What Am I Missing

[SkunkedAgain]

[b]So I've been out a couple times lately on the ice and I have caught very few fish, in fact in the last two weeks I've got less than a hand full of fish.  Up until last night I've blamed it on not seeing hardly any fish so that's why I'm not catching them... Well last night I found a spot where there were enough fish that I should have been catching fish.  Years past in this situation I would haul up a good batch.. but last night I didn't even get a decent hit until after dark.  I was using multiple BDS jigs (tungsten beads, pat's dart heads, cut'r bugs etc.) that have always caught fish in past years.  I was using night crawler nibbs, and meal worms for bait.  That's all I had, years past they have worked fine.  I used very light tipped rods, bobbers and regular ice rods... I could not get the fish to hit no matter what I was trying.  Anyone have an idea what I could be doing wrong that I'm not recognizing.. I do plan on getting some different bait, I need some spikes and chub meat, but beyond that what should I look at trying?  I'm fishing in a area that has crappie, bass, bluegill and catfish.... oh and perch...   Oh yeah I have been jigging multiple ways, dead sticking... trying everything that I've had work in years past... Only difference is I'm using the 360 so I can see the fish all around me, so I know they are there now... I guess it could be fish that don't usually bite, but I did get two fish after dark, that I couldn't get out of the hole, one was a crappie and I'm not sure what the other one was, it had big wide shoulders and wouldn't fit through the 6" hole... and it popped the tiny jig lose... The other fish popped the jig lose as well as it was coming out of the hole and I couldn't grab it until it got back down the hole... Too slow.... Anyway I'm very frustrated today since I could not buy a bite when I finally got into some fish... Maybe I've lost my touch, but I need to know how to get it back... Appreciate any help you can offer... Later Jeff[/b]

[SkunkedAgain]

So I tried the chub tonight on my jaw jacker rod. It broke my 3 trip skunk and may have given me a clue why they haven’t been biting. Later J

[wiperhunter2]

So I tried the chub tonight on my jaw jacker rod. It broke my 3 trip skunk and may have given me a clue why they haven’t been biting. Later J

Good for you jeff, so the chub was the only thing you changed? We use chub while ice fishing for all fish species, seems to work well for us.

[RookyFisher]

So I tried the chub tonight on my jaw jacker rod. It broke my 3 trip skunk and may have given me a clue why they haven’t been biting. Later J

Good for you jeff, so the chub was the only thing you changed? We use chub while ice fishing for all fish species, seems to work well for us.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong, I think the weather just turned them off, at least that's the excuse I'm going with this time.

[SkunkedAgain]

So I tried the chub tonight on my jaw jacker rod. It broke my 3 trip skunk and may have given me a clue why they haven’t been biting. Later J

Good for you jeff, so the chub was the only thing you changed? We use chub while ice fishing for all fish species, seems to work well for us.

Hey Curt, I also took my jigging jacker and it hooked the cat for me. Very few fish last night compared to the night before, but at least I got my hands on one this time. Nice to break the curse. Later J

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So I tried the chub tonight on my jaw jacker rod. It broke my 3 trip skunk and may have given me a clue why they haven’t been biting. Later J

Good for you jeff, so the chub was the only thing you changed? We use chub while ice fishing for all fish species, seems to work well for us.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong, I think the weather just turned them off, at least that's the excuse I'm going with this time.

I was blaming the moon as well. Don’t know if it had anything to do with it but they seem to be back on the bite. Got 3 today, but it felt a little better for awhile then they shutoff again. Hope someday they will be on fire, but if they are I probably won’t be out that day. Later J

[TubeDude]

Before I left on my fishing trip I said to my wife "I don't think it's going to be a good day."  She laughed and told me to be more positive.  So I said "Okay, I'm positive it's gonna be a bad day."

Best time to go fishing is whenever you can get away.

And fishing is ALWAYS good...even if the catching ain't.

Better to be frustrated by fish, than by family, work, friends or other dimbulbs.  Far better.

[BULLOCK9]

Maybe a different scent on your hands? New brand of lotion or sunscreen?

[Foamy8]

Maybe try cooked shrimp? A little hunk can be great. Waxworms are also good.

[SkunkedAgain]

Before I left on my fishing trip I said to my wife "I don't think it's going to be a good day."  She laughed and told me to be more positive.  So I said "Okay, I'm positive it's gonna be a bad day."

Best time to go fishing is whenever you can get away.

And fishing is ALWAYS good...even if the catching ain't.

Better to be frustrated by fish, than by family, work, friends or other dimbulbs.  Far better.

Pat, that counsel is very well received and accepted..... I think I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm fishing for the wrong kind of fish, and perhaps that's why my success rate is not very high... Been catching or at least hooking cat fish, so I think I've been trying to talk catfish into taking my micro presentations and I guess it's not worth their while and they've been passing them by... So guess I need to change up my presentation and see if I can do better... We'll see how it goes... Later Jeff

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Maybe a different scent on your hands? New brand of lotion or sunscreen?

I wondered that at first, because I had put a new fuel line together for my trolling motor and spilled some gas on my hands.  I had washed my hands and all before I went fishing, so I thought I was okay, but I still kind of wondered if maybe some of the fuel scent was still there... Good tip and it might be part of it, at least at first... I doubt it is now, but I'm at least getting a hit a night now instead of totally skunked without even a hit... So it may be part of the issue over all... Thanks for the tip on that... Jeff

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Maybe try cooked shrimp?  A little hunk can be great.  Waxworms are also good.

