Everyone wants to be successful when hunting and fishing. Some sports think that their money can buy them success. Others want to learn quick success in just a short time. The best way to become successful is with little steps.

Sharpen your hooks    Sharpening your hooks will catch 3 times more fish. You will also lose fewer fish and find that sharp hooks are easier to Catch and Release. 

Lick the Line    Before you close a monofilament knot, lick it. The moisture will keep the line slick and cool, avoiding friction which will weaken your line and result in lost tackle and fish.

Rubber Bands    Put a rubber band over your reel spool to keep the line from spiraling off. Then place the rubber band on the front of your reel handle, to use to hold a loop of fishing line, while your reel is bail is open. When the fish bites, the line pulls free, and the fish is free spooling. 

Wear a Pair    Polaroid glasses or shooting glasses will help you see better and protect your eyes. Cutting glare allows you to see the fish and not strain your eyes. 

Set Your Scope    Set the scope magnification to the largest setting so you can quickly find the target. Once you see the target you can zoom in.

Stay Sharp    A sharp knife makes dressing and cleaning faster and safer. 

Safety Pin    Angling means tangling. A safety pin is the one perfect tool to help with a knot or bird nest mess. 

Stay Shallow    Just because your waders go up to your chest does not mean you need to stand that deep. Fish from the shallow to the deeper water where the fish live. Deep wading just spooks the fish away.

Lighten Up    Light line, and less weight, will make for a more natural presentation. 

Go Colored    It is important that you can see the fishing line. Colored lines allow you to see where you are casting and see the bites. Attach clear line, as a tippet for the fishy business end. 

Floro is Besto    Modern tippet material like Florocarbon is expensive but worth the cost. This tippet material has less diameter and more strength than standard tippet material. This means that your terminal leader section can have a diameter of 2 lb. test line but the strength of 4-6 lb. test. It is also clearer and stronger.

The best way to grow as a sportsman is to learn from your mistakes and embrace new ideas. With patience, everything will fall into place. Plan on never becoming a perfect hunter or fisherman. Instead, be a perfect student of the sport. 

Don’t overlook the little things!

Montana Grant