Couple days ago trout fishing starts again and as always I had a rod on bait and wait for trout and use my other rod for bass fishing. I was there about 33 hours and I slept about 11 hours so I fish for 22 hours in two days, Fishing was wayyyyy hard, It was temp immideate changes and north wind and being at shore leaves me with little option to move. At the end of trip I catch 6lb cat and three  2lb+ trout (On bait and wait), but I couldn't catch any bass(I was hard headed to catch on my new spinning combo), In second day I was thinking by myself when casting  and covering water that how happy I am and enjoying this even I am not catching any bass. It is the bass and mystery of finding them and find the right lure that I am in love, It is the bass fishing I am in love with not catching them particularly , of course if you catch some it is a plus but the whole fishing part of it, like tackle and lures and mysteries that you facing in every lake in different time and condition, That is addictive and that is what I am hook to, Okay well I think I am brainstorming..

You’re right man. It’s the whole experience of fishing that makes me happy too. I get skunked, fair enough, but I’m enjoying the day and relaxing. Icing on the cake if I get a bite ?

I guess I need a hat that has custom stitching that states EMBRACE LOVE.

1 hour ago, sdw215 said:

You’re right man. It’s the whole experience of fishing that makes me happy too. I get skunked, fair enough, but I’m enjoying the day and relaxing. Icing on the cake if I get a bite ?

I took my grandson to the Chicago Children's Museum today. They have an exhibit called Treehouse Trails which is about the outdoors. I'd bet we sat in that exhibit for at least a half hour while he was pretending he was fishing. https://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/treehouse-trails I'm happy that he was happy. Poor kid is 5 and he'd rather fish with papa than do anything else.

I totally understand…..I love fishing, the tackle and everything about it. Trying the read the shore line, casting in that perfect spot, the rigging of different baits, all of it.

I love fishing……catching is just the bonus.

I'm with you guys. My last fishing trip of 2022, I was bouncing in the dark, trying to see the shoreline before the wind pushed me into it and the hooks on my five rods snagged wood. My headlamp wasn't working, so I my only light was starlight. Luckily, there was a lot of starlight.

 

My only companion was a hoot owl and we had a nice, long chat. I caught two dinks, but I'll never forget that trip. I loved it.

 

When the Sun finally rose, I was shocked at how brown Maine had become and I'll remember that too. I paddled deep into a bay that is normally weed-choked, noting all the places that might hold bass next spring. And I dreamed of spring.

 

Like GRiver, I love the tackle too. I remember my father walking in the door and laying four, just-purchased rods and reels on the kitchen table, with all the lures and bobbers and hooks. I was smitten. I still am.

 

I remember my first fishing trip. We caught nothing, but I still loved it. I hooked nothing the second and third and fourth times too, but I was hooked. 

 

slonezp, I love your story. Thanks for telling it.

I’m with ya OP, I’d rather catch a single bass than 1,000 trout 

Absolutely agree. If I catch fish, that's a nice bonus. These days, I just try to enjoy myself and try out shiny new baits and try to learn the best ways to work them. Sometimes I catch fish in the process. At least, that's how I try to think of it. 

Just keep telling yourselves that

 

I’ve been skunked for a month.  The first time. - “I’m just happy to be out here in nature”

subsequent times- “at least my friends are catching, I enjoy just watching them succeed “

a few more trips, “okay, please Lord. Give me a sign you don’t hate me”

lastly, “@#!$!!&!   That’s it, I’m going to start Golfing”

 

thankfully, that January ended.  And Feb 1, I landed a 3 lb bass on a big swimbait.  The stars aligned.