Done fishing for bass this year

[Luke Barnes]

2021 has turned into the worst year I have had since I started fishing in regards to quantity and quality. In 2020 I caught my first smallie, walleye, and sauger. I caught a 15lb channel cat, my biggest fish of any species, in a pond of all places. I caught lots of 3-4 lb bass and for me thats big. My PB is only 4.6lbs. Yesterday fishing with my dad sealed the deal that I'm done bass fishing this year. He has fished less than five times in the past 30 years and knows diddly squat about fishing. Yet we go to a nice pond and after he insists on tying on a snap swivel and an Ozark Trail squarebill in firetiger to fish this super shallow and weedy pond, he commences to catch three good bass in 20 minutes, one which was almost 3lbs. I caught a bluegill and one super dink bass on a ned rig and both came off at the bank. I fished tree lines with a t rig worm, covered water with a jackhammer, threw the ned in all the spots ive learned over the years to look for, and he uses what he thought looked cool and smoked me. All my learning, research, and experience didnt do a dang thing for me. His dumb luck got him good bass. So IF I fish anymore this year it will be for cats and carp so I can sit down and just enjoy the outdoors and not be upset if I dont catch anything. I am not experienced much in fishing for catfish and have yet to catch a carp so if I skunk its not a big deal because I didn't invest tons of money and even more time learning and practicing to catch them. I'm just sitting down and winging it. 

[Fishlegs]

Hang in there, and don't quit fishing. There may be a new PB waiting for you the next time you go out.

[Finessegenics]

Fishing shouldn't stress you out. I had a tough year too and the days that it does click are much more rewarding. I've gone through some rough patches in the past too...In 2019, I think I went a whole 20 something hours of fishing without a bass, and not many other fish at that. It's just the way it is sometimes.

 

To keep things optimistic, my goal is to always go home having felt like I learned something that would help me catch fish in the future. Your perspective really changes when you are searching for information, rather than just focusing on catching. That outing with your dad taught you something, right? I don't know if that makes sense, but I hope it helps you. Don't give up, we're rooting for you. 

[ironbjorn]

Sounds like he found the pattern and you were too stubborn to switch/follow. 

[Koz]

37 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

 He has fished less than five times in the past 30 years and knows diddly squat about fishing. Yet we go to a nice pond and after he insists on tying on a snap swivel and an Ozark Trail squarebill in firetiger to fish this super shallow and weedy pond, he commences to catch three good bass in 20 minutes, one which was almost 3lbs. 

How many times do you need to be told to listen to your dad? ?

[DitchPanda]

Hey man it happens. This summer I spent alot of time teaching a buddy how to bass fish. A few weeks ago he outfished me 3 to 2...he's got 3 months I've got 20 years. Of course the two times either side of that I outfished him 8-0 and 13-3.

[PressuredFishing]

58 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

2021 has turned into the worst year I have had since I started fishing in regards to quantity and quality. In 2020 I caught my first smallie, walleye, and sauger. I caught a 15lb channel cat, my biggest fish of any species, in a pond of all places. I caught lots of 3-4 lb bass and for me thats big. My PB is only 4.6lbs. Yesterday fishing with my dad sealed the deal that I'm done bass fishing this year. He has fished less than five times in the past 30 years and knows diddly squat about fishing. Yet we go to a nice pond and after he insists on tying on a snap swivel and an Ozark Trail squarebill in firetiger to fish this super shallow and weedy pond, he commences to catch three good bass in 20 minutes, one which was almost 3lbs. I caught a bluegill and one super dink bass on a ned rig and both came off at the bank. I fished tree lines with a t rig worm, covered water with a jackhammer, threw the ned in all the spots ive learned over the years to look for, and he uses what he thought looked cool and smoked me. All my learning, research, and experience didnt do a dang thing for me. His dumb luck got him good bass. So IF I fish anymore this year it will be for cats and carp so I can sit down and just enjoy the outdoors and not be upset if I dont catch anything. I am not experienced much in fishing for catfish and have yet to catch a carp so if I skunk its not a big deal because I didn't invest tons of money and even more time learning and practicing to catch them. I'm just sitting down and winging it. 

Squarebills over grass in ponds are underrated. Rod tip high and burning them is a really good technique. This can be a lesson that the learning curve for bass fishing is very high, fishing isn't always about catching. 

[scaleface]

If I didnt enjoy myself successful or not , then I would give up too .

[Bluebasser86]

He was catching fish on a bright crankbait and it sounds like you fished everything but that. As important as knowing what the fish should be doing, is knowing when to realize they aren't doing that and listen to what they're telling you and adjust.

 

If you aren't having fun though, don't force it. If you get burnt out on something you may never find your interest again. 

[Big Hands]

Old bull, young bull

[throttleplate]

I stopped using all my old techniques and started using a new bait, the zoom super fluke and sept and oct have been fantastic.

 

Change it up, try something new like i did to get reengerized and quit pouting that you are going to carp fish now so you wont feel bad if you get skunked.

