I am the worst fisherman in the history of bass fishing! 2024
90x reply :
I have a grand variety of baits from plastics to jigs. I know how to use them all. I know how to fish structure and no usually where to find fish. However, I have never caught more than 1 fish per outing. Also, I have only caught 1 fish this year. I have pretty much gone fishing every weekend from the end of April.
I consider myself the worse fisherman to date. I know how bass act but I always choke up on every outing. I have never had anyone to teach me and have been fishing since I could walk (I don't understand it either). People in my family hate fishing. Perhaps if I had a teacher or someone to care about what I do, maybe I could increase my catches.
I feel that i just plain out suck. I have used magic baits and senkos! still no takers on those. I always do my research for each lake and bait. Therefore there is no excuse. I love the scenery of fishing and being outdoors, but I just cannot land any fish. Bill Dance once said that pheromones have a great impact on attracting fish. Perhaps, I have bad pheromones.
I went out to my lake today, perfect conditions and guess what........................got skunked. It has become a norm that my family does not even care to ask if I caught anything. When I do catch something, they are very surprised....what an insult. Anyway, fish were jumping and I could not catch them. I am seriously thinking about putting the rods away for good. I never catch any fish! To think of all the money I spent on rods and baits, what a waste. Perhaps I'm a golfing guy. Not catching fish and knowing what how to catch them is so demoralizing.
( I do not want to go back to live bait fishing, I love controlling the bait on my own and adding anything I want to it. )
DINK WHISPERER reply :
NEVER GIVE UP MAN!! It would help if you told us a little about the lakes you fish! Depth, structure, cover size of lake etc, etc? Do you own a boat? You will find that this site is VERY helpful at getting people on the right track to finding and catching fish!
-HAWK- reply :
Don't quit just yet. Try some of the following:
-Fish Live bait (shiners, crawdads, night crawlers etc.)
-Fish Early morning
-Try booking a trip with a local guide to take you out and show you the lake and give you some tips.
-Try varying the speed of your retrieves, sometimes that can make all the difference.
Going out to the Lake with the attitude that you are the worst fisherman doesnt help either.
Big-O reply :
There is a fix for your situation and it is all about slowing down and keeping a smile on your face while you pick your way thru and solve this little problem 
An important and simple technique to consider that is responsible for catching thousands of finicky bass is to peg a 1/8 to 3/16 oz bullet weight 12" above a 3/0 offset round bend hook with a 6" green pumpkin lizard.
Dip 1 inch of the tip of the tail in chartreuse JJ's dye then cast it out and allow it to fall completely to the bottom. Slowly lift your rod tip and slowly drag the bait forward 1 ft or so and pause for 10 seconds. Repeat the process all the way back to you.....Don't change a thing, over and over and over. Move you position after fan casting and fishing your area completely sometme fishing the same areas more than once.
Don't change anything the entire outing. You will catch more than one fish per outing and probably many more than two.....Now go gett'em
Big O
www.ragetail.com
Mattlures reply :
I agree with Big O except I would use a worm instead. I would recomend a 7in curl tail hand poured(or robo) plastic worm with a 1/8th oz worm weight and a 2/0 worm hook Texas rigged. I like purples and browns. ONLY use this bait. dont even try something else unless you actualy see something like breaking fish. Then you can cast a shad imitator at them. But then resume to worm fishing. The idea is to get good at one technique before you try and figure out another. After a while you will be able to recognize patterns. A lizzard might be a beter choice for you, I just prefer a worm. A guide is another great idea. If you only getting 1 fish per trip there is a lot of room for improvement. It shouldnt take you too long.
cart7t reply :
Good news.
You're only 15 years old. You've got plenty of time to improve.
It really sounds like you're making this w-a-a-a-y too complicated.
First, I started out at an earlier age than you but I had zero mentoring. I had to teach myself how to bass fish with on the water experience and what very little written information was available at the time.
I also didn't have much in the way of equipment. I owned an old Mitchell 300 spinning reel on a fiberglass rod that was given to me by a neighbor. My lures consisted of a few beetle spins and a couple of Roostertails.
First, are the lake(s) you're fishing quality lakes? Do they receive a lot of pressure? If so you might want to start by changing fishing waters.
