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Fishing is amazing. Its relaxing and it's fun. But when the past 2 months have gone by and I am feet away from people who are catching fish and I'm standing there just holding a pole for hours, it gets frustrating. The joy is gone. There is no excitement because I'm not catching anything! So why keep fishing????? If I cant catch a fish, why fish?
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Keep at it, soon you be pulling them it. Watch your line, and maybe use a lighter jig.
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I went through the same thing with deer hunting........then one of those days when I was sitting in the stand crying to myself about wasting time deer hunting, a big nice buck steps out. Give it time, keep at it and the rewards of filling the cooler up with crappie will come
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Hang in there, don’t hang it up. Fish closer to the grass, closer to the brush. Just don’t get hung up. Good luck.
number 1 rule of crappie fishing " if you ain't getting hung up, you're fishing in the wrong place"Quote:
Originally Posted by SpeckledSlab
there is a thing called perseverance and I can tell you for sure at some point you will figure out what aint just right and when you do it will be a thing of beauty ,crappie fishing is one sport that frustrates even the best angler at times .
there are days I get to watch as well and sometimes its location and sometimes its something more subtle . one thing for certain the spawn is not far away and if you know an area they spawn in it will for sure get better .
hang in there and do your best to copy cat whatever the ones ketchn the fish are doing ….
and to be sure someone like me might just come along and fine tune you a bit if all else fails ….
on a side note ….there are guides in the broken bow area I know that will teach you …..
Mark Maguire I think is still guiding up that way ….prostaff for fle fly ...he is real good at ketchn crappie for sure :highfive
First of all, I agree with what's been said. Keep at it! However, if you are looking for a bit of direction from the folks here, we need a bit more information.
Such as: what kind of waters are you fishing - ponds, reservoirs, rivers.
What type of presentations have you tried - casting, trolling, vertical jigging.
What kind of lures are you using - minnows, jig/plastic combos, crankbaits.
What is the water clarity - dingy, clear, heavily stained.
I'm guessing you are fishing from a boat, but if not we need to know that as well. There are many factors that come into play when fishing for any species and in particular, crappie. As the old verse goes, if you doing the same thing, over and over, and expecting different results.....well you know how that goes! :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BAFishBarn
Its ironic that you posted this. I am rather new to serious crappy fishing. A buddy and I decided we would fish a local tournament series. Well we started pre fishing. We couldnt catch a cold. We all but decided not to fish the tournament but we did. We talked to a few folks at the sign in and they helped us. Find a club or tournament in you area and go talk to folks....
Part of what I like about crappie fishing is the challenge. It took me years to figure crappie out here on Texoma. I stayed after it and results happened. Since I love to fish an unproductive trip is still time spent on the water. Up to now I have not caught a crappie in the main lake in February but I have only been at it 15 years. Still Monday morning I’m going again. Being retired and a stubborn old cus I’m going to stay at it until results happen. The rest of the year crappie are easy but on my lake in the winter crappie are difficult.
Dont give up and as said before and give some specifics you will probably get some good advice.
keep fishing only if you enjoy it .catching will come if you keep at it.i no how you feel about about days like that.3 weeks ago i fished 4 days caught 70 .went yesterday not a fish.but i will try today taking a friends grand son.keep on this site an you will find good info.if you fish rought,find crappie monsters u tube videos,thet are very good.i no it was mentioned about guide if you can $ find one that will show you how to ,that is $ well spent.good luck.
Keep fishing and changing things up, never, never, never, never quit! You can't catch them at them at the house, you may get a guide to take you out and learn some new tricks.
I can feel and understand your pain. I have experienced the same thing last month. I have only had two "good" days this month. One of those "good" days I caught 7 crappie, the other one 8 crappie. I have fished every single day last month and caught very little. I would have an occasional day where I would catch one or two crappie but most days I was skunked. Yet I still showed up every day sometime between 7 and 8 AM, trying.
Last Wednesday I overslept and didn't get to the slip until 10:30. That day the crappie were in and everybody there limited out around 10:30. I know they weren't lying because I saw the stringers of crappie. I caught one 12" crappie and didn't catch another one although I fished until 8:00 pm that night, when it got too cold too stay. Ketchn and SK joined me in fishing that night, they caught crappie but I couldn't catch other crappie, fishing the same areas they were fishing.
I was unable to fish last year and appear to have lost my touch. But eventually I will get it back if I perserve, which I intend to do. I rather be fishing than anything else I could do, even if I'm not catching much at this monent.
I would suggest you watch SK crappie fishing videos, he has some good tips in them for crappie fishing. The bite on those I did catch last month was very light, not the normal thrump. You might try a rod with a more sensitive tip to help you feel the bite. Or you might try switching to an ultralight rod and reel for a while to help you feel the bite. If you are using jigs, switch to minnows. They are not as much fun as jigs but crappie do bite better on live bait that they do on metal.
