I can't catch anything!

[AndrewHaley]

Help me, please. I am a 14-year-old fisherman that just started. I hate seeing everyone around me catch fish but I can't get a single bite. I got my first ever reel this last Christmas and haven't caught a fish since last fall. (I live in Texas) I have one spinner bait and one crankbait. I also have a bunch of random soft plastics including 2 lizards, 2 different baby shad, One pack of Powerworms (or power baits don't know what they are called) I cannot get any bites and am limited to one pond called "Bailey Lake" in Burleson. I don't know what to do anymore and I'm losing hope/confidence. I really want to learn how to fish and how to do it well. I do not want to wait time walking somewhere and hoping to catch a fish if I can't even remember what a bite feels like. I would like some help, please!!! I don't know what to do anymore besides give up. Please let me know what lures, spots to fish, or colors. I 've watched so many tutorials on youtube its crazy. Nothings helping and this is the last thing I can do before I completely give up the sport. Keep in mind I don't have a car so I just can't move fishing spots because bailey lakes the closest spot near my house. I'm going to Walmart tomorrow to pick up some baits, Any suggestions/colors? (the water is like visible for 1-3 feet at the bank then its muddy.)

 

 

 

Edit** (same day as post)

 

I got some size 2 hooks and some nightcrawlers 

Edited April 22, 2019 by AndrewHaley

[Angry John]

There are no magic lures.  What is working when the others are catching.  Black blue and green pumpkin are the colors for those conditions for bottom plastic.  There are tons of options but cutting those down to a manageable level is first.  What type of lure is getting bit.  If there feeding on the bottom and your working topwater then things are not going to work in your favor.  Fishing like cards is a game of odds.  7 or 9" worms are not huge in your area but are big enough to get found.  I would grab a curly tail worm to work the bottom and a popper to work the top.  A pack of rage swimmers for the middle or the full range.  If those three dont get it done the technical aspects need to be changed.

[OCdockskipper]

I pulled up the website for Bailey lake and it is listed as having catfish, perch & stocked trout in it, so the first question is if there is a population of largemouth bass even in the lake.  You can't catch bass if they aren't there.

 

Considering the time of year, your location & the clarity of the water, you could spend an hour or two just walking around the lake slowly to see if there are any bass on beds.  Don't worry about catching them, you are just trying to get a feel for if a population exists.

 

If they do, the most basic advice I can give for an 8 acre lake is to go small.  A 3" soft swimbait, a small curly tail grub, a small Pop-R, whatever direction you go, remember that the forage in that lake is not large. 

 

Lastly, slow down.  Unlike a large lake where the forage can swim miles away, pond fish know that what they are eating can't get too far away from them.  A lot of small water fish are unwilling to chase or chase far, they know the forage has to come back to them eventually.

[TnRiver46]

Rooster tail

[JustALineWetter]

5 minutes ago, OCdockskipper said:

I pulled up the website for Bailey lake and it is listed as having catfish, perch & stocked trout in it, so the first question is if there is a population of largemouth bass even in the lake.  You can't catch bass if they aren't there.

Fishidy has a few mentions of LMBs being caught in Bailey. Don't know if it's the lack of reporting, or a severe shortage of them that has so few mentions.

https://www.fishidy.com/map/us/texas/burleson-ponds

 

There's also some old (2010-2011) reports of LMBs coming out of Bailey as well on another forum

https://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/5017284/Bailey_lake_hidden_creek_in_bu

 

[jbsoonerfan]

Banjo minnow

[adbassfishing]

Hard to go wrong with a wacky rigged Senko or Texas rig if your fishing for numbers. A big thing is confidence. Once you catch a few on something you will get confidence. Make sure if your throwing a Senko or Texas Rig you aren't working it to fast. 

 

 

[The Bassman]

Don't give up. The internet leaves one with the impression that they should be catching bass all the time. When I was 14 (many moons ago) what I considered a good day would be a wash today. Be patient. Read these forums and articles. Accept the learning curve. You'll catch your first bass and won't look back.

[Harold Scoggins]

Hang in there, that first bass will come. It's tough being restricted as far as where you can fish, I logged many miles on a bike carrying a pole when I was your age. One day you'll have a vehicle and you'll be able to fish the many good reservoirs in that part of the state. Should you need any help with some baits, let me know and I'll share some of my tackle with you. (PM with parent's permission.) Don't give up, Andrew!

[scaleface]

 Go with some small stuff like Beetle Spins .   When  starting out I fished for whatever was biting and didnt discriminate against bluegills, crappie , catfish, white bass , walleye , carp , drum...  

[billmac]

Go with small baits.  Don't be afraid or ashamed to catch something other than bass.  You have the right idea with getting some nightcrawlers.  There's nothing wrong with live bait.  Anyone will tell you here that everyone has fishless days (or even weeks).  On one of the latest FLW tournaments a lot of the pros struggled to catch a keeper bass.

 

Everyone wants to catch fish. Of course they do.  But you need to learn to enjoy fishing, and the catching will come. Work on your casting and accuracy.  Learn the lake as best you can.  Work on your awareness of your surroundings. Do you see baitfish?  Are there frogs around?  Weeds, stumps, lily pads?

[Alex from GA]

Your hook and nite crawler will catch bass and anything else in the lake.  Texas rig it and crawl it slowly along the bottom.  Use 6 or 8 lb monofilament line or leader and the lightest bullet weight you can, probably 1/16th oz.  If everyone else is catching fish this should put you in the game also.

[roadwarrior]

"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own
 

 

[nascar2428]

8 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own
 

 

Some of the best info on the website, right there. Also you are never wasting time when you are fishing.

[Fishingmickey]

      Excellent comments so far! Using night crawlers should get you bit by something. When i was your age I liked to use a small split shot and a number 6 Eagle claw snelled hook. Cast out and let it sink, reel in the slack lift the rod and let it sink again. Work the worm back slowly. Watch you line and see if it jumps or starts moving off to one side or the other.

     The other thing that hasn't been mentioned is try to go at the prime fishing times. I call them "the magic hour's". The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset can be magical.

     A few last things, walk the bank slowly, be quiet. Observe the water for signs of activity. Things like birds feeding, Small fish being chased by larger ones, Shad flipping. Good luck and go catch'em or one!

FM  

      

[J.Vincent]

I recommend learning how to rig up a 6 or 7 inch Texas Rig Worm with a 1/8oz or 3/16oz. Bullet Sinker. Fish the Texas Rig until you can confidently determine the difference between a Bass biting and a Panfish pecking. This technique will teach patience and lure control. Many very good anglers began with the Texas Rig.