# Grrrrr Tired of It!



## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

I'm a pretty patient person most of the time.
But I'm really getting sick of being a crummy fisherman. 
I've bought the boat, follow all the rules, pay the launch fees, don't imbibe while boating, take the kids,....everything we're all supposed to do.
I'm great at what I call "monkey see monkey do fishing". In other words, i'm pretty good at going where others are being successful, and I'll do okay too. But finding the fish on my own?? Not so good. I'll keep working at it as long as I can, but at this point of my life, I'm not sure I'm going to live long enough to ever get good at it. So call it what you want, Potlicker, or "monkey see monkey do"...that'll be my style. One thing I'll never do, is get too close where others are fishing. I'll keep my respectable distance.
GoneFish'n:rybka:
Charlie


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## bayou vista (Jun 28, 2008)

start wading


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Charlie,

Hang with it. It takes awhile to put it all together...takes time on the water. Don't ever give up.

One problem with fishing close to others is that it often, more often than not, will just result in frustration....frustration watching someone else catch fish while you can't get a bite. The problem is that very often, perhaps most often, the fish they are catching are in a very tight area and being a few feet from that area can be the difference between catching and not catching.

The most fun fishing, IMO, is when you can find your own school and catch fish. It is also the most satisfying.

Here's some things that help me find and catch fish on Livingston:

1) Electronics really help in finding fish...but it isn't the only way and often it isn't the best way. It takes a lot of practice (for me at least) to be able to find and distinguish feeding sport fish from the tons and tons of baitfish. I still haven't perfected it and often stop and fish where it looks good on the electronics and get nothing. Because of that, I rely on other aids in addition to the electronics.

2) In spite of some's opposition to it, trolling is a great way to find fish. Then when you find them, anchor up or use your trolling motor to hold right over the school and work them over.

3) My favorite way to find fish, without a doubt, is to watch the water. The fish will tell you where they are...sometimes its very subtle, just an occasional shad breaking and sometimes its very obvious with breaking fish everywhere. I love to find surface fish before the birds find them. Its a game I play, and sometimes loose to the birds but often I win....but this isn't just a game, because if you can beat the birds there you will 100% of the time beat other boats and will get a school that is not nervous from other boats. Often you can get a limit quickly this way...but it requires extreme concentration and focus on the surrounding waters.

4) Here's another way, much easier in many respects. Find a spot that is known for having fish, and or a spot on which you maybe have seen someone catching fish the day before. Anchor on that exact spot and fish and/or wait for the fish to come by.

The most outstanding fishing guide I have ever seen in freshwater uses this technique exclusively. His name is Jackie Kennedy and he goes to spots he knows fish like and he waits until they come by. With this technique, you do NOT even need sonar, nor need to even look at it. You may need to have several of these spots and move/rotate around to them until you find one with hungry fish.

When you see someone catching fish, mark it and/or file it away and come back another day rather than crowd them or try in frustration to catch them when they are under the other person's boat. Come back later or another day and anchor on the exact spot and fish. Stay there until the fish come by.

It really is kind of simple in that there are two basic choices...1) find the fish by moving around or 2) anchor on a likely spot and wait for the fish to come to you.

Just one more thought, for what its worth...don't measure the "worth" or the "value" of your fishing experience by numbers that others may report. Reports may or may not be factual...and further, fishing enjoyment is about the experience. It is NOT a numbers game that many play, IMO. The only number that counts is how much you and your party enjoyed the day. You can have absolutely fabulous days on the water, days in which you may not catch much or anything at all, but learn and enjoy the wonders of Nature.

Ignore everything else I've written, if you wish, but not this....do not base the worth of your experience on the numbers that others may or may not be catching...*compete with the fish and elements, not other fishing reports*, and for goodness sake, enjoy every single minute you have on the water. It is such precious, fleeting time. Thanks.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Great post Meadowlark!

I am also trying to get the hang of this freshwater fish and often frustrated. One thing I do know and this applies if you are fishing or hunting. The weather is a good indicator if you are going to catch fish. High Pressure and blue bird days are most often the least productive. Cloudy low pressure days are often the best. When I fish the bass ponds here in the woodlands I watch for the change of pressure. I load up and go 5min and KILL them. Watch for weather coming in and go before it gets here. Cut the grass on the high pressure days. I don't exactly live by this as sometimes all I have is Saturday to go.

