[mad] i am not having any luck anywhere catching anything. went to ec got skunked went to willard got skunked. ive been to pineview 3 times in the past week and a half got skunked. i fish from a tube. i see the bass jumping but what i caught them on two weeks ago isnt working now. i am so frustrated. i use jigs many shapes and sizes. i use acouple of lures. please help i am at my wits end. still love fishing just wish i could catch some.
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Sounds like you need to invite yourself on a float tube trip with Pat.[
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i might just have to do that.
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If anyone can get you into fish from a tube it will be Tubedude. He is exactly the kind of guy you would want as a teacher for a day if he's up to it.
How deep have you been fishing? What times in the day? Have you been trying to fish around some kind of structure or brush?
It could be that the same lures you used a couple weeks ago for success could still work, but that something has changed (water temp, pressure, etc) that has pushed the fish into different locations or at different depths in the water column.
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[cool][#0000ff]Dr. TubeDude prescribes: Take two casts and call me in the morning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't jump off your tacklebox yet. This can be a tough time of year for a lot of waters and a lot of species. Unless you know the seasonal changes...and adapt your fishing strategies accordingly...you will either be fishing in fishless water or fishing the wrong way for the fish you want to catch. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temps are at seasonal highs right now. Trout and most other species are temperature oriented. They either go deep during the warm weather or develop lockjaw...become inactive. They do feed, when they need to, but during the summer that may be at night or at dawn or dusk. If you snooze, you lose. Hit the water after the early morning bite and you might as well have stayed in bed. Most of my best fishing of the last two weeks has been before 9 in the morning. And, if you factor in the power squadron crowd as the day gets warmer, you have a double whammy...especially on waters like Pineview and Willard.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The other thing with tubes is that you are limited on where you can launch and fish. With the fish scattering or locating in deeper waters, not close to a launch area, you will be tubing in a lot of fishless water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Effective baits, lures and presentations change too. The big lures that caught lots of fish when the water was cooler and the fish more active are not as good now. Think LOW AND SLOW. Try fishing smaller lures...deeper and slower. When the fish are slowed down in the heat and spooked by a lot of human activity on the water, they are more likely to nibble on something smaller than gulp something bigger. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So, what worked for you a month ago is likely to be ignored during current conditions. Always take an assortment of lures...different sizes, shapes and colors. Learn to use them all and learn when each one is likely to be more effective. Not all anglers are equal and not all lures or baits are equal. A big part of fishing is the lifelong learning process. You can't just say "I always catch fish at Lake P, using a Whammo lure". It is a common mistake for someone to use the same thing in the same place all year long...and expect good results. A certain lure might work in a certain place during the spring and fall...cooler times...but will be useless at other times. Learn to adapt to changing seasons and changing fish patterns.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You have a lot of advantages when fishing from a tube...both over bank fishing or boat fishing. You can fish more water than the bankers and you can often fish it more quietly and efficiently than the boaters. But, you have to be prepared. Do you have and use sonar on your tube? If not, you are fishing blind. You need to stay in tune with what the bottom depth and contours are, and where the fish are holding. Without sonar you might as well be fishing in a swimming pool at times.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You need more than one rod and reel setup, for fishing different lures in different ways. The common "ONE POLE" system will work some of the time, but not well for all applications. I carry five complete and different rod/reel setups on every tubing trip and I usually rotate through all of them during a typical day on the water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By knowing the waters well, and knowing the habits of the fish you are after, you can better target each trip. Just floating your tube on any old lake and "chuck and chance it" fishing is not the way to insure success. When the fish are active and you guess right, you will catch fish. But, when the going gets tough, you need to have a planned approach...with alternate plans depending upon what conditions you find when you launch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not to brag...but to make a point...I have not been skunked while tube fishing for several years. I do not remember the last time that happened. I fish about a hundred times a year...all waters...all tackle...all species. I would like to think a lot of it is skill...and it is. I know how to use my tackle well, and I also know the waters I fish and the species I target. Knowledge is power. Sure, there is always luck involved, but the more planning and skill you put into a trip, the more opportunity you provide for luck to kiss you.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I would be happy to have you join us on the water sometime. If you live in the Ogden area, let's get a mini floatilla going for Willard or Mantua. I will not fish Pineview until after Labor Day. Shoot me a PM and we can make some plans.[/#0000ff]
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I want to add my two cents about Pat. TubeDude has taught me almost everything I know about catching fish from a tube. He taught me how to "trick" (add accessories to) my tube. He taught me how to make jigs and other lures. He taught me how to fish with light weight lures. He taught me where to look for the fish in a tube. He taught me presentation techniques---an on and on. Besides all that he is a great gentleman! He is a generous person with his time and means, and he is always willing to help other people.
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[#000080]I second that...I've never met Pat in person, but have PM'd him on several occassions for guidance and information. He is very helpful...[][/#000080]
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thanks for all your help. i am going to try and get out with tubedude soon for a lesson. i am looking forward to learning from such a respected fisherman and person.
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[cool][#0000ff]As per our PMs, I guess we are on for a floatilla on Willard...Friday 8/8/08. That's a lot of 8s and it should be great. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Any other tubaholics wanna join in the fun?[/#0000ff]
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Sounds like way too much fun to pass up!!! Count me and Fishfanatic in!
I will get a wiper this time. That is my mission and I will not fail....Unless the fish decide there mission is to avoid my lures...lol.
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[cool][#0000ff]The little shadlets are getting big enough to become a target for the wipers and the boils should be getting bigger and better soon. If we can time it right, and connect with some hungry shad smashers, you should be able to bend your stick and stretch your string on a few. Much fun.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Think small plastics...white or pearl...in 1 1/2" or 2", with small heads. Also, the smallest Rattlin' Raps and RattleTraps in blue/silver or blue holo work well when the wipers are eating little shad. Even when the boils are not going, there will usually be some cruising wipers that will whack the right size and shape lures. We get a lot of wipers by casting and bottom bouncing small tubes or swimbaits off the bottom even when no fish are showing.[/#0000ff]
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i might have to go and get a small rattln rap. the more the better i am always up for company. i am wanting a wiper or two heard they are good eating.
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Wish i could join Pat, but i will be launching at Buckboard about the time you launch at willard. Hope you guys "wipe" the fish out there.[cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]Plastics are cheaper, and sometimes work better. Here are pics of the 2" shad swim bait we use a lot...and the special heads I make for using them. I will have some of those to rig for you.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you have any of the Maniac curly tail in 2" or 3", in the pearl hologram color, they work well too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Wipers do taste very good. Firm white flesh. Easy to fillet. Definitely worth fishing for and keeping a few to take home. But, first we need to get you hooked up to a few.[/#0000ff]
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Hey Lingwall what are you doing tomorow?? Would you like to get rid of your skunk, do you fish for smallmouth bass??? Would you like to go fishing??? from a boat not a tube.......
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