That when you have a back injury and you fight with your medical insurance company and have to file a law suit in Federal Court, it takes a long time, lots of money, lots of drugs and no fishing. That's enough to drive a sane man looney....as my poor wife can attest, I've been a bear all year, grumpy, looking at my rods and reels as if they were just memories,  however, recent events have given me a change and I'm back (no pun intended) to participate in the club in what ever I can do and enjoy what I can until the lawyers break me or I get my back surgery.

Chuck P

I learned that although she very seldom fished with or accompied me on my fishing trips, my wife was my biggest supporter and enabler.  Her actions, almost always in the background,  allowed me to do what I loved most.  I learned that without her, not only is fishing all these events more difficult, it's less rewarding.  I learned that although I was always ready to leave our home at the drop of a hat, run off fishing and be reluctant to come home, I miss her deeply now.

Smitty

Looked back at this post and thought I'd bring it up again for the 2005 season. What have you learned this year?

Again, what I learned was something on the mental side. I guess I didn't learn it...I just had it and it's confidence. You can't learn confidence, you have to develope it. It seems that all of a sudden I just had it. But you have to be able to maintain it.

This year I just went to these tournaments and felt that I knew what I needed to do. I knew where I wanted to fish and was confident in my planning and approach. Even when the bite was slow, I stuck to areas and patterns that I had confidence in and was able to get fish in the boat. I think this also helped me boat some bigger fish too. Keeping your offering in areas that you know have big fish can pay off.  

I did learn to tweak a few presentations and some patterns fish relate too, but most of all was the fact to go out and fish with confidence was the best thing I learned this year.    

I also learned to throw larger top water baits for bigger fish.
RB

I learned that there are a ton of great anglers in our club that can certainly fish well.  The adaptability of our fellow members is increasing every year.  As for myself, I rediscovered what I already knew.  Time on the water is critical for success.

Kirk

My learning curve took a big spike this year, I am very comfortable with grubs, tubes and dropshot (i.e. plastics and yes when you think you are fishing slow, go slower) but was able to add at least a little recognition for the how and why's of spinnerbaits and crankbaits.

This goes along with recognizing "profitable water" and also recognizing presentation.  

Having a well thought out "game plan", and understanding alternate plans "b" and "c", when your well thought out plan goes up in smoke    

The biggest things I learned this year were to fish deeper and slowwwwwwww down. I highlighted the slow because as many of you know I fish to fast. However, having said that when it comes to flippin thats not a problem for me. Take for example the fishin at Sawyer this past month. In the morning we were skipping docks and caught 5-10 fish. Well after lunch my partner says to me lets go out and fish in the 20+ range with drop shots. Absolutely smoked em. Caught 5 2lbers in 5 consecutive casts and proceeded to catch my personal best on Sawyer for one day, over 30 fish.

I also learned how to completely fish the drop shot rig as well as set the hook while using it. Bob Payseno can attest to this issue when we fished together last year.

Oh, and one more thing to be careful about how you say things on this forum. Many people on this site assume that you are allways serious. Not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Just Ribbbbbbbbbbing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
RB

I'll learned a lot about time management. You only have so much time on the water on a tournament day. This plays a lot into decision making. If you have a killer spot, but you know the bite is later, then you need to look for productive water. Every single minute of a tournament should be utilized to find and catch fish. Don't write time off!! It's valuable if your sweet spot doesn't produce. The weigh-in is always too close.

Tournament strategies and implementing/adapting them on the water.  I had a mixed year of great and terrible planning and decisions, from which I learned a great deal.

WEll Larry i don't have enough time to write down what i learned this season but I'll high light the big part. I learned were and how to catch alot more fish. period. I learned about current wind and other conditions. I would like to thank the members of our club for this for you've all taught me alot over these last 5 or 6 months.

Thanks you Guys

Here we are, The end of another season and what a year it was........The highest catch totals for tournaments in years....the lowest mortality rates EVER!!
One of the tightest Angler Of The Year runs ever and alas we are at an end....so......What did we learn from this and what do we take into the next year and for some....what do we purge from our very existance?
I for one have to look to Water Recognition as a key to the year as the ability to recognise "Profitable Water" meant so much this year and is my biggest lesson learned.
Current flow, structure manipulation of current and the existance of wind driven current taught me so much this year in how my pre-existing patterns played out and at times humbling in it's result.

So whats up with you?