Wisconsin Bass - Articles

No matter how successful you are as a tournament fisherman, you still need to set aside time to focus on specific skill development.

However, performance psychology tells us that you should use a different approach to practice depending on the stage you are at in your competitive career. In this column we will talk about using this stage concept to achieve maximum efficiency in your practice sessions.

Contemplation

If you are just beginning a career in competitive fishing, you may feel overwhelmed by how much there is to learn. It is easy to become dismayed just trying to keep up with the numerous fishing techniques presented in the articles on this Web site.

Worse yet, confusion reigns and all hope is lost when the catalogs from Springfield, Mo., and Kearney, Neb., show up in our mailboxes. Where to start? What do I really need? Please, someone stop me before I purchase another dozen Holographic Cherry Yogurt Quadruple Rattle Lonker Bonkers!

Beginners need to first ask the question, “What do I want to get out of this sport?” You wouldn’t purchase an expensive violin and go off to the Juilliard School of Music if you just wanted to play enough fiddle to get by in a neighborhood jug band. Start off by talking about your competitive fishing aspirations with a few friends, or maybe discuss the sport with a local fishing pro.

Generally speaking, people new to a sport are in a practice contemplation stage. They are trying to determine how much they want and need to learn. For such individuals, general goals are best. You might decide it would be enough to practice becoming proficient with three or four well-known techniques.

Sometimes staff at a reputable fishing tackle store can help point beginners in the right direction. If you stop in at a slow time, say a weekday afternoon, you may find a bored, yet knowledgeable sales clerk who could show you what it takes to successfully fish a spinnerbait, a crankbait or a jig.

Preparation

If you have been involved in competitive fishing for a while and you know you need to improve, you are probably in what performance psychology refers to as the practice preparation phase. Here the question becomes, “What specifically do I need to learn to take my tournament fishing to the next level?”

At this stage, you need particular goals to help guide and structure your practice. A precise objective such as improving deep-water skills may lead you to focus on deep cranks, Carolina rigs, drop-shotting or all of the above. You may decide you want to catch more fish or bigger fish in deep water. Whatever your goal, make it clear and measurable.

Here you also need specific plans. If practicing with deep crankbaits is your objective, be particular about what it is you are trying to do. Do you need to better understand the depth at which your current crankbaits run? Do you need to more effectively cover different sections of the water column? Do you need to get better at finessing your crankbaits past deep-water vegetation or across sunken humps?

Individuals in the practice preparation stage also need specific outcomes to track how they are doing. It doesn’t make sense to stick with a practice plan if your catch rate remains the same. So estimate the number or size of the deep-water fish you have been catching, set up a specific practice plan and then give yourself a month or two to see if this practice strategy helps. If it doesn’t, alter your plan. You could also consult with your performance psychologist or your coach (you have a coach at this point, right?).

Active practice

In a best-case scenario, you have been paying attention to performance psychology principles for some time now, and you already have practice times built into your weekly schedule. Good for you! However, one of the hardest things in sports is to keep practicing when you are already pretty good. We all know stories of athletes who finally made it to the Big Show and then slacked off, frequently with disastrous results.

But you have decided you don’t want to be one of those guys. So what does it take to stay enthusiastic about improving when you are already in the active practice stage? Start by asking yourself this question: “Now that I’ve been successful, what keeps me going?” For some, the answer is continuous improvement. For others it is the competitive process itself. A few are driven by the money, the recognition and the prestige that can accompany tournament success. Make sure you identify those rewards that make continued practice compelling.

In the active practice stage, you are already familiar with using specific goals and precise practice plans. Continue to use and revise these. However, at this stage you also want to identify the barriers to further success. For example, it is important to realize that continuous practice does not typically lead to continuous improvement.

Improvement almost always comes in bursts or streaks, followed by performance plateaus, in which performance stays the same for a time, in spite of ongoing practice. How does this happen? Well, we’re not really sure. However, just as we know plateaus will come along, we also know that continued practice will eventually lead to another burst of improvement. So don’t give up. Also, instead of continuously looking forward, spend some time reviewing what you have accomplished; appreciate what practice has done for you so far.

Additionally, review your practice plan to make sure you are focusing on your primary objective. And add new twists to keep your practice interesting. Some anglers practice with jigs or deep plastics while blindfolded; only do this on a calm day and with someone in the boat whom you trust implicitly! Anglers report a heightened sense of feel and a much clearer awareness of weather conditions when they are no longer visually distracted.

So, recognize the stage you are in and modify your practice approach accordingly. As Jimmy Cliff says, “You must try … try and try … try and try … you’ll succeed at last.”

Jay T. McNamara, Ph.D., L.P., is a psychologist, who is also an avid bass and walleye angler. With more than 26 years of professional experience complemented by participation in competitive fishing at local and national levels, he is uniquely qualified to illustrate how performance psychology principles apply to tournament fishing.

