What, But it didn’t do anything!

Don

Don

Well-known member
2022 was rough on this old geezer. While I’m not really that old my lack of success with all the new gear this season has made me feel ancient. I thought I'd list the results using all the new and then compare it to all the old:

Artificial:
Yamamoto worms: 1 big bass, one average bass
Jigs with trailers: no hits, no fish.
Inline spinners: two or three panfish
Rapalla: two average bows and one small bass.
Beetle Spins: two or three panfish
Frogs: Zero fish, zero hits
Kiteck shiners: 2" many rockies, many gills. 3" and 4" several nice bass and many various pickerel and panfish and one striper
Ribbed Kieteck thingy's: no hits, no fish.
Rubber Crayfish: One Bass

Live Bait:
Worms: Caught dozens and dozens of panfish, bass, Pickerel and bullhead
Minnows: Caught a modest amount of all the above with these.

Conclussions:
It seems I need to fish more and more and more until I begin to get the action right when using artificial. This winter many more hours will be spent watching lame YouTube vids. Additionally, now that I know where I want to fish, much more time will be spent analyzing charts and picking approaches and progressions more carefully. For bait I need to find ways to make it more affordable and keep it alive longer.
Now...what do you say?



Smile. Everyone say Unagi!
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troutspinner

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
Sounds like a pretty good year to be honest. The most important part, getting out and keeping track of what works and does not work for you.

Live bait should beat out imitation bait all the time although I’ve seen da pink worm out-fish a nightcrawler fishing for stocked trout at times, with that aside, it is about the presentation with artificial bait and then you have to make sure there are fish around to present to.

With YouTube, while there is some value, they’re just trying to put out content to make money and sell product. I especially love the seasonal, now monthly videos where they promote a seasonal presentation to only promote the same presentation every season! ;)

Your best fast track to learning is to fish with people who are successful in the approaches you want to fish. Good guides are worth the money IMO. I’ve only used two, one fresh, one salt but both gave me enough info to make me feel very confident in what I do.

With that, I am not a guide or a pro but I may be able to show you some stuff and there is always a seat open for you on my boat. This year is not over yet!
 
A-5

A-5

Moderator
Um. I found a niche with pads this year other than that I’m with you. I catch nothing.
 
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Don

Don

Well-known member
I caught plenty just not on artificial. Using mostly worms when I was catching I did not reach my goal of keeping a clean dirt free boat.
Lots of fun.
Another disappointment is fishing with artificial (plastics) minnows other than Kieteck. I don't get it. I have bags and bags of non Kieteck curly tails and minnows from 1-3 inches. I have yet to catch a fish on any of them after three years. Kieteck minnows seem to work.
The biggest dis appointment, I mentioned this before, is all gulp product. In four years of using them I have never caught a fish on any gulp product except their little rubber power eggs and that was some stocked trout....big deal. Never dough, not worms and not their minnows. Seems funny that these are still on the market. DonM seems to do well with their products. I don't get it. Wahwahwah.
I may grow worms and minnows for next year. :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
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Solitario Lupo

Solitario Lupo

Moderator
The only way to know what you like is to try them and figure them out. Your not going to learn what fish want off of YouTube. So just gotta go fishing sometime.
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
Never a hit on any size/color curly tail. Wasted so much $$ over the years on them. I even have them in 1” and two “ with 1/16 and 1/32 jigs and not even a panfish tap. Doin sumptin wrong.
 
troutspinner

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
Don said:
Never a hit on any size/color curly tail. Wasted so much $$ over the years on them. I even have them in 1” and two “ with 1/16 and 1/32 jigs and not even a panfish tap. Doin sumptin wrong.
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I had to teach myself to slow down last year and still this year, it’s not easy! I found myself giving up too early on spots and baits. It has really helped me narrow my bait choices and to stop buying random junk.
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
I didn’t mean to imply that it’s junk. I just haven’t figured it out yet. Sure have enjoyed this season.
 
troutspinner

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
Don said:
I didn’t mean to imply that it’s junk. I just haven’t figured it out yet. Sure have enjoyed this season.
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Yeah, maybe junk was the wrong term but no need to continue buying things because I’m too busy using what I know works for me.
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
troutspinner said:
Yeah, maybe junk was the wrong term but no need to continue buying things because I’m too busy using what I know works for me.
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Using that logic Kieteck, spinners, Rapala, Ned Rig and live bait stays on the list. Plastic Worms are iffy, jigs are toast as are creature baits. Berkeley will get no more of my resources.

Tell me if I'm wrong but I think because I move around so much from one type of water to another that I may be impeding my learning curve. And it Id just stay put and thoroughly learn a piece of water I may find use for some of the baits that haven't worked. It could also be that fish just don't like me....I'll fix their wagon.
 
troutspinner

troutspinner

Nuts & Bolts Guy
Don said:
Plastic Worms are iffy, jigs are toast as are creature baits. Berkeley will get no more of my resources.
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DO NOT give up on Senkos or jigs with trailers. Trust me on this! Senkos are money when they are up close in the spring. And Jigs, they work when it gets too hot or too cold. Berkeley, meh, I have yet to find a Berkely that I can't live without. Their 1" minnows do however catch me alot of crappie and whipers.

Don said:
I think because I move around so much from one type of water to another that I may be impeding my learning curve
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Maybe??? I know for me, learning Blue Marsh was a bear but then going to Beltzville was a nice change. Similar tactics but honestly, it seemed easier but the quality of Bass at Blue Marsh vs Beltzville made me keep going back to Blue Marsh. Now with Nox, I do like the quality of Bass there and I am learning it but if I want a quantity day, I am heading to Blue Marsh or even the Schuylkill River.
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
Oh I'm not giving up on anything entirely. I need to learn to use these things. Got allot invested.

I know for sure that I'll be buying lighter jigs. The amount of energy I spend to catch nothing on 3/4 oz jigs is just not worth it. I think I will try to narrow down my lakes to just Spruce Run and Merril Creek. Deep enough for any season. Wide array of species 9 -12 miles from my home. That is the first step.
I don't want to get too good too fast as I like to be grumpy and complain allot.
A little Blue Marsh tutoring at some point wouldn't hurt either. I'll bring the worms, lol.
 
A-5

A-5

Moderator
3/4 jig a senko and a ned rig is all I throw. That’s it. Occasionally a drop shot and a 6-9” worm but that’s it throw away all else
 
A-5

A-5

Moderator
If you flip pads correctly it’s so fun. Flip land on the pad pull it off drop 4’ and repeat. Stealth and tactics of positioning boat. It’s so fun. I have a concept that I do now when it comes to position of boat it’s key
 
Don

Don

Well-known member
I really enjoyed skipping this summer. Few bass, bunch of Rockies and some nice gills. I think my little drift boat is too directionally unstable for pitching. That is half my prob. It has no keel and lots of rocker. It spins all over.
 
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