by Ralph Muccilli
Wouldn't we all like to know the secret to catching fish at will? Face it we all would. It's true, no one can possibly catch everything they seek, every time they fish. However some come close. Ever wonder why? 

The way I see it there are a couple of things you, as an angler, can do to get close to this goal. Number one, just stand in line and wait for someone to come along and show you how. Or number two, get up out of your easy chair, and do something about it yourself!

The best way to learn something about anything is to get some hands on experience. Sure, you can read all the magazines and books, and watch all the videos out there. You can even spend lots of time on this web site, but you will eventually have to hop into the boat, or hit the nearest shoreline and start learning.

Walleye guru, Mike McCleland once told me the way he learned so much about fish and fishing was by learning on his own. The most important part was to get out and see for yourself what works and what doesn't. He also said he almost never reads outdoor articles. He'd rather spend the time out on the water learning.

But what about the angler who doesn't to live near an excellent body of water, what about the angler who is not fortunate enough to be able to fish every day? The answer is a simple one, when you can't go fishing, then you read about it, and talk to other anglers. Then when you do go out, try to employ what you have learned, give yourself that critical hands on experience!

One of the best ways I have ever found is to surround yourself with, not only anglers such as yourself, but with other good anglers, guides and pros. By doing this you are going to pick up valuable insights and tips. New insight and tactics are far more important than to be shown a spot on local waters.

Without the insight and experience to modify your approach based on conditions and refine the techniques to other bodies of water, you will be resigned to fishing only memories.

Honestly, some of the greatest learning experiences in my life have come from fishing the Masters Walleye Circuit and my acquaintance with several of the nations top walleye anglers. Add to that the info I still gather almost daily from being here on Walleye Central. I have met and continue to meet so many accomplished anglers that fish all over the country.

Each and every tournament I attend, even as a spectator, or chatting with friends over a cold pop at the Walleye Central trailer, and get togethers, is a constant learning experience. You pick up the odd tid bit here, and presentation there. As well as some real honey holes.

But it all doesn't mean a thing if you can't take the information and apply it elsewhere, and get positive results. Even negative results are a learning experience. And, honestly, the adaptation is not as difficult as it sounds. You simply have to get out and do it.

One case in point was an outing with my brother Tony, a few years back. He remarked on how easy I made it seem to catch difficult biting walleyes on an equally difficult fishing day. He also asked how come I seemed to know what to do to pull these negative fish and how I was able to do it with ease compared to him. He asked why I didn't seem to want to give up.

Actually, I am pretty pig headed. I wasn't about to give up till I was able to figure out what it was going to take to get the fish to bite. Fish that I knew in my heart were there. 
My answer to my brother was, lots of fishless days and lots of experience, or time on that river, and others like it. You have got to just keep picking away at the problem until you trigger some fish into biting.

The hard part then is to try and remember about 100 things about the first fish. How did it hit, what did it hit, and what type of speed or retrieve worked. Where did it come from, how deep, on an edge or a flat and so on? Then do it over again. Many anglers find I useful to keep a dairy or log of the days fish and fishing, good or bad. I found that rather difficult to do, and frequently didn't do it.

I have the same problem with logbooks as I do as a writer and photographer. I can't seem to allow myself to stop fishing and put down the rod long enough to write down the needed information. Or to take the pictures I'll wish I took. However, I seem to have an incredible knack to remember details. Especially in the moment.

For instance, I can pick up any photograph I have taken, or one that has been taken of me, and I can tell you what lake, what time of day(approximately), what month, what the fish hit and so on. While I admit the picture jogs a memory, and a picture is worth a thousand words, I can do the same thing while fishing a spot. All the memories come flooding back, like water through a dam.

Another way to continue the learning curve by surrounding your self with other anglers is a lot of fun. Just getting a group of buddies together in a group of boats, and hitting a local favorite, or road tripping to some hot destination can prove invaluable. 

As a case in point, when I was just starting out as a writer and a tournament fisherman I was involved with a group of anglers that did just that. We had a group of 3 to 5 boats, and the accompanying anglers. If any of us had an upcoming tournament, we would head out after work and on the weekend, split up and dissect the lake or river. 6 to 10 good, albeit learning, anglers picking a lake apart and comparing notes, does more good than spending a week straight on your own. It is a guarantee some of the group will fish areas that you'd never think of and use lures and techniques you would not use yourself. 

This tactic has been one I have employed all throughout my tournament career. My partner Max Streichert and I worked very closely with Rob Ensor and Stan Wilson the last few years of Max's time on earth. We also had loose associations with other anglers. By working as a team and sometimes using 3 boats, we could cover quite a bit of water.
Add to that, we were usually among the first boats to hit the water, and some of the last to come off every night. 

It all boils down to one basic fact, there is no substitute for experience. This has been proven to me, time and time again. The information here is more valuable than a marked map. So, I ask you again, "Would you like to know the secret to catching fish at will?"

Remember to make every experience a learning experience, and fish as often as you can. I know that last part is a bitter pill to swallow, huh? All kidding aside, by doing as many anglers before you have done, soon you'll have as good a grasp on the answer to my question as anyone. I have said it before, and I'll say it again, there is no substitute for experience, and persistence pays.