Keep getting skunked...

[Chad617]

First, I fish out of a kayak and I try my best to 'plan' out my trip before I go out. I looked at the lake with the contour lines and located a few drop offs that I was going to look for cover out deep. I am fishing out of Dallas Texas and the water temp was saying it was around 60 degrees. Everyone said they were deep so I tried to find cover deep but my cheap garmin FF doesn't really help me with that. The unexpected wind also made me fish closer to the bank. I used chatter baits, spinner baits, a worm texas rigged, and a lipless crankbait but I keep getting skunked. This is the 4th time I went out to get skunked. I can't even catch them in my neighborhood pond which stirred my passion for bass fishing. What do you guys do when you're in a fishing lull? I am not going to give up but I felt pretty drained after not catching anything today. I am still learning how to transition from a pond fisherman to a kayak fisherman too. I just finished nursing school so I plan on diving deep into the youtube videos again. Thanks in advance!

 

Chad

[Bluebasser86]

You're probably right in the middle of the fall transition time in your area, which is tough fishing. We're still at the tail end of it here with the fish finally starting to hit the banks and feeding up. You're in a bit of a tough spot because of fact that you're in a kayak. Normally, the best way to fight the spread out fall fish is to tie on a moving bait and be mobile, cover water and try to contact as many active fish as possible, but that's not really an option for you in yak. So what you might be best off doing is finding those high percentage areas and really picking them apart. Places like mainlake and secondary points (secondary probably getting the nod at this point with fish moving back into coves with the bait), would be some of the main spots I would target. Try several different baits and try to contact any active fish that may be in the area. 

[NittyGrittyBoy]

And don't get discouraged, we all go through lulls where we can't get the skunk off our back! 

 

Just be patient and persistent! I went twice couple months ago and fished all day without so much as a bite. It's tough sometimes

[Chad617]

Good to know! Thanks for the advice! I am trying not to get discouraged hah...will just keep watching videos and fish when work allows. Thanks for all the tips and encouragement!

[LionHeart]

I fish Ray Roberts about an hour north of Dallas.  The water level is super high here due to all the rain.  Been pretty tough fishing but most of my fish have been caught by pitching plastics into what used to be the bank but is now under water, and slowly dragging it.

 

My best luck has been from 3-6 PM.  Oddly enough I can't seem to buy a bite on crankbaits.

[TOXIC]

When all else fails, try a Senko.....Seriously........and don't give up!!  

[Oregon Native]

Not sure how this lake lays up but when I used to fish the Columbia back home I would throw a crankbait off the back  and just troll and watch my fish finder for depth changes.  Covered a lot of water and learned a lot of the lay of the lake/river.  Picked a depth range and tried to follow it.  Pick a diver that works that range....try a couple colors and see what happens.  I definitely learned area's that have more fish.

Good luck

[BoatSquirrel]

With water temps around 60, the topwater bite should be great early and can last all day sometimes.  I make them tell me they wont eat it!

Second, in your kakak, a dropshot around wood or grass is a great bait because you can slide quietly right in on the fish and they never know you are there.  Just drop it right on them.

It just takes 1 bite and you are back in the game!

[WRB]

Find the bait the bass should be close.

Lots of rain has passed through Texas the last 2 weeks so your lake is probably on the rise, the bass moving into new brush shore cover, that is where I would start to look.

If the lake hasn't risen then I would look around long points and off shore humps using your T-rigged soft plastics where you find baseball size rocks.

Tom

[Brad Reid]

Chad, Tom has it dialed in regarding the rain. We have caught so much lately in north and east Texas that the water on most lakes is murky, fish are seemingly adjusting to changes in depth, etc.

 

Come on down to Lake Athens! We are about an hour out of south Dallas just 20 miles or so from Purtis Creek. Our lake doesn't have a large river system feeding into it so the water is pretty clear.

 

I'd recommend a drop shot, a wacky rigged worm and a shad/fluke plastic thrown weightless.

 

Brad

[Gundog]

If I'm getting skunked routinely I will try to put myself on the water at the best time of the day to catch fish. Bass are ambush predators and like to hunt in those times that give it the best advantage. Those times are usually 1 hour before and after sunrise and 1 hour before and after sunset. Those can be prime times for bass to feed. Topwaters and big spinnerbaits with Colorado blades and dark skirts can catch big bass at those times.

[Bankbeater]

The last three times I have been fishing a front has moved through a day or two before.  In those three trips I have only gotten one bite, and I missed that one.  We are expecting a dusting of snow tomorrow, so it looks like this weekend I will be putting together the cold weather tackle bag. Bluegill and crappie until February or March I guess.

[geo g]

When things get really tough I down size and slow way down.  My favorite tough day lure is the 4" senko or Stick-o.  I will put a 1/32 bullet weight so I get a real slow fall.  With rising water I will throw it in the thick bank cover and just let it sit, a few small quick jerks and sit again.  if you throw it in front of a big fish she will take it, along with a bunch of smaller ones.  It saves me from getting skunked on those real tough days.  I will throw it on 15 pound floro. sensitive, stealth, and strong enough to get them out of the thick stuff.   Good luck.

[1103Bassface]

The very last thing I resort to is a Senko, I should probably use it more than I do(Since I have had tremendous luck with them)...but just like someone previously stated, when all else fails use a senko 

[All about da bass]

Know how ya feel......

[Koz]

I ended my slump yesterday. Before going out to fish I picked up a few packs of Senkos at Wal Mart. Not knock off Yum Dingers this time, but the real deal Senkos.

 

On the fourth or fifth cast the slump was over. The bass was nothing to write home about - probably a pound and a half. But at least it was something.

[boatinpete]

Like you this fall was my worst, 3 different lakes , zero bass, I believe it was fall transition, like you get frustrating, but don't give up, it can't get worse, only better.

[Falkus]

 

 

Never give up ....

 

There were days where I have skunked for whole week of fishing at the lake as a shore fisher.