Need some help

[Fat-G]

I never thought this would happen, but fishing has almost become boring. I feel like I need to try some new stuff, a new lake, SOMETHING to change it up a bit.

I've probably been 8 times this year, and all have resulted in a big fat skunk.

So, help me out.

Should I try different times of day?

New lures?

New techniques?

Different Lake?

What should I do to get things rolling here?

I went yesterday and had to convince myself to go. Of course, I didn't catch anything.

[b.Lee]

Maybe take a trip to Mexcio or some sort of Saltwater excursion somewhere catch some big fish, forget about the bass for a while and then come back Smiling and catch some bass!

[soccplayer07]

In my opinion fishing is at least 75% confidence. It sounds as though yours is low. Based on your location this time of year can be a tough time in terms of water temp, rain and fronts passing through. I would stick with what you know and what has worked in the past to get your confidence back...good luck. grind through it!

[SimonSays]

Heya Fat-G,

I see you're in Richmond, have you tried Pocahontas ? Its been producing moderately well.  Stick close to bank structure there.

If you beat the banks give lake rooty a shot in innesbrook.

In a week or so shad will be running up the james and you can smack some of those, hella fun! They don't call them "baby tarpon" for nothing!

[BigEbass]

You need to have the confidence necessary to catch fish.  More importantly and more specifically I believe the confidence that if I fish the best structure thoroughly from top to bottom with and my presentation is done well - then I will catch fish.

When I get despirate and nothing is working out - I just find points, drop offs, a creekbed perhaps, some typical bass structure - possibly with some cover on it too - BELIEVE there are bass there cause well, if it is good structure, then there will be and they will be catchable at some particular depth with a given presentation of a given bait.

You only got out 8 times - man you are probably gettin psyched out and despirate and losing confidence - get back to basics I would say.

This is just me and I am still learning - but I would tie on 3 basic lures (choice of lure not really important IMO) - 3 lures that can get through the entire water column - a heavy spinnerbait perhaps to slow roll from shallow to deep, a lipless crank to fish the top and middle, and a worm or senko or something to nice structure at various depths...simplify and get your bait down to where you KNOW the fish are at - you will get it man. At least we all hope so.

8 days skunked throughout the year - tell us a bit more about how you fish?  Do you target certain structure?  You must have done some self evaluation - what do you think so far you are doing wrong after the fact?

[Sam]

Why Fat-G is having problems in Richmond.

1.  Water temperatures not level. Going from the upper 40s to the low 60s has the bass confused. We need some stable weather patterns to get the  water temperature in the 60's.

2.  Dogwoods and full moon are on their way which means they will be on their beds. But most of them have not come up to their spawning flats so they are still deep.

3.  They will run up and hunt in 5 or less feet of water so fish the bank.

4.  Fat-G does not have a boat to get into the ponds to throw into the deeper water or over humps and into submerged roadbeds where the fish are holding. Fat-G needs a Ranger with a 250 Merc on it.

5.  Water clarity is poor. With all of the rain and snow the waters are still stained to dirty. Need a spring craw or a #5 Shad Rap with yellow or orange on it or just a plain silver color. If you think they are deep, throw a green pumpkin or black trick worm on a ball head jig shaky head style. Fish s-l-o-w.  Try Rat-L-Traps in red or crawfish colors. Throw a fan pattern from left to right and then right to left, covering as much water as possible with one presentation and then changing to another presentation.

6.  As we move closer to May the waters will clear and get warmer and fishing will be great.

7. We caught 16 bass on Lake Gaston this Sunday and the water was dirty. Filthy. Chocolate milk. Caught them on Shad Raps and shaky heads in and along rocks and rock banks.  Main lake points were good for a Carolina rig. So look for any structure (stickups, stumps, grass, bushes, etc.) and fish those as they will hold the bass. If you pick one off wait a half hour and go back as another bass will move into the same location.

Don't give up. Just remember that the water temperature and moon phases will impact their behavior.

Want to go to that golf course pond next Monday, March 29th?  Mom or dad can join us. Pretty good fishing, too.  Let me know via a PM. 

Of course, baseball comes first so we may have to wait until the baseball season is over. Just let me know. 

[Paul Roberts]

Start exploring new waters, just for fun. Let the catching come when it comes.

For me, my catches come in bunches, when I finally find something the bass are onto. I can't always plan it, but there is stuff going on down there, you just have to find it. If you are expecting fish to find you, you're in trouble -gambling, trying to win a lottery. Fish (at least good ones) are not randomly distributed. I long ago got rid of the beating myself up thing, when I find fish (and this doesn't just mean "in the water", but "where in the water", I can usually catch some. Keep looking.

Where are you fishing?? Lake? Pond? River? Boat? Shore? ...

[shimmy]

Fat G, i am not sure about exporing new waters...not the best idea for getting confidence back, cause if you get skunked on another lake, this could further solidify your feelings and just make fishing no fun. Pick a pond/lake that you have caught them before, try different depths, and use what you use best! As mentioned several times, when the weather is cold, stay confident and use what you know produces, that way if it doesn't produce, you know that the problem might be location and just a bunch of confused fish with the weather. Confidence, stay with what you know works

[Paul Roberts]

I guess my idea about exploring new waters is, right now the way you're feeling, not to try and solve something you don't understand. If you've been hitting the same water 8 times (or even 4) and blanked, I'd suggest going elsewhere, where conditions are different, as not all water's are the same -even small ponds right next to each other!

The other options are to tough it out, waiting for conditions to change that fit your strengths, or try to expand your horizons and figure it out. But it sounds like you're just wanting to get back to swinging -you can play later. I know the feeling!

Shimmy is very right though, in that things WILL change there; You'll hit it eventually. Maybe, if you are fishing a large and very diverse lake, maybe a location change is needed, as Shimmy suggests. But if this is not the case, there are likely other waters you can walk up to and catch a few.

I fish a lot of small waters, some right next to each other. No two are acting the same at any one time. When I want to experiment, I pick a pond offering the conditions I'm interested in. Or, I may pick a pond and figure something out. But if I just want to CATCH (like after not getting out for awhile >), I'll move through quickly and check different waters for something that gives me a the best "set up", with the tackle and know-how I have at my disposal. I bring several rigs bc I can't always call the shots as seasons roll by pretty fast -esp when I'm working more than fishing .

I guess another way to look at it is: If you were fishing a tournament (limited time) you would not go to one spot and try to figure em out. You'd sample as much water as possible to find the best odds for your strengths.