In a slump

[clark9312]

I've been out 2 times now without a bite! I've had plenty of bad days but I don't think I can ever remember going 2 trips in row with out a bite. Any of you guys experienced this?

[Sword of the Lord]

I would frequently experience multiple skunk fests if I didn't fish multiple bodies of water nearly every time out.

[38 Super Fan]

September and October are always tough around here.

[BassB8Caster]

Maybe you are forcing things too much? Relax and slow down. Think back over those 2 days. What are you using? Maybe you are using "the same routine"? Think outside the box. The last few times out prior to yesterday were a grind. Fish were not where they should be doing what the should as the water cools. Yesterday i had the best day ever. It can change in one day....in one cast. 

[Koz]

That's just part of fishing and it happens to everyone at one time or another. For weeks I was pulling out 4 and 5 pounders every time I went out and then last weekend not even a nibble. But I'll be back out next weekend.

 

Be thankful you're fishing for sport and not for food.

[geo g]

It happens to a lot of good fisherman this time of year.  Slow down with your plastics and fish them painfully slow.  Don't panic!  The senko, or Zoom u-vibe, fished slow has saved many a day for me, this time of the year.  

[TOXIC]

Happens a lot more than I would like but we call them "Dues paying Days" sooner or later the payoff will happen.  Just gotta keep grinding it out and approach each day new.  As a guide, I use the following mindset every time I hit the water....Fishing is like a 500 piece puzzle, the more pieces of the puzzle you can put together, the better your day will be.  No mater where or how I caught them yesterday or the day before, I re-think the puzzle every time I dunk the boat.  

[frogflogger]

Having gone over 12 days without a fish I would advise keep fishing - the ned rig will usually cure those ills.

[Spankey]

It happens don't sweat it. Get away from your normal routine. Sort of fish your way through it. There is most likely a good explanation for it. It's a matter of how deep you want to think about it. Let it go, and fish through it. I was out on Saturday and the Smallmouts were nonexistent with a case of lock jaw. Managed two greenies fishing an area I had no plans on fishing. Was gonna call it a day. Felt lucky and blessed to get them. Covered a lot of productive water and threw a lot of productive lures. Thats fishing.

[kickerfish1]

Sounds like you need to find a slumpbuster

[bigbill]

Sounds like you need to fish different baits? Try a scent? Wash your hands like I do with big orange before going fishing. Don't touch the gas pump while on the way to go fishing. Change your ways. I follow a routine exactly.

 

remember I said we can have different water conditions as the water column goes deeper. Chartreuse can be our friend. Yup been there.

 

it about attitude too. If we say we're not going to catch anything while on the way there stay home. You jinx yourself. I'm so up beat nothing can touch me when I'm in the zone not even the bears.

[JustinJ]

Tough few weeks for me l. Keep fishing!

 

[clark9312]

On 10/10/2017 at 8:03 AM, frogflogger said:

Having gone over 12 days without a fish I would advise keep fishing - the ned rig will usually cure those ills.

I picked up a pack of ned rig hooks the other day but never tied one on. 

The water conditions have been pretty good and everything tells me they should be feeding up shallow or in cover but just can't seem to find them. Going to try and find a tourney Saturday. I'm due for a good day lol

[TheFishingFool]

I went through a slump in August. I found my way out of it by just fishing through it. I switched from my go to baits and went with some other stuff and it made the difference.

[burrows]

I usually will hop some farm ponds, that always gets the skunk out.

[JRez]

Drop shot roboworm (morning dawn) usually gets the job done. Just choose a good spot with some cover. I'm sure one of them will crush the roboworm.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I recently got skunked for the first time ever (fishing from a boat). I tried everywhere on that lake. But, i was trying to force them to bite what and how i wanted. Next trip out I took weather conditions into consideration and a little logic and I we able to make a decent day out of it. Sometimes you just have to go back to basics. 

[Gundog]

2 times without a fish isn't a slump. That happens routinely. I agree with the comments above that say slow down, fish soft plastics slow and eliminate what was not working the last 2 times out. BTW my personal record for fishing days without a fish is 12. 

[scaleface]

Skunkings just dont happen to me unless under extreme circumstances  . Early and late in the year can be tough . Also during extreme weather  or water changes  like flooded conditions, muddy...  This time of  year  , the places I fish that have good populations of bass ,  during  normal weather,  I'm going to catch some  . I pick  times and locations with the intent on having a good day and put in an average of eight hours on the water . Are you fishing from a boat ? 

 

If fishing stable weather , stable water and a good population of fish there should be some biting .

[Catt]

Slumps are something we all deal with; I've found through the years the best way to handle them is to get back to basics. I know what my strengths are and fish towards them; I suggest you should do the same. If you are good at Flipping/Pitching, Texas Rigs, Cranks, Spinners, or what ever concentrate on those techniques. If you are good at shallow water, deep water, or grass concentrate on those areas.

 

I've learned to down size my tackle to just the basics, it is extremely hard to be a master of all the available techniques. I'm very good at Jig-N-Craws, Texas Rigs, & Spinner baits so I fish where I can maximize these strengths. I'm not that great with Crank baits so when in a slump I don't waste time fishing them. I don't try new techniques either when in a slump.

 

The most common mistake I see my students make when in a slump is with the hook set. They are not sure if they had a bite & so they use somewhat of a lazy hook set. I cannot over stress the importance of a solid hook set; speed is the key not strength. If you are a smaller person or woman use a heavier rod to gain the speed needed, if you are a larger person use a medium heavy rod to limit pulling the bait away from the fish.

So when in a slump I would look for small things to change, like timing of the hook set, speed of the hook set.

 

[TOXIC]

First off, stop considering it a "slump" bad term with a bad meaning.  I like "struggling" better.  You have to break a slump......you succeed in figuring out the pattern when you are struggling.  It's a mental problem.  

[NHBull]

If your getting Skunked at this time of year, you are probably fishing to fast or staying with a presentation to long.  Slow down, relax, and don't be afraid to change it up.  Many of my Summer go-to's are now sleeping for the Winter and Fall top waters and buzz baits are on deck.......oh, and big jigs too ?

[Columbia Craw]

Bass are driven by two factors, feeding and reproduction.  They need to gain weight going into winter but many bodies of water are in transition, water levels, temperature, vegetation die off, algae blooms and so on.  Find the bait as best as you can.  For me this means rock rock and more rock.  It's a time when cranking shines but that's my area.  It will come together. 

[Russ E]

If a  lake has a lot of vegetation, the die off in fall can drive fish away.

I have found bass in these type of lakes in the fall, In the back of coves that have a feeder creek.

this brings in  fresh water that attracts baitfish.

[geo g]

7 hours ago, scaleface said:

Skunkings just dont happen to me unless under extreme circumstances  . Early and late in the year can be tough . Also during extreme weather  or water changes  like flooded conditions, muddy...  This time of  year  , the places I fish that have good populations of bass ,  during  normal weather,  I'm going to catch some  . I pick  times and locations with the intent on having a good day and put in an average of eight hours on the water . Are you fishing from a boat ? 

 

If fishing stable weather , stable water and a good population of fish there should be some biting .

You probably just haven't been fishing long enough.  Getting skunked isn't abnormal, never getting skunked is abnormal.  If you do it long enough, it will happen.  It happens to tour pros, so it will happen to average Joes!!!!!!