Don't be a drag, stay positive!

I set the hook. It's a big one. Certainly the biggest smallmouth of the season for me. Or at least it could've been. But my line breaks. I'm upset, and expletives are flying left, right and centre. You see, I'm not really a stoic person- I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. All I can think about is the lost opportunity. "There it went, my best chance for a trophy smallmouth this year," I say, "and all because I stupidly had my drag set too tight."

In retrospect, I'm realizing that in order to become a better fisherman, I need to get rid of this negative attitude. Now don't get me wrong -- there are few people on this planet who hate failure more than I do. This in itself isn't a bad thing, and I'm certainly not saying that it's wrong to show your emotions when you're angry. But beating yourself up too much over mistakes isn't going to help you. And it can even prevent you from realizing and remembering all the good things you did that ultimately led to your mistake.

So instead of dwelling on my mistake, I'm going to make a list of all the positive things I did to get that fish on my line in the first place:

• I was fishing in the right area, at the right depth and at the right time: in roughly 20 feet of water off a point at around 6 in the evening
• Also, I'm glad that I hooked a good fish in deeper water, since I tend to be more comfortable fishing in shallow water; so it's good that I got out of comfort zone more; I've also been finding more fish later in the season than I have in the past
• I was using the right lure: a Strike King coffee tube in a green pumpkin colour
• Before the season started, I was more of a crankbait guy; I've been mixing it up better this year
• I had a good hook set
• I was focussed on my line

A mistake is an opportunity to learn. I've learned to check my drag often to make sure it isn't too tight or too loose. I've learned that Bobby Lane makes a good point: sometimes it's better to use mono for your leader, or even to go without a leader in certain scenarios. Thanks to some of the guys at http://www.lakesimcoemessageboard.com/, I've also learned that zebra mussels cut up line like it's nobody's business, and so it's important to always check for abrasions. Sure, I may have lost one fish on the weekend. But that's forced me to go back to the drawing board and learn a bunch of things that'll help me catch more in the future.

Finally, let me say this: if you (or I) get SO upset about a lost fish, it just shows that you don't have the confidence to get a lure right back in the water and catch another one. And I think it's important to fish with supreme confidence, whether you're a novice or a pro, whether you're average or great. Because that faith, that belief that you will catch a fish on every cast, will help you stay focussed, prepared, and ready for anything.

Can't wait to get back on the water and learn something new.

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