I can't catch a fish..........

[nathanielrthomas]

For me, I couldn't catch a dead fish on a lizard. No way no how.

I seam to have pinpointed your problem here Jim. You need to be targeting waters with live fish when using lizards. Hand grabbing/netting are the most effective strategies when dealing with dead fish! Plastics work best on live fish

And Jim, when you do catch a dead fish on a lizard, please post videos or pics. Id love to see that :LOL2:

I just made my 500th post, and I wasted it on a stupid comment. Kinda sums up my worth here on tinboats.

 

[S&MFISH]

If you toss a lizard at Lake of the Ozarks in the spring you'll get bit big time. The bass absolutely hate those critters. Carolina-rigged lizard= money.

I'm with poolie.Jigging spoons been very,very bad to me.I won't even tie one on anymore.

 

[Captain Ahab]

For me, I couldn't catch a dead fish on a lizard. No way no how.

I seam to have pinpointed your problem here Jim. You need to be targeting waters with live fish when using lizards. Hand grabbing/netting are the most effective strategies when dealing with dead fish! Plastics work best on live fish

And Jim, when you do catch a dead fish on a lizard, please post videos or pics. Id love to see that :LOL2:

I just made my 500th post, and I wasted it on a stupid comment. Kinda sums up my worth here on tinboats.

Heck - your 500th made more sense then any of my 1000s of useless posts - I do not even think I am funny

 

[devilmutt]

I hate fishing live bait under a bobber for walleyes. It has the same effect as sleeping pills.

 

[freetofish]

I agree and disagree with most of what you guys are saying regards to likes and dislikes...However drop shoting is to me the worst except in real hot weather...I find a deep hole or river bed and then they seem to work...I just don't have the patients for them...It usually makes me run out of soda or beer or whatever I have to drink due to being bored.
OH and Ahab.....where did you buy that fish...Its a dandy
peace
ron

 

[bearsphan3.14]

Don't feel bad Jim. The only time lizards help me is when I have to use a piece as a trailer on a jig.
I don't do so well with live bait on the ponds. I know some guys who swear by it, me noda.

 

[lswoody]

Would have to say either a jig and pig or a drop shot are my least productive techniques. But I don't give them enough time to work, so my lack of patience is mainly to blame not the technique.

 

[wasilvers]

I honestly can say I have never caught a fish on a jig. Other methods yes, but not that one. Maybe there are too many weeds or something.

Lizards are fun to throw topwater in the pads. The fish love em, and barely anyone here uses them - BONUS!

 

[LonLB]

I honestly can say I have never caught a fish on a jig. Other methods yes, but not that one. Maybe there are too many weeds or something.

Lizards are fun to throw topwater in the pads. The fish love em, and barely anyone here uses them - BONUS!

In lots of weeds I swim a jig. With a Paca Chunk trailer.....Other trailers similar will work....Chigger chunk etc. I save the more expensive chigger chunks when fishing slower.

If you swim jigs in weeds, and go for a slower approach around fallen wood, shoreline rip rap, sea walls, and docks you will boost your fish to cast ratio with Jigs, and increase your confidence.

 

[bearsphan3.14]

Lizards are fun to throw topwater in the pads. The fish love em, and barely anyone here uses them - BONUS!

That is a great idea. I, for some reason, have never thought of this

 

[bcbouy]

up here in b.c. we use a bar rig for river salmon.you boat out to a sand bar, throw out your bait on a spreader bar,stick a rod holder in the sand,fire up the grill,bust open the cooler and wait.the major run is in the middle of august so you end up sunburned,skunked and too drunk to get your boat on the trailer,never mind driving it home.

 

[Pruitt1222]

I can't catch a fish on a tube in any other lake then my parents, Thier lake is clear and shallow so I go there to practice up and hone my skills. I can always land fish on tubes there but no where else, Drives me crazy. And I have a love hate with frogs, I have tried every type. spro's scumdogs t-t's koppers ect. I love the bite and can always tempt a fish up aslong as the water is over 70 but my hook up ratio makes me wanna break something. I can't believe it with the lizards, there my go to bait. small 4"when its cold, 6" when its warm and 12" v&m's when miss piggy is on the bed.

