow you to catch many more fish before needing to change it out like other baits. Believe me when I say it’s a real game changer.

Hopefully this month we are just getting started with some of the best days of the year for both fishermen and hunters alike. This part of the calendar has been circled since last year and is always met with high anticipation and hope. The conditions were favorable all summer and it’s time to reap the rewards, so get out there and enjoy it all you can. Please remember to share the outdoor opportunities with a kid whenever you get the chance. You won’t be sorry that you did.