# Is it true that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish?



## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

I think it is. With a few decades under my belt, I'm pretty confident that I can catch fish in saltwater under any conditions. Of course, the conditions determine where I'm going to fish.

What do you think?


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

everyone catches fish, some people are just better at it. My grandfather use to say there is a big difference in doing stuff, and getting stuff done. This is true for fishing. Some people go fishing, others are fishermen. The true fishermen are the 10%.

But with that said, I do not believe you have to be good at fishing to have a good time fishing. Take most any kid as an example. I truly suck at golf, but have fun doing it.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Well, I know what % i'm in these day's. But you have to go alot and be a good observer to get and stay in that 10%. It take hard work, but if you love to do it, its not work. What ever % i'm in love to do it.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

I think experience has a lot to do with it. People with less experience or people who fish occasionally just go out to a spot and chunk a bait and hope that something picks it up. Those who are experienced target certain fish and are aware of different factors such as tides, weather, swell info, water temps, moon phases and know what type of fish is biting that time of year.

That being said, I dont think I'm in the 10% yet unless you count catfish. I mean I always bring home fish but if you fish for 2 or 3 days on the beach you "should" bring something back.


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## histprof (Oct 30, 2011)

Proud 90%'er. Knowing that I fish when I get a window of opportunity around work, kids and chores, plus being 100 miles from the beach, I am at the mercy of the conditions on any given day. I will also be very slow to begin to acquire the fish sense that BigFost writes of. That is earned through lots of experience. With sporadic fishing times, I make the best of what I have. Ain't no feeling like sand between the toes. That, and a nice sip of beach wine along the way.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I love having the time, and the want to, to go fishing more than anyone I know.
I catch more fish than most people who are fishing the same area most of the time.
I know going almost every day makes a huge difference when it comes to finding fish, which is 90% of the battle of getting a fish caught.
Most people don't have the time to develop a method for finding fishing, being active at it and pursuing the fish until it's found.
Like Jolly Roger was saying, you have to love it to go a lot, and to pay attention to it when you go.
If you are lucky to have a mentor when you are very young, a daddy, uncle, grandfather, who would teach you methods, and you loved it, you were well on the road to be a 10% who catches 90% of the fish.
Not many anglers have that combination of mentor, experience, exposure, and genuine love of the sport to gain 10,000 hours of the right kind of fishing.
I think having the 10,000 hours is a good 60% of the equation, but statistics can mean anything,....99% of the time
:whiteshee


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## goodwood (Mar 30, 2009)

Just follow around the 10%ers.


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## Spectaker (Oct 24, 2011)

goodwood said:


> Just follow around the 10%ers.


Lol.

If you enjoy fishing 100% of the time, you're a true fisherman IMO. Its fishing, not catching. *shrug I just enjoy being out there and catching is just a huge bonus. I have learned a lot in the past year, but not knowing of trying new tactics is the fun part for me. I try to observe what Im doing and what works and doesn't work, but Im usually not disappointed if I get skunked. *shrug. 
Spoken like a true 90%er I suppose. *grin


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Spectaker said:


> Lol.
> 
> If you enjoy fishing 100% of the time, you're a true fisherman IMO. Its fishing, not catching.


Usually the people who say that are the ones not catching fish 90% of the time. :rotfl:

Just joking, no offense please. :spineyes:

Seriously, I always tell people I just enjoy getting out, but if that's true, how come I come back in a bad mood if I don't catch fish? Fortunately, I don't have too many of those days.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I hope to always catch the world or state record, then work down from there, lol!


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

I learned how to catch catfish from one of the commercial fishermen on lake Livingston. I listened to what he said, designed my equipment like he said, adapted to the conditions, just like he said and even rigged my bait like he said. That being said, I catch catfish most anytime I go. 

I went with him this morning and caught our two man limit of 100 catfish by 10:40 this morning and an hour of that was catching bait. So 100 fish in about 3 hours ain't bad. 

