If I Had To “Start Over” Inshore Fishing in 2026, I’d Do These 3 Things Differently
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Artifical Lure Tips
If I had to forget everything I know about inshore fishing and start over in 2026, I wouldn’t begin by buying more gear or chasing new spots blindly.
Not because gear and spots don’t matter, but because without a clear plan, they don’t actually help you learn faster.
Most anglers already have everything they need to catch fish, yet they still finish the day unsure why things worked or didn’t.
So I created this video to break down the three things I’d do differently if I were starting from scratch in 2026, plus one thing I’d absolutely keep doing, to learn inshore fishing faster, build confidence, and get more out of the tools you already have.
Featured Software:
Key Takeaways
- Most anglers slow their own progress without realizing it
- Small changes in how you approach each trip can dramatically speed up learning
- Consistency matters more than variety when you are trying to improve
- Understanding why something worked is more valuable than a single good day
- Confidence comes from clarity, not more options
- The right tools only shine when you know how and when to apply them
Final Thoughts
Learning inshore fishing faster is not about owning less or ignoring good tools. It is about knowing when and why to use them. When you understand fish behavior, dial in your home waters, and review each trip with intention, your lures become more effective and your spots start to make more sense.
Question for you: If you had to start over inshore fishing tomorrow, which one of these would you fix first, and why?
IMPORTANT REMINDER
The 2 core benefits we promise to Insider Club members is to be able to find and catch fish easier than ever before while saving money on fishing equipment.
So I am including links to the quickest ways to achieve each:
1) Finding Fish System
2) Insider Club’s Group Discounts
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Love your vids, Pat. Always learn something.
This was a very good video I think it will help me get back to the basics and catch more fish.
Love it. You obviously have a MBA in angling. I would definitely just master a couple of lures as the SaltStrong family has instructed. Recognize that if the fish aren’t biting it is likely a 90% zone issue rather than a lure issue. I have always been too patient for a bite.
Pat this is probably the most informative coaching video for me on fishing ever. I got distracted by gear and became a Gear Head because it’s fun to collect shiny new things but it didn’t really improve my time spent fish caught ratio. Great information!
Excellent instructional vid Pat… thanks.
Thanks Keith!
Pat, you gave me anxiety with PDCA – Plan Do Check Adjust and as I always say if you ignore the P, you get DeCAy
Hope you found it helpful!
My biggest mistake has always been trying to catch fish in the 90% zone vs the productive 10%. Thanks for reminding me we need “to know” our home waters better vs driving haphazardly all around.
Thanks Pat!!!
I fished a lot of dead water when I made that transition to inshore.
Excellent tutorial Pat, thank you!
Thank you Nick!
Another well done, informative video. Thank you Pat. I would have bought a quality pedal kayak at the very start. Freeing up the hands enabled me to fish more water and use different fishing techniques… spot fishing, trolling, drifting etc.
I would have done the same knowing what I know now, such a huge difference between that and a paddle kayak.
Thanks Pat. Good info, If I could go back I would buy less gear.
The gear is a big regret for a lot of people