anyone else getting skunked lately

[73mrpike]

i'm embarresed to say for the last 3 weeks i havent caught one fish bass or pike that is is this the summer blues they talk about its not for lack of trying. been out every weekend for 6 to 7 hours a day and 6 hours during the week. tried every thing i know i'm i just that bad of a fisherman or is fishing just slow thanks. just trying to keep my spirits up

[Juan Grande]

What kind of presentations are you using? Maybe you need to try some new lakes.

If you toss a senko or similar soft stick bait in the shallow weeds and around docks on any lake that has bass, you should be able to pick up at least a few each time out.

[Sandmannd]

Fishing's gotten slow for me the last week. Still pulling fish out though, just not keepers for eyes. Didn't pike fish this week like I normally do so I don't know, but last week I pulled out a few pike and a bunch of bass.

[73mrpike]

hi yes i did try the wacky worm thing. ive used jigs, jig and pig, texas rig, cranks, spinner baits ,live bait ive been fishing shallow, deep in the weeds tops of weeds, i have tried 2 new lakes also maybe its just me ?

[FishinChad]

Its been tough for me also, but like stated above, still getting fish in the boat. Small bass mostly, and I have heard of some pike caught this weekend. Keep trying, you'll figure it out. Different baits, different areas, and if that dont work, different lake.

[Neighbor_guy]

It's you...... ;)jk!

I have been doing well the past few weeks. Mabe you need to try different, less preasured lakes. That or try some different presentations. Have a plan when you get to the lake. What worked last time may not work this time.

The fish should be in or moving into summer locations now. The past few days should have warmed the watter nicely. Time to shift to those presentations.

Don't give up and keep a positive attitude.

[ratherBfishnJP]

I just read that the the water temperature is still not at where its suppose to be and that to fish the way you would in early june. So that is what i would suggest

[tednugefan]

ive been doin good on the edges of weeds texas riggin

[NELS-BELLS]

My kids are outfishing me like 10 - 1 with a 2" white twister tail on small white jigs, fishing just above the weeds and off of the weedlines. I've been using texas rigged worms and spinnerbaits. They have caught just about every species including dogfish and walleyes. I finally couldn't take it anymore and tied one one. Try it and I think you'll be surprised!

Nels

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Hey Nels, how was your trip to Voyageur's?

[backlash 1]

Buy, rent or borrow an aqua view and scope out the structure until you find fish, then fish the fish. It shortens the learning curve alot if you're fishing where the fish are.

[icctolson]

it is summer afterall. fishing will generally slow down. you must be havin a bit of the bad luck blues though

[Hammer Handle]

Still doing well myself.

Slowed down a little with all the boat traffic this weekend, but Sunday night and Monday was great!

[jwhjr]

I got out twice over the weekend on 2 different lakes and had decent luck. 1 nice pike and about a dozen bass in 3 hrs or so.

[hhguide]

I agree with backlash the Camera was my best investment I've made in a long time your not wasting your time on arcs that are suckers and carp but your seeing bass, walleyes and sunnies.

[ratherBfishnJP]

How are the aqua vue's when checkin out the mississippi like around the brainerd area

[NELS-BELLS]

Hey Nels, how was your trip to Voyageur's?

It was awesome as always. Got rained on a little on Friday and it was really windy on Saturday but those were the only negatives. Had a great camp sight and the smallmouth fishing was pretty good. (mostly on topwaters)

We ended up going in on Crane and camping on Rainbow island on the east side of Namakan.

How was your trip?

Nels

[looneyducer]

I had a bad stretch about five years ago -- real bad -- couldn't buy a fish. Turned out I had a fuel leak that made its way into my bait bucket.

[matthothand]

That hurts man. I don't want to say it's you but I don't buy into the whole dog days of summer that lots of people use as a scapegoat. 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. I feel that it is more like 3% to 97% actually. If you're doing that poorly make some drastic changes. Change size, color, retrieve, lake, underwear....whatever you are doing pull a 180. Sunday with three people in the boat we boated 127 largemouth in 3.5 hours. The biggest was 22" and we had another dozen that were 19"+. Lots of smaller fish shallow and the quality fish were stacking up in the deeper water. River smallies have been going nuts too with a lot of action at the surface. The point there is that good fishing exists. As the fish move to their summer haunts you have to move with them and for some people that is a rough transition. Generally most fish will move deeper and position themselves in the water column or in relation to structure/cover at differing locations throughout the day...which is also sometimes hard to keep up with. Some people learn a lot from what works but I feel I learn more from what doesn't work. Don't be afraid to keep making changes however drastic it may seem. If you still can't get anything going get chatty with some guys at the landing and see what info on your body of water you can get out of them. If the skunk is getting you down take a break every now and then from targeting bass and pike and catch a few sunfish to get your spirits back up. Confidence is the best bait in the box. Also don't bring tuna sandwiches or bananas in the boat. Best of luck!

[ratherBfishnJP]

i agree with matt's suggestion when i go out and am having a rough day fishing for a certain species. take a break and do some panfishn. or something you know will catch some fish. Nothing blows more than getting skunked for the day. I at least make it a goal to not get skunked. Alot of diffrent things can adjust a fish to get lockjaw for some weird reason. But the funny thing about it is sometimes you will be pulled up fishin for sunnies and start hammering bass or northerns. THat type of stuff happens alot. Do u have possibly something on your hands or some weird smell that fish dont like. Sunscreen bug spray gas something!?

Matt i can understand tuna sandwiches but bananas also? u learn something every day.

[73mrpike]

hi all thanks for all your great advice well i did what you said caught a mess full of sunnies and crappies spirits are up went to the tackle store bought some plastics and slower presentations taking friday off of work even just to get pumped up not whining or any thing but when i get in a rut it hurts and i think your attitude goes down time to pump myself up thanks. for bass or pike would you start in the weeds more or troll i think the problem is i dont fully understand the fish movements i know they move deep or shallow at night and i fish the weeds other than that thats all i know when i read fishing books etc. on one page it says fish here then the next page says do the opposite. its so confusing i just dont understand it thanks for your help and any more advice

[ratherBfishnJP]

U cant fail with outer weed edges and by the sounds of things the big slimers are moving to deeper water and the small to average ones still can be found in the weeds. for the deep ones try trolling spinnerbait and sucker and you cant go wrong

[Sandmannd]

for the deep ones try trolling spinnerbait and sucker and you cant go wrong

Can you explain a little more on this? Are you what type of spinner do you use for trolling and what do you put the sucker on? I'm new to trolling for pike so anything can share would be great.

[looneyducer]

Bananas?

But fish love bananas!

When things start slowing up that's my go-to love juice -- a squirt of the Old King's X: imitation banana extract. Never leave home without it.

Tuna sandwiches, however -- that's a given. It's pretty tough to catch anything with tuna sandwiches in the boat.

[ratherBfishnJP]

Good spnner bait like a northland reedrunner and just hook like a 4 to 6 inch sucker minnow throw its mouth and out the back of its head it doesnt have to be alive its more of an attractant and the blade does the work