Good luck and hang in there. As I said I am experience the same thing and will hanging in there with you.
I ran into a similar situation several years ago fishing for bull bluegills below a dam. I finally asked a guy near me if he minded if I just sat and watched as he was catching one pig after another and releasing them all. We were in an area that wasn't crowed yet so he told me he would enjoy talking. As I sat there he started to talk about his technique and the finer points of it. He also explained what he looked for as far as current and how it was different in spots but changed hourly. In the hour I sat there, I picked up more valuable info than I would have in hours on the computer.
Take a few minutes to talk to those who are catching fish but don't crowd them or cast into their spots. Just use each trip as a learning chance. There is probably just some small difference in your gear or technique like line size.
Knowledge of what and how your fishing is more specious then Gold or silver,,,,,Huge lesson I learned about crappie fishing is that most fisherman are more tight lipped then then crappie are these days..l so find a fisherman who will teach you about how to fish and its fish- on!
Quote:
Originally Posted by BAFishBarn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qI
BA I feel your pain!
Personally the winter fishing is usually just plain boring.
The bite is too light and slow to be consistent. ( on the waters I fish )
I’ve decided to focus on getting my boats and projects around the house finished so I can hit it full steam when they move shallow !
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I might try the Smurf paint for my next trip.
If you want to catch fish, just go fish. Don't worry about the species. There aren't many days that I can't catch something. It may or may not be a crappie, but I don't care so much anymore what it is, as long as it's a fish.
It's not just crappie. Its every species. I'm so frustrated I cant catch a bass, trout, even a darn bluegill let alone a crappie.
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Hang in there, you haven't been truly skunked yet. Imagine going to a farm pond to fish for Bream with your FIL years ago armed with cane poles and worms. We sat side by side in the back seat of an old wooden jon boat. Well my FIL caught 40 sitting right next to me and I didn't have the first bite! I swapped poles with him, had him bait my hook and spit some of his tobacco on it, still nothing! Well I'll never forget that day and it took me a while to live it down with the other BIL's. My fishing recovered from that and yours will also get better.
This may sound crazy to you. You say it is all fish species. Is your scent the key? Gasoline, shower soap, deodorant, the food you ate on the way to the water, etc. I have seen it happen to a family member. He washed his hand with natural soap and used a human scent cover up such as Slab Sauce. He started catching fish. Now it is a ritual at the dock on every trip. I don't know...could help.
Did you contact Crappie ciller ? That was a very generous offer he made to you.
What many of us do out of habit we never consider that others may not know. I strongly agree with the scent comment. Whether fishing or hunting I am down right anal about scent. I find that in specially cold water a cover scent makes a huge difference.
Yea I did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stumblebum
Alot of this is coming from frustration at a trout pond. Its stocked with rainbow trout and I have done everything to try to catch a trout. Yesterday I see people catching them, one leaves and tells me to fish where they were. I had one thing of power bait and threw it right where I saw them catch a trout 5 minutes earlier. An hour later and nothing, while people all around me are yanking in trout left and right.
This is in a small pond. So the thought of locating where crappie will be in a river or lake seems impossible to me without electronics. So I just am really bummed.
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Don't let that depress your outlook !Quote:
Originally Posted by BAFishBarn
Take heed of the advice about scent. Electronics will help but are not the cureall. Go with Crappie ciller or hire a guide to help in new waters.
Could be size line or color line you are using. If not using already try a small diameter low vis green line always work well with a #8 bait hook and half a night crawler.
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I went fishing this morning, using jigs again. One of the regulars who fish the slips came by and asked how I was doing. I told him zero, he asked if had bought the salt and pepper soft plastic with the pink jig head he had advised two days ago.
I told no, but I was using a handtied that looked exactly like the soft plastic jig he had shown me, pink head grayish body, black spots and all. He looked at me and shook his head. They have not been biting any type of jig this month, handtied or not. If you would just listen you would start catching. I need three more for my limit and then I'm going home for the day. He was still shaking his head as he walked away.
Well as it happens, I dislike soft plastic lures. Don't know why but I have always disliked them and don't use them. Frankly I thought he was full of BS, if they will those soft plastic jigs they should hit any jig that looks like them. Plus I knew they were hitting handties as both Ketchn and SK had caught them Wednesday night using handtied jigs.
After another hour of catching nothing, I got up and went to a nearby sporting goods store and bought me some pink jig heads and some salt and pepper jigs as He had advised.
I then came back to my slip, not expecting to see any difference. But I caught an 11" crappie with the first drop of that pink jig head with the sale and pepper soft plastic jig body. Couldn't believe it so I tried again. Ten minutes later I caught my second crappie, also a keeper.
