Do You Have Confidence in Confidence

[maverick 7]

I read about a lot of "top" anglers telling us mere mortals that we try every bait and tactic under the sun because we don't have enough confidence in sticking to just one...but I often think....how can confidence (which is only a state of mind) have any effect on what goes on beneath the waters of a river, commercial, lake or canal.

...but do you know what.....I believe it DOES have an effect...confidence is a great thing and we almost hear everyday how athletes perform better because they felt confident on the day ....so why shouldn't it be the same for angling. It matters not that the athletes are totally in charge of the way they perform and anglers have no control whatsoever how they are going to perform and what moves into their swim...I reckon the anglers must simply summon their confidence and "will" the fish into their swim.

Lets assume then that confidence is what we need when we try something new or whenever we try new venues....or even when we just go fishing...same old venue and same old tactics, we all need confidence...don't we?

Question is though.......how do we attain confidence...how do we become confident...where do we get it from?

I remember many years ago...I went fishing with this guy a few times and one of our early ventures together was on the Severn and he had a blinding day. He attributed it all to his confidence in his rigs and the bait he was using at the time...which I can tell you was Van Den Eynde SECRET RED groundbait.

The next visit was the Trent and he used the all the stuff he had this massive confidence in....and you probably know what I am going to say next...don't you?
...but I am still going to say it anyway........Yep, you're right......he blanked!!

So, where does that leave us then?....do we need this confidence....if so, how do we get it?

Maverick

 

[sumtime]

I'd never go fishing if I lacked confidence in my tackle and ability.

 

[dangermouse]

I caught the end of a program on Radio 1 that was talking about confidence. One of the experts had a pretty good view. In his opinion confidence comes about through competence.

So in your example the fellow who liked his bait so much he used it everywhere might have been confident but he clearly wasn`t that competent. Whereas a better angler might well start the same way but realise it wasn`t working and change methods/bait. Or he might simply realise that the location/conditions didn`t suit his favourite method/bait and opt for something else from the start.

Ultimately though it doesn`t matter how confident you are, if the fish aren`t there you aren`t going to catch them.

 

[terry m]

Confidence is merely a positive state of mind with an internal belief that you will succeed in whatever you are doing.

IMHO the reason we believe confidence makes a difference - and I do believe that - is that your positive state of mind leads to an angler doing many things correctly and to the best of their ability. It is these multiple efforts, that whilst minimal as individual parts, when combined lead to a situation where all of the chips are stacked in your favour. And, that in turn can often, if not always lead to greater results and success.

Well, that is how I see it!!!

 

[john step]

All very naval watching. I just go fishing. Perhaps I am just too insensitive:wh.............

 

[laguna]

Confidence does not make a poor angler great... the grin can soon be wiped off our faces if a PMA is all we had to go on!

 

[hyperdrive]

Do I have confidence in confidence, the simple answer is yes.
Anybody whose state of mind is good will perform better at whatever they do, what I mean by that is for example Steven Gerrard will play football better when he is full of confidence/in a good state of mind but will not play so well if state of mind is low, and not I will play better than him because I feel confident, that is never going to happen because I don't have the ability to begin with.
Anybody who is at the top of their game has the ability and has confidence in their ability. All those at the very top whether it is an entrepeneur, sportsman whatever will be very confident people with many bordering on arrogant.
Confidence is key, as they say

 

[no-one in particular]

I suppose experience must go alongside confidence. The more you learn how to fish, use the gear correctly, tie good knots etc. And learning and understanding how the fish behave, where they are likely to be etc. So, the top blokes must have a lot of experience to be where they are; which in turn gives them the confidence. However, I wouldn't say having confidence in one bait, ground-bait, method etc is a good thing, knowing when and what to use in different situations and for different species and knowing those things have worked well is part of it. There is over confidence as well, causing mind set and loss of imagination and experimentation..
I am sure most of us have found the wonder bait/ground bait/method one day only to blank on it the next day, and the next ! Personally I love the diversity the sport offers having a restless nature and a imaginative mind that I need to exercise now and then.
However, that's all a bit specific, having a general confidence regardless whatever type of fishing your practicing must be a good thing but, that comes with experience.

 

[robertroach]

For me, confidence is about knowing I'm fishing where there are fish. Sounds over simple, but if you are sure you are fishing in the right place where your target fish are present, it's just a small matter of catching them. Easy.

 

[arthur2sheds]

Sometimes it works....! Sometimes it doesn't.....! welcome to the minefield that is "Fishing":wh

 

[bracket]

Confidence, competence, performance. They are all interlinked. I have fished for over 60 years, at all aspects of coarse fishing and consider myself fairly competent. However I am basically a river angler and in that area I feel highly confident of my ability and happy to match myself against any opposition, and have done so in the past with varing degrees of success. Performance, well that can depend on which side of the bed you got out of on any particular day. The bottom line is that angling is about going out and enjoying yourself, so just do it, and don't think too much about the why's and wherefores. Pete.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Funny old thing confidence, I have had baits that I was 100% confident in and they worked, not only as bait, but in the way I fished them.

