New Angler Who Cannot Seem To Ever Catch A Fish

[jimithyashford]

I have had terrible luck fishing, so I figured maybe joining a group of knowledgable people would be a good thing.

A little about my fishing history: I have fished a variety of baits and methods around Springfield, spending many many hours with lines in the water at the Crieghton Fishing Access, Lake Springfield both at the warm water and below the dam, Fellows lake around the handicap dock, McDaniel lake off the bridge, James River under the bridge on South Campell, and James River where the old bridge cross next to the Nature Center.

So, in all of that fishing I caught one catfish at Crieghton (when I was fishing for pan fish) one Smallie at the Warm Water access, and a paddle fish below the darn (while trying to fish for catfish).

So, I'm not sure what I am missing, or what isn't clicking with me, but I just cannot seem to catch a fish for the life of me. Now I used to drive up to Lake Stockton and fish at the Mutton Creek fishing Dock, and I always had good action there, but since they tore out the dock, I don't really have any fishing spot.

Anyone with any advice, tips, tricks, good spots, anything like that? I love fishing but I'd say it's been a good 6 or 7 trips since I caught anything that wasnt bait.

[jbooth24]

I use a lot of lie bait like crawl dad's at Crighton andake springfield and at McDaniel I know of we're to catch some good numbers as down big crappie and bass using live minnows for crappie at night with a lantern and a bitse jig with a green trailer like a crawldad thing or at McDaniel use blue during the day an black at night with the bitsie jig

[jbooth24]

I also know of a good hole up river an down river at Crighton access but got to have a canoe or if you don't mind waking throu water to get to it

[Greasy B]

Move around a lot, fish seldom come to you.

Don't give up, take your lack of success with a grain of salt, your not alone. I've been doing this for a long time and my last 4 days were not much better than yours.

[Feathers and Fins]

It sounds like your a shore based angler. If that is the case I would go at it with a live bait approach to start using a slip bobber with a bobber stop to give you a 12ft play and use minnows on that rod. The second rod I would set up Carolina fashioned and use a Crawler.

The second rod will teach you to feel the bite and cadence of the retrieve and live will catch fish. After you start learning the cadence needed then switch to plastics and try different colors to find what works best ( also keep a close eye on the color of live crays and minnows to help show you what color plastic )

With the bobber rig it will help you learn depths and if its a moving retrieve or popping maybe even just sitting, when you learn what they want out of the bobber on live bait switch to crappie jigs and whack um.

[Flysmallie]

I also know of a good hole up river an down river at Crighton access but got to have a canoe or if you don't mind waking throu water to get to it

Have you been up as far as the dykes? I like that area.

[ness]

Can you tap somebody as a mentor? Probably the single most effective way to learn it.

[jbooth24]

I have never been to dykes we're is that at

[Flysmallie]

It's probably a mile up from Crighton.

[jbooth24]

Do you got I walk to it like up river