You Guys Ever Have Days Where You Fish For 2-4 Hours Without A Bite? 2024
Coosa reply :
The last three times I've been out (mind you it is hot) I haven't caught a thing. First time was early morn. 2nd time early early morn. 3rd time midday.
I'm just really feelin like I'm doin somethin wrong. I don't ever feel discouraged cause I love it even when I don't catch anything.
How many casts do you do before moving around. I usually cast out about 10 times before going somewhere else. Am I not patient enough?
0119 reply :
All the time
Texfisherman reply :
Every time I go fishing I will have atleast a 2-hour period of no bites. Sometimes, longer than that. Bass fishing is like fighting against a light switch that turns on and off suddenly. One moment, they'll be slamming your lures, and the next moment, it dies off for a long period.
Go to a place on the lake where you think the bass will be. Then, go through a variety of lures and different colors and see if you can hone in on what they want. Throw a top-water a few times, then a mid-runner, then a spinnerbait. If that doesn't work, try throwing soft plastics and work them slowly.
Good luck and don't get discouraged. It's all a part of bass fishing.
Coosa reply :
Cool, just wanted to make sure I'm not alone here, I mean I see some guys go bass fishing and they catch 15-30 bass.. I'm just like, WHAT!?
Texfisherman reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 3:38 AM, Coosa said:Cool, just wanted to make sure I'm not alone here, I mean I see some guys go bass fishing and they catch 15-30 bass.. I'm just like, WHAT!?
The lake itself can have a lot to do with that. There are 3 different lakes I work. One of them, I'm lucky to catch even 5 in a 12-14 hour fishing period.
I'll go to one of my two other lakes and will easily catch 10, 20, even more in a 12-14 hour fishing period.
Mike L reply :
No Sir, You are not alone!
Mike
Broke bass fisherman reply :
Don't fret. I have the same experience, I fish from bank on a river and I have limited access so it really is hit or miss (missing more than hitting). Find a pattern and learn the subtleties in it. I would also suggest a fishing diary, where you where, what the weather was, how the water was and what you threw. That will help you start to understand what the fish want and how they act under the conditions.
JSPOONE reply :
When I don't get a bite on my crank or spinnerbait I just change my pace up just reel in slowly and even go to my soft plastics and drag em on the bottom if not getting a bite in a couple hours
Nitrofreak reply :
I rarely if ever change baits in succession, understanding your conditions and knowing what the fish should be doing is key, hot temps just means you need to slow down, if your shore bound it's even tougher for you, it's these times when you need to visit the deeper pockets of water or structure change, even as little as a one foot drop in structure can hold some decent fishing.
Slow down with your presentations if they aren't biting, a c-rigged salt and pepper fluke, or you could use a t-rig with a pegged weight and a fluke, from shore that was always deadly for me if you could find deeper pockets of water.
We all have periods of time when the fish are doing their absolute best not to take our bait, a bait that we spend so much of our precious time and money picking out for them...selfish bass turds...lol.
Good luck and be safe !!!
Bankbeater reply :
Had one this past Saturday.
rockchalk06 reply :
Lately I have been slamming the hybrid bass between 845-930. Not a single bite before or after. I think it just too hot. I'm going to try again tomorrow
Sam reply :
Of course.
I have fished in tournaments all day and gotten only one or two bites.
It is a normal part of bass fishing.
tugsandpulls reply :
i got skunked tonight thats why its called fishing and not called catching
Grizzn N Bassin reply :
yeaaa buddy i went to new pond today got a bass the first cast then not a thing 2 hrs later when i was on the other side.. your not alone keep reeling and i would stay a little longer try fan casting an area for awhile that seems to work for me.
Michael DiNardo reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 9:25 AM, tugsandpulls said:i got skunked tonight thats why its called fishing and not called catching
Ya beat me to it.....X2
Mike
A-Jay reply :
Yes - sometimes that's a Good Day.
