There comes a time in our lives when we are faced with tough decisions. Should we get married? Should we have kids? Should we order the fries or baked potato? Miller lite or Bud lite? O.K., not all decisions are that tough. But when it comes to bass fishing, there are many decisions that have to be made, where to go, when to go, what to throw, when to move, and when to pack it up and head home. These are just a few of the tough questions that we have to answer. During a tournament these questions and their answers can be the difference between first and last. Hopefully once you have read this you will have a better idea of what the correct decision is in all situations.
In order to make good decisions about anything it is vital that you have gathered as much information as possible. This applies to every decision, not just fishing. But during a tournament it is imperative that you have the most complete data. Whether it is from a topographical map, fishing reports from the Internet, or what the old guy at the bait store told you. Gather as much information as possible. That is the only way you can make a good decision and feel confident that your decision was the correct one. That is the biggest Must to all decision-making. You must have confidence in whatever you decide or you will not be fishing with confidence.
We have all read the articles about confidence lures and confidence locations. The reason you have confidence in these baits and locations is because you have had proven success and they are the result of good decision making. Anytime you get the thought in your head I should change lures or I should go try this other spot thats exactly what you should do. Follow your mind. The reason you have these thoughts in your head is because you are losing confidence in what you are doing and where you are. You wont be fishing as hard as you should if you dont have confidence in all aspects of what you are doing.
Too many people believe that Change is bad, this is not true, change that you dont have confidence in is bad. Changing to give your self more confidence is always good. No one wants to keep fishing a lure that they dont believe will work or in a location they dont believe there are fish. But we have all done it. Stayed in a spot for 5 more casts or thrown the lure 10 more times before changing. Those are wasted casts. Without confidence in your lure choice or location your casts are not going to be as accurate, your presentation will not be as quiet, and you will not be concentrating and possibly miss a bite. This will not give you the best opportunity to catch fish and thats what its all about, right?
Catching a bass can give you a lot of information. But not catching fish is also giving you information. You just have to look a little bit harder. Everything that happens during your day on the water will factor into your decisions. The most important thing to remember is that if you dont have confidence in what you are doing, it is time to change. If you fish based on your confidence then at the end of the day you can say that you tried everything and fished as hard as you could. By knowing that you made the right decisions based on the information you gathered, you can leave the lake happy and hopefully with a few extra bucks in your pocket. Confidence and a positive attitude are the best things you should have on your boat. There are a few things you can do to make sure that you have them on your boat. Dont put unneeded pressure on yourself. Your goal for the day should be to have fun, not to catch fish. I know it sounds crazy, but, if you are having fun then your confidence will be high, you will be relaxed and you will catch fish. If all else fails and you cant get relaxed and you are not having fun just remember that you could be at work. Take care and remember, Always follow your heart and never give up on a dream.