That's a good idea to try some shrimp, I'll have to pick some up next time I get to town... The wax worms are about as short as the spikes have been and I really haven't done as well with waxies as the others in the past, unless I'm after trout, then it all changes... I'll have to check and see if any new bait has made it to Logan today or not... I'd think they should be getting a new supply soon... Thanks for the shrimp reminder... Later Jeff

[TubeDude]

Hey Jeff, as I'm sure you realize, there are a whole bunch of factors in play here.  First of all, it is a time of change...temperature changes, water chemistry changes, ice covering and light intensity changes, etc.  Then there are likely similar changes in the food resources available...for the same reasons.  All that is going to change how each species acts or reacts...and will continue to change as the winter drags on, water oxygen levels drop, food supply changes, etc.

On some waters...for some species...in some years...it can be wide open action from first ice until later in the year.  Depends on a lot of things...like species, water clarity, light penetration through the ice and snow, food supplies,  water chemistry (oxygen) fish activity levels, susceptibility to lower temps, etc.   Trout and some panfish species are more likely to go on the chew at first ice than catfish or some of the other larger and more warmth-oriented species.  But even channel cats remain at least partially active and feed all winter...even if they do slow down a lot.  When their metabolism is slower they feed less often, eat smaller meals and do not bite or fight as aggressively.  Timing is  important.  You gotta  find one in the mood for food.  And it can be days between meals (bites).

It's great to be able to watch fishing shows on TV...or YouTube...and see guys hammering big catfish through the ice on a frequent basis.  But you can be sure that those guys also have their down days...that they don't film and broadcast.  So don't beat yourself up if you see more on sonar than coming up through the hole in the ice. 

As far as targeting species...obviously you gotta fish where the potential is greatest for the species you are after.  "Ya cain't ketch 'em where they ain't".  But, as all of us with sonars know all too well, finding fish is no guarantee of catching fish.  Sonar helps you avoid fishing in fishless water, but it does not make the fish bite if they ain't in the mood.  But, if nothing else, it allows you to practice new tactics, baits and techniques to try to find something that will turn the fish on when they ain't cooperatin'.

There is an old saying in business "If you wait until all the lights are on green, you ain't never gonna leave the house."  To me, this translates in fishing to "You ain't gonna ketch nothin' unless you go fishing...and fish in the right place...the right way."  There is another saying "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."  Substitute "fished" for "loved".

I'm an old guy.  And I have learned a few survival techniques over the years.  One of my rules of survival is to never beat myself up over a bad day...unless I know I really sucked.  I try to be properly grateful for every little positive thing of each trip...and to write off the negatives as just another prerequisite for working through a fishing trip.   Of course I try to get in more positives than negatives but even after the worst trip you should never be ready to jump off your tackle box.  Just look at it as a trip against which you can measure the good trips in the future.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Jeff, as I'm sure you realize, there are a whole bunch of factors in play here.  First of all, it is a time of change...temperature changes, water chemistry changes, ice covering and light intensity changes, etc.  Then there are likely similar changes in the food resources available...for the same reasons.  All that is going to change how each species acts or reacts...and will continue to change as the winter drags on, water oxygen levels drop, food supply changes, etc.

On some waters...for some species...in some years...it can be wide open action from first ice until later in the year.  Depends on a lot of things...like species, water clarity, light penetration through the ice and snow, food supplies,  water chemistry (oxygen) fish activity levels, susceptibility to lower temps, etc.   Trout and some panfish species are more likely to go on the chew at first ice than catfish or some of the other larger and more warmth-oriented species.  But even channel cats remain at least partially active and feed all winter...even if they do slow down a lot.  When their metabolism is slower they feed less often, eat smaller meals and do not bite or fight as aggressively.  Timing is  important.  You gotta  find one in the mood for food.  And it can be days between meals (bites).

It's great to be able to watch fishing shows on TV...or YouTube...and see guys hammering big catfish through the ice on a frequent basis.  But you can be sure that those guys also have their down days...that they don't film and broadcast.  So don't beat yourself up if you see more on sonar than coming up through the hole in the ice. 

As far as targeting species...obviously you gotta fish where the potential is greatest for the species you are after.  "Ya cain't ketch 'em where they ain't".  But, as all of us with sonars know all too well, finding fish is no guarantee of catching fish.  Sonar helps you avoid fishing in fishless water, but it does not make the fish bite if they ain't in the mood.  But, if nothing else, it allows you to practice new tactics, baits and techniques to try to find something that will turn the fish on when they ain't cooperatin'.

There is an old saying in business "If you wait until all the lights are on green, you ain't never gonna leave the house."  To me, this translates in fishing to "You ain't gonna ketch nothin' unless you go fishing...and fish in the right place...the right way."  There is another saying "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."  Substitute "fished" for "loved".

I'm an old guy.  And I have learned a few survival techniques over the years.  One of my rules of survival is to never beat myself up over a bad day...unless I know I really sucked.  I try to be properly grateful for every little positive thing of each trip...and to write off the negatives as just another prerequisite for working through a fishing trip.   Of course I try to get in more positives than negatives but even after the worst trip you should never be ready to jump off your tackle box.  Just look at it as a trip against which you can measure the good trips in the future.

Good points for sure, I guess I just want to try and catch up from all the fishing time I've missed all summer so I try to have some excellent results every trip and it's just not always possible... Especially like you say when things are changing so much this time of year... But it truly is always fun to be out trying to figure it out... Thanks for the perspective... Jeff