One morning whilst fishing the bait I had 7 Carp, 6 Chub and a couple of Barbel from a swim on the Upper Lea, where I had failed miserably the week before.

Not only did I fish the bait with confidence, but my angling was better on the day, I concentrated, cast more accurately and fished in a confident manor.

As with many things the company that made the bait stopped trading and the edge was lost.

I off course keep searching for another " Super " bait, but as yet have not found it ?

Anything can give you confidence, a bait, a water, time of day, weather, a fishing method you have mastered and of course a life time of experience !!

Bob

 

[theartist]

If I'm out exploring fishing a new river, stream or brook I have no confidence at all especially when I go in blind and I don't know if it's be predated, polluted or evens holds fish anyway. If I see a fish top then I know I will catch so I guess confidence can be selective regarding whether it's in your own ability, your bait, your rigs or the water itself. Mind you I just go out to catch anything I can big or small which is relatively easy and keeps blanking to rare humbling occasions.

I do think however that confidence is more important to the specimen hunter who fishes static baits as they are always looking for an edge over the next guy who is fishing the same way especially if the quarry is outnumbered by those seeking it. To blank over and over and keep the same set up as you have full confidence in it takes some dedication and patience and to get your reward after all that must be.... well rewarding.

Mind you, you could change everything on a whim and get that fish straight up but that's fishing for you.

 

[Derek Gibson]

Had I been asked this question fifty or even sixty years ago, my reply would have been non-commital. Given that back then my approach was centered more around ''hoping to catch'' rather than expecting to.

But the intervening years have taught me so much with regards to the right equipment for the right conditions. By that I'm talking weather/water variations or time of year, in fact all of the factors that you may encounter on a days fishing. And make no mistake all these factors are hard won, involving many blanks along the way. Time on the water is to me the only way to fine tune your approach, first with observation, and finally that magic word location.

So yes in my own case, I do have confidence, at least in my own ability, even though to this very day I am still making small changes. 'Cos after all it's a never ending jigsaw.

 

[john step]

Funny old thing confidence, I have had baits that I was 100% confident in and they worked, not only as bait, but in the way I fished them.

One morning whilst fishing the bait I had 7 Carp, 6 Chub and a couple of Barbel from a swim on the Upper Lea, where I had failed miserably the week before.

Not only did I fish the bait with confidence, but my angling was better on the day, I concentrated, cast more accurately and fished in a confident manor.

As with many things the company that made the bait stopped trading and the edge was lost.

I off course keep searching for another " Super " bait, but as yet have not found it ?

Anything can give you confidence, a bait, a water, time of day, weather, a fishing method you have mastered and of course a life time of experience !!

Bob

I know what you mean about a good bait that is no longer in production.
I have utter faith and confidence in Dynamite Baits strawberry 10mm birdfood boilies for tench. They catch wherever I have used them.
They are no longer produced but luckily I bought several packets before they disappeared. I have one packet left so the hunt is on again.

 

[daji]

I do believe you have spotted a gap in the market Maverick. The latest must have: Steve Ringers 'Confidence-pour homme'

 

[sagalout]

Steve Ringers 'Confidence-pour homme'

Splash it all over!

 

[law]

Nope. I think its the worst but of advice to give someone.

You should always be worried if your bait is sitting right, if it's tangled on the cast, if fish are in your swim, have you put too much bait in, are you on the fish or did you jump in the best looking swim. Did you select the right bait, or just go on what worked last time. Etc etc.

If you rock up feeling totally confident, cast out and sit back and think 'yep, everything is spot on today, I'm going to catch', you get complacent and miss things.

 

[daji]

Nope. I think its the worst but of advice to give someone.

You should always be worried if your bait is sitting right, if it's tangled on the cast, if fish are in your swim, have you put too much bait in, are you on the fish or did you jump in the best looking swim. Did you select the right bait, or just go on what worked last time. Etc etc.

If i thought and worried to an extreme like that i wouldn't even bother going out in the 1st place. Having said that I always reflect on a session and contemplate my next outing e.g What will i change or adjust next time, but on the day will only make small changes and occasionally move swims. As i'm fishing against no one and purely satisfying a need to just get out by the waterside, with the aim to catch a few fish, i don't worry too much.

As i'm heading to a swim i'm usually full of confidence but this can quickly change minutes after the 1st cast.

 

[binka]

If i thought and worried to an extreme like that i wouldn't even bother going out in the 1st place.

That's exactly what I thought when I read it

I think confidence can and does play a part but like most emotions too much of a good thing can end up being a bad thing.

Apply sparingly