On Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 70 (How 2 Tuesday #24), I break down how to manage your expectations before a hunting or fishing trip. As a professional fishing guide, managing expectations is one of the most important skills I have learned, because hunting and fishing are completely weather dependent and ride on factors out of my control. My number one piece of advice is to have no expectations at all, do every bit of homework you can, and prepare so thoroughly that when the stars line up you are ready to take full advantage of the day.
Listen now: Spotify · Apple Podcasts · or press play in the player above.
I manage expectations by going in with none and doing my homework instead. Hunting and fishing are completely weather dependent and rely on factors that are out of my control, so a head full of expectations is a setup for disappointment. I research the best place, the best time, and the best guide, then I show up prepared to take advantage of whatever the day gives me.
I keep my expectations at zero because the moment I decide the day has to look a certain way, I have set myself up to be let down. Weather, water temperature, and timing can change everything overnight. When I arrive with no expectations, every fish or animal becomes a bonus instead of a measuring stick, and I end up enjoying the trip far more.
A good guide tells me the truth before we ever leave the dock. If a cold front pushed the water temperature down, the guide explains that permit will be hard to find and offers honest alternatives like barracuda or jacks. That communication puts the angler and the guide on the same page, so I can decide what I want to chase knowing exactly what the day really looks like.
A realistic day depends entirely on the species and the place, which is why I ask the outfitter to paint me a picture before I book. For tarpon in the Florida Keys, hooking a couple of fish is a great day and hooking none is not unusual. If I expect to catch fifty tarpon in a day, I have guaranteed my own disappointment, because that simply is not what the fishery offers.
I do every bit of homework I can on the location, the species, and the activity, and I get my gear and my body completely dialed in. I practice in the backyard, break in my boots, sight in my bow and rifle at every range, and get fit enough to walk all day. That way, if the stars line up, I am perfectly prepared to take advantage of the opportunity.
High expectations can absolutely ruin a trip that should have been a success. If someone expects fifty tarpon and catches eight, they walk away disappointed, even though most tarpon anglers have never landed eight in a single day. The fish did nothing wrong; the expectation was simply off track. That is exactly why I tell people to lower expectations and let a great day reveal itself.
Here is the exact approach I use to keep my expectations in check and set myself up for a great trip.
I walk through each of these with on-the-water examples in the episode. Press play in the player above.
Picture booking the best permit guide in the Florida Keys, hitting the right season, and doing everything right, only to have a cold front drop the water temperature the night before. Permit, bonefish, and tarpon are sensitive to that swing, and a good guide will tell you straight that the odds just got long. In that moment you can keep chasing permit all day or pivot to barracuda and jacks. Either choice is fine as long as you and the guide make it together with open eyes. I tell the whole story in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Before I booked a trip to South America to chase dorado, I had seen plenty of photos and videos, but a highlight reel never tells you the truth about a normal day. That show might have taken three days to film what looks like nonstop action. To get past that, I ask the outfitter to paint me a picture: is a great day five fish, one fish, or a single shot at one fish that may not even bite? Once I know what realistic looks like, I cannot be blindsided. I explain how I run that conversation in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The flip side of having no expectations is doing everything in my power to be ready. I practice casting in the backyard, break in my boots, get fit enough to walk all day, and sight in my bow and rifle at every range I might face. That way, when the stars do line up, I am not the reason the chance slips away. Eight tarpon in a day is an amazing day, even though someone expecting fifty might call it a letdown. I share exactly how I prepare in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The day after a trip, the people who had the best time are almost always the ones who showed up with no expectations and full preparation. They let a great day reveal itself instead of measuring it against a number in their head.
Have no expectations, do your homework, and prepare completely so that if the stars line up you are ready to go. That is the whole game. Press play in the player above and I will walk you through it.
Florida Keys · Key West · permit · bonefish · tarpon · barracuda · jacks · cold fronts and water temperature · South America dorado fishing · guided hunting trips · elk and deer hunting · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or mindset at a time, from fishing technique and gear to travel and the way I prepare for a trip, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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