An intimate knowledge of a specific area can produce quick limits, Capt. Ronnie Daniels said. He simply knows where he should go given the specific conditions on a given day.
Building such a library of information took time, and that’s something Daniels said many anglers seem unwilling to invest.
“A lot of guys try to learn too much too fast,” he said.
That leads to a lot of running around — especially in places like the Bilox Marsh, where there are many options — with the result that little information is gleaned about any particular spot.
“They spend so much time running around trying to learn everything that they never learn there’s shell reef that comes off that point and the tide sweeps around it on an outgoing tide,” Daniels said.
What anglers should do instead is to focus, the captain said.
“Pick out a small area, say two square miles, and learn it,” Daniels said. “Learn the drop-offs. Learn the reefs. Learn the tides.”
That way, you’ll know where fish concentrate and how to pick them off when you arrive.
Once you know that smaller area very well, then you can widen your search and add to your library of knowledge, Daniels said.