I have told people how to design jugs, what hooks to buy, where to buy them, what length to fish your drops, how to thread bait on, even given jugs to people and put pics on the internet of how to do it, but they want to go their own way and re-design a proven design and method.

It's simple, if this guy does it for a living, I'm following his lead. If he makes a living catching fish on a consistant basis and shows me his way. Why deviate?? It's a proven method.When it comes to catfishing, I know I'm a 10%'er. I usually don't go for fun of it and I want to have my limit and be off the water at the latest by noon.

There is an art to fishing. The hardest thing about catching them is finding them. Once they're located, they're coming in the boat, without a doubt.Since I'm not out there everyday, I don't follow the fish like I used to, so I kind of cheat when I want to catch some now a days and just make a phone call and ask where they're at. He'll tell me north or south, between here or there and that's all I need to know.

If we fish the same day, out of different boats, I wait til he drops his jugs first out of respect and I fish out of his way. If it wasn't for him, I'd still be bragging about catching 8 fish a day on an old trotline in the middle of a stump patch like I used to do. lol


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

What I have noticed about the better fishermen is time on the water and they work hard at it........Fishing success usually means a ton of work - Fishing hard! So, yes! 10% of the fisherman do catch 90% of the fish.

I used to work hard at it with good results, but I have become more laid back about it. I still have good trips, but not like I used to. Now, if a catch a decent fish or two, I might take it easy the rest of the time.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Another thing about the better fishermen.....Instead of giving up when the fish aren't biting, they fish harder....I gaurantee you that only 10% do that...If that many!..Maybe 10% of the 10%, which are the one's that stand out among the 10%. LOL!


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

SurfRunner said:


> What I have noticed about the better fishermen is time on the water and they work hard at it........Fishing success usually means a ton of work - Fishing hard! So, yes! 10% of the fisherman do catch 90% of the fish.
> 
> I used to work hard at it with good results, but I have become more laid back about it. I still have good trips, but not like I used to. Now, if a catch a decent fish or two, I might take it easy the rest of the time.


WINNER! Lol....Just my .02, but its like anything else, if ya want it bad enough...ya gotta work for it!


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## Spectaker (Oct 24, 2011)

bigfost said:


> Usually the people who say that are the ones not catching fish 90% of the time. :rotfl:
> 
> Just joking, no offense please. :spineyes:
> 
> Seriously, I always tell people I just enjoy getting out, but if that's true, how come I come back in a bad mood if I don't catch fish? Fortunately, I don't have too many of those days.


Haha, none taken. Like I said Im speaking as a hardcore 90%er. Just saying. So long as you remember you're there to have fun and relax Im not too terribly concerned with hook up ratios or whatever. 
The only time Im frustrated is when there's seaweed which hinders the fishing.
I was once told that "good things come to those who bait" so that's my central dogma. Lol.


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## histprof (Oct 30, 2011)

I think that what Bigfost said in his second post catches it for me. Not catching fish feels bad. For those of us who love it, that drives us to the next trip. I used to be into cycling. My last ride was rough. I rode a 50 on a windy spring day in the big hills out of Boerne when I wasn't feeling good. I limped in, just feeling awful. I never got on the bike for a long ride again. I couldn't see the next event. Fishing never does that too me. I love fishing and I hate not catching. But, not catching drives me to more fishing. Then, when I do catch, it is magic. BTW, I write this from the beach. I have suffered winds gusting to 45 knots today. So far, I have whiting and hardhead for my efforts. Come sunrise, I will be back at it.


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## bigfost (Oct 11, 2004)

Spectaker said:


> The only time Im frustrated is when there's seaweed which hinders the fishing.


