How often are you "SKUNKED"? 2024

FivePoundBluegill reply :

Well guys how often do you get skunked?

To be honest I only get skunked like once or twice a year when going for bass. Those times when I get skunked are usually in the dead of winter usually after a front on days where I know the fishing will be bad but I try anyway. Thing is I seem to gave a "go to" tactic when I cannot get anything to work that will always catch me some fish....

Jeff H reply :

Been many years for me, and by that I mean at least 18 yrs. BUT, we don't get to fish bass here in the winter either. I only fish June through Sept and start hunting in October.

Raul reply :

It depends on the lake.

Boett43 reply :

Haha i think i get skunked too often its not even a big deal if i dont catch a fish anymore haha..and yet i still spend 100s of dollars on fishing tackle haha am i crazy?

Catt reply :

Probably once every 2 or 3 years

NitroMan reply :

Quote
Haha i think i get skunked too often its not even a big deal if i dont catch a fish anymore haha..and yet i still spend 100s of dollars on fishing tackle haha am i crazy?

HAHAHA Sounds like I used to be... (on the skunked part)... I still spend my pay check on fishing tackle.

I have only been skunked once this year... Thank GOD!!!!

But I started a new thing for me personally... I refuse to leave the body of water until I can at least catch 1!!!!

Grey Wolf reply :

57 days fished so far this year , skunked 13 0f those days. I guess I'M NOT AS GOOD AS THE REST OF YOU FELLA'S.

sdcoll reply :

funny how this shows up because i got skunked last night.this river is cursed (dead to me) because ive been going the there 2-3 times a yr for 3-5 now.i have seen 5lbs+ lmb come out of there but all i get are small pickerel > by the way this river hold bass torney twice a yr but thats the only place thats like this for me of all the places i go

Joe Boss reply :

I get skunked a few times a year.

To keep from getting to bummed I make sure I catch something while I am out there. I might go on a trip for bass but I end up with perch, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass and an rare bullhead cat. I always carry an ultra light setup for sunfish if the bass aren't biting.

roadwarrior reply :

It's the price you pay if you only target bigger fish.

I never consider it "bad", just another piece of the

bigger picture.

8-)

Crestliner2008 reply :

Quote
It's the price you pay if you only target bigger fish.
I never consider it "bad", just another piece of the

bigger picture.

8-)

Popeye reply :

So often as of late that I asked my wife to check my back and see if I had a permanent white stripe!!! Can't seem to figure out the lake I've been going to twice a week just yet. I've had a few hookups that went sour and I've seen some NICE bass caught in the SAME area I've been hitting, but I've yet to land a fish. Kinda been getting bummed out about it but I do think it's only a matter of time before I land that first one. In fact, this Sunday I'm going to start fishing more of the lake (all of it) and pound those tullies where most of the guys have been having a small degree of success.

bkoguy07 reply :

In some small ponds where the fishing is finicky I have been skunked maybe 4-10 times this year, but I have caught some nice ones. As for big lakes I rarely rarely get skunked on larger bodies of water. 1 so far this year not because I didn't get a bite, I lost 3 fish on bad hook sets with my jigs :-(

fishfordollars reply :

I fish to win. That causes me to go for it and I will make bad decisions that cause me to zero at times. When you run 10 miles to fish one brushtop, dock, hump, point, etc. and they are not there it can and will happen. Problems with a boat will cause it to. I have zeroed lots of times over the years, but I fish a lot more than the average angler.

.dsaavedra. reply :

i got skunked today

jemackinnon83 reply :

More times than I aren't:(

ww2farmer reply :

Since the ice melted on my lake April 7th, I have fished for bass 68 days so far, and been skunked once. Just last week, post spawn is my weekness. Might be skunked a few more times too before they set up on there summer patterns, I know I was last year.

simplejoe reply :

I get skunked maybe once a week, but lately on this pond I've been fishing the fish won't bite there I see big bass flopping on the water I throw everything at them still no takers :'(

Bassaholic84 reply :

You have to get skunked everynow and then it makes those days where you bang em out that much better.

bigbasser121 reply :

A few times a year. I spend lots of gas money to drive to different places just so I don't get skunked.

garry77 reply :

A lot less than I used too,but I've been trying to learn some new techniques so the learning curve could account for some of it.(a likely excuse)

I got skunked today incidentally.

Micro reply :

There are only two types of people: those that have been skunked, and those that don't fish.

