Never Get Bites 2024
Amir Mccray reply :
I love bass fishing, and I go a lot. But I never really catch that much fish. One here and there. Is it the worm I'm using? The lake? Please reply
Scott F reply :
I think you're fishing where they ain't! You probably need to cover more water and find the depth where the fish are hanging out. Different baits will help on different days but you should be able to catch fish consistently on a worm. You know where the fish aren't biting, so you have to search more. More than likely, if you put that worm in front of more bass you'll get more bites.
Fish Murderer 71 reply :
keep tryin! thats why its called fishing, and not catching.
BassinLou reply :
Help us out with more info. Your Avatar is missing information, which is common for newcomers. Let us know at least what part of the country you are from, and I am sure there is someone close to you that will get you on to fish. Also familiarize yourself with the articles and videos. Welcome to BR, and good luck.
Sam reply :
On 9/4/2013 at 7:45 AM, BassinLou said:Help us out with more info. Your Avatar is missing information, which is common for newcomers. Let us know at least what part of the country you are from, and I am sure there is someone close to you that will get you on to fish. Also familiarize yourself with the articles and videos. Welcome to BR, and good luck.
Amir, please go to the introductions section and introduce yourself.
Then, as BassinLou suggests add where you live so we can give you the help you need.
Bass fishing is a science. It can take years to get up to speed and you have to start today.
We are here to help you but we need your help relating to what you are throwing, the body of water and where it is located.
Thanks.
Brian6428 reply :
You just asked a question that many people have spent their lives trying to figure out...Start reading articles on the main website. Read as much as you can, watch glenn's youtube videos and read on the forums.
Good luck.
Brian
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
Idk where you live but go to the fall fishing articles and start reading those... its almost time for some really good fishing ! Get up to speed for lures and baits to use in the fall , what the bass are doing etc... no sense of reading summer and spring fishing save that for the. Winter where you don't get out as much... or if.you want to be a die hard, go till.it freezes over and read how to bass fish in the spring while your ice fishing haha!
I think watching YouTube will help you a ton to get you in the right direction...
Good luck!
Bluebasser86 reply :
Some more info would help like others have said. If you're fishing right now it's been really hot and even the best guys struggle at times during the heat of the summer and the fall transition times when fish really scatter out. Read up on the articles on here and Bassresource's videos are your friend, watch them and put those lessons into action and you're sure to start catching more bass.
Hattrick7 reply :
IMO that's why bass fishing is so much fun. There's a definite learning curve. Its not like fishing for catfish where you throw out your line with some cut bait and sit on your butt until you get a bite. All the numerous baits you can use with all the different presentations.
I would suggest reading A lot of material on bass behavior, different baits, presentation, etc. You won't run out of material any time soon. When I first got started I would watch lots of videos on everything bass fishing.
Then the fun part is to go out and try these techniques and see what works and what doesn't.
Warning: bass fishing is highly addictive and at times expensive! Good luck
JayKumar reply :
Need more deets....
WRB reply :
Didn't have time to respond initially when this thread started, however had the same response, too open of a question to answer, but not uncommon from new anglers.
My first thoughts when this type question is asked; what type of tackle is being used and what regional area are they fishing.
This doesn't need to get too deep into all aspects of bass fishing, just the basics so the new angler can catch a few bass consistantly. Too much info too fast often leads to confusion, so lets take this 1step at a time.
If you are still reading this thread, are you willing to tell us about your rod, reel, line and type of rig you use to fish soft plastic worms? The general region like north, south, etc would also be helpful to determine the type of bass you are trying to catch; largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass.
Welcome to the site and look forward to helping you catch some worm fish.
Tom
Amir Mccray reply :
New jersey
georgeyew reply :
Do you fish by yourself? When I started, I had the luck of fishing with a buddy who was already good at catching. I picked up a lot of skill just by fishing around him.
Lil'Gunner reply :
Being in NJ, one thing I would ask is, how much fishing pressure does your lake(s) get? The more pressure, the more sophisticated your approach needs to be. Having come up on some busy lakes in the north, the big switch for me was learning to fish offshore features and deep structure. There are still surprising numbers of fishermen who have no clue about this.