 

[schlifawitz]

Drop shotting....It sucks!!!! I cant catch a fish to save my life on a drop shot rig.

I find it crazy that so many people have had poor luck with a drop shot rig. I find it to be my go to rig when I need to get fish in the boat. I dont really use the conventional setup however, Light line, light action, small hook. I have only had good luck with the stated setup on Lake Erie Shottin' for smallies. Largemouth on the other hand, I use a med heavy rod, 20 lb test, 2 ot worm hook, 3/4 ounce weight, and a 4 inch green pumpkin/black flake senko. I have to most like fishing the edges of weed beds, but I am one of the few poeple on my circut that actually flip this set up. Actually I am pretty sure I am the only person that flips it. :mrgreen: And I am very happy about that =D> I actually had someone fishing in my boat once that I schooled and he said "this is not even fair, your practically using live bait". Cant beleive I am giving up my secret!? [-X

As for rig that was most unproductive has to either be a swimbait, which from what I understand, is not very popular in my region, or topwater baits. I did not catch a single green fish on any type of top water rig other than a frog. Maybe it is just in my presentation :roll:

 

[LonLB]

Drop shotting....It sucks!!!! I cant catch a fish to save my life on a drop shot rig.

I find it crazy that so many people have had poor luck with a drop shot rig. I find it to be my go to rig when I need to get fish in the boat. I dont really use the conventional setup however, Light line, light action, small hook. I have only had good luck with the stated setup on Lake Erie Shottin' for smallies. Largemouth on the other hand, I use a med heavy rod, 20 lb test, 2 ot worm hook, 3/4 ounce weight, and a 4 inch green pumpkin/black flake senko. I have to most like fishing the edges of weed beds, but I am one of the few poeple on my circut that actually flip this set up. Actually I am pretty sure I am the only person that flips it. :mrgreen: And I am very happy about that =D> I actually had someone fishing in my boat once that I schooled and he said "this is not even fair, your practically using live bait". Cant beleive I am giving up my secret!? [-X

As for rig that was most unproductive has to either be a swimbait, which from what I understand, is not very popular in my region, or topwater baits. I did not catch a single green fish on any type of top water rig other than a frog. Maybe it is just in my presentation :roll:

I'm with you on the drop shot......Heck lots of times I don't fish it, just because it IS so productive......I'm afraid I'll end up fishing JUST a drop shot.

 

[nathanielrthomas]

Drop shotting....It sucks!!!! I cant catch a fish to save my life on a drop shot rig.

I find it crazy that so many people have had poor luck with a drop shot rig. I find it to be my go to rig when I need to get fish in the boat. I dont really use the conventional setup however, Light line, light action, small hook. I have only had good luck with the stated setup on Lake Erie Shottin' for smallies. Largemouth on the other hand, I use a med heavy rod, 20 lb test, 2 ot worm hook, 3/4 ounce weight, and a 4 inch green pumpkin/black flake senko. I have to most like fishing the edges of weed beds, but I am one of the few poeple on my circut that actually flip this set up. Actually I am pretty sure I am the only person that flips it. :mrgreen: And I am very happy about that =D> I actually had someone fishing in my boat once that I schooled and he said "this is not even fair, your practically using live bait". Cant beleive I am giving up my secret!? [-X

As for rig that was most unproductive has to either be a swimbait, which from what I understand, is not very popular in my region, or topwater baits. I did not catch a single green fish on any type of top water rig other than a frog. Maybe it is just in my presentation :roll:

I'm with you on the drop shot......Heck lots of times I don't fish it, just because it IS so productive......I'm afraid I'll end up fishing JUST a drop shot.

Must be a northern thing. I do like the idea of using bigger line/lures/weights and flipping it though. Gonna give that a try as soon as the weather breaks. Thanks guys.

 

[richg99]

I read someplace that the reason bass eat lizards so voraciously in the Spring...is that the lizards/waterdogs/?? eat the bass's eggs and the young bass minnows.

