A little talk about people who can and can't fish.. Some want to soak it all up and cracker away while others are dead serious about it. What kinda fisherman are you ???

I'm in the 90% pile when it comes to fishing, but there are other activeties that I'm in the 10% pile...

For me it's pretty simple B-Run....On local rivers I'm pretty sure I'm in the 10% group, but if I went to Idaho to fish for salmon and steelhead (right!), I'd be in the 90% group.

Ike

This is a funny poll. In medicine, we have a saying that patient perception IS reality. Doesn't really matter what the doctor thinks or what the "truth" really is.

I'll bet it kind of works the same way in fishing. Everyone is entitled to be a legend in his/her own mind. That said, I'll give myself some wiggle room, especially when I'm in an unfamiliar fishery.

I would put myself in the 10% group 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time, I'm floundering along with the other 90%-ers.

You might have also added the 110% category for those that have to purchase fish at the grocery on the way home from a fishing day because they didnt catch any!

I'm definitely a 90 per center, but I'm not so sure I agree with your characterization of my fishing as "soak[ing] it all up and cracker[ing] away."

My theory is that the 10 per centers either fish ALL the time or have really anal retentive personalities. I'd love to be able to catch fish all the time, but I'm just not built that way. My mind is not super-detail oriented and I simply don't have the time to put in on the water.

Perhaps someday when I'm retired and can put in 200 days a year fishing I, too, will be a 10 per center. Meantime, I guess I'm just a cracker.

Maybe we need a new category for people who don't catch a ton of fish, but don't sit and wax their boat on the ramp for 20 minutes either. "20 per centers" maybe?

The best fisherman in the world can't catch them if they aren't there.

90% of the time, I catch my 10%. 10% of the time, I catch 90%.

It's not about catching, it's about time on the water with family, friends, and kids....

I try to avoid generalizations. I'll say this. From October through April My boat will avarage 5 to 10 fish per day in 3 out of 4 trips to the OP (75% of the time). The other 25% of the time might exceed 10 fish or it might be a skunk---more than likely a 50% wash either way. I didn't vote because the 10/90 model doesn't work for me.

I certainly do have dreams of fishing 90% of the time, however I seem to be subjected to drudgury!

Given a 10% chance I might catch a fish, then I would be tempted to eat it, but only 100% of the time.

And then be condemed, as a meat man!

Hmmm, I don't know.....

Well, as an example, and for once no BS as the fishery is closed anyway, I finished springer season with a fish every 1.2 rod-days. The average according to WDFW sampling is 1 fish for 8.6 rod-days. So I'm a 20 percenter I guess.

I guess that was the point of this post. A lot of guys are able to kick fish ass on their home water. You know it, you can feel it, you have thousands of hours on it. That makes you a 10 % guy in a certain location.. However, someone who you may perceive to be a cracker, can take you to school on their water. A true 10 percenter is really a 5 percenter on his water and a 25 percenter on any water... Plus he is pretty dam lucky. I know some guys who are not the best fishermen, but somehow, someway, great things seem to happen when they are around.. I also know guys who fish O.K but for some reason the skunk just reeks off them.

I believe there is fish Karma.. put the time in, spend the money, give up other things, hang with the right people and it will all come together. And when you think ya know it all somebody will show ya that you don't.. thats what is so great about fishing anyway.

Must be true given the 70/30 split on the poll results so far. Can 70% of us really be in the 10% camp? Can a 10# fish really morph into a 70# monster by the time it hits this board? Just goes to show you that anything is possible in the fishing realm.

well said FNP. Fishing can be very humbling to the greatest of fisherman at times.

After being a member here for a few years I would be willing to bet I could guess pretty accurately who the true 10% are, this would be among members with 25 or more posts!

I think a true 10%'er is someone who can travel a hundred miles to an unkown river. Look at the conditions and start catching fish. I like B_Runs 5% at home and 25% on the road theory.

As for myself I am probably a 10%'er-10% of the time. I occasionly have a better day than anybody else on the river but am usually just casting away trying to scratch out a fish or two.

i like to fish.. its pretty much all i do and think about, and thats good enough fo me.. no need to say im a 10 or 90%er.. i do what i like to do, and thats fishing.

enough said.

I am what you would call a 2%er. Why might you ask? because 2% of the time I can catch a fish with the rest of the 90%ers and the other 98% of the time I have to buy a fish with the rest of the 110%ers
Dances

I agree with bushbear, it's all about the experience. The fish is a bohus. I'm a 90%er sometimes a 0%er.