You may be doing things that would work in a lot of situations, but don't there because of pressure.
coryn h. fishowl reply :
Tell us about the lake, what areas you most commonly fish and what your using in a detailed, tedious post. I'm sure we'll get you hooked into 2x as many bass in no time 
WRB reply :
Well now we can see you are from Jersey, a young man who is more than likely fishing from shore with a Texas rigged soft plastic worm or a few different types of plastic worms...right?
Most of us started out bank fishing with 1 rod/reel outfit, today that is usually a spinning outfit...right agian?
Guessing wastes lot of time and energy and the reason I ask these questions.
Lets assume you have no idea where the bass should be during this time of year, most anglers don't! The average bass angler start where they fished the last time on the water and fish the way the did when it worked.
Sometimes this approach works, most of the time it doesn't. Doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.
This time of year the bass have moved or are moving, so you need to do the same...move to different locations, fish deeper and slower; fish main lake points and let us know if that helped.
Tom
BadBassWV reply :
I think a lot of guys fishing from the shore automatically just cast straight out, with the mind set of deeper water is where the fish are. Try starting out with a cast parallel to the bank, then a little bit farther out. Fan casting-like the numbers on your watch start at a 9:00, cast to a 10 to an 11 etc, etc. The main thing is don't give up some days a rubber worm is just not what they are looking for. Next time your in wally world pick up a couple of the lesser expensive spinner baits. Trust me if you spend enough time reading and fishing, nobody completely figures it out. Being able to spend time fishing is what its all about, Catching a fish every now and again is a Bonus!!
AK-Jax86 reply :
What part of NJ? I mean you are in the cold months now so you aren't going to see much action
WRB reply :
Fishing points pointers.
1. Start near the base of the point. From shore or a boat, position yourself near ( boat) or on the bank about a good casting distance to one side of the point. Next make the first cast to the base where the point attaches to the bank and retrieve. Then start your casting down the spine of the point while moving closer towards the base. With a boat you can move out into deeper water and fish all around the perimeter out into deep water, around the point tip and continue back towards the base on the opposite side.
2. From shore you maybe able to walk onto the spine of the point and fan cast all around the points sides and tip.
3. With a boat you can cast over the submerge point spine and work up and over the opposite side, back down the face side. This presentation is over looked by most anglers, because they fear hanging up lures, no problem with a boat to retrieve lures by moving around to the opposite, retrieve the lure. If you fear losing bottom bumping lures, don't use them!
4. Most boaters tend to approach and fish points from deep water towards the point tip, the problem this can create is you are sitting on top of the bass that heard you coming and moved into deeper water. Approaching from the side or base of the point, you can cast to bass without sitting on top of them. Bank angers don't have that problem, they can only present lures from where they are standing.
Tom
Sam reply :
Could it be New Jersey?
Just where are you in Jersey? Camden? Toms River? Newark? Makes a big difference in your fishing.
Don't give up. Do the following:
1
BassAssassin726 reply :
If youre fishing from the bank I suggest covering more water. When I get to a spot Ill have a rod with a Senko, one with a Fat Ika, one with a spinnerbait, one with a jig and one with a crankbait. If I dont catch something within 20 mins with those lures I move on. How long have you been fishing? When I first started it was a lot more fishing and very little catching. But after studying everything I could about our beloved black bass Ive gotten a lot better. Havent been skunked once this year. You should always be able to catch at least one on a Senko or other plastic worm. Just keep moving until you find them.
Sam reply :
Hit the wrong key. I hate when that happens.
So here is what you do:
1. Go to the top of this page and see links and look for bass clubs. Check out the Jersey clubs that are near you and talk to the president about your fishing adventures. Get details on the possibility of you joining their club to learn where and how to fish at the various times of the year in Jersey.
2. Google the areas where you are fishing to try to locate any fishing reports on the specific bodies of water.
3. Visit a local tackle shop near each body of water and ask the guys working there that bass fish about the waters and what you need to do to attract more strikes.
4. If guides take people fishing on your bodies of water Google their web pages for their fishing reports. Also consider going out with a guide if you have a boat. If you are fishing from the shore then read the guide's blogs.
5. Check out the Internet for any maps of the waters you are fishing and study them. A paper copy would be even better if you can find them.
