The Deep Dive
Fishing is the process of casting a wide net with an ambiguous statement and waiting for a bite. 'I'm sensing an issue with a contract or a piece of paper.' The client, eager for the reading to succeed, will inevitably respond: 'Oh, you mean my lease agreement for my new apartment!' The psychic immediately seizes on this, replying, 'Exactly, the lease agreement. I'm seeing that there is some hesitation around signing it.' The psychic has essentially stolen the client's own revelation and repackaged it as spiritual insight. The client leaves the reading convinced the psychic knew about the apartment, forgetting that they were the one who supplied the detail.
How to Spot It
Fishing almost always ends with an upward inflection, turning a statement into a question. 'I feel a change in your career coming up?' If you find yourself doing most of the talking during a session, explaining your situation, and filling in the details of the psychic's vague visions, you are being fished. A good reading should not feel like an interrogation.
The Skeptic's Verdict
The golden rule of testing a psychic is simple: Do not feed the fish. When an advisor makes a vague statement like, 'I see a conflict with a female figure,' respond with a non-committal 'Okay,' or 'Can you be more specific?' Do not say, 'Oh, my mother-in-law!' A legitimate intuitive reader will be able to narrow down the identity of the female figure without you handing them the answer key.