5 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

For me this year, I think I want to be willing to get back into the heavy cover further than others are willing to go and see if that gets me some quality bites. I don't care . . . much. . . if they get off. I care that I got in there and got them to strike,

That's a bold, exciting goal. They're in the shallow thick cover. Last summer, I paddled back into a bog and couldn't squeeze my canoe any deeper into the bog, so I cast on the far side of a floating clump of soil with short bushes atop it. I couldn't see the hit, but I heard it. So exciting! Yeah, I managed to land that one, but with so much wood and weeds to free themselves, about half escape. They don't snap the line. They use the cover to throw the hook.

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

Yeah, I managed to land that one, but with so much wood and weeds to free themselves, about half escape. They don't snap the line. They use the cover to throw the hook.

Sometimes the fish wins and that is as it should be in my world.

Get my boat all tuned and set up before ice out

Fish more often

Get better at fishing bigger water

I want to be more versatile this year. Last year with the Catch 2025 challenge I was doing, I really didn't fish for much other than bass and it really was tough missing out on fishing for some of my other favorite bites. I've already got a decent start after catching a limit of winter crappie from my kayak last Sunday.

I want to get my kids out more. They're old enough now to be able to go for longer trips and it's going to be just us with Mrs. Blue starting a new job and likely working on weekends for the forseeable future. I'd like to get them on some big catfish and maybe take a trip to one of the Ozark streams to chase some smallmouth and goggle eyes while wading around and playing in the water.

I hope to be able to do well at the state championship for my kayak tournaments and qualify for the national championship again. I missed out this year but hopefully will make it next year.

Fish more, catch more. Be safe

My fishing goals this year are to catch a new PB LMB and start flipping mats.

On 12/25/2025 at 11:31 AM, Mike L said:

When you see him next please tell him I said Hello.

I spoke to him yesterday. I write a note to myself to do so ...

1. Fish more

2. Catch a 6 lb largemouth

3. Finish 4th overall in my club standing

It's 1/15/26 and there's ice where I live.

Haven't even thought about goals as it will be roughly 3 months before my next outing.

With very little thinking, some goals:

• Catch a 5 lb bass.

• Explore new water. The chances of a 5 lb bass in the small waters I fish are slim.

• Buy a boat. The funds are there, I just need to do it. Having zero boating experience makes the task somewhat overwhelming. Even after the purchase, where am I going to store the dang thing in the summer/fall. Winter will be in my dad's machine shed so no big deal.

• Fish with my boys. Having a boat will make this much more easier. They like to fish but fishing out of a kayak is difficult if you don't do it much. They aren't fans of it.

Late addition added:

• Take my dad fishing with my boys. He's not a great father and we don't have a good relationship, but he's the reason I started fishing. He's 83 and slowing down so I know he doesn't have much time left. I need to take him out with the boys and I, he would enjoy it. Memory building for all I guess you could call it.

Competing in kayak fishing tournaments

🤞🖖

My goals are twofold. Fish a tournament schedule and not finish last and build more confidence with jigs. I am not bad with jigs as it were but i could be better and I want to become great with them.

Already have some plans in the works to take my brother in law and one of my close freinds fishing mor often. I got them started spring/summer of last year and they are now hooked. Besides that theres some new water and stretches of river i have found threw google maps that im going to be testing out. My biggest goals are to catch a small mouth over 2 1/2 lbs, a spot over 2 lbs, and a large mouth over 5. After finally being able to find fish consistently last year, i think I can beat that this year.

Catch seven different species on seven different setups/techniques all in the same day. I did it last year with six so trying to sneak one more in there.

This is one my favorite and toughest challenges. It allows me to bring all that I have learned in 30+ years of fishing to the table. Let the games begin.

27 minutes ago, FishTank said:

Catch seven different species on seven different setups/techniques all in the same day. I did it last year with six so trying to sneak one more in there.

Sounds fun. I used to have six and seven day species on the Mississippi and I loved them. I'd catch half a dozen of these: walleye, Sauger, white bass, smallmouth, largemouth, pike, mooneye, crappie, bluegill, mirror carp, perch, and drum. However, I never kept changing my setup. It's cool that you do!