Second, follow Big O's or Matt's advice and switch to a soft plastic and fish it only. Leave all the other stuff behind and force yourself to catch fish with one bait. A soft plastic is as good a bait to rely on as any.
Third. Don't have preconceived ideas about how the fishing should be. Don't assume because conditions are ideal that the fish will be attacking your lure on every cast. Approach each trip with a blank sheet of paper. Don't be afraid to try something goofy or fish your one lure you take along different than the way it's supposed to be fished. Keep an open mind.
Good luck. It'll get better once you start catching more fish.
SammyLee reply :
Well, I'd be competing for that title too I think. Had my first tournament yesterday and got skunked where other boats got plenty of 4 pounders.
All the advice you've gotten is good stuff, give it a try. Also try to consider any outing a "potiential" and don't put pressure on yourself. Any fish I catch is a bonus. Sometimes it is just a matter of time.
I used to only catch a bass as a sort of random luck, odd day kinda thing. Friday morning I was sitting in the middle of schooling bass on the surface and I could not catch and release quickly enough.
Random luck there? Yeah, maybe but I've been to that lake many dozens of times. Fished it hot, cold, rainy, dry and everything in between. Keeping a lure wet even when it is just a "day out of the house" helps.
Don't give up yet. Heck, at your age, if I was catching them at all I'd have thought I was big stuff.
ps, I second the motion of t-rigged plastics. Really, a go to bait.
Koop reply :
Quote-Try booking a trip with a local guide to take you out and show you the lake and give you some tips.
+1
Best $80 I have ever spent. Sure beat out giving another $80 to the monkey.
Take a handheld GPS with, *ask permission* to mark some of the spots he shows you. (Only reason I say to ask is because showing people around is his job, he dosn't want you marking a course and becomming a "guide" yourself with his route.) I just went out, learned a few tricks, marked a few spots I really liked the feel / structure of and caught a ton of bass (and walleye, as I wanted him to show me some sandbars for walleye also). Kept my lines tight all day, not only was it a very fun day, I caught some picture takers and learned a ton.
Highly recommend it.
skunked_again reply :
QuoteI have a grand variety of baits from plastics to jigs. I know how to use them all. I know how to fish structure and no usually where to find fish. However, I have never caught more than 1 fish per outing. Also, I have only caught 1 fish this year. I have pretty much gone fishing every weekend from the end of April.I consider myself the worse fisherman to date. I know how bass act but I always choke up on every outing. I have never had anyone to teach me and have been fishing since I could walk (I don't understand it either). People in my family hate fishing. Perhaps if I had a teacher or someone to care about what I do, maybe I could increase my catches.
I feel that i just plain out suck. I have used magic baits and senkos! still no takers on those. I always do my research for each lake and bait. Therefore there is no excuse. I love the scenery of fishing and being outdoors, but I just cannot land any fish. Bill Dance once said that pheromones have a great impact on attracting fish. Perhaps, I have bad pheromones.
I went out to my lake today, perfect conditions and guess what........................got skunked. It has become a norm that my family does not even care to ask if I caught anything. When I do catch something, they are very surprised....what an insult. Anyway, fish were jumping and I could not catch them. I am seriously thinking about putting the rods away for good. I never catch any fish! To think of all the money I spent on rods and baits, what a waste. Perhaps I'm a golfing guy. Not catching fish and knowing what how to catch them is so demoralizing.
( I do not want to go back to live bait fishing, I love controlling the bait on my own and adding anything I want to it. )
are you bank fishing? if you are its possibly the top 5 hardest times of the year for bank fishing. id try getting out just at sun-up and right at sun down.
avid reply :
Ok,
Maybe you don't know bass habits and baits as well as you think.
Why not try and forget everything you think you know, and start with the basics.
You picked a good place to learn.
bassman31783 reply :
Totally agree with Big-O & Mattlures. However I would never throw out the tried & true lures like a beetle spin or a tiny torpedo. Those two always seem to catch fish no matter what.
Just like Matt said though, get good & comfortable at one technique before you try & branch out to others. That was my problem growing up. I was always changing lures & never got comfortable with any fishing style. I never felt totally confident that I was going to catch fish.
