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

[Quillback]

Yeah I'd give up on that stretch of the James if it isn't working for you.

Sometimes you've got to get a map, or use Google Earth and check out streams and roads that parallel or cross them, find a spot where you can access the stream, or talk to some landowners and ask (politely) for permission to cross their land. it will take some driving around and exploring, but you can find places to fish. Sometimes you have to get off the beaten path and do some exploring when it comes to bank fishing streams.

I always liked to fish a 1/4 oz Charlie brewer slider head with a black Zoom Trick worm Texas rigged on it. Green Pumpkin will work also. Just throw it at cover, laydowns, rocks, stumps, deep pools etc., throw it upstream or quartering up stream and swim it back. 6# mono for line and a spinning set up that will load up and cast that set up. Doesn't need to be an expensive spinning rod, strikes will be obvious.

The slider head/worm will work on ponds or lakes also.

This time of year go early or late. Save up to fish in November, that's a great time to stream fish, fish will bite all day.

I'd go to the MDC web page and check out MDC stream accesses and Conservation areas that are in your area. Quite a few of the CA's have ponds. Part of fishing is getting out and exploring, finding your own secret spots.

[Quillback]

Here's a link to the Slider heads I was referencing:

http://www.basspro.com/Charlie-Brewer-39%3bs-Slider-Heads-Pro-Series-Spider/product/46145/?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&om_mmc=shopping_googleproductextensions&kpid=46145&kpid=46145_Black_1/16-oz.

[MOsmallies]

You really need to find someone in your area that has success fishing the waters you have access to and have them show you first hand what to throw, where to throw it, and how to work it. Fishing with someone who is experienced is about the best way to learn. Another tip is to get away from the crowded community type spots you seem to be fishing. Try and do a short float on the Elk river down your way. Get out and wade several spots. Find some small creeks and try accessing them from bridges. Just keep working at it and reading about baits, techniques, and locations as much as you can. Lots of great info on the internet. Try some new baits.... It sounds like you keep referring back to your go to baits that aren't producing. Don't give up. Once you figure it out, the rewarding feeling will be much greater.

[Feathers and Fins]

Ok last ditch resort pull out the NED if you cant catch a fish with it you need to take up Golf.

[Al Agnew]

Ok last ditch resort pull out the NED if you cant catch a fish with it you need to take up Golf.

Funny...I was going to suggest the predecessor to the Ned rig if you could still find them, the good ol' Beetle Spin. It caught all kinds of fish, if mostly smaller ones, and anybody could use it successfully. To be honest, the Ned rig does take a bit of experience fishing jigs and such to really use successfully. Which is the reason why I also didn't automatically suggest another catch anything at any time lure, a marabou crappie jig.

[Flysmallie]

jimithyashford I respect your persistence. You've got the drive just need a little help to get you over the hump.

I have a load of crap going on in my life right now or I would personally put you on some fish.

PM me your email address and I'll do my best to put you in some better locations that will give you some results.

[Flysmallie]

Funny...I was going to suggest the predecessor to the Ned rig if you could still find them, the good ol' Beetle Spin. It caught all kinds of fish, if mostly smaller ones, and anybody could use it successfully. To be honest, the Ned rig does take a bit of experience fishing jigs and such to really use successfully. Which is the reason why I also didn't automatically suggest another catch anything at any time lure, a marabou crappie jig.

Good info Al. The beetle spin rocks and they are cheap.

[jimithyashford]

Well, that was a bit of a disater of a trip! Almost comically so.

I started up upstream wade with a rooster tail at about 5pm, at least I didn't get totally skunked, I did catch a couple of small sunfish. Then I got my rooster tail snagged on something too deep for me to go unsnag it, and I was forced to break the line and leave it. So I switched over to a very small crankbait minnow I have. I did catch one weird little bottom-sucker fish just cause the crankbait snagged him in the side. He was a funny looking little fella.

So I head on upstream and get to just below the water intake station when I get my crank bait snagged in an overhead branch. It's snagged good and I can't get to it. So I'm tugging away, hoping the limb will break before my line does, when I slip on those algea covered rocks, jam my knee, fall in the water, and the line breaks at which point my crank bait just falls out of the tree. So at least I got my lure back. At that point I threw in the towell, just went right up ovee the bank and across some property owner's yard to get back to the road (I was too peeved to care, but I don't think anyone was home) and limped back down the road to my car covered in mud and with a hurt knee.

So when I get back to my car, I left a crawfish trap in the water (I had planned to fish longer) so I went down to retrieve it, and when I pulled it, a big ole bass flashed me his brightly colored side. He must have been hanging out around my trap eating the crawfish that were going in. Like the river just wanted to let me know there are big bass in there, just not any for me.

I feel like sisiphus.

[jimithyashford]

I might have to try this NED lure, it looks easy to rig. So how do you retrieve it? Just let it sink and then hop it along the bottom?

[jimithyashford]

^{Quillback: I keep thinking of giving up on the James near town as well. The problem is that I hate hitting the road for long trips and eating up a whole tank of gas to get skunked. That has happened to me 2 times so far this year, nice long drives out to Lake Stockton only to walk away empty handed. So I resolved to get my technique down here locally, in waters that are practically along my commute, so that I wont be wasting my time on those longer drives. So I have fished Crieghton many many times now, and I have fished a half mile streach of the James down by River Cut golf course, and I am comming up empty handed as well.}

^{So part of me keeps saying "there are no fish in this darn water. Give up on it." but then another part of me says "Other people catch fish here, so you are just doing something wrong and you're just gonna waste your gas if you drive out somewhere."}

^{See my delimma?}