A lot of fishing is mental. To me, going with your instincts can be a big deal. For instance, say you’re running to a spot and you see a stretch of bank with maybe a couple of laydowns that looks good. Something tells you that you need to give it a try, so you do. Maybe you hit the jackpot, maybe you don’t, but the few minutes that it takes you to stop and check it out could make a big difference in your outcome.

Fishing instinct isn’t something mysterious; you develop it through experience until it becomes almost a subconscious thing that clicks in. Sometimes a spot will look better to you from one day to the next because the conditions have changed overnight and you sense that it could be productive. I’m not saying that you stop and try every spot that looks fishy, but improvise once in a while, even if you’ve got 10 spots waypointed and your whole day is planned.

And don’t just make a couple of casts and then take off. Give it a fair chance. Something told you that you should stop and fish. Trust your instincts.

—- Keystone Light pro Chad Grigsby, Maple Grove, Minn.