Fishing is an odd pastime, with participants of many types.  There are anglers who fish for sport and catch/release everything they catch.  Some are trophy hunters and fish for the outsized, specialized, or memorable catches.  A few fishermen are in it “for the meat” and look to catch and keep their legal limit each time they are on the water. 

No matter the type of angler you are, you are NOT catching enough fish!  At times, it can seem that the fish are smarter, warier, and just non-cooperative when you are on the water.  This article focuses on the main reasons why you are not catching fish to your potential and how to remedy this.

Location

The spot and the body of water are key requirements for you to catch more fish.  Some lakes are known as trophy trout or bass lakes and your chances are certainly better fishing there than in a small pond with few large fish.  There is a saying in fishing that says: 90 percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water.  You can look at a body of water and it certainly all looks wet, but finding the fish holding areas is key to being successful.

To find the fish you can look at our articles “Finding Secret Fishing Spots” and ”Finding a Good Fishing Spot” for how to identify the best 10% of places to fish.

If you are not catching fish in an area, it makes sense to move.  There are no spots that produce all the time and things can change day by day or hour by hour in tidal waters.

Fishing Lure/Bait and Presentation

Fishing success can vary day by day.  Sometimes you can start with what worked last week or even yesterday but not catch anything.  Do not be afraid to try different tactics or lures.   Some considerations for triggers for fish include color, size, shape/profile, scents which can all be changed if you are not catching fish.  Do not switch from one type of silver spoon to another that is similar but try to go larger or with a different profile to dial in the bite.

You could also tweak the retrieve speed, fishing depth, lure or bait action to find a successful combination.  If things are not working, try to use lighter lines and smaller hooks which sometimes can help trigger less-active fish.

Our article “Triggers That Make Fish Strike” can help with some more information on how to dial in your approach.

Environmental Factors

There are factors such as: time of day, tides, water temperature, weather, and time of year which have an impact on your fishing success.  You can look at our link to Fishing Reports and see what is biting where and align your strategy appropriately. 

The Angler – You!

While it might be difficult to accept, you might be the biggest cause for not being a more successful angler. 

Fish in certain bodies of water are sensitive to sounds, shadows or vibrations.  This is especially true in smaller streams and rivers where a shadow cast on the water can stop the bite.  Minimize noises especially in metal boats.  Do not drop or bang anything that can spook fish.

To catch fish effectively you need to put in the time.  Although it is possible, you cannot expect to catch your limit spending 1 hour on a Saturday afternoon on the water.  The time you spend trying various locations and tactics will make you a better angler longer term.  I call it paying your dues.

Be attentive so you can detect fish bites.  Sometimes they can be quite subtle and require good vision and feel.  It is important knowing when and how to set the hook.  This is very dependent on the type of fish and presentation you are using.  Blackfish are notorious for being difficult to hook.  You can see our article on “Catching Trophy Tautog” for some techniques to be successful.

You smell.  How that smell is presented or hidden from the fish can be critical in your fishing success.  Hunters talk about hiding their scent and this a similar issue for anglers.  Smells like gas or oil have been found as distasteful to fish.  Try to not over handle lures and bait and keep your hands away from leaders and hooks as much as you can.

SUMMARY

Tight lines …  Captain P.