A-Jay
ww2farmer reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 9:51 AM, A-Jay said:Yes - sometimes that's a Good Day.
A-Jay
Some of my best finishes in tournaments have been when we have caught them good for a short spurt............followed by hours of grinding, and junk fishing for bites. Actually, thats pretty much how it is most of the time, tournament or not. Rare is the day when they are on fire from the time I drop the TM till I put the boat back on the trailer, it only happens a couple times a year, thats why I remember those days so well. The days where I go out and catch a few fish in the morning, followed by painfully slow lulls, either untill I change what I am doing, or the fish turn back on, are all a blur.
200racing reply :
all the time. heck i won a tourn. this year with 3 fish only bites i got in 8hrs.
AK-Jax86 reply :
I've had some days like that man especially in the heat. And I always fish from the shore so you are limited to the spots you can get to. If you have a boat you should be able to catch a fish every time you go out on the water. I can't wait til I get my first bass boat then the fishing is really gonna begin
SirSnookalot reply :
For me it's time of year and body of water, being summer I don't always catch a bass on each outing, other times of the year catching bass poses no real problem.
Some of the other species I fish for it's not uncommon for me not to get a strike in a month, and that doesn't mean the fish is hooked.
Deadeye-1 reply :
I read an article one time (don't remember where) that stated that the average Bass Fisherman in Florida catches 1 bass per 2 hrs of fishing. Last week I fished from 7:00 AM until 5:30 PM. Caught 14 bass. Thats an average of 1.33333 bass per hr. Thing is I had 8 in the boat by 10:00. Then it was one here and one there for the rest of the day. Rarely is it that you will catch 20-30 in a 2-4 hr period. Those day are magic IF and WHEN they ever happen.
I have had friends tell me of days when they happened upon a group of schooling bass where two of them boated 60 fish in 2-3 hrs of fishing. It does happen, but not often. Those are the days that will stick in your memory forever.
Clint C. reply :
More often than I'd like to admit. I do fairly well though I think considering I shore fish from a wheelchair. Limited access at places =/
redboat reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 3:35 AM, Texfisherman said:Every time I go fishing I will have atleast a 2-hour period of no bites. Sometimes, longer than that. Bass fishing is like fighting against a light switch that turns on and off suddenly. One moment, they'll be slamming your lures, and the next moment, it dies off for a long period.
Go to a place on the lake where you think the bass will be. Then, go through a variety of lures and different colors and see if you can hone in on what they want. Throw a top-water a few times, then a mid-runner, then a spinnerbait. If that doesn't work, try throwing soft plastics and work them slowly.
Good luck and don't get discouraged. It's all a part of bass fishing.
Yeah, I'm from Texas, two hours without a bite is nothing - in the summer around here its more like two months...
unionman reply :
I usually go through the column in each spot from the bank. Start with a topwater, spinner/crank then plastics. I hardly ever get skunked anymore. An intimate knowledge of your fishery is paramount. We all have lulls in action. Part of the sport. If you caught 50 bass EVERY time you went out then it wouldnt be a challenge anymore. And that, my friend, is what its all about.
GOOD LUCK. FISH ON!!!
jimmykm21 reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 3:38 AM, Coosa said:Cool, just wanted to make sure I'm not alone here, I mean I see some guys go bass fishing and they catch 15-30 bass.. I'm just like, WHAT!?
They call those jig fisherman.
I had a chance to fish with a deep water jig fisherman,, it's something to watch.
jimmykm21 reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 10:43 AM, AK-NJ1986 said:I've had some days like that man especially in the heat. And I always fish from the shore so you are limited to the spots you can get to. If you have a boat you should be able to catch a fish every time you go out on the water. I can't wait til I get my first bass boat then the fishing is really gonna begin
I'm going to tell the fish that next time I go out on my boat .
I've had a few times no bites no matter what I tried .