You need to educate yourself of the waters you fish. In Jersey this includes the number of grocery shopping carts per acre; number of bodies on the bottom per acre; probability of Jimmy Hoffa's body being on the bottom; chances of getting mugged when fishing; and the other things that make Jersey great. However, you really do need to find out all you can about the waters from those guys and gals fishing those waters.
Just be nice and polite and you will be surprised at the number of people who will want to give you their input on what to throw, where and when.
Let us know how you do and please consider calling one of the local bass clubs and speak with them.
BassAssassin726 reply :
On 10/27/2013 at 10:25 PM, AK-Jax86 said:What part of NJ? I mean you are in the cold months now so you aren't going to see much action
On the contrary the action is just heating up!
bigbill reply :
Fishing from shore I throw a variety of different lures, colors and sizes till I get action. I also fan cast the whole area when I can too. I don't do fan casting in order, by casting next to my last cast I jump around with my fan casting. This way I'm not spooking every fish. I try to make the softest cast I can make when the lure hits the water too. Now I never rush to fish, I take my time and execute every presentation exactly correct every time. Our presentation has to be a picture perfect one, let's say an Oscar winning one every time. That's the difference between success and failure. Stay focused and motivated that's another key to success.
1. Reading the clarity of the water.
Clear water,
Smaller lures, natural colors fished faster.
Stained water,
Medium sized lures, a combination of natural colors, brighter colors fished slower.
Muddy water,
Large sized lures, brightest colors fished the slowest.
Lures having a rattle is a plus in any water condition. A shot of bass scent helps too. I do not pump gas before I go fishing. I wash my hands with big orange before every outing. I use polarized glasses so I can watch for short strikes behind my lures. Some fishermen wash there hands with scent while they fish. Just a little will do.
On my first cast I load up my topwater lure with scent and make the longest cast I can make. This raises the basses instinct that food is in the area. The rattle in your lure backs up the scent by ringing the dinner bell.
In my many years of throwing lures, each lure will catch fish at one time or another. It's up to us to figure out which lure will catch fish right at the time were fishing.
I throw a variety of lures. We're like a baseball pitcher throwing different pitches, but we're looking for that first strike. Then the fish told us what lure they want and at what speed/presentation they want it at. I throw crankbaits and use a slow reel, my topwater lures I use a walk the dog presentation or a one, two, three twitch and a pause, then repeat it exactly until ready to cast again. With spinnerbaits I reel it fast enough were we can see it just below the surface. Then I may try a slower speed were we can't see it so it's below the sight line. Out of our sight but more in the zone where the bass are.
Example of my variety of the lures I throw,
Topwater spook
Crankbait 3' to 4' deep(bomber model A redcraw)
Crankbait 10' deep (rebel big claw crawfish)
Rapala f7 original floater blue or black
Spinner bait silver blade, white skirt(Mann's classic)
Inline spinner mepps Anglia #3 silver, Brown tail
Crankbait 3' to 4' deep (bomber model A Baby bass)
Carolina rigged senko 1/8oz weight 20" leader.
Panther Martin #4/#6 spin fly silver blade, yellow/Orange tail.
Strike king inline spinner #3 silver, black tail.
Spinner bait gold Colorado, hot chartreuse skirt(Mann's classic)
Joe's fly 1/4oz bass, firetiger apache.
Crankbait, 3' to 4'deep (bomber model A silver flash)
Joe's fly 1/4oz bass, blackgnat.
Mepps Anglia #3 gold blade, Gray tail.
Jig n pig, 3/8oz football head, green pumpkin with pork trailer, hopped on bottom.
Carolina rigged brush hog 1/8oz from shore.
Mister Twister top prop, slowly reeled on top, or a 1,2,3 rip n pause.
When nothing is happening on a slow or tough day I use this time to practice and focus on my presentations to hone them picture perfect. Sooner or later a fish will interrupt you. Just remember what you did to make it strike and repeat it.
Don't forget the scent, and pics of your catches. Try fishing at the evenings till dark. They turn on around dusk. They also turn on before dawn too. Anytime of day is for fishing too. Throw cranks and spinnerbaits.