[Luke Barnes]

I guess I should add the caveat that I am a veteran and struggle with depression and PTSD so I take things way too personally. I know its supposed to be relaxing so when it stopped being that I decided to slow down and bring a chair and some rod holders and fish for cats and carp. Its better than not fishing and this way I get to enjoy the outdoors more and focus less on the fishing and more on relaxing. I know I sound like a whiny brat but everyone is different. 

 

I guess im asking has anyone else been through this? What reignited your interest to fish for bass? 

[MrFishALot]

Personally I don't put much emphasis on catching a lot of fish. Cool if I do, cool if I don't kind of thing. I just enjoy being outdoors.

[scaleface]

9 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

I know its supposed to be relaxing so when it stopped being that I decided to slow down and bring a chair and some rod holders and fish for cats and carp.

I love fishing like that .When my dad was alive , I had a camper on  Mississippi river back-water protected by a levee . We sat there all the time  listening to the ball game and catching catfish and carp . I became quite the carp master. Made  dough balls  , invented a rig inspired by European carp anglers . It was a blast . I dont  look down on carp .

[T-Billy]

I would just be happy for my dad, and appreciate the time I got to spend with him. My dad's been gone many years. I wish I could take him fishing one more time. I wouldn't care if I caught anything or not.

 

[papajoe222]

1 hour ago, Luke Barnes said:

I guess im asking has anyone else been through this? What reignited your interest to fish for bass? 

Sorry to say I have been.  Struggling with depression is an ongoing struggle and I did give up on fishing along with most other interests.  What really got me back into fishing was taking my newly acquired son-in-law fishing at the request of my daughter.  Luckily, we got into some 3lb.-4lb. bass and between sharing in his excitement and experiencing my own for the first time in a long time, my love for fishing was rekindled.  He doesn't fish any more, but I have him and some good medications to thank.

[Fishlegs]

My dad didn't enjoy bass fishing. I wanted him to like it, but he said it was too much work. One day I talked him into going bass fishing with me. I planned to show him how it's done. I was explaining how we were going to fish a particular spot when he started laughing and said, "here's how I'm going to do it". He did a no look cast behind his head. As soon as his lure hit the water his rod almost got ripped out of his hand. He caught a 5 lb bass on a no look, behind the head cast. It was one of the dumbest things I've ever experienced in fishing. I was furious that he caught the biggest bass of his life being goofy instead of doing what I suggested.

 

He passed away unexpectedly a few years ago, and I cherish that memory now. I tell that story every chance I get. I'd love to have another chance to be out fished by my goofy dad. My point is that fishing is not always about catching the most or the biggest fish. Sometimes fishing isn't even about fishing at all. Try to keep a good thought, and thank you for your service.

[bassh8er]

Can’t catch them on the couch.

 

Some days are better than others, but my opinion is that there are so many things in this world to get worked up about, fishing shouldn’t be one of them.

 

At least you’re out doing something.

[Luke Barnes]

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

I love fishing like that .When my dad was alive , I had a camper on  Mississippi river back-water protected by a levee . We sat there all the time  listening to the ball game and catching catfish and carp . I became quite the carp master. Made  dough balls  , invented a rig inspired by European carp anglers . It was a blast . I dont  look down on carp .

I want to pick your brain over private message if I could. I want to do it right and not just hope to get lucky. I'm not a lucky person, so I try to give myself the best advantage I can by knowing as much as i can about what I am doing. All I know about carp is they get really big, fight hard, and like dough balls and corn. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

14 hours ago, Big Hands said:

Old bull, young bull

walk down instead of run down

[woody osborne]

18 hours ago, Big Hands said:

Old bull, young bull

lol!

 

[Log Catcher]

I think we both have the same curse on us. The last two years have been the worst I have ever had. I will get in a few more fishing trips this year. I am not optimistic about my trips anymore since nothing is working that should be working.

[Koz]

8 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

I guess im asking has anyone else been through this? What reignited your interest to fish for bass? 

We all go through periods where the fishing is just awful for one reason or another. But if you had more good days than bad days fishing it would eventually get boring.

 

I spent two hours out there on my kayak after work yesterday and didn't sniff a bite. But it was a beautiful evening on the water, not a tourist in site, and I just enjoyed being outdoors and taking it all in. There are worse things in life, and your post indicates you have experience with that.

 

Enjoy the simpler moments. Not everything is a competition.

[Bluebasser86]

I enjoy chasing catfish, especially big ones since I don't eat them. Spent 2 days that were too windy to be in the boat fishing for blue cats this spring on a trip with my family and we had a blast. Didn't catch any monsters, but a lot 5-10 pounders that gave my 4 and 7 year old boys fits trying to fight them.

 

[OldManLure]

On 10/13/2021 at 10:51 PM, DitchPanda said:

Hey man it happens. This summer I spent alot of time teaching a buddy how to bass fish. A few weeks ago he outfished me 3 to 2...he's got 3 months I've got 20 years. Of course the two times either side of that I outfished him 8-0 and 13-3.

I’ve been duped.  I’ve fished for nearly 60 years and no one bothered to tell me we’re supposed to keep score.