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What to Do When the Fish Don't Bite

Article: August, 2002
Lake Fork Pro Jim ReaneauThis month's tip is about what to do when the fish don’t bite. After you have tried all your favorite spots and all your new lures and still haven’t caught a fish or not many the hand writing is on the wall. What do we do now? There are many places I can start. First let’s think was I working the bait to fast or was I moving to much. A lot of time we get into doing this when the fishing is slow.

Now what I suggest, is this maybe a good time to look over the waters you fish with your electronics. Look at how the structure lays on the bottom. Look for other areas that has the same type of bottom. Just because the fish didn’t bite at your spot doesn’t mean they want bite at another area. Spend the day looking at your graph and looking for new areas. I turn my graph on every time I crank up as I may find a small hump or ledge that I may have missed. This is a good time to put some brush on your favorite spot. The problem with guiding is you are showing someone your spots every time you take a trip out. You could brush up a spot and the only person who will know is you. Most fisherman don’t want to spend a little time to better their fishing hole but want them to bite every time they go fishing. Over time the structure on the bottom starts to deteriorate and soon the fish have nothing to hold on. You don’t have to put a forty foot tree out. Just every time you go out take a cinder block or two and a small bow saw that can be stored in the boat and cut a limb or two and drop it on your favorite spot. Soon you will have a big brush pile. Do this at several spots and the next time out you may find you have your fish back.
This is also a good time to try some new technique you have read about. You may be Texas rigging in and area and switching to a drop shot or Carolina rig may change everything. Too many times we get caught in a rut and get hard headed and use only one kind of bait. I have proved that some days the fish want hit a Texas rig but a Carolina in the same area produced fish.

The Main thing I tell everyone in my boat is study their electronics. I rely on mine heavily. When I go to a new lake I get a map out and look for where deep and shallow water are close by. I look at main lake points and humps. There are usually fish out deep that will bite if you find them.
Thanks and Good Fishing,
Jim

Fishing Tip by EX Lake Fork Guide Jim Reaneau

 

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