Fish With Confidence with Chris Jones, Catfish Pursuit Guide Service
Fishing success can be improved by boosting your confidence. There are many things you can do to prepare for a trip before you hit the road for the water and more once you get there.
Before every catfishing trip, I prepare the boat. I check the oil, top off the fuel, and make sure all the batteries are charged and in good condition. If any of these items fail I could be left stranded instead of fishing.
I also check my rods and reels. I tie fresh knots, check the hooks and sharpen them if needed. I also check the leaders for bad spots or fraying that could cause the line to break and lose a fish.
Once on the water, I take whatever time is needed to find fresh bait. Then I make an extra effort to keep it fresh. Cut bait is kept on ice in a cooler and live bait is kept lively in a bait tank.
When I am fishing, I trust the readings shown on my Lowrance sonar unit. I find an area that I think is holding fish and I follow my instincts when scanning for fish. Typically I will only set up on fish that are suspending off of the bottom a few feet. If they are suspended it tells me that they are active.
Having a solid boat, adequate equipment, a quality sonar unit, and the best available fresh and natural bait helps give me confidence. When I have done everything possible to prepare, I expect to have a productive and safe day on the water!
Note: Chris will be a featured speaker at the 2021 Catfish Conference in Kansas City on November 19-20, 2021. He is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and Lowrance Fishing Electronics. To contact him follow the Catfish Pursuit Guide Service with Chris Jones page on Facebook or visit his website at www.catfishpursuit.com.