If you fish enough it happens even to boaters.
tnriverluver reply :
Almost daily
SoFlaBassAddict reply :
I've had 100 fish days where you're just worn out at the end of the day. I've had more than my fair share of zero fish days also. Unfortunately those zero fish days outweigh the 100 fish days by a lot. It happens to everybody at some point. There are those rare days when everything you do works. On the flip side, there are days when absolutely nothing seems to work. There's always another day on the water. Don't let it get you down. That's why it's called fishing,mnot catching.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 3:38 AM, Coosa said:Cool, just wanted to make sure I'm not alone here, I mean I see some guys go bass fishing and they catch 15-30 bass.. I'm just like, WHAT!?
Those are about an average days number for me but I still experience that midday lull. Most of them are caught early and late but I usually fish through the tough times because you can't catch them if you're not fishing!
Pond fisher reply :
There were many, many times, me and My Old Fishing Buddy (God, rest his soul) would fish 12 - 16 hours and the fish wouldn't bite. The phone didn't ring.
and the wife didn't *****. And we had a great day.
skeetercraig reply :
yes all ya can do is keep tryin when i fish a 8 hr tournament it feels like 10 min .so for me if hours go by without a bite i really dont realize its been hours lol
"Lunker Hunter" reply :
I used to fish in the suburbs of Chicago where you had to crawl over the other fishermen, the pressure was so bad you could not buy a nibble. But since moving to Georgia, going on 7 years now, knock wood I can count on one hand the number of times I have gone more than 8 hours with out a bite. Man I just love Georgia
AK-Jax86 reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 4:37 AM, jimmykm21 said:I'm going to tell the fish that next time I go out on my boat .
I've had a few times no bites no matter what I tried .
If you fish enough it happens even to boaters.
Yea I wasn't being literal I was just saying but if you got all that money to buy a boat and go fishing you should atleast catch something bass, sunny, bluegill, something
Clint C. reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 9:15 AM, "Lunker Hunter" said:I used to fish in the suburbs of Chicago where you had to crawl over the other fishermen, the pressure was so bad you could not buy a nibble. But since moving to Georgia, going on 7 years now, knock wood I can count on one hand the number of times I have gone more than 8 hours with out a bite. Man I just love Georgia
This made me feel a little bit better about getting skunked around here =p
"Lunker Hunter" reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 10:27 AM, Clint C. said:This made me feel a little bit better about getting skunked around here =p
Clint Monee was where I fished, caught about a 4lb next to the walking bridge to the island.
Clint C. reply :
On 7/4/2012 at 10:40 AM, "Lunker Hunter" said:Clint Monee was where I fished, caught about a 4lb next to the walking bridge to the island.
Yeah I've caught a couple good ones over there, not 4lb though! I've been real stubborn lately trying to coax the bass by the main front wall into biting. So far I can get 'em on a drop shot and finesse worm, but after a couple fish the bite dies out. I think these fish get spooked VERY easily. Biggest I've gotten was 4 1/2 by the beach.
I'm also trying to figure out wolf lake right now too.
Amoore9900 reply :
I am lucky I live on a private lake that of lakes 100 acres or bigger I really think would measure up as the best bass lake in the midwest...on this lake we have got over 25 bass over 4 pounds since March...I did have 1 day where no matter what just wouldn't bite was out 5 hours lost one about 5 pounds and no other strikes...On this lake in 90 degree temps we have got 14 plus bass in 4 hours. I also fish a large public lake in northern Indiana a lot and on this lake I have gone days with just a bite or 2 so to a large degree it depends on the lake. I also think the focus and how hard you fish is important we are much more focused and ready on my lake then the public lake I think that does make a difference. Like others said I do change it up I was out a few days ago for a hour or so and couldn't buy a bite on soft plastic and then changed over to a crankbait and got a lot of action.
Gotfishyfingers? reply :
x2On 7/3/2012 at 3:02 AM, 119 said:All the time
*Hootie reply :
On 7/3/2012 at 3:38 AM, Coosa said:Cool, just wanted to make sure I'm not alone here, I mean I see some guys go bass fishing and they catch 15-30 bass.. I'm just like, WHAT!?