Wisconsin Bass Home Message Board What's New Presidents Message FLW News Industry News Event Schedule About Wis. Bass Directors/Officers WSBF Tournaments Forms Download Bylaws and Rules Youth Conservation WSBF Club List Political Corner Convention News Miscellaneous Open Tournaments Sponsors Links	Performance Psychology and Tournament Fishing: Practice schedules that fit you No matter how successful you are as a tournament fisherman, you still need to set aside time to focus on specific skill development. However, performance psychology tells us that you should use a different approach to practice depending on the stage you are at in your competitive career. In this column we will talk about using this stage concept to achieve maximum efficiency in your practice sessions. Contemplation If you are just beginning a career in competitive fishing, you may feel overwhelmed by how much there is to learn. It is easy to become dismayed just trying to keep up with the numerous fishing techniques presented in the articles on this Web site. Worse yet, confusion reigns and all hope is lost when the catalogs from Springfield, Mo., and Kearney, Neb., show up in our mailboxes. Where to start? What do I really need? Please, someone stop me before I purchase another dozen Holographic Cherry Yogurt Quadruple Rattle Lonker Bonkers! Beginners need to first ask the question, “What do I want to get out of this sport?” You wouldn’t purchase an expensive violin and go off to the Juilliard School of Music if you just wanted to play enough fiddle to get by in a neighborhood jug band. Start off by talking about your competitive fishing aspirations with a few friends, or maybe discuss the sport with a local fishing pro. Generally speaking, people new to a sport are in a practice contemplation stage. They are trying to determine how much they want and need to learn. For such individuals, general goals are best. You might decide it would be enough to practice becoming proficient with three or four well-known techniques. Sometimes staff at a reputable fishing tackle store can help point beginners in the right direction. If you stop in at a slow time, say a weekday afternoon, you may find a bored, yet knowledgeable sales clerk who could show you what it takes to successfully fish a spinnerbait, a crankbait or a jig. Preparation If you have been involved in competitive fishing for a while and you know you need to improve, you are probably in what performance psychology refers to as the practice preparation phase. Here the question becomes, “What specifically do I need to learn to take my tournament fishing to the next level?” At this stage, you need particular goals to help guide and structure your practice. A precise objective such as improving deep-water skills may lead you to focus on deep cranks, Carolina rigs, drop-shotting or all of the above. You may decide you want to catch more fish or bigger fish in deep water. Whatever your goal, make it clear and measurable. Here you also need specific plans. If practicing with deep crankbaits is your objective, be particular about what it is you are trying to do. Do you need to better understand the depth at which your current crankbaits run? Do you need to more effectively cover different sections of the water column? Do you need to get better at finessing your crankbaits past deep-water vegetation or across sunken humps? Individuals in the practice preparation stage also need specific outcomes to track how they are doing. It doesn’t make sense to stick with a practice plan if your catch rate remains the same. So estimate the number or size of the deep-water fish you have been catching, set up a specific practice plan and then give yourself a month or two to see if this practice strategy helps. If it doesn’t, alter your plan. You could also consult with your performance psychologist or your coach (you have a coach at this point, right?). Active practice In a best-case scenario, you have been paying attention to performance psychology principles for some time now, and you already have practice times built into your weekly schedule. Good for you! However, one of the hardest things in sports is to keep practicing when you are already pretty good. We all know stories of athletes who finally made it to the Big Show and then slacked off, frequently with disastrous results. But you have decided you don’t want to be one of those guys. So what does it take to stay enthusiastic about improving when you are already in the active practice stage? Start by asking yourself this question: “Now that I’ve been successful, what keeps me going?” For some, the answer is continuous improvement. For others it is the competitive process itself. A few are driven by the money, the recognition and the prestige that can accompany tournament success. Make sure you identify those rewards that make continued practice compelling. In the active practice stage, you are already familiar with using specific goals and precise practice plans. Continue to use and revise these. However, at this stage you also want to identify the barriers to further success. For example, it is important to realize that continuous practice does not typically lead to continuous improvement. Improvement almost always comes in bursts or streaks, followed by performance plateaus, in which performance stays the same for a time, in spite of ongoing practice. How does this happen? Well, we’re not really sure. However, just as we know plateaus will come along, we also know that continued practice will eventually lead to another burst of improvement. So don’t give up. Also, instead of continuously looking forward, spend some time reviewing what you have accomplished; appreciate what practice has done for you so far. Additionally, review your practice plan to make sure you are focusing on your primary objective. And add new twists to keep your practice interesting. Some anglers practice with jigs or deep plastics while blindfolded; only do this on a calm day and with someone in the boat whom you trust implicitly! Anglers report a heightened sense of feel and a much clearer awareness of weather conditions when they are no longer visually distracted. So, recognize the stage you are in and modify your practice approach accordingly. As Jimmy Cliff says, “You must try … try and try … try and try … you’ll succeed at last.” Jay T. McNamara, Ph.D., L.P., is a psychologist, who is also an avid bass and walleye angler. With more than 26 years of professional experience complemented by participation in competitive fishing at local and national levels, he is uniquely qualified to illustrate how performance psychology principles apply to tournament fishing.

Copyright © 2006 Wisconsin Bass Federation All Rights Reserved