If You Thing It, Do It!

Top match angler Darren Cox begins a new monthly column in which he shares his thoughts about improving your pole fishing performance.

- Darren Cox

Over so many years of match fishing I have witnessed some amazing feats of angling, where anglers from all styles of competition fishing have ‘pulled out all the stops’ and done something really special! These times are rare, though, and often a good peg with a decent angler on it will usually win.

However, put a top-class angler on a good peg and he is virtually sure of winning! Well, that’s obvious, you might say, but what makes it obvious?

In my opinion there are many factors. First and foremost, the angler has skill, and normally a vast knowledge he has gained from experience over the years. Most anglers have a good memory and can remember what they did last time in similar circumstances, be they weather conditions, the peg form, what baits they used and suchlike. They can reference that memory to the current situation and convert it into results. It is that inner desire to win, to get things perfect, to get the very best result possible every time they sit down.

When I am talking to anglers I often use the phrase: “Don’t make do”. I see this far too often in fishing situations. We have all done it, we have all said to ourselves: “I should do that or change to that.” But how many of you actually do it then and there?

My view is: “If you think it, then do it”, because I believe that’s my angling brain sending me a message. My brain is working things out without me consciously feeling like I am doing it.