Things you Learned as a Novice?

[Dynamo]

Just thought this would be an interesting thread. Beginners could gain some knowledge from something like this. Here are some things that I learned as a beginner:
   1. Check the tides!
   2. Want to buy a new fishing product, eh? Research the product!
   3. Use as small of hooks as you can get away with!
   4. Turn of the ceiling fan before playing with rods indoors!
   5. Avoid fishing around too many tourists!
   6. Buy fishing gear that's practical for you!
   7. Starting out in fishing, eh? Don't "wing it". You will make a fool of yourself.
   8. Don't be afraid to fish fairly shallow water!
   9. Have a good bait/lure presentation!
  10. Don't cheap out! buy the best terminal tackle, rods, reels, and etcetera! you will save in the long run!
  11. Watch your knots! Bad knots can cost you the fish of your life!
  12. Want fishing experience? FISH!
What did you learn? I'm sure you all have experienced lack of experience at some point in time in your fishing career.

[Dominick]

Experiences teaches us; but not necessarily in this order:
1.   Worms don't bite;
2.   Dramamine does not work;
3.   Puke on the leeward side of the boat;
4.   Don't stand near a tobacco chewer;
5.   Fish slime is slippery;
6.   Some fish have teeth;
7.   Hooks are hard to remove from hand;
8.   Use a Sabiki rod;
9.   Don't leave bait in the bait well after it is drained;
10.   Turn off clicker when reeling in a fish;
11.   Zinfandel is too acidic to drink on a boat;
12.   Don't feed your dog fish heads.
Humbly, Dominick

[Dynamo]

Very good! Thanks, and what happened to your dog?

[Dominick]

He puked on my shoe.

[sundaytrucka]

-Yell a warning when sending out a surface iron...mine is, "Going Out!"...or go to the empty bow, where nobody cares.

-On corktape butts, make sure your reel clamp is on TIGHT.

-Let yellowtail run with your bait for 3-6 seconds.

-Dynamo eluded to it; you get what you pay for.

-On shorter trip party boats, make sure to check your tab is not being put upon by others! Happened to me once, heard him say my number when ordering food. I told a deckhand and pointed the guy out, they fixed my tab and gave me a free cheeseburger. They didn't say anything to him, just made the appropriate changes to his tab; he was shocked and befuddled at end of day when they called in tabs.

-I may know a lot, but there is always somebody out there who knows more.

-Most important, befriend the deckhands...or in the least, don't piss one off.

[Dynamo]

Good ones! When I just started out and knew nothing about fishing, I assumed you just kept reeling when you got a strike. Boy was I clueless back then. And I find its good to try and piss nobody off, lol. Before I heard about Mr. Tani i just fished my reels, rinsed them off, and threw them in the shed. I am definitely new to this and appreciate all of the experienced people who are already helping me out. I have so much to learn in reel repair.

[Dynamo]

He puked on my shoe.

lol, glad he's okay

[saltydog]

Experiences:

1.Reguard all fish as having teeth.
2.All worms are not always worms, lost a friend as a child to this one(pygmy rattlesnake)
3.Sharp hooks catch more fish.
4.Don't set the hook on circle hooks.
5.NEVER!!!! gaff a green Cobia(Ling)
6.If on a long trip with strangers it pays to watch how they fish before I do, less hooks in my back.
7. Learn to fish the bow, everyone is on the stern
8.Knots, knots, knots, learn to tie them right and you will not loose fish to a knot failure.
9.Don't diminish your chances of catchin fish by using to heavy/light tackle for what is being caught and conditions.
10.If they aren't snapping don't be afraid to lighten those topshots
11.CHECK your DRAG setting with a scale before you fish your rod.
12.NEVER be afraid to experiment, you could find a new technique that helps you catch more fish.
13.Watch the guys who catch fish and do what they do, your catches will improve.
William

[Dynamo]

Good advice! Learning when to keep doing what you're doing or change how your fishing is an important skill, and can mean the difference between a fish less and successful excursion. I agree on the sharp hooks, too. Doing what the successful guys doing is wise, indeed. And that must have been one small rattler or one big worm. I always try to stay clear of snakes, even if I know they're nonpoisonous.

[saltydog]

We were 8 and he got a small one about 5" long.We were shoking worms and he got in the mix, a full grown pygmy is only 12" long

[Dynamo]

Shucks, that's terrible.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Run J hooks on odd baits, they hook up better for me all the time anyways a dis rare th t I gt hook. And learn how t do the running man right!

[Dynamo]

Running man is an art, lol.

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

I flip tourist out, I buried a 10/0 J to the bend in a BT this summer, that hook won't comin out for nothin

[saltydog]

Well for some of us the running man is a thing of the past and with age and disabilities come finess and then let the shark hook himself, sharp hooks are the key.