That's when you jump in the kayak and go BTB fishing. I've never experienced the seaweed so thick we couldn't fish out there.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

It's hard to add to what everybody else has said here because it's all true in some manner. What I've noticed as I get older that catching fish is a byproduct of fishing. Don't get me wrong because bringing home some fresh fish is to my liking but the trip was important too. I also think fishing is a personal thing, it means something different to everybody because we're all different in some way. When I'm not out fishing I'm still fishing whether it's thinking about it or collecting lures or building rods and on. I'm like one of you said, I like to golf but I am not a natural,,,,, at all. As far as catching fish I believe like golfers some are better than others. It's like the guy who never takes art lessons but can start his own gallery and sell his work. But there are those who can take art lessons and be fair at it (90%) and sell something once in a while. I have a friend I fish with and most the time we pull up even on fish caught. He crushes me at golf but he has me build his rods for him and he start me building. So I have to admit I agree with the 10% thing. But like Shadslinger I'm in the same boat, I love fishing and everything about it.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Bigfost, I love this thread you started and this particular comment from Surfrunner:

"Another thing about the better fishermen.....Instead of giving up when the fish aren't biting, they fish harder....I gaurantee you that only 10% do that...If that many!..Maybe 10% of the 10%, which are the one's that stand out among the 10%. LOL! 

My theory is there is always something new to learn whatever you do in life and when you truly enjoy something, you take it to the limit and beyond, not to outdo anybody, but just because you love it. I just celebrated my 54th B'day in Dec but every time I go surf fishing, I feel like I'm getting younger.

When I first joined 2cool, I notice a lot of people were guarding their secrets. I thought that was rather odd since there are tons of fish to catch in the ocean - enough for everybody if we practice conservation. It was my goal from the beginning to keep learning from the best and be able to pass that knowledge on to the "newbies", which I was about 5 yrs ago. 

If that makes me a 10%, so be it.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Myself I fish to relax, and any fish are just something to make a better day. I might keep a few for a fresh dinner, never frozen or soaked in ice water. I love to help others fish and help them cast, fight, and land fish, as well as cleaning them too. To me, it's all about the kids, and I got two who are much luckier than me now that I taught them ... well a lot of it was safety and common sense. Lol, I lost maybe $800 in expensive rods 'n' reels but it was worth every penny of it. 

Some folks work at it and are highly competitive, some folks are just plain lucky, and some like the sport just to enjoy God's wonderful creation, especially at dawn.


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## redlover (Sep 18, 2012)

I was introduced to the game about 6 months ago and only been surf-fishing several times but really loving it. Learning a lot from this forum, want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who's been sharing your knowledge to help the starters like me... Have a great 2013 !!!


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Swells said:


> Myself I fish to relax, and any fish are just something to make a better day. I might keep a few for a fresh dinner, never frozen or soaked in ice water. I love to help others fish and help them cast, fight, and land fish, as well as cleaning them too. To me, it's all about the kids, and I got two who are much luckier than me now that I taught them ... well a lot of it was safety and common sense. Lol, I lost maybe $800 in expensive rods 'n' reels but it was worth every penny of it.
> 
> Some folks work at it and are highly competitive, some folks are just plain lucky, and some like the sport just to enjoy God's wonderful creation, especially at dawn.


That too! Well spoken :smile:


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## Sharkhunter (May 22, 2004)

If you catch to many fish it's like work. Me and the wife got into the reds a few years back and we landed 28 bull red in one morning. I worked my tail off. Had to go back to work to get some rest.


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## glojim (Aug 9, 2004)

I believe having a boat/kayak (with their fishfinders) gives a person a better chance for catching fish because of their opportunities of venturing around in the water


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## Doubleover (Jul 7, 2005)

I think 90% of the fisherman drink 10% of the beer!


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## Razzorduck (Oct 14, 2005)

My take. 80% of the fun is getting out whether its on the water or afield. If you go home ****** because the fishing was slow or didn't see a deer then you missed the point and need to reevaluate. That being said I was lucky to have great mentors and now close to a half century of experience. Unless conditions are just off the charts terrible I probably will catch at least a few fish. One thing I win every time is enjoying being out there!


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