Now before we begin addressing the failings of these anglers, it should be pointed out that there are many in our general population who simply possess an innate skill for catching fish. I could see it on display during my days as an offshore skipper. It could be an old guy, a kid or a slight woman. Somehow, they seem to have “the touch.” And I would dare say that, had they taken up fishing on a regular basis, there’s no doubt that those individuals would soon become a part of the prime 10-percenters.

This leaves a great segment of the remaining 90-percent who spend all kinds of disposable income acquiring the best tackle, expensive boats, and dress like they should compete with Bill Dance himself. Yet when push comes to shove, these underachievers can’t seem to catch a cold.

Therefore, in an effort to help advance the skills of these hapless anglers, we interviewed many of the most accomplished of Tampa Bay Area experts. Our goal was to pick their brain for some ideas on why so many can’t catch anything, and what they can do to overcome their deficiencies.

Our first professional was Capt. Doug Hemmer, widely seen here in the Bay Area as the skipper of Fox-13’s popular feature “Fish and Chip.” He feels strongly that the occasional angler tends to just go out there to have a good time and relax –  which is okay, but very few of them are genuinely serious about fishing.  “For example, when they net live baits, they don’t seem to have the patience to get a sufficient amount – so they don’t have enough for proper chumming,” said Capt. Doug. “And most will not do their homework before the trip, checking weather and tide conditions.”

Hemmer also advises that “you should take your time – come up on an area slowly and quietly -- push poling to get in the right position to catch fish. Everybody just roars up to a spot, hoping they come across something. But again, to catch fish – you really need to be ultra quiet.” Hemmer emphasized that to be successful “you will need to learn how to spot fish in the water, and do the basics – like setting up your gear and getting a good load of bait before you ever start fishing.”

Capt. Danny Guarino is a guide who works the highly productive South Shore area of Tampa Bay. Its miles of mangrove shorelines and numerous passes are prime real estate for great numbers of gamefish. 

Like Hemmer, Capt. Danny believes that “probably the major mistake most inexperienced anglers make is running up on the fish, and the trying to fish right on top of them.” He added that “if you’re new to the area – or new to fishing, you should hire a guide the first time. You’ll immediately learn the waters and some of the required techniques.” Guarino also feels that it’s a good idea to check in with your local bait shops, go to the many seminars and tackle stores where you will learn what’s happening and where to go. “In other words, “he said “don’t shove off until you get some ides of what you’re gonna do, what’s biting and where.”

A skipper who works the rich Nature Coast area just north of the Tampa Bay is Capt. Frank Bourgeois. He feels that most novice anglers tend to overwork their lures in the flats – but on the other hand, not briskly enough in deeper waters. And Bourgeois believes that there’s nothing wrong with a “monkey-see-monkey do” attitude when you’re a newbie. “That’s the way all of us learned -- by fishing with someone who knew how to catch fish. Do that, and it won’t be long before you should be able to figure it out for yourself.” Bourgeois suggests that a newcomer would do well to join one of their local fishing clubs. “There they can fish side by side with some folks who know what’s really going on in our waters.”

Of all the fishing experts on the Florida Suncoast, none are more competent than Greg and Bryan Watts. The twin brothers are recognized champs of the highly competitive redfish tours. How did the Watts Brothers achieve such lofty goals? They did so by being intense students of the fishing game over a period of many years.  For some helpful tips on stepping up one’s angling skills, we spoke with Bryan Watts

It’s his belief that people just don’t take the time to examine the water they’re about to fish. “There are many things we know about gamefish. First of all, they’re gonna stay around bait, and they’re gonna be around some kind of structure -- like potholes, channel ledges, or mangrove shorelines with crusty oyster bars, “ said Watts. “So, until people get out there and find the bait and locate structure, they’ll never have a clue why the fish are even there.”

It’s also Bryan Watts’ conclusion that most underachievers just don’t have basic tackle skills. “You take a golfer. He practices his swing all the time. Very seldom do we go out in the back yard or the park and practice casting.” He adds that most anglers don’t always keep their equipment up. ”And the shame of it is, when they do get that “bite of the year” -- they lose a really nice fish.”

“It’s also those little things,” he said “like preparation of the line; setting a proper drag; sharpening the hooks; learning how to tie strong knots; cleaning the equipment, and knowing how to handle that equipment. Even if you’re just a weekend warrior, you‘re gonna have to practice for 30-miinutes making shots during the week in your back yard to advance your fish catching ability.”

And finally, when someone asks “what am I doing wrong,” Watts believes that it indicates that they are serious about improving as an angler. “But they need to go out and hunt –looking for visible bait. That could be mullet jumping. If you find mullet, your target species will be relatively close.” He adds that If you find schools of baitfish -- or see some mossy shallow flats with crabs and pinfish – “those are the key signs telling us that gamefish lurk somewhere in the vicinity. “

Brian Watts guarantees that if the novice would just take all these key elements into consideration, they would certainly be able to advance their fish catching skills dramatically.