As a veteran saltwater guide and instructor of our Bonefishing Schools at Andros South, Bruce Chard has spent a lot of time with anglers new to the flats.
We asked Bruce about some common mistakes made by novice anglers, and he came up with something we’ve never thought of before. That’s why you ask the pros!
Pivot Slower to Pick Up the Fish
One of the most common mistakes I notice new anglers make has to do with trying to find the fish. When the guide gives a time and a distance (11 o’clock, 30 feet!) the angler will point their rod to spot that they think is 11 o’clock.
At this point the guide will say a little left of a little right trying to get the angler to move their rod to find the fish quickly. The mistake happens here.
If the guide says more to the left the angler will usually move his rid tip from 11 o’clock to 9 o’clock. No problem right? Well what happens if the fish is in-between 11 and 9? Well the angler will end up skipping over the fish which will call for the guide to say more to the right. These extra directions take precious time and reduce the odds of catching fish for time is of the essence.
Simple fix. Just move the rod slowly with a steady movement, not skipping any distance between one point and another. This way when your rod tip passes the area where the fish are the guide can have you stop right away so you can pick up the fish visually quickly – increasing your odds of catching the fish.
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