So I decided to experiment, using a two jig drop. The first few times I put the soft plastic as the top jig and my handtied jig as the bottom jig. I then caught two on the top soft plastic jig to zero for the handtied jig. So I switched the two jigs, putting the soft plastic jig on the bottom and the handtied jig on top. This time I caught three on the soft plastic, all keepers, and one on the handtied, a dink. And no, SK, this was not the carrot handtied jigs you so kindly give me the other night, this was a handtied that closely matched the salt and pepper soft plastic jig.
I ended up with 12 crappie keepers and a few throwbacks over a five hour period. Not a limit but since I was normally either getting skunked or catching one per day I consider it quite good.
And tomorrow I owe him an apology if I see him fishing.
Now don't get me wrong. I am still going to try my jigs first. But if I don't get any bites I am going to quickly switch to the soft plastic, even through I still don't like them.
If I don't expect to catch fish I usually don't. Then after a while if I happen to get a bite I am asleep at the wheel. Confidence is very important for me. When you catch that first one, it's a whole new ballgame.
be careful, quitting can become a habit. H.ang in there things will get better
Don't quit, get mad at 'em. Make it your quest to sore mouth every one of those rascals and don't give up til ya do.
I'd rather tangle with a live skunk than to bring one home in my boat but EVERY fisherman strikes out once in a while. Take every chance you get to learn something about your hobby and always try to keep a good attitude and keep things less serious. I'm competitive about everything I do but fishing is supposed to be fun and a way to relieve stress. I remind myself often to keep it in perspective.
I promise you, when I struggle to catch fish, I’m gonna be talking at the ramp to anyone I see that’s coming in from fishing. I won’t, under any circumstances, ask WHERE they caught em. What I will know is how deep, what technique, and I’ll already have looked for a minner bucket. I’ll spend some time before I get to return, evaluating what I might have done wrong. When I get to go again, I will attempt to implement what I have learned. Continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results, well you know that old saying. Figuring em out is the most satisfying element of this sport, at least for me. This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it, but it works for me. Sometimes.
I go back and forth with it too. It's especially tough when you couldn't catch a cold, and log on here to see guys filling limits. But, most guys here don't post their bad days.
Right now I'm going to take a break for a while, and do some improvements to the boat, gives me some time to reflect, and get a game plan together.
I agree with all the above post but the one thing that has helped me the most is keeping a simple notebook with every trip I went. I still keep notes every time I fish even after all these years. Keep going and don't give up. Read all you can find and don't be afraid to switch things up. Crappie .com is the best source of information on the web. Lots of great folks on this site that are willing to help .
While I don't want you to quit, I will say take a break. If you like fishing you can't really quit anyway. But take a break. Put it all down and forget it for a bit. I bet the urge doesn't stay away very long. When you start to get 3 warm days in a row, you won't be able to keep yourself away from it. And the fishes attitudes will be changing. You will get it back.
Yesterday I went to academy and browsed the clearance section and picked up quite a bit. I got some 1/16oz jig heads and some bobby Garland baby shad and mr crappie grubs. I figure I ought to atleast try using the best I can get before i get too mad at it. I wasnt using jigs and good soft plastics so I took all your advice on getting some of them. I think I fell into the pattern of doing the same thing but expecting different results. So we will see how it goes. Going fishing today but at a pond I've never been to and no idea what's in it, let alone if there are crappie in it. But if I can ketch a bass or two that will help brighten my mood towards crappie fishing.
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hang in there. I have many times I get skunked too esp since i mostly have to bank fish but I think of it this way. A bad day fishing is better than a perfect day working!
I say all the time one must accept there are things you just gotta do to be good at catchn..... Put the time, work and learn what ya gotta do to go catchn instead of just fishn.... And most of all don't expect it to be catchn all the time....:cheers2
In ‘05 I moved to TN. Having fished FL for many years, I couldn’t buy a fish there. Little from my FL days worked there. I do well and had an extra bad time trying to adjust. Time went by and I too had a hard time getting excited about going. Finally I found this web site and started asking questions, and some of the locals extended a hand and taught me what I needed to get going again. I can’t tell anyone what to do, but all I can offer is to stick with it and keep asking questions. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, and it’s not a train. Things will turn one day soon.
They did a study many Moons ago on this very thing they did it on bass fisherman using the top pros. It was pretty revealing all of them were low in a certain chemical ( cannot remember the name ) but it secretes thru the skin everyone has it but some secrete more or less then others.. All the top pros tested showed low levels of this chemical and you figure 100% percent of the time they use artificials that is saying something..Quote:
Originally Posted by silverside
I am bad at this but I have a friend that keeps super good notes on every time he goes out. He has accumulated years worth of notes and it has served him very well. Before he even hits the water he will review his notes from previous years for the date and probably 85% of the time it is right on.
i fele ya man i have horribleeeee luck also cause im not fortunate enough to have a boat so im stuck on the shore
If you want to catch big trout try minnows. They flat work on trout.Quote:
Originally Posted by BAFishBarn
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