And sometimes guys just LIE! Lol
Hootie
mikey5string reply :
I am happy to say that after months of specifically bass fishing for hours almost everyday, reading about "micropterus salmoides": habitat, life cycle, spawning, migration, schooling. Lures: plastics, cranks, spinners, buzzbaits, frogs, wacky rig, drop shotting.... Spending a LOT of money on plastics, rods, reels, plastics, cranks, frogs.....
FINALLY.
I can go out confident that I will catch at least ONE bass that day. I cant remember the last time I didnt catch at least one. Actually.... my first time on a bass boat a month ago, the guy who took me was catching them left and right and I managed to lose 2 at the boat and land a perch. I attribute that to him controlling the electronics though ; ) I seldomly get skunked when I am in control.
I often go hours without a single bite. The longer the time between bites, the stronger my resolve. I have literally had to feel my way out of a forrest in the pitch black because I wouldn't leave until I got one, even though I had no flashlight. Got one though.
jdw174 reply :
Even on a lake like Kentucky Lake it's easy to get skunked from time to time. This year, I've done my best when on my way back to the ramp and saw a spot that drew me in for one last shot, and I loaded up.
Dave P reply :
Sure. Everybody does.
bubbler reply :
Yah buddy...we all get that every once and a while. the inportant part is that you understand why you arent getting those bites, then changing tactics, boat position or even location. Once you start understanding these key factors you will increse your bites every time.
RAMBLER reply :
Again, yesterday. Fished 5 hours with nothing to show for it except a bluegill on a square bill crankbait. Fished everywhere I had ever caught a bass and more using every bit of tackle I've ever used and more. Tried a few things the experts say "never fail". I never even saw a bass. Saw tons of gar. I can always catch at least one. Weather, temperature, barometer, fronts, etc. shouldn't have been a factor. Just one of those days. I had a real good day on the water, though. It isn't all about the fish.
AndyTN reply :
This summer during the day a few times already. With the current water temps it's why I switched to night time only till fall.
BassfisherMass reply :
had one of those days today but it was still better then going to work 
A-Rob reply :
I have days like that.
I have days where I catch 0 fish all day
I have a small boat so can't always take it out to deeper weeds/structure in the summer so I feel a bit hindered by this and I often struggle in mid-summer unless I can find some bass in shallower pads/docks.
madperry reply :
if i go 2 hours without a bite, i'm not hanging around because it just isn't going to turn on. so 4 hours is out of the question. i consider a slow day 1 fish per hour. had plenty of those...
HeavyDluxe reply :
In the long thread, I might've missed this a reply or two... So, if I'm restating something, just consider this an emphatic +1 to someone else's post.
Anyway, I think some of this sense of "I'm not catching, so I must be doing something wrong" mindset is a product of our media-saturated world. We're inundated with TV shows and Youtube videos that compress a day's worth (or more!) of fishing footage into a way less screen time with commercial breaks. It confronts us with a false reality and we are left to think we're all inferior. Moreover, there are real advertising dollars at play here and no one is likely to buy tackle from the show/guy who isn't constantly catching.
I don't mean any of this to imply that there aren't people who are incredibly gifted, skilled anglers. Nor do I doubt there are lures/tactics that, used properly, would increase someone's productivity on the water. But, like everything else, we need to be aware that what we see on TV isn't as real as we might think.
Scorcher214 reply :
Were you out with me saturday?
AUbassanglr reply :
Does a fat baby fart?
etommy28 reply :
some times im lucky if i dont go 2 or 3 trips with out catching one on some of the lakes i fish.
Highhawk1948 reply :
That's why I learned to Finess Fish. On tough days I can go to smaller and slower and usually catch a few. You are not alone.
Jig Meister reply :
Im a shore fisherman, I have not caught a fish in over a week. Been out 3 times, maybe 10 hours total.
