"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
.. .

"Ronnie" wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks - but I get real frustrated with my inconsistencies. Tenn. two
years ago and NWC this year are good examples - second place and big
fish after day one in both - dropped way down on day two.

I have been just as bad in the clubs this year - dropped from first
to third the last two tournaments in one club. I have won that club
each of the past four years. All I had to do was to catch a keeper in
both tournaments, zeroed the November one. Still had a chance in the
last one, came in 12 out of 19 that day.

I zeroed three club tournaments this year - that is maddening!

I am nowhere near your caliber of fisherman, but I understand your
frustration. Fishing to put one fish in the boat is different from
fishing to win.

I have had a couple tournaments this fall where that is exactly what I had
to adjust for. Literally had to change from fishing to win to fishing for
one fish to keep in the running. That may be harder for you to do than
for a less experienced angler like myself who is not far off from that
being my normal mode from launch time. To put one fish in the boat. LOL.

It is a different mind set, and since I started the Yuma Pro Am and
started fishing as the pro with a concerted effort for my back seater to
catch fish too its harder.

However, if you hit hour five or six hours into the day with nothing in
the livewell I strongly reccomend that you look at it as a different type
of fishing. I'm sure you are aware of lots of places where you have
caught small fish in the past, and community holes where you can usually
catch a few fish, but not win a tournament. You really aren't changing
much from the way you would fish to win, but the paradigm change can clear
your head and help you focus on putting one in the boat. Basically you
have to switch from a limit being your mental goal and mark of success to
catching one being your personal mark of success. After you put it in the
boat a second or third fish seems like an unasked for blessing.

A couple times it has even put a check in the boat when I catch that rare
toad out of that small but consistant fish spot. Its even resulted in
discovering a pattern and putting a limit in the boat in the last hours or
even minutes of a tournament.

Think of it this way. You have to survive this battle in order to win the
next one. You can win a dozen fights, but if the next one kills you then
you still lost the war. Sometimes it really is just about survival.

I know that may not help right now, but I am certain that being able to
shift your mental focus and drag yourself out of whatever mind set you have
gotten into after hours and hours of not catching fish can make a huge
difference in your performance.

One of the things I have done many times this year late in the day is to
stop fishing. Toss a senko out and let it set on the bottom on a free spool
while I eat a snack and drink a soda. I've caught a couple fish on theat
dead sticked senko, but more so when I am done taking my mental break I am
ready to FISH again. Yes, even with no fish in the boat.


--
Bob La Londe
Fishing Arizona & The Colorado River
Fishing Forums & Contests
http://www.YumaBassMan.com






--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com