Anyone Else Sometimes Not Catch Anything?

[Josh Smith]

Hi Folks,

 

I have fast days and I have slow days when fishing, but I never have days when I catch nothing.

 

That changed today.

 

I'm at the point in my life where it's a personal failure to not catch bass when go bass fishing.

 

While I was out, a front was coming through; a warm front I believe.  The barmometer was dropping.

 

I started fishing right at sunrise.  So far as I know, I did everything right.  I went through every lure I had with me, and finally ended up using deep divers to ram the bottom.  That usually gets a strike when all else fails, but it's also hard on equipment.

 

I was out from 7am to 12pm and nothing.

 

The only differences between today and every other day is that today was a weekend.  Still, I had the lake to myself for a while before anyone else showed up, and even then it was three teenagers on the other end.

 

I have that shoreline mapped, I know where all the bass hangouts are, and I still got nothing.

 

One thing that has changed is that there are a lot of acorns and walnuts falling into the water, and I'm sure that's spooked all the fish some.  Still, last time I went it was like this and I the bass had just moved to places where the nuts weren't falling.

 

The only thing that really was different was the weekend vs weekday.  Can bass get into a weekly pattern where they shut down for the weekend?  I've never heard of it, but that's almost what seems to have happened.

 

I did get one response from one bass, so I know it was there.  I threw a Hula Popper, and it tapped it.  I'm not sure if it tapped it with its body or if it tried to eat it, but it seemed half-hearted, I'd been distracted by something else, and I missed the hook set.

 

The birds seemed to have trouble finding the fish, too.  I saw one, early on, grab a meal.  The rest of the day they were flying along a channel but I didn't see anymore swoop'n'scores.

 

Is this only me?  Or do others here sometimes have unproductive days even after trying for five hours?

 

Josh

[Catch and Grease]

Nope just you.

[doyle8218]

Happens to everyone that fishes long enough.

[ColdSVT]

First skunk? How long have you been fishin? A month?

Man i know i been skunked many times in my life, and i know it will happen again lol ( and i dont exactlt suck at fishing lol)

[OntarioFishingGuy]

Getting skunked is a part of fishing.

[Jar11591]

At my home lake, getting skunked is just something you'll have to endure if you want to catch any of the numerous 4 & 5 pounders. Happens more often than I would like, but my patience is usually rewarded with a monster bass or pike.

[F14A-B]

That's the nature of the sport.. It happens, it just does....

[Josh Smith]

Thanks folks.

 

I used to get "skunked" (learned a new term!) when I was a teenager, now and again, but since I've been an adult it's only happened a couple times, and I chalked that up to not having enough time to fish thoroughly.

 

The two other times I was on time constraints and couldn't fish thoroughly.

 

I've always been under the impression that if you find where the bass are, then you can get them to bite, even if it means ramming them with something.

 

Thanks again,

 

Josh

[Bruce424]

I got skunked today. And the way the weather was. Overcast breezy. Perfect weather for spinnerbaits and squarebills... not. Got nothin. Fishing around wood and from shore. If I had to guess they were suspended out deep. Tried my jigs too. Swimming and flipping.just really surprised cause I was pumped thinking I was gonna knock the heck out of them. Only to be disappointed and confused. Haha.

[Josh Smith]

I got skunked today. And the way the weather was. Overcast breezy. Perfect weather for spinnerbaits and squarebills... not. Got nothin. Fishing around wood and from shore. If I had to guess they were suspended out deep. Tried my jigs too. Swimming and flipping.just really surprised cause I was pumped thinking I was gonna knock the heck out of them. Only to be disappointed and confused. Haha.

 

This.

 

We need a support group!

[ClackerBuzz]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/144727-skunked/

[Bluebasser86]

I get skunked occasionally during the winter months. I can't remember the last time I got skunked once the water temps were above about 50 though.

[z7master167]

I did yesterday and it was the first time in several years, cloudy, breezy, and perfect spinnerbait conditions, and notta thing, in my defense, i was fishing the worst lake in my state lol

[Josh Smith]

I did yesterday and it was the first time in several years, cloudy, breezy, and perfect spinnerbait conditions, and notta thing, in my defense, i was fishing the worst lake in my state lol

 

It sounds like something weird was happening.  Indiana and West Virginia had similar weather patterns yesterday, and I'm betting Bruce lives in IN, OH, KY, WV, or PA. 

 

Everything about that front says that we should have been catching a lot of bass, but it seems to have shut them down instead.

 

Regards,

 

Josh

[Bladesmith,]

Some days I get really good at not catching fish. I can go to a spot where I tore them up a couple days ago and not catch fish. Under these conditions I can not catch fish on spinner baits, crank baits, soft plastics, jigs, or anything else. Although it is thankfully rare there are days when I just can't seem to buy a bite. It isn't all bad though. It tells me the fish have moved or I am doing something wrong for that day, time, and body of water......Then it becomes a challenge. To me that is what it is all about. Where is the fun or sense of accomplishment when all you have to do is throw a lure in the water to catch fish? That is why it is called "fishing" instead of "catching". Just my .02.

[RSM789]

I think it is a bit more humbling to get skunked on your home lake.  A new lake, sure, but on a place that you know well, that can be difficult to take.

 

The closest I came to getting skunked on my home lake in the past couple of years was the day following a decent sized earthquake.  No acorns were falling, but it affected the fish nonetheless.  Since we really don't have seasons here in SoCal, the consistent weather makes the fish pretty simple to pattern if you know the lake you are on.  I would guess that isn't the case in most other states or even in NoCal.

[hoosierbass07]

I get skunked more times than not! But I only fish for toe to three hours from bank or kayak, not all day.

[chris55552]

Welcome to Bass Fishing 101, getting skunked!!! It happens to the best of fisherman so don't get discouraged!!  Bass fishing is a life long sport with a life long learning process and that's what makes it so great.  If it were easy to go out and catch tons of fish everytime then it probably wouldn't be much fun.  Ive been bass fishing for 30 years now and am considered to be a pretty good fisherman and I still have plenty of trips with little to no luck at all .

Don't get discouraged keep working at it, research, study lake maps and read about seasonal patterns and seasonal techniques, talk to other anglers and find out whats working and what is not!!!

[Neonspeed]

I have very few days where I don't catch anything at all, but days where I only catch one all day is very common, but I look at it like if I catch only 1 fish the day was still a success.