Der Köder muss dem Fisch schmecken, nicht dem Angler

English translation: The bait is supposed to suit/attract the fish, not the angler

11:22 Oct 5, 2005

German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

German term or phrase: Der Köder muss dem Fisch schmecken, nicht dem Angler

A client's just asked me this - i know there's an English equivalent (something about "it's the fish that has to eat the worm..."?) but I can't think of it!

Anyone remember the English saying?

Hilary Davies Shelby KudoZ activity Questions: 558 (8 open) (5 without valid answers) (31 closed without grading) Answers: 527 United States
Local time: 08:40

English translation:The bait is supposed to suit/attract the fish, not the angler

Explanation:
not sure if that's a standard phrase, though ...
"appeal to..."

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Note added at 7 mins (2005-10-05 11:29:56 GMT)
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has to be enjoyed by ...

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Note added at 20 mins (2005-10-05 11:43:13 GMT)
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The aim is to hook the fish ...
We/you bait the hook to fit the fish ...
http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/scout/archives/092295/artic...

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Note added at 56 mins (2005-10-05 12:19:10 GMT)
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This question is under "Idioms / Maxims / Sayings", but is the Asker implying that there is in fact a marketing context involved here?

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Note added at 2 hrs 5 mins (2005-10-05 13:28:11 GMT)
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Cater to the customer, not to the cook ... ('s calorie count/ culinary crazes)
(summat like that, perhaps - not)

Selected response from:

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 15:40

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

The bait is supposed to suit/attract the fish, not the angler

Francis Lee (X)

3 +3

The bait should catch the fish not the fisherman

Nick Somers (X)

3 +1

Ah but the question is, will it sell?

Lancashireman

You need to bait the hook to catch the fish

Claire Cox

First spot your fish, then bait your hook (accordingly).

Leveleki

The bait must suit the fish, not the angler

Caro Maucher

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Cilian O'Tuama

The fish must swallow the bait, not the angler/fisherman

Terence Ajbro

what's good for the goose is not always good for the gander

E Perret

Pick your lure to attract the right fish

Rebecca Garber

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.

jccantrell

We don't eat worms, but that is what fish prefer, so use worms when you want fish.

Fantutti (X)

Discussion entries: 5

Answers

12 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Ah but the question is, will it sell?

Explanation:
Perhaps the modern marketing equivalent. Not quite so traditionally proverbial, though.
http://telicthoughts.com/?p=102

Lancashireman
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 160

13 mins confidence:

The bait must suit the fish, not the angler

Explanation:
found *only* on the reference site, though

Reference: http://drwagnernet.com/des1/archives/fall01/lect1101.html

Caro Maucher
Germany
Local time: 15:40
Works in field
Native speaker of:

German
PRO pts in category: 11

14 mins confidence:

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Explanation:
?

Cilian O'Tuama
Germany
Local time: 15:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 109

30 mins confidence:

The fish must swallow the bait, not the angler/fisherman

Explanation:
open to many interpretations I think.

Terence Ajbro
Sweden
Local time: 15:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 20

32 mins confidence:

You need to bait the hook to catch the fish

Explanation:
Is the closest I can think of - not sure whether it suits in your particular case!

Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:40
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 32

38 mins confidence:

what's good for the goose is not always good for the gander

Explanation:
does this work?

E Perret
Switzerland
Local time: 15:40
Native speaker of:

English

1 hr confidence:

First spot your fish, then bait your hook (accordingly).

Explanation:
With courtesy of the Provencal "make up a suitable phrase" departmnent!! Actually I just wanted to raise a smile - the one on your photo is so appealing!

Leveleki
France
Local time: 15:40
Native speaker of: English

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

The bait should catch the fish not the fisherman

Explanation:
... or worm or lure
This version seems to have some currency on the Net

Nick Somers (X)
Local time: 15:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

The bait is supposed to suit/attract the fish, not the angler

Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 15:40
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 54

Grading comment

Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Cilian O'Tuama: isn't fisherman more common than angler?

7 mins

-> Well, my reference indeed cites "fishermen", but there a couple of million hobby anglers in the UK, and I wouldn't call them fishermen.// Correction: in this case I would ... ;-)

agree

Martina Heintke: There's no equivalent, I spent hours searching once. In a marketing doc I translated it thus: The bait needs to be appropriate for your catch.

14 mins

agree

Caro Maucher: one match for 'must appeal to': http://www.youthreach.ie/aatopmenu/Library/London/London.htm

15 mins

agree

Eckhard Boehle

24 mins

agree

Frosty: No problems with this - and I have heard it said in exactly this way at many salesforce `pep-talks´.

51 mins

agree

Textklick: With Caro's URL

1 hr

agree

Michele Fauble: This is a more or less literal translation, which communicates the meaning in English as well as the original German does,

1 hr

agree

Ian M-H (X)

1 hr

2 hrs confidence:

Pick your lure to attract the right fish

Explanation:
or attract the right target/prey

Just a thought.

Rebecca Garber
Local time: 09:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 11

3 hrs confidence:

You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar.

Explanation:
This is the one that jumped out to me.

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 06:40
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 19

13 hrs confidence:

Der Köder muss dem Fisch schmecken, nicht dem Angler We don't eat worms, but that is what fish prefer, so use worms when you want fish.

Explanation:
I believe it's a Carnegie quotation.

Compare Prices and Read Reviews on How to Win Friends & Influence ...
**We don't eat worms, but that is what fish prefer, so use worms when you want fish**.
Do you see how simple and accurate these concepts are? ...

www.epinions.com/content_76252745348

[PDF] Presentation Template
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
„Der Köder muss dem Fisch schmecken, nicht dem Angler.“ (Dale Carnegie). S S.
ituation. Wer sind Ihre Teilnehmer? Wozu benötigen Sie Ihre Präsentation jetzt ...
www4.in.tum.de/lehre/seminare/ tdmk/WS0405/folien/ptechniken/folien.pdf

Fantutti (X)
Local time: 06:40
PRO pts in category: 10

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