Well, I'm calling it quits for the year and possibly for good. I admit to being the loser that never catches any fish! This year is 3 straight years without a fish of any kind except for an afternoon with Skip and his son Tyler. I was out last weekend and this Friday and not a bite! I trolled everywhere for hours. I read about "breaking fish" and looking for the birds but I have yet to see these birds in 3 years of fishing! I'm calling the man to pull my boat out this week so I guess I'll see you all next spring if I don't quit all together. Wishing all tight lines, Bob
I'm calling it quits...
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It cant be that bad just remenber to put some hooks on the end of your line!
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Just remember REHAB is for quitters!
Jeff
Jeff
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Best advice i can give you is that the more you fish on someone elses boat, the more you will learn to fish on your own boat. Get on board with some knowledgeable captains and their skills will just rub off on you.
Likewise, take a trip with a guide that fishes your area and you will learn more in a day than in the 3 years you have been fishing solo.
-Mike
Likewise, take a trip with a guide that fishes your area and you will learn more in a day than in the 3 years you have been fishing solo.
-Mike
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It happens to most of us, I'm sure. I was out all day Saturday, caught 1 fish early(within the first 10 seconds) and then burned up alot of gas with nothing to show for it for hours and hours. I was close to thinking the same way as you(frustration talking), till I came across some birds late in the day and all 5 rods went down at once. 
Immediately changed my mind about hanging it up for the year. Right place, right time. It only takes once. I have those type days in the spring also.
Immediately changed my mind about hanging it up for the year. Right place, right time. It only takes once. I have those type days in the spring also.Hippie, it took me three years to catch my limit in rock on my boat. Hang in there. You will get it eventually. I would also recommend talking to Sean and Jim at Marty's. They gave me that last tip which got me catching. Listen to Shawn as well. He says to find someplace with lots of fish and practice. Before I had the LTJ success with the rock last weekend, I had over a month of practicing LTJ with blues, including a few limit days on blues.
I'd agree with mrobertson on going on a Charter. I know it seems a bit steep to put all that money into a day of fishing but they will show you the techniques that catch fish and have you catching fish using them; which you can then walk away with the know how and start catching fish on your own boat. Its well worth it.
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Don't quit.....you'll never be able to have the bragging rights that come with a big fish or a quick limit.
We all have bad catchin days....comes with the territory.
My thoughts about your string of bad fishing days are:
A) The fish don't like your presentation.
B) You are fishing where the fish aren't at different times of the year.
C) You're getting stuck in a "pattern" of fishing.
I agree with the ideas mentioned above, HO with some folks and ask lots of questions, especially about baits weights and theory, and particulars of the area you mainly fish.
For trolling Mid-Bay contact Capt.Wayne Morgan, he specializes in hands-on instructional charters.....when you come back to the dock you will be tired, dirty, smell like fish and well educated about trolling.
Capt. John Deering is a jigging, bird chasing Master...Mid-Bay area.
There are lots of others, find some In Your Area to fish with.
The Bay is a varied watershed, the skills used on the Flats, working the Bay Bridge, Solomons area and south are all different skill sets.
Buy a chart book and study a 10 mile radius from your launch point.....most of your fishing will be inside this area.....you need to know the ledges, humps, channels, wrecks, shoals, shorelines, etc.
Successful fishing is a science and has to be approached as such, the more info the better.
LAST - Read more on TidalFish !!!!
We all have bad catchin days....comes with the territory.
My thoughts about your string of bad fishing days are:
A) The fish don't like your presentation.
B) You are fishing where the fish aren't at different times of the year.
C) You're getting stuck in a "pattern" of fishing.
I agree with the ideas mentioned above, HO with some folks and ask lots of questions, especially about baits weights and theory, and particulars of the area you mainly fish.
For trolling Mid-Bay contact Capt.Wayne Morgan, he specializes in hands-on instructional charters.....when you come back to the dock you will be tired, dirty, smell like fish and well educated about trolling.
Capt. John Deering is a jigging, bird chasing Master...Mid-Bay area.
