Winter is Coming…..
Warm weather has ended and the natural world around us is slowing down. This transition is a good time to reflect on the past season. A great time to focus on repairs or maintenance for equipment and gear. Additionally, a perfect time to get excited for what’s next.
Past , Present, Future
If you are like Andrew or I, It is this time of year where we reflect on the previous season. And… quite naturally, this results in questions. What went well this season and what didn’t? Am I content with performance this season? What goals did I achieve and what areas lacked?
Our minds, as anglers and competitors , reel with the “what if’s” and the “could of, would of and should of’s”. This mindset, while valuable to assess and analyze, can develop into a mental trap. It’s easy to get bogged down In this dwelling, and sometimes can lead to a thought process of doubt. Escape this trap! Learn from mistakes and successes alike. Assess and move on! Getting anchored in this vicious thought cycle will ultimately take away of the goal of improvement.
So what can we do now?
If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where December through February aren’t bone freezing cold, you certainly and should still fish. (Sorry north central states!)
Even though the season has slowed and not as active as the warmer parts of the year, you can still get fish in the boat. You can continue to hone skills and work on techniques you may not be confident in. At a bare minimum, the value of staying active through the slow season of the year, allows you and your equipment to stay ready for the upcoming season. And…plus.. any excuse to go fishing still right?!
Phase3! Planning and preparing for next season.
Envisioning the upcoming season and strategy is extremely exciting.I’ve always felt a reignited motivation during this offseason. As local clubs and regional leagues hash out event dates, you can start to align your upcoming schedule and start to strategize the “plan of attack”. Pick and choose the events you want to target, prioritizing your thought process for what will make you have the best season yet.
Putting your mindset into a positive state and envisioning a strong start to the season can give you an extremely beneficial confidence boost. Envisioning a strong start to the season should be a priority.
Prefish?
A huge part of successful fishing is based in practice. Lots of Practice. As much practice as you are able to!
We live very busy lives between family, work and other commitments. How can we make time for even more fishing on top of the events and tournaments of the next season? Just do what you can do. Prefishing prior to an upcoming event can mean the difference between average or excellent performance. Squeeze the practice in where you can and be flexible.
To summarize, just have fun and do your best! We all fish for the thrill, excitement and fulfillment of this awesome sport and hobby.
Thank you all for the support this season! We have an exciting year ahead and certainly are looking forward to it. We’ll continue to share our adventures with you:)
Tight Lines!
-VBF, Bunker Baits