Is it a skunk if you hook but lose them?

[Deephaven]

I only count what is my intent.  ie, if I want to take the hook out with the fish in my hands, if I want to shake it off right at the boat, if I want to unhook it in a net in the water...etc.  Whatever it is that makes it a catch.  For instance, a bullhead is a catch when I shake it off as soon as I see it...not that I want to even count it as a catch, but the idea holds.  

[the reel ess]

Well, is it a skunk if you only catch one golden shiner on a crankbait? LOL

[akmac]

8 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

Not a great day. I had one hit a Whopper Plopper that threw the hook after 5 seconds, and two hit a Zoom Trick on a shakey head that threw the hook halfway to the boat. 
 

Bummer that I didn’t get one in the boat, but at least I had a few bites. The two shakey head bass weren’t very big, but the topwater one was decent. 

Just tell people you released 3 fish.  No need to tell them how they were released:)

[YoTone]

Not only is that a skunk its the worst kind. The kind of skunk where nothing bites you can always say they werent biting but when they are biting but you couldnt seal the deal is the worst.

 

The people here that say otherwise are the kind of people who give kids who come in last a participation trophy.

[Smells like fish]

That one goes in the column of “the one that got away” to tell at your leisure ?

It’s not uncommon to add key parts about “felt big” and or “sho nuff big un”. That makes me think of when Zona fought that stick while with KVD ?

[schplurg]

For me a skunk is no fish in hand, period. I wanna bend the rules for a few, but nope.

 

Today I bank fished and skunked, but there was no argument there. Didn't see a fish all afternoon. Didn't even find a lure! Hooked a big ol' branch and dragged it to shore. At least my knots are improving.

[Ski213]

For me if it’s not landed it doesn’t count towards truly getting the skunk off. That said I’d rather get bit and lose one than not get bit at all, as painful as that can be. It’s a skunk but not a complete shutout in my opinion. At least you got bit. 
 

If you got to go fishing you that’s a win. 

[Darth-Baiter]

Skunkage for sure. 
 

‘’but it’s nice to know “what” you had on the line.  It’s the mystery underwater fight that lets go that suck and play with my emotions.  What was it?  They are all potential PB’s at that point.  

[Dogface]

49 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

‘’but it’s nice to know “what” you had on the line.  It’s the mystery underwater fight that lets go that suck and play with my emotions.  What was it?  They are all potential PB’s at that point.  

 

I feel the same way. I can live with losing one at the boat if I see it but those I never see especially a heavy fish haunt me. ?

[king fisher]

You have to look at the bright side.  A lost fish can be as big as you want it to be.  You were going to let it go anyway.  Why waste valuable fishing time bringing it all the way to the boat?  I have found that if you land a fish, it shrinks, you take a picture it shrinks more, you weigh it with your scale, smaller yet, weigh it on a fishing partners scale it wasn't even worth landing.  

[Choporoz]

On 4/2/2022 at 10:22 PM, YoTone said:

Not only is that a skunk its the worst kind. The kind of skunk where nothing bites you can always say they werent biting but when they are biting but you couldnt seal the deal is the worst.

 

The people here that say otherwise are the kind of people who give kids who come in last a participation trophy.

I largely agree.  Didn't always, but do now.  It is more rewarding to me if I say "I fished clean today, but only caught 2".....than if I say "I caught 4 but missed a bunch"

[Zcoker]

Man, I've had days like that. Just the other day I lost four or so nice ones, even with hard hooksets, they just kept coming un-buttoned until I was even questioning my own sanity! Some of them felt very heavy, too. I would at least count them as a "close encounter" lol. Not really a catch, as in holding the fish in the hands. These fish always find a way to win, no matter what! 

[J._Bricker]

“Is it a skunk if you hook but lose them?” 
 

I kinda use the “hungry” method @BrianMDTX to answer this question when I have a tough day on the water. If I was fishing for my dinner, would I be going hungry that night? This mindset usually motivates me to keep fishing until I land that one fish which would fulfill my imaginary “dinner” requirement. Granted, the weather, lockjaw, wrong baits, dull hooks, long range catch-n-release, and various other reasons factor into a tough day on the water. That’s when I’m glad I’m not fishing for dinner, that it was nice getting opportunity to fish and I’ll get em next time.

[geo g]

It does tell you what you were doing they liked.  I would immediately check my hook and change to a thin wire quality hook, unless your flipping heavy cover.  The thin wire definitely  make for better hook sets.  Go back to what your were doing when you got bit.

[MacJig]

I had a monster of a pike on from one of our local ponds here last year. I got him to shore but instead of getting my fish grips to pull him up I tried to drag him further up the shoreline and he broke off and swam away. But I got him on shore and I saw him so, yep, I counted him! I wasn't going to let a monster go uncounted. ?

[Miabucman]

Even though it is technically a skunk, getting bites is a whole better than a day with no bites.

[GreenPig]

If I get a picture of the fish it counts.

[avid]

It all depends on you   Now in a tournament you have to land a fish but I have never fished a tournament and never will  just not my style    I also rarely keep one  so fishing is pure fun and challenge for me    I play them untill I think they are beat and I lose more than half but I love it ? 

On 4/2/2022 at 1:44 PM, Team9nine said:

If you see it, score it 

That’s how my me and my fishing buddy scored it back in the day except I would amend your method by saying that you and one other person have to see it for it to count   We never bs’d each other about hooking a fish but we both had to see it for it to count 

[Team9nine]

11 minutes ago, Ovid said:

 

That’s how my me and my fishing buddy scored it back in the day except I would amend your method by saying that you and one other person have to see it for it to count   We never bs’d each other about hooking a fish but we both had to see it for it to count 

Hmmm, I fish alone 90% of the time. I just need to get it near the surface and verify it’s a bass and I’m good. But if you have a partner, then 

[avid]

On 4/2/2022 at 10:22 PM, YoTone said:

Not only is that a skunk its the worst kind. The kind of skunk where nothing bites you can always say they werent biting but when they are biting but you couldnt seal the deal is the worst.

 

The people here that say otherwise are the kind of people who give kids who come in last a participation trophy.

I wouldn’t put it in those terms but I agree with your point   If I’m getting bit but not setting the hook it is MY error   I need to change something   Figuring out what that something is is the challenge   If I never figure it out my day on the water was a “learning experience” lol  by that I mean I’ll obsess over the why’s and what ifs ?‍♂️ 

3 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Hmmm, I fish alone 90% of the time. I just need to get it near the surface and verify it’s a bass and I’m good. But if you have a partner, then 

Agreed ?  I too rarely fish with anyone else these days (my ole buddy is fishing with the angels now ?)  and getting bites is what I look for   If The fish are biting it’s up to me to figure out how to hook them   But then I loosen the drag and play with them lol   Landing a bass is not a requirement 

[RB 77]

Yup. It doesn't count until its in the boat. With that being said, who cares? You got outdoors, got bit, its all good.

[Catt]

My daddy used to say, ya can't cook bites!

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, Catt said:

My daddy used to say, ya can't cook bites!

It's as true today as it was back then.

[Catt]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

It's as true today as it was back then.

 

Yes sir ?

 

And momma said it made a real thin gravy!

[schplurg]

Had a fish on yesterday and about 3 seconds into it he jumped and shook it loose. We can't both win. The fish won and I salute it (the little #@&^).

 

Fish  = 1

Mike = 0

 

The fish scored again later The lake was beautiful though, the birds were entertaining and it felt great to be there.