So, when it is spawning time, the bass's hate of the lizards/waterdogs is in full swing.

I have a couple of places to try that theory out in a month or so. Never threw them much before., but I'll give it a try this Spring.
regards, Rich

 

[SkagBass]

Drop shotting....It sucks!!!! I cant catch a fish to save my life on a drop shot rig.

I find it crazy that so many people have had poor luck with a drop shot rig. I find it to be my go to rig when I need to get fish in the boat. I dont really use the conventional setup however, Light line, light action, small hook. I have only had good luck with the stated setup on Lake Erie Shottin' for smallies. Largemouth on the other hand, I use a med heavy rod, 20 lb test, 2 ot worm hook, 3/4 ounce weight, and a 4 inch green pumpkin/black flake senko. I have to most like fishing the edges of weed beds, but I am one of the few poeple on my circut that actually flip this set up. Actually I am pretty sure I am the only person that flips it. :mrgreen: And I am very happy about that =D> I actually had someone fishing in my boat once that I schooled and he said "this is not even fair, your practically using live bait". Cant beleive I am giving up my secret!? [-X

As for rig that was most unproductive has to either be a swimbait, which from what I understand, is not very popular in my region, or topwater baits. I did not catch a single green fish on any type of top water rig other than a frog. Maybe it is just in my presentation :roll:

I'm with you on the drop shot......Heck lots of times I don't fish it, just because it IS so productive......I'm afraid I'll end up fishing JUST a drop shot.

I am with both of you on this. I too find it is an easy go to presentation and have to try not to use it. I too use the traditional light gear setup but also have a heavier setup like mentioned above. I like to pitch the heavier setup to docks and edges of pads using 3/8 - 1/2 oz QuickDrop weights. For winter fishing I use 3/4 - 1oz weights for smallies in +35' depth.

 

[richg99]

Skag...for the uninitiated ( that would be ME! ) how about giving us specific descriptions of your light weight, and your heavier weight... setups? Line strength; distance to weight...length of the
"bait" leader etc.? Lure used...Inquiring minds want to know...

I think I know how a drop shot is used...but have only used it once.

That one time, a guide tried to get me to use in on Lake Geneva, Wisc. for LM bass. It kept getting caught up in the weed bed ( it didn't seem like the right use of a drop to me????) so I switched to a standard Texas rig and caught a nice LM bass in a few minutes. thanks, Rich

 

[Truckmechanic]

Swim Baits..or Senkos. I think they both are possesed.

 

[LonLB]

Skag...for the uninitiated ( that would be ME! ) how about giving us specific descriptions of your light weight, and your heavier weight... setups? Line strength; distance to weight...length of the
"bait" leader etc.? Lure used...Inquiring minds want to know...

I think I know how a drop shot is used...but have only used it once.

That one time, a guide tried to get me to use in on Lake Geneva, Wisc. for LM bass. It kept getting caught up in the weed bed ( it didn't seem like the right use of a drop to me????) so I switched to a standard Texas rig and caught a nice LM bass in a few minutes. thanks, Rich

Well you didn't ask me but I'll throw it out there. Spinning rod, 6lb Yo Zuri Hybrid (breaks close to 10lb) #1 Dimichi stand up hooks, or Gamagatsu finesse hooks. 6-15" of leader to the lure....I almost always do best with about 10-12".
1/4-3/8 oz weight. Usually 3/8 oz. I like the heavier weight because it gets down to where you want, and you want a good heavy weight to maintain contact with bottom. Because the lure is so light, and deep down, the only way to know your in contact with bottom is the feel of the weight, not the lure.

Any small strait worm you have confidence in. Even other plastics work well-but that's for you to figure out.

I picked up some 1/0 BPS XPS worm hooks to start fishing the setup rigged weedless like we are used to, but I haven't done it yet.


A spinning rod is a requirement IMO. Unless you do go heavy duty, in which I can't say. I've never tried that. But it should work great.
I am going to try a casting rod this summer, and go really heavy duty. 10" power worms, and some big grubs, and tubes........Drop shotting for Muskies.