[ChumDumpster]

Time on the water for sure first and foremost. The more you get out the more you see and learn. Secondly I do as much research and reading I can on the species I'm targeting. I take my boat out and fish about 4 to 5 days a week and have become very successful due to dedication. Tackle and gear play a decent part but aren't necessarily a deal breaker. Obviously with the right gear and rigs you're more likely to successfully land fish, has nothing to do with finding them though! And I've noticed cheaper gear breaks frequently if you actually use it a lot. Learn how to use a good fish finder and it changes your world, understanding tides and winds and moon phases as well. And for the record, getting Intel from guys who are actually putting in the work to find the fish does not make you a good fisherman, my sister can land 30 pound stripers all day if I tell her exact coordinates and to troll mojos. Oh, and read Gerry's articles!