Hang in there, keep reading up on this forum & never be afraid to ask questions. We're here to help & learn. Let us know how it goes.
Oh yeah, don't say that you'll never go back to live bait fishing. It's still, in my opinion, the best way to catch fish. Big ones too. There's a lot that you can learn from fishing with live bait. Just ask Fish Chris or Paul.
90x reply :
The real problem is not being addressed. I have done all that is recommended. I know how to t-rig and work all my baits. I appreciate all the support. I'm pretty sure you are all accomplished fisherman and have the experience to catch any fish you wanted. the guide would be a great help, but the places where I fish simply do not have access to guides. There is something missing like a piece to a puzzle. I am part of NAFC and have multiple books and always watch their shows as well as the entire versus channel. I think that I have all the knowledge I just cant pull the trigger when I am at the lake. I kill myself to fish slow and still do not get any bites. I would be happy with one fish per outing, I just wish I could be consistent.
DINK WHISPERER reply :
I think Avid hit it right on the head! Forget all the books, shows, etc etc! Try new things in new places. A fish is a wild animal and it does not have to abide by what a book or tv show says it has to be doing at a certain time of year! BEST OF LUCK!!!!!!!!
Justin0530 reply :
Forget nthe books and shows and whatnot....Somebody once told me the only way to get better is "just go fishing"
Bassin_Fin@tic reply :
QuoteOk,Maybe you don't know bass habits and baits as well as you think.
Why not try and forget everything you think you know, and start with the basics.
You picked a good place to learn.
Short,sweet,and to the point.
I need to heed this advice as well sometimes when I get an attitude and feel like giving up.
dmac14 reply :
Go wayy back. Grab a shiner and a bobber and just try to catch fish. Or start even further back and maybe some worms and go after bluegill. Start with basics and work up. Look at it this way even if you are just catching bluegills, your confidence in fishing goes up, you start having fun, and once you are having fun I find fishing gets easier.
Also try to find a club or a friend who will fish, a fishing partner makes me fish better IMO. I am very competitive and when I go out with a friend, I work so hard to catch more/bigger fish than him, which keeps me focused.
done reply :
Man...we have all had those days/weeks/etc. I have had entire seasons where I can catch next to no bass but can have someone with the SAME bait right next to me throw and catch Bass after Bass. I have had some days I have been ready to tie my anchor to my ankle and throw it overboard.
You need to stick with it. 9 times out of 10, I find my pace is off. My bud who is 9,000 times more patient than me will beat the crap out of me because he works a hole. I will cast 6 times to his 1 and he will catch 6 fish to my 1.
Reading is GREAT. Knowing your prey makes a huge difference. The other part is...do you have electronics or some way to see the bottom structure? When I put a cheap graph on my boat, it made all the difference in the world. Sometimes the difference between catching them and not was a 25 ft shift in one direction.
Shore fishing could be worse cause you are limited to what you can access. Explore more on the bank. You mentioned live bait. When you fished these same spots with live bait, are you pulling in fish? What kinds? What type of rig did you use? Did you ever get Bass with live bait from these same holes?
I would try live bait again. This time though, look at where you are catching the fish, how you have it rigged, what action you have to the live bait. Once you have it figured out, try some plastics that are similar in look to the live bait you were using and try the same thing. See if you cannot at least get bites. If that works move from there.
Do not always trust the book knowledge. The biggest Bass I have caught I caught in a cove nobody fishes. They fish all the coves around it, the main channel outside it, but nobody fishes this cove. Been told there are "no fish in there" and it has "bad structure". Yet I can consistently get Bass out of there.
Keep it up though dude, keep experimenting, keep trying, if the same ol' same ol' does not work, try something the books say would never work. it might surprise you.
roadwarrior reply :
Start saving some money from working, your birthday and
Christmas. To jump start your "catching", hire a guide for a
day. Not just any guide, you need to do some research and
get some recommendations. Talk with the guide BEFORE
going out so he understands your dilemma.