And getting skunked means two important things: you are fishing, and you are learning.

sambrochill reply :

i fish quite frequently and to be honest i get skunked a lot, but thanks to some helpful advice given to me and other anglers on this forum im starting to get skunked a lot less.

Mottfia reply :

I remember back when I frst took on fishing without my dad. My partner and I got skunked more times than not. A few years back ,we were thrilled to find a few 8 inches in the back of a creek or one keeper in a days time . Now adays we don't hardly get skunked . Everything trip so far has yielded a fish of some sort ( some I'm not too proud of ) but odds are that our day is coming where we will be wondering if we should have brought some crickets instead. But thats what makes it such a challenge. Got to love it

billbrum reply :

I get skunked about twice a year. My dad tends to always fish the same lakes so I have no choice but to go where he wants to.

broncoboxer reply :

I get skunked plenty.

luvfishing reply :

Man havent caught a bass yet this year been out the 3 sundays

no.4shot reply :

Quote
There are only two types of people: those that have been skunked, and those that don't fish.
And getting skunked means two important things: you are fishing, and you are learning.

couldn't have summed it up any better.

Handy reply :

I get skunked allot but I fish for only an hour or two at a time. I go and fish when I have time and that is right after work and that means 2-3 hours at best. I fish weekends but I still sometimes only get a few hours in. But for the most part it doesn't get to me too much, I am outside fishing and enjoying it. Last weekend I got to take my brother out in my boat and although we didn't catch anything we both had a blast and to me it was a success, we "caught" a great time.

Paul

Alpster reply :

I love Micro's answer. If you ain't been skunked, you don't fish much.

Ronnie

vicdotcom reply :

Whenever I dont catch any bass, I go ultralight and go for bluegills!

broncoboxer reply :

Quote
Whenever I dont catch any bass, I go ultralight and go for bluegills!

Yup. Cathcing bluegills on tiny crankbaits is a blast!

jeremyt reply :

Honestly I get skunked more than I catch, I fish 3 ponds on base that are heavily fished. I have a lot of tackle and should probably stick to 3 or 4 baits, but after a few minutes of nothing I switch. I am going with my son in the morning and hope not to get skunked, but the reason I go is for the experience. I do seem to have better luck when I get out on bigger lakes.

SnowBass23 reply :

After spending the last few years really studying the fine ART of bass fishing I have started to drastically reduce the number of times I get skunked. In fact, since geting a boat I have only been skunked maybe once or twice. My problem is more about consistency. Unless I am fishing the evening (right before dark) I can pretty much guarantee (sp?) I'll catch one bass. Sometimes I catch two, or maybe have a second or third fish that get off close to the boat.

So I am working on improving my game and adding more tactics to help.

bubba77 reply :

any is too often for me, but it happens more than I like to admit

MSalmoides reply :

The beauty about avoiding the skunk is size doesn't matter.

Top reply :

when I was home on leave after being off the water for a full year... I was skunked ONCE... but that is ok.. my youngest daughter wanted to go fishing with me so she was with me and the focus was on our just reconnecting and enjoying nature.. and making sure she put on sun screen every hour so her momma didn't skin me alive for letting her get burnt

brittlab reply :

I usually manage to catch some dinks. but all of my fish are dinks compared to the bass of most members of this forum

Jeff H reply :

Quote
I love Micro's answer. If you ain't been skunked, you don't fish much.
Ronnie

LOL....in my case that is true. I only have 64 hrs on the water this year starting June 12th. Grad parties and stuff get in the way. I'll put in another 24 hrs next weekend if I can get Friday off (3days)

quant PT reply :

I fish a large reservoir out of a small boat so I get skunked from a few times a year.

bass wrangler569 reply :

At one of the lakes if fish i've never been skunked, actually I can't remember the last time I caught fewer than 10! Another lake that I fish (I dubbed it The Lake From @$#%) I used to get skunked 75% of the time until I started fishing it at night (now I only get skunked 50% of the time ;D) Overall though, excluding The Lake from @$#%, I get skunked about once a year.

bassbanger reply :

Well i probly have 10 trips under my belt with 2 skunks lol i dream of catching more than 2 in a day! lol

-Randy

MichiganFisherman reply :

I hardly ever get "skunked". I usually can catch something... a little dink or a bluegill if nothing else. I hate getting skunked.

fourbizz reply :

The majority of the time.

Welcome to the unsung life of a big baiter.

Smallie4130 reply :

I rarely ever get skunked at my regular spots, maybe once a year. Like others, Ill throw something small on and nail a few fat bream. But Im lucky in that no one really fishes at any of my spots.

