For the future....

One bad thing about the military is a lot of time standing watch...and being extremely bored. The only good thing about these long periods of boredom is that it gives you time to just think....about life,fishing,the future,whatever. Well,with the year coming to an end pretty soon I've realized how quickly it has gone by. I spent most of my time this year on deployment....being away from friends, family,and the one thing I truly love in this life: fishing. I've been thinking everything over and have come up with a small list of things I wish I had done this year but didn't. It's not really a new years resolution but things I'd like to do/work on in the upcoming year. We still have a few weeks in the year but I'm always planning for the future...so here it is:

1) Fish more. After spending 7 months out of country not to mention hundreds of hours in the field you realize how quickly time comes and goes. I spent almost all of my off time fishing this year but can still think about the many opportunities i had to fish but didn't. Next year will be the year of big fish for me. Big fish and big numbers of fish...but this can only be accomplished by time on the water.

2) Explore. I keep saying I'm going to fish for different species and try different areas for the fish I already chase. Very rarely do I make trips out of my "comfort zone". Next year is all about targeting fish I haven't caught yet along with fishing as many different areas as I can to find that world record spotty I've been having dreams about.

3) Fishing solo is fun...fishing with friends is better. I love fishing by myself...it gives me a time to relaxand be "one with the ocean" lol. As much as I love solo ninja missions in the dead of night while everybody in their right mind is sleeping...I seem to have more memorable times fishing with friends. This year is all aboit ninja fishing....with a steady mixof fishing with friends to keep things exciting.

4) Save the fish. I always practice CPR but sometimes that isn't enough. I can't even begin to count the amount of times I've been on the water and have let floating garbage go right by me without doing anything about it. Sometimes ill pick it out if the water and place it on a dock....but I bet 90% of that trash ends up in the ocean again. I challenge myself (and all of you) to leave your fishing spot cleaner than you found it. So what if you release all your fish but leave trash in the rocks only to have it swept out to sea. From now on I'm bringing a small trash bag with me on my trips. I might not be able to pick it all up...but some is better than none.

5) Record the memories. I try to take pictures of every single fish I catch. I dont care if its a 5" spotty or a 5 pound spotty. Before I die I want to look at the thousands of fish I've caught and know I spent my life doing what I love to do. That being said,this year I'm gonna focus on taking cooler pics/videos. Lots of underwater stuff...lots of action stuff...lots of pictures that will remind me about the really good trips 10 years from now.

Those are the big things...now for the smaller stuff I need to work on:

6) Always be prepared to get bit. I've probably lost 10 fish in the last two trips because I was zoning out abd not paying attention. This usually happens after going awhile without a bite. Ill take one hand of ny rod for a second and bam! Fish wants to play but I got lazy.

7) Retie! I try to do it but get lazy sometimes and either don't check my line enough for damage or don't retie knots after landing a few fish or a big fish. Ive gotten better with this but there are still times I'll lose a fish or two because I got lazy.

Mixit up. 99% of ny spotty fishing is done with swimgrubs/swimbaits. I landed a really nice fish on a spinnerbait this year and that opened my eyes. From now on it's gonna be 90% soft plastics with some other things mixed in. Spinnerbaits,crankbaits,drop shottin,jiggin,live bait for halis...you get the picture.

9) Scent. I was never a huge believer in scent and still think there are times when it doesnt make a difference if I use it or not. BUT.....there are those days where it does make a difference. Sometimes I get lazy and don't apply it enough on those days that the fish want it....those days are over.

10) Sharp hooks. I started doing it this year and it's made a huge difference. I need to keep doing it and continue to check/sharpen my hooks after landing a few fish or draggin my bait through the nasty. Missed fish are a thing of the past.

Thats pretty much all I can come up with right now. Most of the fish I miss or lose are due to me being lazy. This new year is a good time for me to start with a clean slate. If i follow everything I just mentioned I'm sure I'll land a few thousand fish this year along with some really nice catches. Who knows...maybe a world record.