Otherwise, here's the GUARANTEE:
http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1158577137
8-)
dman reply :
QuoteThe real problem is not being addressed. I have done all that is recommended. I know how to t-rig and work all my baits. I appreciate all the support. I'm pretty sure you are all accomplished fisherman and have the experience to catch any fish you wanted. the guide would be a great help, but the places where I fish simply do not have access to guides. There is something missing like a piece to a puzzle. I am part of NAFC and have multiple books and always watch their shows as well as the entire versus channel. I think that I have all the knowledge I just cant pull the trigger when I am at the lake. I kill myself to fish slow and still do not get any bites. I would be happy with one fish per outing, I just wish I could be consistent.
Are these places you fish very productive? are other guys catching a lot? some lakes are just tough and over-fished...I mean, if you really think your fishing the right spots and have the technique right - you should be getting bit...I know I have 1 lake nearby that I can spend all day on for just a few bites - and i get those bites because i know the lake well..Ive seen good tourny guys get skunked time after time so maybe its just tough waters
RoLo reply :
I agree with dman, the first step always is to select the best available bass waters in your area.
Some waters just plain stink where even "pro" anglers would be sucking wind, but those waters are avoided by tourney directors.
Get your hands on everything your DNR publishes and fish only the waters that your state ranks "Abundant" for largemouth bass.
Beyond that, there is no Silver Bullet. This thread alone offers plenty of good advice, just pick the approach that appeals to you most.
Roger
farmpond1 reply :
QuoteOk,Maybe you don't know bass habits and baits as well as you think.
Why not try and forget everything you think you know, and start with the basics.
You picked a good place to learn.
Either there are very few bass where you are fishing or AVID is correct. Keep your mind open to learning and modifying your tactics. Even the best fisherman can still learn. A wise man once said that he only gained wisdom by realizing that he didn't know as much as he thought.
Oh, and there is no shame in admitting difficulties.
LCpointerKILLA reply :
QuoteQuoteThe real problem is not being addressed. I have done all that is recommended. I know how to t-rig and work all my baits. I appreciate all the support. I'm pretty sure you are all accomplished fisherman and have the experience to catch any fish you wanted. the guide would be a great help, but the places where I fish simply do not have access to guides. There is something missing like a piece to a puzzle. I am part of NAFC and have multiple books and always watch their shows as well as the entire versus channel. I think that I have all the knowledge I just cant pull the trigger when I am at the lake. I kill myself to fish slow and still do not get any bites. I would be happy with one fish per outing, I just wish I could be consistent.Are these places you fish very productive? are other guys catching a lot? some lakes are just tough and over-fished...I mean, if you really think your fishing the right spots and have the technique right - you should be getting bit...I know I have 1 lake nearby that I can spend all day on for just a few bites - and i get those bites because i know the lake well..Ive seen good tourny guys get skunked time after time so maybe its just tough waters
x2
time to find a new body of water
Sam reply :
Suggestions:
1. Scale down and use a spinning rig with 6 pound test.
2. Throw either a white or yellow Rooster Tail or a Mepps #2.
Good luck.
Steve P. reply :
So let me get this straight. You have all of your techniques for fishing various baits and knowing when to fish which lure down to a science. You can danged near hit these Bass in the head because of your well tuned fish locating skills.
Then you post that even though at the tender age of 15 you know everything there is to know about catching Bass, you can't seem to catch a darned thing? :
Many people came on here and took the time to give you advice, yet you rejected that advice? :
I believe that you have the same problem I had when I was 15. I thought I knew everything there is to know too. As you grow older, you'll know what I'm talking about. 
Avid gave the best advice in my opinion.
Don't feel bad. There's a guy who calls himself Keithscatch that has been banned from this site, and he can't catch fish either and he's in his 40's! ;D
90x reply :
QuoteSo let me get this straight. You have all of your techniques for fishing various baits and knowing when to fish which lure down to a science. You can danged near hit these Bass in the head because of your well tuned fish locating skills.Then you post that even though at the tender age of 15 you know everything there is to know about catching Bass, you can't seem to catch a darned thing? :
Many people came on here and took the time to give you advice, yet you rejected that advice? :
I believe that you have the same problem I had when I was 15. I thought I knew everything there is to know too. As you grow older, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Avid gave the best advice in my opinion.
