IDEAS FOR BETTER FISHING THIS YEAR 
By Bob Jensen

Another open water fishing season is quickly approaching. In fact, in many areas of the Midwest, some anglers are already on the water. Rivers offer fishing opportunities early in the year throughout the Midwest. Now is a good time to be thinking about how you can be an even better fish-catcher this year.

The number one thing any angler can do to be more successful in their fishing is to be versatile. Some anglers are very good at a particular technique. If an angler is good at jigging, they catch lots of fish when the fish are on a jig bite. However, when the fish are more susceptible to another technique, the jig angler isn't as successful. If you're a one-method angler, make this the year you become proficient at other techniques.

Experiment more when you're fishing. I have had the good fortune to fish with lots of the best anglers in the world. The one common trait of all those anglers is their willingness to experiment with a different technique. We might be catching walleyes on spinners and they suggest we try crankbaits. Sometimes the crankbaits produce even better.

There are times when fish want a specific color. If you're catching a few fish on, say a yellow bait, it might be a good idea to try a different color. Sometimes you'll find that a different color or size or speed, a different something, might produce more fish or bigger fish, or best yet, more big fish.

Don't get locked into one particular method or spot. If you were catching fish on jigs in a certain area yesterday or last week, you might want to try jigs in that same spot the next time you go fishing. However, if you're not catching them on jigs there today, try a different bait or a different spot. Don't fish the same bait in the same spot just because you caught them there that way last time.

Believe your depth finder. If it shows there are fish in the area, you should at least give that area a shot. The more you use your depth finder, the more you will be able to interpret what it is showing you. Some very good anglers fish an area if the sonar is showing baitfish or what they believe to be gamefish. Last year on Lake Mille Lacs in central Minnesota, we cruised the various areas keeping a close eye on the Humminbird Legend 3000 sonar that is mounted on my console. When we saw large fish on the bottom, we stopped and fished. We caught a few of those fish every time we saw them.

If you're satisfied with you're fish catches, keep doing what you're doing. However, most anglers would like to catch more fish. If you're one of those anglers, keep an open mind when you're on the water, learn different techniques, experiment with different lures and try different areas, and you will become a better angler. Make this the year that you become a better angler.