Dai Gribble’s six key steps to catching big fish
MY SIX KEYS TO BIG FISH
IF YOU’VE read the special report on pages 6 and 7 this week on how there’s been a record number of Drennan Cup Weekly Awards, you’ll know that there’s never been
Judge your results against your
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own targets – not what other people are catching. In the era of social media, it’s easy to think everybody else is catching loads, but they are not. Few people want to tell the world they are not catching much!
If you set targets, keep
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them realistic. Everybody’s circumstances are different and spare time, access to waters and the cost of travel all impact upon what you can catch.
If a water has only ever produced tench up to 8lb it is unlikely you will catch a 10lb specimen from it. If you really want to catch a ‘double’, get on a water where they are present.
Successful big-fish anglers remain 3
focused and are not deterred by failure – they use it to drive them on. Blanks are not a ‘badge of honour’ to be proud of, but they are all part and parcel of catching big fish.
Fish usually grow big because there are not many of them, so blanks are almost inevitable. If you can’t put up with suffering blanks, set your sights lower and target easier waters. a better time in history to catch a specimen fish.
Here are six tips that will hopefully help you catch some big fish in 2020 and beyond.
Keep rigs as simple as possible. 4
The best rig is one that doesn’t tangle and presents a bait in such a way that fish will pick it up. Patience is essential, but don’t
5 use it as an excuse to be lazy. Why wait for fish to turn up where you are, if you can go to them? Put in the effort and make your
6 own luck. As the golfer Gary Player famously said: “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”