Those Who Fish More Catch More Fish

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Those Who Fish More Catch More Fish


The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. - John Buchan


Clear blue skies and a calm aquamarine ocean described New Smyrna beach on our recent vacation. My wife and I decided to don the workout  shoes, and walk the mile and a half to the local bait shop. It was after 10:00 in the morning, and we could already feel the sun sizzling on our skin like applewood smoked bacon frying in a cast iron skillet. Being native Floridians, we expected that. What we didn't expect, was an untimely meeting with an expert angler named Bob.


Now Bob didn't have a department store pvc pole holder jammed into the sugar sand near the surf. He was no ordinary shore fisherman. Nope, Bob expressed his fishing hardcoreness with his sleek Aluminum fishing buggy, equipped with fat tires for navigating the soft sand. It didn't stop there. Welded into this buggy were 4-6 aluminum fishing pole holders, accompanied by an ice filled cooler, cutting board with fillet knife; and a shovel to bury fish remains. Bob was so confident of his system to catch fish, that he was well equipped to prep his prizes right at the catch zone. Did I mention his inclusion of a folding beach chair, accompanying umbrella, with a portable flip table which held a steaming cup of coffee ?


Needless to say, as novice fishermen, my wife and I were impressed down to our Asics. But wait, that's not all. Did I fail to inform you that Bob caught his own bait ? No second hand frozen-refrozen hand me down bait for him. He caught fresh sand fleas on the seashore, and baited his hooks with them. The whiting, drums and red fish love these appetizers! This guy was amazing! Of course, my timid wife asked him to show us how he caught the sand fleas, then shamelessly requested to keep some for our own fishing plans. Bob made the acquisition of bait look easy. We made a mental note that he had a customized metal tool in his pro fishing buggy, looking like a cross pollination of a dust pan with a spaghetti strainer; whose sole purpose was to apprehend sand fleas. Astounding ! Did I mention that during our 15 minute conversation with Bob, that he casually reeled in several fish? Where am I going with this, and how in the world does this relate to sales ?


Bob was equipped, focused and knowledgeable about fishing. He knew when, where, and how. He had developed an effective system, and he had the keepers in a bucket to prove it. We also discovered that he followed the tide charts closely, and fished as the tide was coming in every single day ! Did I mention that Bob fished every single day ? Now contrast that to people like my wife and I who are recreational fishermen. We don't have a system. We use any bait we can buy, and we fish when we feel like it ; instead of following the tides. And...we don't catch many fish. The truth is, those that fish more catch more fish. Those that make their plans, prepare their tools, and harness their energy into a consistent strategy; catch more fish. Those who know where the opportunities are, and show up ready and equipped, catch more fish!


Now that, my friend, can apply to sales and marketing , don't you think ? Bob schooled us in fishing. Pun intended. Go fish !


Like they say, you can learn more from a guide in one day than you can in three months fishing alone.
Mario Lopez