Are My Expectations Just Off? What Is "good" Fishing?

[jimithyashford]

Ok, I have noted all of this, and will try again with new and improved tactics and keep you guys posted.

Eventually I WILL catch some decent fish, and then I will post pictures, and then I will thank the knowledge of this group.

[Flysmallie]

Keep at it. As it starts getting cooler your results will improve.

[Big Brown Trout]

Keep at it. As it starts getting cooler your results will improve.

^this, fishing is slow right now my own fishing expectations are low until it cools down.

[jimithyashford]

I just had another weekend of being stymied. I was on my way out of town for a big fishing trip far south on the James, but I had a blowout, had to switch to my little donut tire, and ended up just fishing local waters right around Springfield. I bank fished Lake Springfield for about an hour, then went up to Crieghton and wade fished downstream from Creighton for about an hour, then went to the top and wade fished upstream from Creighton all the way to where the Pearson Creek runs in. I used a little rooster tail, also a very small crankbait minnow, and also the ole crawfish on a hook.

I didn't even get my normal fare of a couple of baby smallies and some sunfish, I got absolutely nothing. Total bust for about 5 hours of fishing.

I am starting to be convinced that there are literally no fish....in the world. They are myths made up to serve as some kinda of Grecian afterlife pennace for me.

Also, it occured to me that for all of the fanfare this crawfish on a hook method had, I've tried it about 5 times now and it has not gotten me a single fish yet. I had one good strong hit on a crawfish once, that pulled the crawfish off the hook and didn't get the fish, but that was the only bite I've gotten. I dunno what's up or what I'm doing wrong.

[ozark trout fisher]

The methods you're using should be picking up some fish. Maybe not a lot, but getting skunked for that length of time is a little surprising because it sounds like you're generally doing what you should be doing. I don't know that stretch of the James at all, but for lack of a better way of putting it, it sounds like it must really suck.

Have you just tried worms? I mean, it's not exactly classy, and you won't catch big fish, but a half a nightcrawler drifted on a #6 hook with a BB splitshot a foot up the line would almost have to produce something.

Then, if you aren't catching anything on that, (or only 1 or two fish in a long trip) you really need to find somewhere else to fish.

[jimithyashford]

Yeah, I am getting pretty frusterated by the whole experiance. If I didn't like being outdoors and in the water in general I think I would have thrown in the towel by now. I will be going out agian after work today, spend a couple of hours in the water, see what happens.

[Justin Spencer]

somebody throw this guy a bone and take him fishing!

[jimithyashford]

Lol, well thanks for the sentiment. I mean I hate to come on here and just sound like a giant complainer, but by the time I had joined this forum I had already spent the first half of the summer winging it with no success, and my lack of success continues, so I am getting to the point where I pretty much question everything I'm doing cause it's just not working.

Today I am going to get in the water at the upper end of Creighton with a little rooster tail and wade up stream doing one pass at every eddy and one pass near every structure until I hit something. If I get all the way up to where Pearson creek enters the James with no bites, I will switch to a crayfish on a hook and wade back down tossing it into every eddy and near every structure and let it sit for 30 seconds until I hit something.

If I make it all the way up and back down like that without a single fish.....then....then I dunno what. I guess I am done with that water in that case.

[Justin Spencer]

What weight line are you using?

[jimithyashford]

I was using 4, but I've switched up to 6.