Next summer I will have a awesome Jackson Coosa, and things will change, well at least the options will open for more chances to catch fish 
K_Mac reply :
I had a night fishing trip last week where I fished from from 10.30P till 4.30A without 1 bite. First bite was just over 4#. A few minutes later my partner caught one a bit over 5#. Caught some decent fish for about an hour, then 3 more hours with only a couple of dinks. We fished both day and night, all types of water, the entire water column at various speeds; jigs, plastics-t-rigged (weighted and not), wacky and c-rigged, bladed baits of various kinds, cranks from top to bottom, small swimbaits, assorted top water, you name it. One hour of bites, and nine hours of nada. This is a private lake that is normally very good for both size and numbers.
Sometimes the fish just don't bite! We had a great time anyway. It was a beautiful, clear night that made me glad to be alive. I have fished with guys who have to be catching something all the time or they are soon ready to go. This usually only happens once though. There is far more to enjoying a fishing trip than just catching fish.
Scorcher214 reply :
On 7/21/2012 at 3:34 AM, Jig Meister said:Im a shore fisherman, I have not caught a fish in over a week. Been out 3 times, maybe 10 hours total.
Next summer I will have a awesome Jackson Coosa, and things will change, well at least the options will open for more chances to catch fish
I know how ya feel. Im a shore fisherman, and lately I've been doing pretty bad, either days with no fish, or just one or two dinks. Im saving up for a boat next year though.
BASSHUNTER1961 reply :
Never 
Steven Dauster reply :
Agree with what someone else said I starting noticing patterns when I started keeping a fish diary. I also found I'm more successful and focused when instead of fishing once or twice a week for 3+ hours I fish almost everyday for .5-2 hours but that's just me
tnriverluver reply :
Try more like 12 hours today 
Fished my local TWRA lake where I always catch fish (nice ones) and nada. Left and came back later because I haven't been skunked since May 2011. Same result A day on the water is still better than a day sitting home doing nothing. I was in my new to me boat however and wanted to christen it with some fresh slime. Hope this isn't a bad sign!!!!!
IntroC reply :
Most of it depends on the lake your fishing. We have lakes up here that if I don't catch at least 15 to 20 fish I don't consider it a good day and has the potential for 40 ,50 fish a day. There are other lakes you could fish all year long and 10 fish would be an excellent day. Its all relative to the body of water your fishing. Like others have said a fishing log has helped me immencely.
Daddyodo reply :
Just had this happen to me 2 days in a row. Tried everything except the kitchen sink! Gotta be honest, it does get discouraging. :cry3:Now I expect this from time to time seeing as how I am a bank fisherman, but it seems to be happening alot more lately. Wish some of you guys lived in my area, I would buy you some adult refreshments to hang out with me for a couple of hours and give me some advice 
.
The Young Gun reply :
If they dont want my spinnerbait, go to a crankbait, go to jerkbait, then if it goes down drain go to soft plastics and lots of mt. dew and loud music. lol
mikeeasttn reply :
When I fish there are many more days that I do not catch fish than the days I catch fish.
Highhawk1948 reply :
That's why I started finess fishing. When all else fails I go to 4 or 5 inch worms, 1/16 or 1/8 oz. slip sinker and go slow in the same places, then move deeper. I also use a drop shot on a grass line and then move away from it. Also try this on points and underwater weedbeds. Sometimes I will pull out my ultra light with a beetlespin and save the day!
And yes, I have gone all day with catching zero bass. Enjoy the wildlife and hope you have a good partner!
Highhawk1948 reply :
Hate to hear you went fishless again here in Florida!
What works for me in Florida in the summer is identifying spawning areas, then move out to the closest point (s). Throw a worm, texas rig, drop shot, mojo, etc. on grass line 30-40 yards on either side of point. Work grass line, then start moving down the point itself shallow to deep, then across it in several places. If you locate underwater weeds on that point fish it sloooow. If still nothing start flipping that grass!! I like grass lines with 6' of water at their edge.
