5 Things I Learned on My Fishing Trip Yesterday

Yesterday I rolled out to Delacroix for a sight fishing trip with an old friend. We had fun and I learned a few things.

Inshore Learning Points

I hadn't seen John in eight years. We worked overseas together and finally got to catch up on a fishing trip. While he gawked at our amazing fishery, I picked up a few things and reaffirmed old knowledge.

Fish aren't always in clean water.

We ended up catching redfish in otherwise dirty water. You couldn't see them, but they were there. Blind casting with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits gave them enough flash and vibration to zero in.

Keeping my head on a swivel.

I like to be aware of my surroundings, when the boat is running or while on the trolling motor.

As I run across ponds I'll note the water clarity, grass thickness and what kind of fish I am seeing.

The best thing to see is a redfish running from the boat. After spooking a school of five, I came off plane, put down the trolling motor and began whaling on them.

If I wasn't looking I would have never known.

Don't fight the grass.

Aquatic grass can wrap around a trolling motor, making it difficult to use. The remedy is pulling the grass off by hand or shooting it off with a higher power setting and reverse maneuver.

Both make noise that spook fish.

I learned it's best to leave the trolling motor stowed and drift across thicker grass.

Cool off the chapstick.

The sun is always there to burn unprotected skin. I like to use 15 SPF chapstick to protect my lips. Who doesn't?

But the summer heat turns the chapstick into a goopy liquid. I started leaving it inside the cooler, so it's solid and cold when I apply it.

It really makes a difference and feels great!

Be grateful.

I follow top entrepreneurs to learn their mindset and best advice for succeeding in the business world. After all, it's a world with unexpected challenges, just like inshore fishing.

Their advice is never what you think. It's not really about money or financial statements, but about personal development and making a positive impact.

One of the things they talk about is practicing being grateful. They literally advise you choose something each morning to appreciate and be thankful for.

John is from Wisconsin, but has traveled the world hunting (and occasionally fishing) various destinations. He will tell you he has never seen anything like Louisiana. He simply couldn't stop clamoring over the richness of our wetlands.

So, I've taken a moment out to be grateful for Louisiana. It's the best thing I learned yesterday.