I have been all over the place this year - fishing tournaments in my friends boat, fishing from the bank, fishing from the yak, fishing with my kids and fishing a lot of new water. I find myself fishing new water because I am searching for a bite that I can't find. Even the ned rig is a dog this year in waters I used to kill it with. Don't get me wrong, I am catching some fish but I really have to grind for them.
I have the time so fish around 30 hours a week. The other day we fished a new lake - Lily Lake. It's a natural glacial lake and basically a bowl - the whole outside is sedimented in with coontail extremely thick...i got skunked and its first time in a long time thats happened. 6 hours and a few bites but nothing - Not even a pickerel. I threw the kitchen sink out there and left thoroughly dejected. I have only had 2 double digit fish days this year, one was a 28 bass day in a tournament a few weeks ago and only a 5 fish bag of 7.25 pounds, so nothing stellar.
So this week the kids and I are packing up the car and going catfishing/carping for an evening since the wife is away for 5 days at a bachelorette party. That should be enjoyable with very few expectations beyond snacks and skipping stones.