Nothing Is Working!!

[Catch and Grease]

I fish a lake called banks in south GA and get skunked on a regular basis, but what I don't get is sometimes I can fish almost a whole day and throw every lure in my tackle boxs with a load of varied retrieves and still I don't catch a single bass... It seems like after 8 hours of fishing at least one bass would strike something I put in the water... Anyways now that I'm done with my sob story lol what do y'all do on days when nothing seems to work? (besides going home) haha like what lures do you use etc...

[Mccallister25]

Are there even any bass in the water your fishing? Alot of times it could be something as simple as downsizing the lures your using.

[BadBassWV]

Drop shot a 4" finesse worm, usually does the trick for me when the bite is hard to get.

[Catch and Grease]

Yeah there is tournaments here and I've caught loads of bass here, its just known for being a tough lake to fish... I'm trying to get more serious about bass fishing but somedays at banks lake I just can not catch a fish I try lures of all sizes and colors its just frustrating... I have not tried drop shotting lately though and will try that if the bite gets slow again

[Catch and Grease]

Yeah there is tournaments here and I've caught loads of bass here, its just known for being a tough lake to fish... I'm trying to get more serious about bass fishing but somedays at banks lake I just can not catch a fish I try lures of all sizes and colors its just frustrating... I have not tried drop shotting lately though and will try that if the bite gets slow again

[tcbass]

I fish a lake called banks in south GA and get skunked on a regular basis, but what I don't get is sometimes I can fish almost a whole day and throw every lure in my tackle boxs with a load of varied retrieves and still I don't catch a single bass... It seems like after 8 hours of fishing at least one bass would strike something I put in the water... Anyways now that I'm done with my sob story lol what do y'all do on days when nothing seems to work? (besides going home) haha like what lures do you use etc...

Are other people catching fish on that lake?

When I was younger my bro and I fished a lake my cousins had a cabin on. Fished all day and finally caught a tiny 7" bass. I said there aren't any fish in this lake. My cousins dad laughed and said that's about it. The lake was known for having just a few tiny bass in it.

[Catch and Grease]

Yes there are bass in this lake I've caught tons here and my fishing buddy caught and 11lb bass out of there last month too.

[RipSomeLips]

I think sometimes as a fellow bankbeater i have realized that sometimes i just cant get to where the fish are on days like that. Thats why i got a kayak!

[OK Bass Hunter]

Back to the basics, jig, 10 inch worm, 5 inch Senko, lipless crankbait, or a jig. Throw it where you're pretty sure you might get hung up.

[Jrob78]

Are you fishing from a boat or bank fishing?  If you're bank fishing, you might just be in the wrong place.   The areas you're fishing might not be holding any fish at the times you're fishing them.

[BigKev77]

Man, I know how that feels. When I have a day like that I just figure I didn't find fish. I fish the Arkansas river on one of the tougher pools. When the flow is slow it can get really tough, but when you find fish well you know you found fish. Those other days it just seems like a baron waste land. On those days you have to run a gun and hit every spot. Look for signs of life, bait fish hitting the surface or schools on the graph. Heck even look at what the birds are doing. If they are working in the water there is a reason for it they aren't just playing slashy splash. I am no expert, not even close but that is what I "try" to do on those tough days. Doesn't always work out for me though.

 

Edit: thought I would add. Just keep fishing! It'll happen eventually.

[Gone_Phishin]

A small Shad Rap in a natural pattern is definitely worth a shot when nothing else is working.

[bigbill]

Well it's time to fall back, regroup and attack again.

1. What's the water conditions, average?

2. Do you wear polarized glasses to watch what's going on behind your lures? Are the bass making runs at your lures then breaking

Off the last few seconds called short strikes?

3. Have you tried 6" black plastic worms split shot rigged?

4. You have had success in this place before and the bass seem to be more off the bite than on?

5. How often do you change up your presentations? In the past if I ran through my tackle box full of baits once. I'd go threw it again trying every different presentation I know. My moto is on a tough trip throw firetiger. The water conditions could be different as we fish deeper.

6. Do you use a bass scent?

7. Does your tackle box have foul oders in it? When was the last time you washed your baits and tackle box? I soak my baits in a dish pan with a little dish soap to get rid of the foul oders. I either lightly pressure wash my tackle box or scrub it.

