I've learned a lot about fishing during spring openers with my pals, but never as much as I learned one morning on my own out at Gull Lake.

It was five a.m. Just as I was leaving the dock in my asthmatic 9-horsepower rental boat, I heard the roar of a 150-horsepower outboard motor and looked out into the misty distance. I couldn't believe my eyes, or my luck. There, zooming across the bay, was the king of the Lindy Rig himself, Al Linder—one of the most accomplished freshwater anglers in the world. And he was headed for the same spot I was planning to fish.

Through my binoculars, I saw him jump out of his seat, drop his trolling motor, glide into place, and begin casting. I pushed my wheezy little boat as fast as it could go, hoping that by the time I arrived Al would be reeling in a walleye. Unfortunately, I never made it. In fewer than two minutes, Al had given up on the spot. Having made a dozen rapidfire casts without catching anything, he zipped off to try his luck somewhere else.

Although I never came close to catching up with Al that morning, I kept an eye on him as he ricocheted around the bay. What I learned is that Al zooms from one likely spot to another and presents his bait quickly. If the fish aren't biting, he moves on until he finds a spot where they're more receptive. And then he reels them in, one right after another.

To be a successful marketer, you've got to be like Al Linder. You need the right equipment. You need the right bait. And you need the right strategy. If one prospect isn't biting, don't worry about it. Just move on to the next spot and throw out your line. There are plenty more fish in the pond.

Happy fishing, and happy marketing!

-Tom