Another trick I use is cruise the boat docks and find where the builders have sucked up the sand to reinforce the back yards with fill and fish those ditches and humps that are created; also the grass line next to these ditches. Hang in there, it will happen for you.
Matt22Ratcliff reply :
I try to forget those days!
mikey5string reply :
agree with everyone who mentioned finesse fishing. When the fishing is tough I can always get at least a few dinks to bite a 4" roboworm on a drop shot.
When they say "fish arent biting" what they mean is "Im not catching"
Takes time and practice to be able to go out confident that you ARE going to catch fish that day. I fished a local lake 50 times this season before I could go out and catch bass every time.
SissySticks reply :
Couldn't agree more with the finesse fishermen on here. This time of year, I focus on smaller lakes I know well, and then I rig up a couple drop shot rigs, a baby texas rig (1/16-1/8oz), a 3" creature on a 1/4 oz. shakey head, a grub, a sammy 65, and a finesse jig, and I go fish points, brushpiles in 10-20 feet of water, gravel bars, deep timber, etc. I rarely get skunked. Now, if I go to a big lake I don't know well this time of year, it can be like fishing for a needle in a haystack and that can be super frustrating.
Did get skunked last night on a big lake with a buddy. Neither of us had fished that lake this year, which was dumb. Still, lost a 5+ lber on 6lb. line on a drop shot rig when it wrapped me around a bridge piling, and lost another little one that I didn't get a hook in good, so at least I was in the game, but yeah, anytime I get less than 5 or 6 bites I am frustrated. Still better than working though 
Diggy reply :
I got skunked for like 2 weeks at my moms lake fishing intermittently. Had 4 yesterday, one fell off at the shore so 3 hit land
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
Hours... how a bout days... or weeks 
NGaHB
tennsopher reply :
I posted a 10lber in the fishing reports forum two weeks ago.For your info here's how that day went.My partner and I hit the water at daylight on a lake I know very well.For the first six hours we caught four fish that were all dinks.He said "If we don't do any better by noon, I'll be ready to pack it in."To make a long story short,I hooked a good one that got off, switched to plastic worm and hooked another good fish that got off.I then told him "I'M going back to the spinner bait,and if I get bit ,I'll set the hook twice."Tme I caught that fish?Ten minutes till twelve.As Mike Iaconelli says"Never give up."
cajun ben reply :
yes it happens.
bman310 reply :
Yes I do fish for 2 to 4 hours without a bite. I fish the hi pressured city lakes of Los Angeles so there are times the fishing is brutal and some times that are great.
-b
Jim_M reply :
Yes. It's where the patience comes into play.
TNBassin' reply :
Me and my girl went last night, and didn't get anything. I'm pretty sure that between us, we threw everything we had in our boxes and still nothing. Our lake sucks though. It's Douglas Lake in TN. It's man made, with 0 cover or vegetation, and rocky like no other on the bottom.
bassmaster8100 reply :
This is not that uncommon especially if you fish public waters such as the one I do most of my fishing on. Things such as fishing pressure or a change in weather can really have an effect on this.
Fishinbyrd reply :
Some of you fish for like 14 hours?! dang. well I suppose if you had a boat with food and everything and it was nice outside...
Anywho, I very rarely go 2 hours without even a bite. But it depends a lot on the lake. There's this one lake I just don't go to anymore because Im semi convinced there are no more bass in it 
After an hour and a half of no bites I go home, but I fish from shore and don't go through all the work of getting a boat out, etc. It can be longer if I'm making an actual camping trip out of it, but I don't do that much anymore.
If I know the bass are there/there's a structure I'll fish it for at least 20 minutes, so a lot more than 10 casts. I probably catch an average of 1 bass every 90 minutes. My record is 4 in an hour (for a normal lake, once I fished an unstable lake where the fish were starving and pulled in one every 5 minutes...that actually got old fast, no sport in it).
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