I lived in Jersey too at onetime near Paramus. Bigbill
If I were you I'd read every article here and watch every fishing video you can watch here and on you tube. Hammer them by reading and watching them all winter till the ice is off. Then it's time to go out and try what you have learned. It's not luck in catching fish it's skill.
bigbill reply :
Remember honing your different presentations with each lure at one body of water you will find it also works at any body of water too. I find fishing to be a challenge and when we stay focused, motivated, determined we will catch fish. In the very beginning of all of our bass fishing experiences up to even today were all still learning. We never stop learning. I love going out and throwing different lures and presentations till I get action. It's fun. Bill
Btw, When we leave one body of water where we honed our skills and got our education and knowledge at, what we have learned goes with us.
Don't forget to take notes and write everything down. What your catches are so you can see if your improving or not. Which lures work better and which presentation caught the most fish and at what time of day it was. Sometimes as we advance more on a tough day having notes allows us to get back to basics. We need a refresh to get back on track
coryn h. fishowl reply :
On 10/27/2013 at 12:20 PM, WRB said:Well now we can see you are from Jersey, a young man who is more than likely fishing from shore with a Texas rigged soft plastic worm or a few different types of plastic worms...right?
Most of us started out bank fishing with 1 rod/reel outfit, today that is usually a spinning outfit...right agian?
Guessing wastes lot of time and energy and the reason I ask these questions.
Lets assume you have no idea where the bass should be during this time of year, most anglers don't! The average bass angler start where they fished the last time on the water and fish the way the did when it worked.
Sometimes this approach works, most of the time it doesn't. Doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.
This time of year the bass have moved or are moving, so you need to do the same...move to different locations, fish deeper and slower; fish main lake points and let us know if that helped.
Tom
On 10/28/2013 at 1:27 AM, WRB said:Fishing points pointers.
1. Start near the base of the point. From shore or a boat, position yourself near ( boat) or on the bank about a good casting distance to one side of the point. Next make the first cast to the base where the point attaches to the bank and retrieve. Then start your casting down the spine of the point while moving closer towards the base. With a boat you can move out into deeper water and fish all around the perimeter out into deep water, around the point tip and continue back towards the base on the opposite side.
2. From shore you maybe able to walk onto the spine of the point and fan cast all around the points sides and tip.
3. With a boat you can cast over the submerge point spine and work up and over the opposite side, back down the face side. This presentation is over looked by most anglers, because they fear hanging up lures, no problem with a boat to retrieve lures by moving around to the opposite, retrieve the lure. If you fear losing bottom bumping lures, don't use them!
4. Most boaters tend to approach and fish points from deep water towards the point tip, the problem this can create is you are sitting on top of the bass that heard you coming and moved into deeper water. Approaching from the side or base of the point, you can cast to bass without sitting on top of them. Bank angers don't have that problem, they can only present lures from where they are standing.
Tom
I've never read bad advice from this man.
coryn h. fishowl reply :
On 10/28/2013 at 3:53 AM, bigbill said:Try fishing at the evenings till dark. They turn on around dusk. They also turn on before dawn too. Anytime of day is for fishing too.
Funny and true
bigbill reply :
In the changing light conditions the basses eyes adjust quicker, sooner than the baitfish eyes thus making them easy prey. This is why the bass put on the feed bag early in the morning and In the evenings when the light conditions change. During the noon time the bite increases too when the plants give off plankton the baitfish come out of hiding to eat the bass turn on to eat them.
I been told that after it gets dark and everything settles down on the body of water around 10pm/11pm the bass turn on again. I never tried fishing at this time yet. Usually
at this time in the summer I'm on the menu for the bugs to feast.
From a boat you can track the basses movements. From the shore we need to time there movements so we know when to fish for them. Early morning fishing in the dark there close to the shoreline ambushing the baitfish. Then as it gets lighter they move to deeper cover. In the low light conditions I can catch them when they move from the shallow into the channel towards the thick cover. It's all about the timing when there moving.
I found using a hummingbird portable cast out fish finder with the wrist watch reader will tell you the bottom structure besides were the fish are at too. It's a great tool to have when the smaller bodies of water have no tool maps to go by.
Fishing isn't rocket science it's understanding the bottom structure and layout of the place.
If your fishing a new body of water using live minnows will tell you what is there. I was doing this till I learned how to present lures better.
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