Getting skunked doesnt really bother me at all, the only time it does is when I know i am not doing the right thing and i havent a clue of what to turn to.

I felt that way Saturday evening. It was frustrating.

I'm like everybody In that I want to catch fish. If that doesn't happen I have learned through the years that there are many worse things In life.

 

I know this much: Each time I get out on the water I am truly blessed. I absolutely refuse to look out at the water or horizon , the deer or turkey, or even the muskrat and let not catching fish steal that happiness.

 

I gave up tournament angling for this very reason. It turned into a pain in the butt. I fish two a year now and refuse to let the outcome dictate my mood.

 

Lastly, Flippin' and pitchin' thank you for a perspective that I will carry each and everytime I hit the water.

I fish because it's relaxing and therapeutic.  I get away from the stress of work and life in general to enjoy some peace and quiet on the water or on the shore.  I think if ever starts to frustrate me I will need to step back and reevaluate what I'm doing.

Sums it up for me here, though I do get a little frustrated when its multiple times out before I catch anything, and have really only 2 bass over 10" all season, after hours of reading and research over the winter months.  At least I got the one in the profile pic to keep me coming back for quite some time, did justify it somewhat.

I smell like stinkor  (He-Man)

 

has anyone seen this?! 

 

when i get skunked, i do get a little irritated because i start to question what im doing wrong. IMO the fish are always biting just not what im throwing. Before i joined this forum it was extremely rare if i caught anything, i never got frustrated because i went home empty more days than not.

 

I agree with this... I get a lil down, question my method that day, then spend the rest of wondering what I should have done.

 

For what its worth, nothing gets me more hot than losing a drag screamin swamp donkey due to line breakage or for one to just come off in the fight. I usually take about five minutes to think it through and see what I could do to keep it from happening again.

I agree with this... I get a lil down, question my method that day, then spend the rest of wondering what I should have done.

 

For what its worth, nothing gets me more hot than losing a drag screamin swamp donkey due to line breakage or for one to just come off in the fight. I usually take about five minutes to think it through and see what I could do to keep it from happening again.

I think the 3 main reasons any kind of fish is lost may be due to a fish going airborn, a weak link in the line, knot or leader, or the fish just letting go of the bait (I might include a poor hookset into that last scenario).  Nothing makes me happier than having my drag scream on the verge of being spooled, I'm both happy as hell and frustrated at the same that I couldn't land it.

If I'm fishing from the shore I am a little disappointed if I'm skunked, but if I am out on my kayak I enjoy the day regardless.

Heck yeah it does! 

Skunked again, today on a local piece of water.  Doesn't bother me too much because the sport shop owners, that sponsor tournaments, on this water, aren't catching anything either.  Next time, a different lake.

I only get upset when I see others catching and I'm not or when a guy pulls up to a spot I was at and gets a fish.

Like many others here, if I do end up getting skunked, I make sure I learned SOMETHING on that trip.  The other day after about 4 hours of fishing I had gotten 3 solid bites, but no fish.  I had distinctively felt the now familiar 'tap tap tap' on my rod, but was unable to set the hook! I came home determined to figure out WHY, and after a lot of research on this site I learned that I may have been feeling smaller fish going for my worm, or needed to set the hook in between the first two taps before that big bass spits it out!  As long as I'm learning out there, I'm loving it! 

I believe in what Mike Iaconelli. said.  Everyone should have a Panic box.  

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZtKVrG0I4Y

When i was younger didn't bother me to fish all day without a bite. Over 40 now and it does bother me alot. I'll give it half a day without a bite and im out

When i was younger didn't bother me to fish all day without a bite. Over 40 now and it does bother me alot. I'll give it half a day without a bite and im out

I can never bring myself to leave early. I always think that as soon as I leave, the bite will turn on!

LC

I can never bring myself to leave early. I always think that as soon as I leave, the bite will turn on!

LC

 

Hahaha... i completely agree. I'll go out in the morning and just about i'm getting ready to leave, my brain screams "evening bite is about to begin".

As a finesse fishing affectionado, I don't get skunked often, couple times a year at most, because if I'm chucking the 12" worm for 2 hours without a bite I'll pick up the drop shot or grub or ned rig and eke out a few. But the fact that I do that at all instead of keeping going with the big worm suggests I don't like getting skunked very much I guess...

It does today for me....4 hours with a (finally) properly set up T-rig, out by 6 AM....3 spots (1 old quarry, 2 north side of a lake, same one I caught the avatar 2 weeks ago)....beautiful, calm weather, quite a few bites but nothing close to a hookset.  Was full of confidence heading into the day too.

 Sure, but I just think about the big fish I've caught in the past and the records that are still out there, makes me just fish even harder next time I'm out.  What I mean by fishing harder is trying different lures, techniques, and constant casting: no breaks!

Good timing on this topic. I can usually catch one keeper, but not always. I have a tournament Saturday on a local lake AKA, Dead Sea.

One 13" bass in 10 hours in 106 degree weather today. I mostly fished new to me areas, that made me appreciate my more consistent areas.

I call it eliminating water. But I now know what not to take and where not to waste time. We'll see how Saturdays tourney goes.

I don't get mad, I get even next time.

 

 

I don't get mad, I get even next time. 

  I like this 

 THATS WHY THEY CALL IT "FISHIN" NOT "CATCHIN"!!!!

I always tell myself it doesn't. It's part of the game and yada yada yada but let's all be honest here. It's bothers us all at least a little bit. Lol

Bother? Not really. It doesn't make me happy and leaves me with a little bit of an empty feeling. But, it's something that drives me to get out as soon as possible next time.

 

All in all I look at being out on the water having a good time. It's far more fun than most things I can think of to do on a nice day! Fish caught or not.