Frustrated.... Need some advice

[fish]

Last night I took my wife to Barkley to do a little night fishing. At about 12 or so I finally got us on a few fish. Fishing a texas rigged worm I keep getting good solid bites but either don't hook up or they come unbottoned after a few turns of the reel. Meanwhile my wife had landed a nice three pounder and lost a good five lber at the boat when it jumped. I change hooks though the other was sharp and tried to rip thier guts out. And then when that didn't help I tried to be more patient and wait and let them take off a bit before setting the hook but still can't get one in the boat. I know that bad stuff happens at times but after a dozen or so fish that I had "on" and came unbuttoned I was fuming. I even went to a shakey style jig head with a worm on it with the same results. Did get one to the boat but he just barely shook his head and was gone. My wife got a kick out of my cussing fit after that.

So what should I have did different? The T-rigged worm is usually pretty good to me but not last night.

[Mike Daleo]

Sounds to me like the fish were taking the tail and not letting go. You could let them eat it a bit, but that is tough to do. Women seem to be more patient when it comes to that. I might switch to a more compact bait, like a paca craw, which they would inhale.

[Passion 4 Bassin]

I agree with what Mike said that they were not really eating the bait. A switch to a jig or like he said a Paca Craw or maybe even a different color worm is what I would have tried. Now whether or not that would have worked...who knows!

[Dave Stewart]

I've seen this happen many times with a guy and lady in the boat.....most ladies are definitely more patient than guys when it comes to finesse fishing and when the fish are finicky the ladies almost always catch more fish....any guide will tell you the same thing.

[fishingmarlin]

Sharper hooks and setting the hook harder won't help. Need to either shorten the worm or try a different color. I have also found changing weights, bigger hook, or different line can help. The fish might be hitting the bait just barely and something as subtle as color change might make them grab it all the way. This is also where scent can come in so bait flavor can make them take it in more.

My wife does not loose fish because by the time she feels the fish, the fish has practically swallowed the bait and set the hook himself.

[fish]

Well all of that makes a ton of sense. I did switch over to a 7 inch worm from the 10.5 after having a few come back missing about 6 inches. So I was on the right track there, I guess. I did throw a jig a bit but had no takers. Got the paca craws out of the binder but never put one on. It was just hard to think change when I was getting consistently bit. The last one I did let gum for a good bit and I at least got to see that one. Maybe I'll be able to pull this one from the file if/when it happens again. Thanks, all.

[buzzking]

ah man, every once in a great while you just get in this funk where your timing is off, play with the size of bait and color and it will come back to ya.

[Clint S]

when they are short striking you like that, try a paca craw on a shaky head

[mfishyboy]

Never change baits before changing colors even at night! They have been hitting a jig at night better on barkley than a big worm, at least for me.

[Rippinlip]

Jim...I am usually the one missing fish and watching the other guy catch em too. I usually end up throwing things and saying stuff that make the Amish guys on the jon boats run for their lives. It makes me feel better but gets tough on my equipment and Mike's boat. Eventually I catch a fish though and I am reminded that I am very VanDam like.

Buck

[buzzking]

speaking of amish, when did they buy their own damn floatilla????? Had one in a runabout wake me all over the damn place last weekend on KY, WTH? FREELOADERS don't get me started

[StratosNCO]

amish? i've never seen them barkley or ky..

[buzzking]

look around, I seen three boats of them last saturday, loaded so heavy they had about 6" of freeboard on their runabouts, one had a tube and they were all dressed in pants and LS shirts, that would be a funny site with one on a tube.

[Fiddlefarter]

...those poor horses

[Everlytriton]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by buzzking2001 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">look around, I seen three boats of them last saturday, loaded so heavy they had about 6" of freeboard on their runabouts, one had a tube and they were all dressed in pants and LS shirts, that would be a funny site with one on a tube.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your kidding...surely your yankin our chain...ain't no friggin way.

[buzzking]

DEAD serious, had too other guys with me, I mean, they we're menaknights (sp?) but yea I have seen a blue million of them fishing on barren this year but this was the first I have seen in a runabout with a tube tied on the back. Dave may have seen them, they buzzed us about 500 yards from where dave was.

[fish]

Buddy at work had two pontoons full stop pretty close to them and watched/stared at them while he was fishing and his wife and daughter sunbathed. His wife finally got a little annoyed and said watch this and pulled out a camera. Before she could get the lens cap off the two rental pontoons were on there way out of Eddy creek.

[Dave Stewart]

I have seen them on the lakes a lot here this year...first time I have ever seen them here also other than bank fishing. Not that they don't have the right to be here...maybe this running over folks is a disease and they caught it...lol.

I was doing a teaching trip last Saturday so I was all over the place that day running a lot of ledges so not sure where you saw me...where were you and how did you know it was me 500 yards away?

[buzzking]

I could see that ugly mug a mile away. Actually you drove by me and pulled in behind a way back. And probably proceeded to catch the fish that I couldn't

[Dave Stewart]

I will have to keep an eye out for you in your new boat....since I was doing a teaching trip I was just running and gunning to show different types of ledges...not sure where you saw me...but if I pulled in behind you it was probably on the creek channels on the north end of Ky (I was on both lakes that trip).