A goal without a plan is only a dream. Write down the steps
to achievement.
For me, setting a goal is inherent with developing a plan. I
can't really have one without the other. If I do set a goal without defining a
plan, then I'm really just dreaming. If my goal is to catch 10 carp during my
next fishing session, it's just a dream unless I take some steps to make it
happen (tie rigs, make ground bait, purchase hook bait, decide what body of
water I plan to target, decide how much time I have to devote to the fishing
session, etc.)
Always be Learning:
Learn what you need to know. If you want to catch more fish,
then develop the necessary skills.
Read carp fishing forums and websites. Watch videos, network
with other fishermen and read fishing magazines. When I learned that the
Department of Natural Resources in my state publishes fishing surveys, I
started reading them in detail. The DNR also provides a database of lakes with
the prominent fish species most likely to be caught in those lakes. If I want
to catch 10 carp in my next 4 hour fishing trip, I probably shouldn't target a
lake that lists the predominant species as pike, musky, bass and walleye. I
need to use sharp hooks, tie the rigs correctly, use appropriate reels, rods,
landing nets, etc.
Take Decisive Action:
Pursue your plan to achieve your goal aggressively with single
minded purpose.
If your goal is to be a professional baseball player, you
practice hitting, catching and throwing. A lawyer reads the law and learns it
in detail. A business man learns marketing, promotion, hiring and firing. To
me, it makes sense that a carp fisherman
should learn to make ground bait, identify and purchase carp baits that will be
more successful than others on a particular body of water, learn to cast
accurately with minimal effort, reel in fish without over thinking the task,
how to effectively tire a fish out sufficiently before trying to net it
prematurely, and on and on.
If you have been fishing for 4 hours a day, try expanding
the timeline to 6 hours and see if that improves the results. If you have been
fishing the same location for the last 5 sessions with few results, then switch
up to a new location. If you have been losing hooked fish with dull hooks, try
ordering some new hooks, hook patterns, change the hook length, sharpen the
existing hooks, etc. Doing the same thing over and over will probably not
change the results significantly.
Focus on the Goal:
Prioritize the goal over the “nice to haves” and “want to
do’s”.
If your goal is to catch 10 fish in your next 4 hour fishing trip then you have to make sure you are prepared. For me, that means organizing my fishing gear, packing it where I can find it, loading the vehicle early in the evening the day before I plan to go fishing, mapping out the route I plan to drive to the fishing location, fueling the vehicle, identifying the specific location on the body of water I plan to set-up, etc.
If I decide to forgo those things and watch television, or
go to a party the night before my trip and leave those fishing
"priorities" to a later time, then I risk 1) forgetting "must
have" carp fishing items (I've forgotten bite alarms and bank sticks in
the past), 2) wasting time with unnecessary stops for supplies (cream corn,
fuel, food, ice, can openers and drinks are items I've had to stop for in the
past), and 3) arriving late to the fishing location only to find someone else
already set-up in my preferred fishing spot.
Always be Improving:
If the progress is not what you thought it would be, then do
better next time.
If something about the trip doesn't go as planned, make a mental
note (or better yet a written one) for avoiding and preventing a repeat
performance on the next fishing trip. For me, that means finding those missing
bite alarms, hangers, bank sticks, favorite ground bait flavoring, etc. and put
them in a good location to ensure they are not forgotten on the next trip.
Be Persistent:
Hard work and grit can overcome lack of luck, talent and or
money.
My time for fishing is limited, so when I go fishing I need
to make it count. Just because there are sometimes obstacles to my fishing
plans, that doesn't mean I should just give up or quit. For me, that means I
can't always fish the more desireable lakes or rivers on a given day and I have
to stay closer to home.
My dilemna often goes like this: 1) Should I risk a blank at
Lake X because I can only fish a few hours and there are fewer (but bigger)
fish in that body of water, or 2) Since I have blanked the last 3 sessions,
should I go to a location that has more fish and increase my chance of multiple
catches? or 3) Since it's going to rain, should I go somewhere that allows me
to keep the vehicle closeby?
Re-Assess the Plan:
If things are not progressing as expected, desired or
needed; decide if the plan needs to change.
If I don't get the results I want, then I change the plan
and sometimes change the goal. I decide if the goal is realistic. I decide if
the plan is effective as is or needs changing.
Re-Launch:
If you decide to change the plan or adjust the goal, then
re-group and start again.
You don't fail in the pursuit of a goal until you decide to
give up trying. If you blank a few times, keep at it because on that 4th or 5th
trip you might catch a new personal best. But don't get me wrong, sometimes
giving up can be the best choice in a given situation. If there's a
thunderstorm with lots of lightning headed my way, a shady character hanging
around that makes me uncomfortable, or there's a tornado warning in the
immediate area; I don't risk short term success for long term pain. Catching a
new personal best or breaking a streak of blanks is not worth the risk of being
struck by lightning, encountering a tornado, getting frost bite, or
endangering my personal safety.
Enjoy Your Successes:
When you achieve a goal, celebrate it and enjoy the results of your hard work.
My final thoughts -
I hope these thoughts help you or at least guide you into
developing your own plans and goals for what you hope to get from the sport of
carp fishing.
Sometimes I think we forget that just because we see others
achieving success based on their efforts and financial investment, doesn't mean
that we have to desire those same plans, goals and results. We can decide at
what level we want to pursue the sport as determined by the time we have
available, the money we have to invest and even where we live in the state or
country.