Downtown here its a different story. The part of the James I can fish within walking distance is a HUGE hangout for kayakers, hippies, and all sorts of teenagers swimming, drinking, smoking, etc. If I dont get there early or late, I usually get skunked. Just yesterday I switched lures and when I came back the 7 kids swimming around had moved directly into the area they had just seen me fishing.

David P reply :

I've been skunked about 15-20 times this year already.

frogtog reply :

Most of the time if I get skunked it will be when my boat breaks down or something like that.

rondef reply :

I used to get skunked quite a bit before I joined the forum. I can now say that those days for the most part are behind me. I almost always catch fish no matter where I go, they may not be the biggest but I do catch fish.

BassChump reply :

I've been watching this thread for a while now but I didn't want to respond because I had been skunked since October of last year and since February, I've been on the water at least 3 times a week.

Lately though has been a different story. I've been slaying them the last week or so. 8-)

Go figure.

Aaron reply :

Most times I go fishing I get skunked, unless I can manage to get out really early in the morning (before sunup).

I fish from the bank and I have a hard time finding fish in the middle of the day or afternoon on KY lake.

Avalonjohn44 reply :

I would like to propose that catching a bream does not avoid a skunking... Do I have a second?

I skunked out almost every time I bring my kids fishing. I spend most of the day untangling lines, getting snags out, and pulling bluegill from hooks...

This year on 16 trips so far this summer, I've skunked out twice. One of those times I got five bites, and missed every single fish... The other I threw every bait I could imagine and didn't get a single follow...

2007 it was 5 skunkings on 38 trips...

2006 it was 8 out of 30...

I guess my ratio is improving!

eddieinva reply :

i'm new to bass fishing..

started fishing beaverdam in VA.. 3 out of 4 days i've fished that lake i've been skunked... and the 1 day I caught a nice one, was pure luck.. trolling off the back of my yak.. I've used top water/t-rigged-wacky senkos/crank/jigs etc... i've even bought a fish finder for my yak.. but it's on the fritz.. i'm about to cry... 'm about to cry... :'( :'( :'(

slomoe reply :

Lately? all the time :'(

Avalonjohn44 reply :

Quote
beaverdam in VA

If you're talking about the reservoir in NoVa, then don't worry, that is a tough spot to get a fish. There are a lot of deep rock outcropings out there that hold a lot of fish. A few years ago during a dry spell, the water levels fell a ton, and you got to see the bottom. A lot of featureless sandy/mud bottom... There are a few creekbeds in there, and rock piles, and they hold tons of fish.

Bankbeater reply :

So far three times this year. I know since I've said it I'll go and get skunked again.

FishingIsLife reply :

Define skunked. I mean I bet a lot of us have been skunked in a new pond or lake. Now for bass, yeah I have been skunked. My friend was catching these little bass on some little mino lure he bought, I could of went that route but like everyone else I am looking for the bigger fish. Its hard not to get skunked when you are trying new waters or fish for a few hours at a time. Bass are tough sometimes and being skunked is part of bass fishing and learning new techniques.

avid reply :

Rarely these days. I fish alot in ponds and it's hard not to catch at least a few small bass if you put on a senko and make enough casts. On some of the bigger waters I fish where the probability of striking out is higher, I still manage at least a couple of bass, often much higher in both number and size, but that's because my fishing buddy SteveP. is good at locating them.

Chad. reply :

Once on sunday worst part was, the fish were biting because others in the boat were catching.

It ended as a short trip i never do good in the first half of the day it is ALWAYS the second half were i get my game on.

fishfordollars reply :

A skunk to me is not catching a legal(14" in most Texas lakes) tournament fish.

fivesixone reply :

I get skunked pretty often... Not because there's not fish biting, I'm just sweatin' so much in this FL heat that I wanna go home!

Uncle Leo reply :

Try this, my fishing partner and I, consider one Bass in the boat equals no skunk. Seems everytime we do this neither is skunked. We have not been skunked at all this year.

NitroMan reply :

That is a very good way to think about it. The way I do it is pretty much the same way, I have a one bass mentality unless I am fishing a tournament... But i still do get skunked.. but not as often. The reason I have started to go by the one bass mentality is because if you go to a body of water with high expectations you will often get dissappointed. However if you go thinking it would be nice to only catch one bass then every bass after the first bass will only be added satisfaction to your trip.

