Top 10 resolutions to improve your fishing in 2019

We made it!!! Another year has come and gone. Holiday decorations are coming down and we’re all looking ahead to new beginnings.

It’s time for a new start, but just like you’re planning goals to slim down your waist line, go to the gym or save more money, you can also make some resolutions to improve your fishing game this year.

Here are some goals that will help you catch more fish in 2019!

1. Improve Your Casting – Nothing will improve your catch-rate faster than learning to put your bait in places other people can’t get to. Practice in the backyard by setting up some buckets or targets. Work on different styles like flipping, pitching, back hand and underhand casting.

2. Create a Fishing Journal – Logging information about your experience on the water can make a huge difference in helping you prepare for your next trip or even years later. Things like water temp, weather conditions, water clarity, baits used, fish caught and any other details are vital.

3. Learn a New Technique – Great anglers don’t get there without a lot of time and energy spent learning new techniques. Need to learn to flip shallow cover better? Big swimbaits? Deep water? Whatever is lacking in your game, work hard this year to improve it.

4. Organize Your Tackle – Every minute that you’re digging around your tackle boxes is time that your line could be in the water. Spend a day or two and really organize your baits. Take out stuff you don’t use, replace treble hooks, separate plastics into style or whatever works best for you.

5. Oil Up Your Reels – Cleaning and adding lube to your reels is vital to get the most out of every cast. A well-oiled reel can be the difference between a 40 yard cast and a 60 yard cast. The smoother your reel, the more precision your casts will be as well. It’s all about performance.

6. Try New Baits – Whether it’s an awesome service like Lucky Tackle Box that provides new products on a consistent, monthly basis or browsing your local tackle shop, trying new products is essential. Believe it or not, fish get conditioned to the same baits. Change it up!

7. Sharpen Your Hooks – This is something that is so often overlooked. Nothing can mess up your day like dull hooks. It is so easy to get a small sharpening stone and run it up your hook point a few times to get that deadly sharp edge. It’s easy and will catch you more fish.

8. Replace Fishing Line – Line has an expiration date. After exposure to the elements and frequent use, line becomes weak. Using backing line like braid will help your spools last longer (and be cheaper). If you fish a lot, it is a good habit to replace all of your line on an annual basis.

9. Do Prefish Homework – There is so much you can learn about fish behavior and your local lakes when you’re off the water. Study Google maps, online forums or watch YouTube (or LTB’s how-to video collection) and many others. If you’re stuck inside in winter, you can still be improving.

10. Workout Your Mind/Body – Being mentally and physically ready is just as important in fishing as it is in other sports. Things like visualization, focus, endurance and strength can play a big part in your on-the-water performance. If you don’t want to get fit for health, better fishing is a good motivation.

We hope these are some resolutions that you can keep in 2019. When you’re holding that big limit of giant bass or spreading that new personal best all over the internet, you’ll be happy you did!