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

[jimithyashford]

Where! Where did she catch them? Let me know and I will be there!

Please stop talking about me instead of to me. I have been poliet and respectful of the advice I've been given no? Should I just excuse myself until I am able to successfuly catch things and then re-join the conversation? Rather defeats the purpose of joining I think.

[BATCAB27]

don't listen to these guys. That spot under the bridge south of nixa isn't a very good spot to fish IMO. Just a long dead pool. If I was a fish I wouldn't be hangin out there.

[jimithyashford]

I think my main problem is that I am on bad water. Maybe a really good fisherman can reliably pull fish out of the James, but I am not a really good fisherman, and I just can't get a darn thing out of the water right around town.

That's why I was excited to try Bennet Springs, but man was that just an aggravating encounter! Now since last weekend when I spent a whole day throwing lures right into a trout's face to only have one take the bait, I have been looking up tips on catching trout, and I have some people going on about how trout are easy to pull, while I have other accounts that seem to match my own, of spending all day standing right over Trout without being able to get any to bite. At least that lets me know it's not unheard of. Also, on reflecting about my time spent at Bennet, I saw hundreds of angler casting constantly all day long, I dunno how many thousands and thousands of casts I must have seen, but I only actually saw maybe a dozen fish landed. I dunno what that means, but it makes me feel less cursed.

I think I will go down and try near Rivercut tomorrw or the next day. It's the only place I've actually caught a decent fish, and hopefully the rain and cool nights will make them more eager to bite.

I think this fishing issue is so frusterating to me because back when the Mutton Creek fishing dock was open, I could alway count on catching fish. I would go there, drop a hook with a minnow over the side, and I would for sure catch fish. I remember a few evening there pulling 14+ inch smallies off of the water by the dock on almost every cast, and then spending all night catching my limit of crappie. Even a terrible day at that spot still guarenteed you a few fish, and on good days you could hardly keep your pole baited.

But that place has been closed for the past 2 years, and since then I have beat miles of shore line and waded a lot of river in search of SOME spot where I can head out to fish, or take a friend who is new to fishing, and have a good expectation of catching something. Not only have I not found a good replacement, but apparently even expecting to find something like what I experianced for the two years I fished the Mutton Creek fishing dock is an unrealistic pipe dream. That place must have been magic or something. Now-a-days I can't catch anything and I don't even dare dream of taking a friend out to try fishing, cause all I will do is make darn sure they get a bad impression of the hobby.

So I am sorry if I seem frusterated and at my wit's end here, I am those things. It is just driving me nuts how something that seemed so easy at one point is now darn near impossible, with just the closing of a dock? Boggles the mind.

[fishinwrench]

I don't have any answers for ya, bro, but I can assure you that you're not wasting your time. You are learning something each and every time you cast, whether you realize it or not, and eventually what you've learned will most definitely pay off. In fishing and in life.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

My visit to Montauk last year turned out the same as your Bennett Springs trip. I feel your pain, seems to me fishing stories are similar to gambling stories, you only hear about the positive trips. Keep your head up, keep your line wet, have fun doing it. Don't take these negative posts to heart, I have to admit, I wondered in the beginning, but your adventures are interesting.

[moguy1973]

Have you tried a weightless stick worm? Rigged Texas style or wacky rigged? Usually those will get some sort of bite and they are cheap (esp the bass pro ones).

[ozark trout fisher]

Hey don't listen to the folks calling you a troll etc. There are some people on this forum who can be real jerks on this forum as you've apparently found them. You have to disregard that and keep posting anyway because there are plenty of others who would want to help.

If this forum isn't for questions about fishing/how to catch fish, then what's it for?

Guess what: when I started fishing the trout parks I struggled like crazy. It can be super frustrating-all those dozens, hundreds, thousands of fish......and you can't fool any of them. I know that feeling and it's enough to make you throw your rod in the water .

I wonder if maybe you should take a step back from this and try a different approach. I don't know your area well, but surely there have to be some ponds/smallish lakes in the area you could get on? I don't mean Lake Springfield or bigger water like that. Like 10 acres or less.

Get a basket of crickets (or little red worms in a pinch), some tiny hooks, and a few bobbers and head out there. Fish along any type of brush/woody cover, and you'll get some bluegill/green sunfish unless wherever you're fishing is really terrible. I can almost promise, though of course you know there are no certainties in angling.

That will whet your appetite a bit and when you're ready you could go back to hitting streams.

Just an idea.

[Haris122]

I don't have any answers for ya, bro, but I can assure you that you're not wasting your time. You are learning something each and every time you cast, whether you realize it or not, and eventually what you've learned will most definitely pay off. In fishing and in life.

This right here is some serious wisdom.

[Seth]

It takes a special touch to catch trout. I'll take folks who can catch bass and other stuff just fine and they struggle to catch any trout. If you go at the buzzer, you should be able catch a few before the flurry slows down. They'll bite anything for about 15 minutes after the buzzer goes off.

[ozark trout fisher]

If you go at the buzzer, you should be able catch a few before the flurry slows down. They'll bite anything for about 15 minutes after the buzzer goes off.

That there is good advice for anyone who is simply desperate to catch fish.