We have all had bad days on the water, but it's worse when the guy next to you is having a good day. What do you guys do to raise your friends spirits when they are getting skunked and you are slaying it?

 

 

put them exactly where i would throw in depending on what we're doing

35 minutes ago, Scarborough817 said:

put them exactly where i would throw in depending on what we're doing

 

^^^^^this^^^^^

Encourage them to keep practicing and they'll eventually get as good as you.

1 hour ago, Scarborough817 said:

put them exactly where i would throw in depending on what we're doing

 

This is what I figured too. Sometimes even then it's a struggle. "There's always alcohol."

I had this happen fairly recently.  My friend was in the front of the boat just crushing fish on a drop shot.  So I switched over and couldnt catch them.  He gave me the same plastic, hook, sinker, and leader material to try to put me on fish.  I still couldnt catch one to save my life, even from the front of the boat, and he was still crushing them.  It was actually really amazing to see how maybe just one little difference in our setups, maybe his hook was 1/2inch higher than mine, was causing such a difference.  

Whatever you do don't ask them if they want to reel one in after you hook it. 

Hopefully your smart enough to switch to whatever is working and not too stubborn to keep trying something else that isn't working.

This happened to me couple days ago kept losing the fish and my buddy told me to be patient and I finally caught one and then yesterday thanks to that advice and my gut I caught 9 bank fishing. 

rub it in

47 minutes ago, huffman1988 said:

Whatever you do don't ask them if they want to reel one in after you hook it. 

Hahahahah yessssss

Tell him to slow down and learn.

Tell them if they are not going to catch any fish, then get me a beer 

Mocking ridiculing duh. Because that's what he would do to me

If I take someone out in my boat, I will do everything possible to give them a shot at unfished water.  I am also happy to tell them what I'm doing and how I'm doing it.  There are no secrets on the boat and I will often ask them what their going to do.  If I see a likely spot, I will sometimes tell them to throw back in that hole, or on the shady side of those branches.   I'm not out there to compete with anyone, I'm out to enjoy the situation, and hopefully they will enjoy it also.  Its all about having fun!

I know a lot of team tournament partners who live to put it to the other partner by reminding them the fish count after each bass. Same partners during a tournament work as a close team helping each other. If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen as the saying goes.

If I am fishing with a partner my goal is they catch bass and they usually do.

Tom

I'd rub it in and ask him to make sure my fishing log was correct for each fish caught.

Remind me not to fish with about half you guys. 

Life's too short to be a Richard. 

News flash - it's suppose to be fun.

A-Jay

Depends on how they would act if the shoe was on the other foot. If he wouldn't rub it in I would help him out. If he would rub it in I would rub it in but still help him out. Sometimes you gotta let a person know they are getting big leagued. I've been on both ends.

The most common mistake I see my students make when in a slump is with the hook set. They are not sure if they had a bite & so they use somewhat of a lazy hook set. I cannot over stress the importance of a solid hook set; speed is the key not strength.

 

I would look for small things to change, like timing of the hook set, speed of the hook set. My partner & I have been fishing together for about thirty five years & we don't hesitate telling the other when he is not on top of his game. It is not a major change that is usually needed when you are not getting bite.

If they're a good friend, rub it in like an Indian burn. Be careful though because if you get a good one, they'll be the ones with the net. I waited last time on the truck ride home. I had bruises on my gut from setting the hook and kept crying about how bad it hurt and they were lucky to not have war scars. The bass thumb was an added bonus lol. I gave them the exact setup I was using and can't explain it. One of them, I consider a better fisherman than me. Sometimes ya just get lucky I guess. 

All things being equal, there's nothing you can do.  I've gone to Lake St Clair for 14 years straight with the same group of guys.  I travel up with a buddy here in Virginia, we take his boat pulled by my truck.  His boat is rigged for big water more than mine.  We drive 10 hours and rent a cottage on an island for a week with about 5 other fishermen.  We have had unbelievable trips where 75 fish days were common.  We ALWAYS find them sooner or later.  One year, I went 2 days straight with -0- fish.  -0-.  I was beyond frustrated.  Since I am a finesse fisherman, I usually am the one with the numbers.  Not this trip.  I just put it out of my head and kept grinding, doing what I know catches fish.  On the 3rd day the flood gates opened and I was back in business.  I have never been able to figure out why my first 2 days on that trip were so bad.  

A friend of mine got stuck taking some guys from work crappie fishing and he hated it . I took my boat and had a limit of bass in about an hour .I hunted him down and 1 by 1  pulled  them out of the livewell and released them in front of him before heading  off to catch some more . Next day I kept complaining about how bad  my bass thumb was . LOL .  He's a good sport and laughs about it .

9 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Remind me not to fish with about half you guys. 

Life's too short to be a Richard. 

News flash - it's suppose to be fun.

A-Jay

That would be a "Richard Cranium"

This happened yesterday, when 2 out of 3  of us were were having the best day of the year......when one brother yelled to his brother next to him "John, I hooked a big one, her reel it in, I'm a bit tired".......almost ticked my self.

 

Fishing is fun, and if you don't realize this happens and have thin skin, perhaps they should get their own boat.

 

I see my boat as a place where guys can be guys!