8. Do you wash your hands before going fishing?

9. Do you pump your own gas on the way to go fishing? I would replan my fuel stops another time I'm not going fishing. This new blend of gas smells nasty. A bass can smell 20 ppm his sense of smell is that accurate.

10. Are you too noisy when handling your tackle? If you are your warning the fish ahead of time that your there. Your warning them. Is your reel worn and noisy.

Here's what I do before o go fishing it's my ritual of preparation.

1. I wash my hands with big orange hand cleaner. I'm removing any foul oders that can be on my hands.

2. I don't pump or touch gas or oil as I'm driving to go fishing.

3. Use a newer bass scent do not use the older scents. Put a shot of scent in your hands and rub it all over your hands just a little will do.

4. Try throwing a ritual of baits that has worked in the past.

5. If your fishing from shoreline walk softly don't step on any rocks or tree roots that are sticking out of the ground near the shoreline.

6. Check the PH of the water if you can. Your looking for a PH of 7 + / -. If it's not move till you find it and fish there. If you are having heavy rains it could stir up the shallow bottom and change the PH that can shut the bite down.

When we do it all right we catch bass. One little thing we do wrong can change the game.

After the heavy rains come thru I give the body of water a chance to settle back down so the PH returns to normal.

It's skill and knowledge that catches fish not luck. Luck is at the casino.

Make little changes till you figure it out.

[BadBassWV]

Like all animals, fish must maintain a certain chemical balance in their blood and body fluids if they are to survive. Since the pH of their blood is slightly alkaline (7.6), it is not surprising that bass seek out water with approximately the same pH. When the water pH is near this value, bass are best able to withstand stress and utilize the oxygen in the water properly. This is not to say bass will travel far distances to find an ideal pH; the species are very adaptable and can survive in water with a pH ranging from 6.7 to 9.6. However, given any choice, if there is water within their immediate region that has a pH of 7.5 to 7.9, that is where bass will be.

 

I don't know guys, I think sometimes we just over think things.  Having time to go fishing, being on the lake, enjoying the outdoors is what its all about, Catching a Bass now and then is a bonus.  

[Catch and Grease]

Thanks for all the great help guys, for all the people asking I fish from a boat, I'm going back this afternoon and will try out some of these tactics!

Edit: At banks lake IMO its defiantly all about finding the fish, the bass seems a lot easier to find there in summer for some reason and when it gets real hot and the bass start heading for the deep spots under the Cyprus trees I can usually find them a lot easier, its that time after post spawn when its not quite summer yet that I have the most trouble. Any tips for this time frame?

[mdurrbeck]

Drop shot a 4" finesse worm, usually does the trick for me when the bite is hard to get. 

Exactly what I would suggest! 

[bigbill]

At this time depending on where we live the bass can be spawning too. There also on the north side that's gets more Sun during the day.

[Big-O]

This would be my choice, a RAGE Rigged high action soft plastic. It is basically hang up free and since your fishing from shore in mostly shallow conditions, it provides action both on the fall and with minimum movement of the rod tip. Keep it slow like fishing a T rig with slow lift and fall allowing the bait to settle to the bottom each time. If the fish want it faster, they'll tell you when you're reeling it in to make another cast to your targets. Best and most complete search tool I know of when fishing is slow and fish are shallow. Hope this helps

[Catch and Grease]

I love the rage rig! I've caught loads of bass on it, fell in love with it ever since I saw bassresource do a video on it ha!

[Raul]

I fish a lake called banks in south GA and get skunked on a regular basis, but what I don't get is sometimes I can fish almost a whole day and throw every lure in my tackle boxs with a load of varied retrieves and still I don't catch a single bass... It seems like after 8 hours of fishing at least one bass would strike something I put in the water... Anyways now that I'm done with my sob story lol what do y'all do on days when nothing seems to work? (besides going home) haha like what lures do you use etc...

 

That´s why it´s called fishing and not called catching mate.

 

So, what do I do when nothing seems to work  ? ------> I keep on trying, I have nothing better to do.

[Comfortably Numb]

Fish at night.

[iceintheveins]

If it's fairly clear, senkos, finesse worms, centipedes, finesse jigs, fat ikas, ect.

[gripnrip]

Do some 12oz curls.