I watched Rick Clunn talking about this subject one day while I was watching "BassPros" on Versus. It was a very good philosiphy to live by.

-Nitro

Vekol reply :

These days, rarely. Since April I've only been skunked once, and that was because I was fishing new water. I did catch a white bass--but off-target catches don't count in my opinion.

OleTimer reply :

I'm still new enough at bass fishing that just being out on the water TRYING to catch fish is enough. But I don't get skunked very often anymore except for two times - tournament day, and anytime I fish Lake Seminole! This year I have only stunk it up once on tournament day (seven events), but I've fished Seminole five times and only caught twice. All that grass just baffles me.

I do get frustrated though when I catch all over the lake during practice and then struggle to get a couple in the boat on tournament day. What's up with that?

avid reply :

I do get frustrated though when I catch all over the lake during practice and then struggle to get a couple in the boat on tournament day. What's up with that

Choke.

I know alot of guys over the years who can fish pretty regularly then on tournament they forget everything their own experience has taught them and go running around the lake in a near panic doing things that they "heard" about from others. Relax, do what you do best.

fishfordollars reply :

Try not soremouthing your fish on practice day. Go in get a bite or two and go try to duplicate the same in another area.

Stay away from all dock talk. It has ruined many a fisherman. Go do your own thing.

Confidence will grow as you learn to do it on your own.

It's known as putting a pattern together, and it is not hard to do. The fish will tell you everything you need to put it together.

wilsonm1 reply :

Quote
Haha i think i get skunked too often its not even a big deal if i dont catch a fish anymore haha..and yet i still spend 100s of dollars on fishing tackle haha am i crazy?

i am only 14 and i usually never catch anything but i still use all my money on fishing lures. I catch every once in a while.

EKYFisher01 reply :

Haha, kinda a funny story behind this one.

Ive been fishing a private pond for several months. Im not the only person that fishes it. The owner of the pond's son was there one day (hes 10) his father is a very close friend of mine but sadly cannot fish or hunt anymore due to having Lou Gehrigs (sp?) disease.

Anyways. I pulled up to the pond and his son, one of his friends, and their grand father was there. We started cutting up and laughing. Just giving each other a hard time. We fished for about a hour or so and he caught two and I was still on zero. They loaded up in their truck and headed out around 9pm and I decided to stay for awhile longer. As they were driving away he sticks his head out the window and yells to me:

"I HOPE YOU CATCH A ZERO INCH FISH!"

I instantly replied: "When I catch the big one in here Ill be sure to bring it down and rub it in your face!"

Sure enough, after about another two hours of fishing. I caught NOTHING. A "ZERO inch fish."

I just found it to be really funny because most of the time coming out of this pond usually yields double digit fish numbers. As for that night, (the only time ever) a monster of a zero inch fish! ;D

EKYFisher

OH-bass614 reply :

usually its got to be a day thats just ubeliveably hazy and i get there and dont think about my presentation or lure choice and just dont focus

dodgeguy reply :

i define skunked as on a fishing trip of 5 hours or more.any less time than that and you may just be fishing when they are inactive.i have seen days where i fish 7 hours biteless and the 8th hour a switch is hit and i catch fish left and right.now that it is summer if most of your fishing is from 2 pm to 5 pm you're gonna be skunked a lot.summertime fish bite early or in the dark.it's all a matter of location and timing.that said i haven't been skunked since last year.

shorefisher reply :

I've been fishing an ore bed that is springfed, long and narrow and pretty deep in the middle. Last month my thumb was almost down to the meat from lipping fish but recently the weather has changed and I've been skunked repeatedly. d**n I need a boat.

Flywatersmallie reply :

I fish 5-6 times a week and get skunked on average once or twice a month. Then again the times that I get one dink, well, that happens a lot!! Of course, most of my fishing "trips" are in my yard for an hour or so. Sometimes I nail them, sometimes I dont.

BossierBassHunter reply :

i'll put it this way, I don't count the days I get skunked, I count the days I actually catch a bass.

However, I adopted the philosophy someone else said and make sure I at least catch some sort of small bream or something

Cory N reply :

I just missed getting skunked the last time I went.

phew!

snapper G reply :

Me? Geez, I'd say about about 5 times a year, but that's only by the fish, i get skunked about once a year by a real skunk! ;D

snapper G reply :

Ya I'm i Florida to and it's HOT!! so when i do go (about once a weekend), it's at about 5:30, so i it's ether the heat that skunks me, or the sunsets with out telling me! >

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How often are you "SKUNKED"? 2024

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