So the real question is: what are your new year's fishing resolutions???

very good post and good things to think about. I myself kinda feel the same way but I'm not in the service.

great post i do fill up the back of my tube with trash when i am out there i will try to remember to bring a bag great ideal and i fish alot and sometime get in trouble at home for doing so but i do it any ways and say if i do go i will be grumpy lol and i try to get the family out on a tube as well but after my son flipped everyone is a lil scared lol

Cool post I will come up with my list and post it up.

First thing is for the forum, and I have almost meet my goal. I wanted to grow this site to 250 by Christmas we are almost there

I to have though of the amount a trash that is found in the waters we fish. I have always felt that I did at least a little to help but maybe I need to step it up and do more, so I will try to start that this Sunday.

I have always CPRed my fish as a kid I did the catch your limit and clean them up for dinner tonight thing. So I am som ok with CPRing my fish so they are there for the next time. But I did think hey my kids have not learned that yet, som this Sunday if we catch a few trout (they are DFG trout so they are there to be taken) I will keep them and teach my kids how to do this.

That brings me to the education side of fishing. I have taught my kids well of course there is much more to learn. But I think it would be a good thing to teach other kids, so I am starting with my neighbors kids. My wife has invited a family near us we are going to get them out and teach them as much as possible.

This is a very cool thread makes you think some thanks.

Well if we get 12 more member your goal will be reach wow

If you would like I could make a few fake account and we will have meet your goal Jeff but we both know it would not be good cause I know I could fish with 2 of me let alone 12

Sign up up as ED, EDD, and EDDIE / ED5000, EDD5000, and EDDIE5000

I really like #5 far too often I either forgot my camera or didn't bother taking pics of my fish because they where "nothing special".

As far as sharp hooks do you sharpen them yourself or just discard them after a few fish. I honestly haven't caught enough fish on the same hook to notice. When I do catch a fish I usually get snagged before landing the next fish have since changed out my setup so i'm using a new hook.

I sharpen them myself....and it really does makr a big difference.

I used to use a lot of rigs but now I use the appropriate bait for certain areas. I use a lot of texas rigs now and a lot of warbait slayer heads for deeper areas or days i need the 3/8oz of lead because of wind or strong currents.

In my opinion gamagatsu and owner make the sharpest hooks but even out of the package they still arent sharp enough to fish with. Test the sharpness on your fingernail...if the hook sticks your good...if it slides you need to sharpen it. I got that tip from Mike Gardners book Fish Have No Hands....which in my opinion is the socal inshore fishing bible.

Ok I need to start sharpening all my jig heads then. As for hooks most of them are gamagatsu, but i'll make sure to test them also. Do you use a "hook sharpener" to sharpen them?

Yea i used to have a rapala hook sharpener but its too bulky. The one i have now is about 5 inches long and has a single groove for hooks. It cost about 5 bucks and is amazing. I just run the hook down the groove about 3-4 times on each side or until sharp. Make sure you only sharpen the hook in one direction....dont "rub" it back and fourth.

I would never carry a dull knife and ill never again carry dull hooks.

I found this one on amazon.

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Would that work?

I never realized how dull some of my hooks where until I got some gamagatsu ones, but if those aren't even as sharp as they can be I need to redo ALL of my hooks.

That one will work but it looks a bit bulky. Thats fine but can be annoying for smaller hooks on cold nights when your fingers are cold.

My old one:


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I cant find a pic of my newer one but its similar to this:

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Just imagine the second pic is of the hone itself not the case and the sharpener has a big key ring attached to it...i wear it around my neck along with my fishing license.

Well it's the end of the year and tomorrow all of what I said is gonna go into effect. Id also like to add this:

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Happy new year.....get that 2012 license and go catch some fish!!!

MASSfisher wrote:Well it's the end of the year and tomorrow all of what I said is gonna go into effect. Id also like to add this:

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Happy new year.....get that 2012 license and go catch some fish!!!

thats a good link. I need to try and put that into use this year

miller wrote:

MASSfisher wrote:Well it's the end of the year and tomorrow all of what I said is gonna go into effect. Id also like to add this:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Happy new year.....get that 2012 license and go catch some fish!!!

thats a good link. I need to try and put that into use this year

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