The time of year is also very important. Note when Shadslinger started posting his first white bass in the spring. Next year go about three weeks early and start looking for them. If you get there before they are broken up, you will do better.


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## songogetme (Oct 13, 2006)

Really great advice. Mr Charlie try not to look at fishing like a job that just has to be done. Take some time look around at how beautiful everything is. Relax kick your feet up and slow down it will happen. Besides if you catch a mess of fish then you have to clean em.


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## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

*Thanks for your thoughts*

Thank you Meadowlark, great post. No i'm not giving up, but going out time after time and just burning gas gets a bit frustrating. Thanks for your tidbits and hints. I regularly am a fan of your posts, so I know you must surely practice what you preach. Thanks again.
Charlie


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## Lone Eagle (Aug 20, 2009)

GoneFish'N, you hang in there. Meadowlark gave you the "BEST" advice. Great post Meadowlark.

I have "Never" met anyone that can get super results every time they go fishing. Once you have learned a couple technicques and found 
them a couple times, you'll be right there often. 

Good fishing and we'll see you on the water.


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## Reel Time (Oct 6, 2009)

X2 to everything MDLK said.
It appears to me that Meadowlark approaches fishing like he approaches professionalism at a job (a job that he loves). He thinks fishing, dreams fishing, and researches fishing. Think about what you are doing and as my Dad always taught me *"think like a fish"*. If I were a fish where is my best chance of finding a meal?
Learn about the fish you are after and its behavior and think like that fish. Don't just cast or fish anywhere without a particular reason. Hope this helps.
RT


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## impulse (Mar 17, 2010)

Hire a reputable guide for a day or two, be honest with him that you have your own boat and are interested in learning how to do it yourself, then learn by watching him and listening. Ask him to watch you and make his suggestions about what you're doing. 

I recommend against leaving out the fact that you plan to DIY in the future. He may leave out some of his "best spots" but the lessons you learn will be just as valuable.

Yes, it's expensive, but add up your boat, gas, time, storage, etc, and fishing with a guide is pretty reasonable, especially on a per fish basis.


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## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

Thanks to my friends at 2cool. Fishing is my past-time and favorite thing to do. In the winter when i'm not fishing, i'm melting lead and making sinkers and jigs. I consult this website a dozen times a day. I consider you guys my friends. Thank you for that. No, not giving up thats for sure. Was just passing through a period of self pity....its passed now...thanks again.
Charlie


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

I, like many others, have to agree completely with what Meadowlark wrote. I think a GPS is extremely valuable. It does not have to be fancy with built in maps, it just needs to get you back to the same spot tomorrow where you caught fish today,


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## whackmaster (Apr 2, 2010)

I feel your pain Charlie. I suck at fishing too and I get frustrated all the time, but I continue to try..I can't get my son to go with me because we never catch fish and he gets bored quickly....It must be these Red Bass Tracker boats that we have.LOL..............

So if there are any fisherman that knows what they are doing, I have an empty set in my boat :biggrin:...


Thanks for the encouragement Meadowlark and the tips....Grady


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Awesome post Charlie... thanks for your frankness, and honesty!. Hey we all feel that way sometimes! MDLRK is on the right track. It is all about the fun and experience. If you don't have fun, catching or not... what's the point. I can't count the number of times I've been skunked!... Especially BB Fishing. With WB it's a little easier, to at least catch someting.You are in opposition only to the elements... Not the dude fishing next to you. Hang in there,,, you're only human!


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## bueyescowboy (Apr 10, 2005)

gonefishin, holler at me and we could hook up sometime. I agree with MDLK post.....but will add one other part. As you learn more spots, try them out. Its not uncommon for me to check 6 or 7 spots in one outing. I fish a varity of places, different times of the year call for different fishing spots. Even though many think i am against trolling....I have learned most of what I know about the lake by that method. Believe me...you go back and forth over an area long enough you get to know the area.
But send me a pm sometime and we'll see if we can hook up.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Charlie, do you sell the jigs, or are they just for your use... if so PM me and let me know more. thanks.


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## stewman773 (Jun 19, 2009)

MDLK, great advice ecspecially your last statement...Gonefishing don't get fustrated I was were you were at about three years ago it will start coming to you. You will find your own fish if you follow MDLK's advice and the advice of others.