Eat more chicken

Now that I'm healthy, I'll be spending more time on the water than the last couple of years. I'm looking to get my first 7lb. largemouth and 5lb. smallmouth since 2004. It'd be a big plus if the grandson can top his PB, too.

Learning the jerkbait!

"Adventure" fish more with my boys on the St Croix. They love using handlines.

Finding the juice faster - less 'what' and more 'where' - I try too hard to make average situations/spots work and figure them out instead of just moving on. Still in the small water to big water transition.

To not scratch my custom Pixy.

Do a few more 2-3 day trips to different areas. Like to hit Chippewa river in Michigan, Peshtigo river and flowages, Big Bay De Noc, Green bay again. Some inland lakes in the NLP.

My goal for 2026 and beyond is to wake up every morning that I plan to be out fishing and be on the right side of the dirt.

On 1/12/2026 at 10:40 PM, Big Hands said:

My previous fishing goals have generally never materialized. I think maybe I made them too specific. I know that the first letter in the SMART goal school of goal writing states that it should be specific, but hear me out.

I don't want it to be something I can necessarily achieve one day in April and simply check the box and move on. Instead I would like to expand my arsenal of baits and techniques, and even my mindset, but within the framework of working within the conditions that are presented to me at any give time.

Talking about SMART goals is my language! Along the same lines as not just checking a box, I always make process goals not outcome goals. I never make goals like catching a new PB, winning x amount of tournaments, or finishing top 3 in my club. While we can definitely influence those outcomes, we don't ultimately control them. I create goals I can 100% control- preparation, working on new techniques, going more often, fishing different types of water, studying my electronics more, an improved mental approach, ect. ect. And by accomplishing my process goals hopefully I catch that PB and have a better season fishing tournaments.

On 1/16/2026 at 9:27 AM, IYAOYAS said:

My goals are twofold. Fish a tournament schedule and not finish last and build more confidence with jigs. I am not bad with jigs as it were but i could be better and I want to become great with them.

As someone who has fished a jig for 25 years, I have finally decided to break down and buy nice gear. For the past two seasons I’ve been using a Dobyns 745HP and it’s been amazing. I’ve always loved a jig and done well with one, but I’ve really realized the right rod is a night and day difference. Now, I’ve just ordered a Dobyns Xtasy 755 and cannot wait to try it. I’m told it’s about as good of a jig rod as you can get. Definitely get a nice rod!

Otherwise, I just joined a new club and just want to hold my own and maybe win a few tourneys. A new LM pb would be nice but I can’t complain as I broke my smallie pb two years ago. I would also like to become proficient with some new techniques - Carolina rig, deep cranking, frogging, MAYBE some stupid finessy stuff 🤮

44 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Talking about SMART goals is my language! Along the same lines as not just checking a box, I always make process goals not outcome goals. I never make goals like catching a new PB, winning x amount of tournaments, or finishing top 3 in my club. While we can definitely influence those outcomes, we don't ultimately control them. I create goals I can 100% control- preparation, working on new techniques, going more often, fishing different types of water, studying my electronics more, an improved mental approach, ect. ect. And by accomplishing my process goals hopefully I catch that PB and have a better season fishing tournaments.

Wow, I'm blown away. Until I read this paragraph, I had no conscious idea that this is exactly how I approach all of my job and personal goals. This is something I unconsciously or unintentionally transitioned to probably a couple of decades ago. It took reading it to make me realize the specifics which, in turn, is going to allow me to refine it and improve it. Thanks for posting this.

Fish on my boat more.

Between pro staff responsibilities, coaching the local high school team, fishing with others to make content videos, and riding with an NPFL pro doing mediawork, I took my own boat out a half dozen times.

My wife wants to do more night fishing this Summer.

I want to fish more with my wife.

I'd like to bust a 5 lb Smallmouth or better yet my wife do that. Or both of us get one. :)

Me and a buddy are looking at a trip in December to Baccarac.

Lastly, slow down some and fun fish.