There are lots of others, find some In Your Area to fish with.
The Bay is a varied watershed, the skills used on the Flats, working the Bay Bridge, Solomons area and south are all different skill sets.
Buy a chart book and study a 10 mile radius from your launch point.....most of your fishing will be inside this area.....you need to know the ledges, humps, channels, wrecks, shoals, shorelines, etc.
Successful fishing is a science and has to be approached as such, the more info the better.
LAST - Read more on TidalFish !!!!
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108 Posts
I am a son of a fishman and spent most of my life before moving to DC on the water. When I finaly got my own boat the first thing I quickly realized is that it is not as easy as good captains make it look. This is a difficult sport thats why catching a fish is so rewarding. Fishing for me is about the details no matter how small. Dont give up yet!
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1,529 Posts
I know how you feel. I usually get pretty frustrated in June and July because I can't seem to find any fish during those months. This year, I started focusing more on bottom fishing and got pretty good at finding spot, perch, and puppy drum (no keepers, though) at places fairly close to where I launched. It was a lot of fun and made for good eating, too. I admit it's not quite the same as landing a 30"+ striper (which I have yet to do), but it's satisfying in a different way.
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680 Posts
Hippie -
Don't give up - you can do it.
I started out a couple of years ago in my 14" aluminum v-hull Starcraft with a 15HP outboard. On a good day you could find me at Sharps Island Light. I figured - "better get a bigger boat before they read about me in they newspaper". :eek2:
I've made many a "fish-less" trip. But after a while things start to happen.
My girlfriend says I spend too much time on the water (what's wrong with sunrise to sunset). You need to put in some long days trying different stuff to learn what's going on.
Go HO'ing - again!
Caught my first good sized rock this spring HO'ing with 27 Sailfish (Skip).
Since then I've managed to get some fish for the freezer.
If you have problem catching rock - catch some Blues, Perch or Croaker!
And like all others say - read TidalFish.
The folks here have really put me on the right track (thanks again guys).
Don't give up - you can do it.
I started out a couple of years ago in my 14" aluminum v-hull Starcraft with a 15HP outboard. On a good day you could find me at Sharps Island Light. I figured - "better get a bigger boat before they read about me in they newspaper". :eek2:
I've made many a "fish-less" trip. But after a while things start to happen.
My girlfriend says I spend too much time on the water (what's wrong with sunrise to sunset). You need to put in some long days trying different stuff to learn what's going on.
Go HO'ing - again!
Caught my first good sized rock this spring HO'ing with 27 Sailfish (Skip).
Since then I've managed to get some fish for the freezer.
If you have problem catching rock - catch some Blues, Perch or Croaker!
And like all others say - read TidalFish.
The folks here have really put me on the right track (thanks again guys).
From a very famous intellect.
D-Day: War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the going gets tough . . . the tough get going. Who's with me? Let's Go! Come on! AAAAEEEEEGGGHHHH!! [Bluto runs out of the room alone; then returns] What the f*** happened to the Delta I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...
Otter: Dead! Bluto's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons. But that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.
D-Day: Let's do it.
Bluto: LET'S DO IT!
D-Day: War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the going gets tough . . . the tough get going. Who's with me? Let's Go! Come on! AAAAEEEEEGGGHHHH!! [Bluto runs out of the room alone; then returns] What the f*** happened to the Delta I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...
Otter: Dead! Bluto's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons. But that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.
D-Day: Let's do it.
Bluto: LET'S DO IT!
Don't Quit.
Last Saturday from 9:00AM to 4:15PM, I trolled 18.7 miles total between Breezy Point Marina and Buoy 78A. It was raining in the morning and I got skunked. I don't quit. I will try again. Hope this picture makes you feel better.
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BTW, I was kayak-trolling.
Last Saturday from 9:00AM to 4:15PM, I trolled 18.7 miles total between Breezy Point Marina and Buoy 78A. It was raining in the morning and I got skunked. I don't quit. I will try again. Hope this picture makes you feel better.
BTW, I was kayak-trolling.
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