Talk about bad luck. I went out from 12-4 and didn't catch a thing.

I went to a pond and if you walked half way around, you could fish off the banks into deeper water. I had a few bites with spinner baits, but I could never tell when it was time to set the hook. I wonder if the hooks were too big? Size 2 I think.

Even with all the colored worms I had, nothing. Probably didn't rig the correctly.

Maybe they just weren't biting that much, or I wasn't getting towards the deeper waters. I'm going back tomorrow probably from 9-1. Can anyone give me tips on what colors and baits to use? How long I'm supposed to wait each cast etc... I'm going to read some articles now, but I take all the advice I can get.

The best thing I can say is stay strong and keep a positive mind set, the fish will come.  When you're out again tomorrow try throwing a white spinner bait parallel to the bank and slowly start fanning your casts towards deeper water.  If you are getting bites on those baits there really shouldn't be a question on when to set the hook.  It shouldn't be a bite you are getting it should be a slam!  Perhaps smaller fish are hitting the blades such as blue gills or something else.  Just stay patient, are you using a trailer hook?  If not you definitely should be.  If you are going to be fishing it shallow enough that you can see your bait flip the trailer hook upside down no swing and misses that way.  Best of luck

Maybe the bites were blue gills. Or seaweed and tree branches.  :'(

Anyways, I'm going to make notes of some of the articles and take them with me as a guide.

You do "Have a Chance!" Try a Zoom Fluke in all white. Rig it Texas style with the hook entering through the bottom slot and exiting through the top. Use a jerk- pause all the way back to the shore. Try to work it fast one cats, then try it slower so it doesn't break the surface. This lure works great in Florida ponds! When the fish hits, let him take it then when you feel some weight set the hook! Good Luck!

It's very hard getting started. I didn't start bass fishing till I was a teen and I can remember it like it was yesterday.  It's sound to me like you are having trouble telling what is a bite and what is everything else. This is the best way I know of to solve this problem. Spend some time in the shallow water working your lures over and through brush, weeds, mud, rocks and everything else you can see. Memorize what that feels like. Sometimes it helps to do this with your eyes closed. Spend hours doing this. Then when you are fishing you will have a better idea what you lure is doing when you can't see it. If you feel anything different than what you already know then the chances are greater that it's a fish.

I think your getting bites but just don't realize it.

That's why beginners rely so much on surface or moving baits.  you know it when a bass hits a rapala, and the three sets of trebles make it easy for the bass to hook themselves.

getting familiar with the different feels of a bite is very important, but I think line watching is something that most beginniners aren't even aware of.  

When worm, or senko fishing, leave some slack in your line.  You can "see" the line twitch, move sideways, or do something unnatural.  Reel out the slack and set the hook.

good luck and have fun.

avid

Went today from 10-1 and caught 3 small mouth. From 11:30-12:30 is when I caught all 3 using Zoom trick worms in watermelon. I noticed though as it got warmer, nothing was biting. Maybe I needed heavier sinkers, at this time the watermelon worms stopped working as well. I switched to black/red glitter and aimed for shady areas, and had a few bites. But after a while it was too nice and I went back home to the pool.  8-)