SPUN OUT

[Kickerfish]

We've all been there. We have been to every spot we know, thrown every lure in the boat, and swore to sell it all off. I was there over the weekend. Fished HARD with my nephew on Nickajack and we had absolutely nothing to show for it fish-wise. I think the issue was we were running banks. The water was warming up 51-53 degrees but I dont think they were that shallow yet. I went out there knowing it is tough this time of year and proved that to myself as we left the lake. Then I go home and look at the derby results from that day and see that others are catching them and catching them well.

My question to all of you is, how do you not let stuff like this spin you out? I have put way too much money into this sport and love it every single day. I am really trying to rely on the fact that we were in the wrong areas and that contributed to a terrible day but it gets tough to remain positive sometimes. 99% of you guys have been fishing way longer than me. How do you go about this?

I have tasked myself with "figuring out Nickajack". I live here and want my home lake to be a comfort to me instead of a problem. As of now, I hate this place lol! I came home Saturday afternoon content with selling every fishing related item I had. Let's talk!

 

[FishingwithRusty]

take a deep breathe, then laugh! now think back through your decisions of the day and try to figure out which ones were the wrong ones. this a brutal and humbling sport. just have to commit! commit the time to learn the lake and the fish movements on that body of water. its what im doing for chick this year, with only a couple of exceptions i am only fishing chick this year to gain a better understanding of it and become more competitive. There is NO substitute for time on the water!

 

[31airborne]

I'm with Rusty. This is all about learning.

 

[Springmillvol]

Feel your pain kicker. I’m a weekend warrior so that makes it even tougher. It limits my chances to go and of course the crowds are up as well. Hope some of the things I learned last year carry over to this one

 

[Tight_Lines]

And also remember one of the best phrases in fishing!
No matter how bad and terrible day you had on the lake whether boat related, weather related or whatever the problem was---
"The absolute worst day fishing is ALWAYS!!! ALWAYS!!! better than the best day at work!!!!!"
GOOD FISHING TO ALL, and enjoy the piece and serenity of every day on the lake!!!

 

[roll tide]

Yes. Relax. When you're fishing your frustration is your biggest enemy. Stay positive and fish hard . Don't make it like work or your will burn out. Check out the pro tournaments , they have struggles too. Like stated above , There is no substitute for being on the water.. good luck and stay positive.

 

[Kman]

I know how you feel. I have have been trying to learn the Chick the last couple of years and have many days like you described. I am only able to get out a couple weekends a months, which make it even tougher. This winter with the crazy rain, and the water level fluctuating up and down, I have not caught many fish.
Then I see all of these posts of people catching giant fish every week and it becomes very frustrating. I think if I was able to fish more often, I would be able to pattern the fish better and understand their movements when the water is dropping, or rising, or heavy current, etc.

 

[TightlineT]

Thanks for the post. If someone had been at the ramp today with a 2" ball and a checkbook they could have left with pretty much all of my stuff at a real good price!!!!!

 

[Lx545]

Take a break. I was where you were in November/December. I was forced into a 2 month break because of truck issues. Best thing thats happened to me as far as fishing goes. I went three years hard at it. I was ready to sell myself. It is hard I find to stay on fish when you don't go at least once a week. Now I look at it differently. I don't go expecting to catch anything so I don't get disappointed.

 

[rippinlips2win]

I can tell you that I am fortunate enough to fish at a regional level and spend some time on the water...I used to feel like I could catch fish on Chick and I zeroed the last 2 trips there. It is super frustrating but if you continue to make the same decisions then you will get the same results. Find a way to take a different approach and do something that you have not done. Use the time when you are not catching fish to try or learn a new technique, to learn something new about the electronics or the body of water...Find a positive in each trip even if it is what not to do in the conditions of that day. Stay fluid and continue to learn from the bad days as well as the great days. Smile at the fish Gods and say you got me today but I will be back...then thank God that you have the opportunity to be out there enjoying it all...just my 4.5 cents worth...

 

[cbpbullet]

" It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great."-Jimmy Dugan
this quote is what keeps me going when it gets tough. I like trying to figure them out, I get board if it gets too easy.

 

[silvertalon]

There are too many negative variables that effect fishing quality to take it too seriously. Weather, moon phase, sun etc. Throw in cold water and it can be miserable. Fish your strengths and be positive. Fish the proven patterns when its tough and make adjustments as you go. For example, wind blown points and downwind banks. Be sure there is bait present. There are too many successful go to techniques now like- Shaky heads, finesse jigs, drop shot, Neko rigs for suspended bass, Ned rigs etc., to get bored and bummed out. Recognizing open and closed windows- When you go from catching fish to spending the next few hours getting your pride beat in. They just quit feeding. They will start up again. Sometimes that last hour is best. Sometimes it's just not going to happen and you can feel that. That's when I load out and go to the house, lol. It's always good to have a game plan. Tho, sticking to it is another thing. Rather than just planning on fishing your history, spend some time studying Navionics and google earth, for good looking spots to try. Bill Dance always said "spend part of every day fishing new water. Otherwise you'll never learn anything new". And, like KVD says, "It's all about the attitude".