Don't feel bad. There's a guy who calls himself Keithscatch that has been banned from this site, and he can't catch fish either and he's in his 40's! ;D
I always take the advice of my fellow fisherman. I understand the basic ideas of what they are saying. I used to catch fish, but something has happened. I always come to this site first because of the great selection of knowledge. I would never doubt any of these fishermen and women. I have not gotten the time to try out their techniques. I am already doing the techniques. My problem is finding fish.
Red Bear reply :
If your problem is finding fish then you may need to change the places where you fish as others have suggested. sometimes you have to throw technique out the window as well. what works great one day may not work so well the next even in similar/same conditions. for example, ive been fishing my uncles farm pond a lot lately because its close by, i get good practice in there, and havent had a lot of time to go elsewhere to fish. ive had good luck there in past years just throwing out a berkley red shad worm and reeling it in, the fish would chase it down and bite. this year not so much the same. ive had to trick the fish or just get plain lucky.
one day i had great luck on a tiny rebel crick hopper, even hooked a small blue gill that day that got gobbled up by a huge bass while i was bringing him in, instead i brung in a bass with a full belly of blue gill. yesterday there was a huge bass swimming along the bank, appeared to me he was hungry looking for food. so i walk up ahead of him, he swims under an algae patch and i drop a rebel crawdad right in the next clear spot in front of the algae and the bass annihilated it, yet when i casted the crawdad out nothing would hit it. it was one of the easiest fish youll ever catch(had i got the hook set, instead i was dodging a lure flying out of the water right at me). so after that i went to my beloved red shad worm, and nothing would bite it either. so i changed tactics, threw it out and let it sit on the bottom a few minutes(patience is key, you sound like you could use some). eventually i would bump the lure a bit to draw fishes attention. then i would let it sit again, leaving my line slack. all of a sudden i would sense something grabbing the worm and then i would see my slack tightening up and set the hook, caught two that way before i had to pack it up and go home. bass dont always like to chase things, sometimes they like an easy meal thats sitting right there for them with minimal movement. ive seen a lot of bass in that pond chase my lures and then just veer off no matter how i adjusted. ive also seen them chase a lure i threw into an algae patch on accident and reeled in really fast across the top of the water to clean it up and try again. happened the other day, this bass was flying so i stopped my algae covered lure right before the bank and he nailed it. my point being is, conventional methods and techniques dont always work, and sometimes when you least expect it you will catch fish in weird ways. never be afraid to try something new, sometimes people get too caught up in the technical aspect of fishing that they forget to actually fish and enjoy themselves.
islandbass reply :
QuoteThe real problem is not being addressed. I have done all that is recommended. I know how to t-rig and work all my baits. I appreciate all the support. I'm pretty sure you are all accomplished fisherman and have the experience to catch any fish you wanted. the guide would be a great help, but the places where I fish simply do not have access to guides. There is something missing like a piece to a puzzle. I am part of NAFC and have multiple books and always watch their shows as well as the entire versus channel. I think that I have all the knowledge I just cant pull the trigger when I am at the lake. I kill myself to fish slow and still do not get any bites. I would be happy with one fish per outing, I just wish I could be consistent.
I hear you and "feel" your pain and I am not certain if you are stuck on the shore or not, but all of the knowledge in your head and the advice given here isn't going to do much if you are fishing where the fish are not.
The only thing I can recommend is not giving up. Good luck.
tyrius. reply :
Where in Chicago do you live? I'm in the southwestern suburbs and if you're anywhere close I can show you a couple of spots that I usually have good luck.
If you're averaging less than one fish per outing then you're missing a big piece of the puzzle. It's difficult to know what that piece is but something is missing.
YaHoo reply :
i have had a bad year so far this year!
i have thought about quitting so many times!
get a partner it helps!
im only 17, a recent graduate with no boat shore fishing and i just got back from a 7+ hour trip on the bank in 99 degree weather with not ONE fish lol
but it was great it beats being home.
my problem is i fish a lake once and if i catch nothing i give up on it and never come back.
just fish slow.
nothings wrong with live bait.
ps-i havent caught a bass in my last 5 outings:(
but tomorrow morning you can bet ill be out there as that suns rising
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