4 Guaranteed Fishing Tips to Help Any Angler Catch More Fish

Practical advice every angler can use to improve their fishing skills, from hiring a guide to mastering new lures.

Follow these sure-fire tips to become more successful at fishing. | Justin Hoffman

The sport of fishing is constantly evolving. Keeping up with advances in gear, lures and new techniques can be challenging for even the most ardent angler, but completely overwhelming for beginners.

No matter your angling skill level, continuous improvement is something we all aim for. Here are four guaranteed ways to make that happen.

1. Hire a Fishing Guide: The Fastest Way to Learn

A well-versed fishing guide can teach you more in one day than months of your own trial and error. A guide will be dialed in to specific tactics, species, or lakes and rivers, which can teach you crucial information to shorten the learning curve.

The author spent a day fishing with guide Dennis Tietje (pictured), who works out of Grosse Savanne Lodge, on a trip to Lake Charles, Louisiana. | Justin Hoffman

As I type this piece, I am excited to be heading out with a local muskie guide in three days. And although I have caught muskie in the past, seeing first-hand how to fish my favorite body of water, why certain tactics are chosen, as well as which lures and retrieves work best, simply makes sense if I want to gain the confidence needed to chase this fish of 10,000 casts.

Come prepared when booking a day with a fishing guide. Bring a list of pertinent questions, figure out what you want to learn (whether tactics, lures, electronics, or anything else) and be comfortable with the role of student for your session. I guarantee that the knowledge you'll gain will be immeasurable.

2. Join a Local Fishing Club for Knowledge and Connections

I remember signing up for our school's 'Anglers Club' as a 15-year-old kid. Being amongst a group of like-minded teenagers, as well as a teacher who had a lifetime of knowledge, definitely fueled my passion for fishing. Whether it was after school meetings to discuss a new lure or forays to the local creek to chase steelhead, the information I learned has stayed with me to this day.

Almost all cities and towns have a fishing club. My good friend Christine is part of a 'Fly Fishers Society' here in Ottawa, made up of passionate anglers who meet monthly to exchange insights and mentor those new to the sport.

Inquire at your local tackle shop or search through Facebook to find a fishing club near you. Not only will you secure a new fishing partner, but also a great group of friends with an untold wealth of knowledge that you can eagerly glean from.

3. Use Articles and Videos to Sharpen Fishing Skills

Visiting Fishing On SI's webpage regularly and learning from the hundreds of free articles is a no-brainer for becoming more proficient at fishing. But in addition, there are literally tens of thousands of fishing how-to pieces and videos that can easily be found with a simple search of the World Wide Web.

Take advantage of online and print fishing articles and videos to help improve your angling prowess. | Justin Hoffman

Click HERE to read the above fishing article on spinnerbaits for bass.

Want to learn what forward facing sonar is all about? Head to YouTube and do a search. Don't know what pitching entails? Google will easily tell you.

Don't overlook print publications. There are plenty of informative fishing magazines out there that make great teaching aids. And let's be honest, leafing through the latest issue of In-Fisherman or Bassmaster magazine the night before a planned fishing trip just feels so nostalgic and right.

4. Practice One Fishing Technique at a Time to Master Them

This tip might sound simple but there's a bit more to it. I'll use an analogy. If you want to learn to speak French, the best way is to constantly practice French, not German or Spanish. The same principle goes for fishing.

If you want to get better at fishing a certain lure, such as a flipping jig, then head out on the water with only that bait in your tackle box. | Justin Hoffman

If you want to learn to be more proficient at pitching (specialized casting) and working a flipping jig, then head to the lake with only a flipping stick in the boat and a handful of jigs. Force yourself to use that one technique and lure for the entire day. That is a sure-fire way to shorten the learning curve and master a new technique or lure.

And don't overlook the simplicity or importance of backyard practice. Want to become better at fly casting or flipping lures? Head outside and go to work. That's exactly how I taught myself to pitch a lure many, many decades ago.

Fishing Success Comes from Continuous Learning

Improving your fishing skills isn't complicated if you're willing to put in the work and learn. Whether that's achieved by hiring a local guide, joining a fishing club, taking in online and print information, or spending time on the water perfecting a single tactic or lure, how far you take your angling skills is up to you.