 

[occasionalfisher]

Been there many times, and as many have said on here taking a break can be a good thing. Another thing that really helps me on days like this, if it is 11 am and you have no fish in the boat, get up on plane running in the boat, force yourself to drive a ways then just pick a random bank you have never fished and start over. Pull into the spot, look at the graph, read the bank, the current (sure there is plenty of that right now) look at a few places along that bank, fish a few spots a foot deep, a few 10 feet deep and then find the closet point and go there. Sometimes those kinds of changes will trigger your brain. But remember, while we have read all the stories, and we know all the stages of the spawn, and where the fish SHOULD be, the fish do not read Bassmaster or watch Tactical Bassin online, they will do what they are going to do, and there is always a way to catch them, sometimes you do not figure it out until the truck ride home.

 

[Kickerfish]

You guys are awesome. I've really enjoyed reading these responses and hope they keep coming. We can all learn from each other's bad days and as much if not more than each other's good days. I think one of my biggest issues is that I rely on what the bass "should be doing" as opposed to what they are actually doing. I have to get better at adapting to the conditions in my current stubborn ways. The advice on fishing new water is probably what I needed to be reminded of the most. Way too often I'll pull up on things that I've fished a million times and I wont try something new.

 

[31airborne]

Over my years of fishing I find I learn more on those tuff days than I do from the catching kind of days. If I make learning the focal point of an outing I always have a good trip.

 

[Pop-R]

Looking back on my BFL years as a co-angler I think I would have done so much better had I not paid as much attention to what everyone else did. Like was mentioned in an earlier post. I think a shaky head or light carolina rig would have produced for sure. While I kept trying to do what my pro was. The best I ever did was one tournament post spawn everyone was on a spinner bait bite the water was clear and I lost my good one early and only had a chartreuse one that wasn't getting looked at. My pro was catching them. I had watch a Worming with Woo video and thought why not. Put on a big old pink worm and ended up with just shy of a 20lb. bag. My boater was just shaking his head in unbelief. Another time the frog bite was on and I had no experience with it I watched the pro wackem and finally put it down and picked up a Texas rig and a weightless swimbait and fishing the edges of the mats he was on and got results. Try different things.

 

[FishingwithRusty]

here ya go!! you think youre frustrated........be a former bassmaster AOY and totally suck a$$ in a tournament and have your truck destroyed. its great to see and listen to his thought process.

https://youtu.be/o9Rh0H9LA58

 

[Strato-G]

The pleasures of FISHING is not always catching...Look at all the great pleasures you have experienced to & from the lake an the many hours spent on the water...people you have met, Eagles you have seen, youngsters smiles when they get in the boat, women with their hair a blowing, bosses not telling you not to use that lure that way, lol. I have spent numerous $$$ & hours about fishing, emoDance emoAngler .

I worked many years at an occupation which I enjoyed, standing in door of work gazing into far yonder wishing I could be OUT THERE. emoDoh I have never sat on my boat with a rod & rel in hand wishing I was at work, jmo. emoPlease

Fishing is a reward for being able & willing to be out in GODS creation. Every thing after waking up sometime of the day is a BONUS, Catching fish when FISHING is a BONUS.

Enjoy the ride, its really not that long...I appreciate all I have had the pleasure to meet, greet, fish along side & with during my tenure. looking to continue until,,,,,

Have a safe trip......enjoy all of it................

emoGeezer emoUSA emoThanks

 

[Gone fishin]

I was having a tough time this year and felt like I was getting burnt out. I would read these reports of catching them on this and that so I was out trying to make it work for me. I guess it is kinda like dock talk, your better off not listening. So the other day I told myself I am going to do what I do best and had a decent day and got some confidence back. Confidence is your best tool in this game and I have decided to stick with the techniques that I am best at and leave the other stuff at home. I may not tear them up everyday but at least I will enjoy it. I have a box of lipless cranks and chatterbaits that will be getting left behind.

 

[silvertalon]

FishingwithRusty - 3/8/2019 3:43 PM

here ya go!! you think youre frustrated........be a former bassmaster AOY and totally suck a$$ in a tournament and have your truck destroyed. its great to see and listen to his thought process.

https://youtu.be/o9Rh0H9LA58

Good Video. I'm Remembering last year when we fished out of Sullivans and the ramp was jameded full of boats and nowhere to park. I blew out a spark plug in my truck and came rattling in with my Triton and turned every head in the parking lot. Then, it was so dark- my attempt to park , I hit someones trailer. Was hoping that was the worst of the day but guess what? I skunked out. I left a 1/2 hour early and felt rather like just letting my truck and boat roll on out into the river and hitching a ride home! But the fun wasn't over- On 27 N, my weigh-in cooler got sucked up and out of the boat and crashed down in the center Median. Went back to get it and was really wondering if I was going to make it home., lol. Could have been worse. At least no one was hurt. But when you realize you've been doing this for 4 decades and are in it for the long haul, it's just another walk in the park. Live to fish another day...