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## longhorn daddy (Nov 10, 2009)

I agree 100% with Meadowlark,dont base your success on reports you read.I stopped posting on here cause i got tired of all the false reports,some people were so bent on outdoing others to the point that every trip was 2 or 3 limits even if they fished the ditch on the side of the road.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

LHD,

Come on back...and post up, please. I enjoy your reports, especially from below the dam where you have a really good handle on things. Getting an honest report is really a lot of help to us all and much appreciated.


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## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

it looks like i've stirred up a bit of things which need to be aired out anyway. Folks, we're a tight knit group who enjoy a common bond. it just so happens that things come up that cause issues. talking amongst ourselves is the only answer. i thank you all for that. thats one reason, other than fishing, why i'm here.
Charlie


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## Red3Fish (Jun 4, 2004)

*Ole Meadowlarks got it....*

and LD, even bad fishing trip reports help others. I don't read the fishing reports any more, but often find better info down here and in the specialized sections.

I have never hired a guide in my life, but if catching is important to you, a trip or two with a guide is a good shortcut to a new body of water, or one you are not doing well at. I have even thought about hiring ole SS just for a class on reading depth finders in fresh water.

The FISHING and company is always great, the results in catching may vary from week to week!! LOL

Later
R3F


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## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

I like to fish. If there were no fish in a lake I still like being on the water. Exploring, looking, learning, etc. It is not all about catching. Having said that, learn everything you can about the speices of fish you are after. Learn where they like to be at different times of the year and fish those areas. The quickest way to learn a lake is to hire a guide. I have never hired a guide but these are the pro's. They make a living putting people on fish. I generally catch some fish every time I go out. Not always a lot but some fish. It took years of fishing and a lot of no fish days before I could do this. Hang in there and learn something every time you go out even it is the fish were not on today using this bait and in this weather.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

longhorn daddy said:


> I agree 100% with Meadowlark,dont base your success on reports you read.I stopped posting on here cause i got tired of all the false reports,some people were so bent on outdoing others to the point that every trip was 2 or 3 limits even if they fished the ditch on the side of the road.


 I tend to disagree.. on the false reports... I think everyone on here is mostly honest...Maybe someone might not tell ALL the locations on where fish are caught, but that's their perogative!... When I first joined this site, I was impressed at the fact that everyone seemed very factual, and honest and even to the point of giving people locations, and types of bait they caught them on! Sorry, I just can't go with the "False Reports" Statement!


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## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

*Nah, False Reports? I don't think so.*

I can't really say I've been given or even seen what could be a real false report on here. The 2Cool culture, as I'm learning it is to freely share. Sometimes, however, things, facts are omitted. Honey holes are sacred. And we should never ever never expect honey hole information from the few people on here who derive their livlihood from fishing and guiding. Reading and writing things, as in emails, can often be misinterpreted, so we must be careful what we write and how we read things. Before i hit "send" I try to remind myself to proof-read what I'm about to put out there which could be misunderstood. 
GoneFish'n:fish:
Charlie


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

A good read with a fine contribution from Meadowlark, he breaks it down very well. Having a collection of game plans as well as places to go is important.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

GoneFish'n said:


> I can't really say I've been given or even seen what could be a real false report on here. The 2Cool culture, as I'm learning it is to freely share. Sometimes, however, things, facts are omitted. Honey holes are sacred. And we should never ever never expect honey hole information from the few people on here who derive their livlihood from fishing and guiding. Reading and writing things, as in emails, can often be misinterpreted, so we must be careful what we write and how we read things. Before i hit "send" I try to remind myself to proof-read what I'm about to put out there which could be misunderstood.
> GoneFish'n:fish:
> Charlie


I agree. SS and many others give info of the general areas and how they are catching fish. Their specific spots are theirs to keep and fish.

Back to the original subject, I couldn't agree more with MDLK, but would add that the electronics are currently the most effective tools that IMO we novices have today to find fish in deep water. I would recommend buying the best quality that you can afford, learning how to use it to the fullest and to read the information that it is providing. Many of the guys that fish the bluewater rely almost solely on their electronics to find structure, etc. to fish on plus to identify the fish that are there. Deep fresh water is much the same in this regard. But that's just my .02 worth.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Personally, I've never talked, met, asked, or even accidentally encountered anyone on 2 cool with a bad attitude, with regards to helping one with locations or tackle to catch fish on LL or LLD. Some folks do carry their feelings on their shoulder, but that's ok... even they can be cured with kindness. Enough Said!


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## bogan (Mar 23, 2006)

Keep a fishing log. This will help you with putting a pattern together.


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