FS Digest

When I was a kid, I used to fish a lot and I loved it. As an adult (31 now), my love has waned over the years because I've had terrible luck catching anything. I enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with fishing but it doesn't really seem worth the price of the license when I haven't caught a fish in like 10 years (other than the smallest of blue gill and even though, it feels like I accomplished something). I live in Ohio (About an hour north of Columbus) and about 1 1/2 hours south of Lake Erie. So it's all freshwater.

I like to fish in my local spots (a couple small lakes and a reservoir). I have fished in Lake Erie once and nada. Though, that could be because I was just in a terrible spot for fishing (East Harbor). So if there are any Erie fisherman here, spot suggestions would be wonderful.

I'm looking for any and all advice on best options. Bait, hooks, times of days, techniques, knots, literally whatever will help me to get on the path to being able to start catching fish and having fun again. My preferred fish to fish for is Catfish but I just want to be able to catch something larger than a baby bluegill.

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by ChaosLoco

FS Digest

I would say just try to set goals for yourself. Like for example, :catch this fish. Then catch that fish. Try to do this technique. Try to do that technique. You see what I mean.

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by PikaMasterWasTaken

FS Digest

I also couldn't catch a damn thing until I looked into how to bait a hook the right way. I've had a lot of luck with just a worm and working it the right way.

Try this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVWaY_l_3Mg

Happy fishing!

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by stalewholewheat

FS Digest

Fishing can be slow, personally i've found fresh water to be very slow compared to the sea, but you just have to have patience, i would potentially look into getting a soft plastics setup going, so you can more actively fish. Bait fishing for hours and hours with not even a tap on the tip of your rod can be frustrating.

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by Tankingtype

FS Digest

Get a bigger hook. Take one of those small bluegills and put him on it. Get an oz or 2 weight and throw him out there. Now your fishing for the bigger boys.

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by walterh3

FS Digest

One of my good friends dad grew up in Erie, and said he fished for catfish often and rarely went home empty handed. Easy to bait for and put up a fun fight, maybe start there and regain the joy of catching something. Other than that my advice would be to constantly try something new, don’t spend all day on a couple lures. Change up presentation, target multiple species so if you’re not pulling one you can switch up and try to pull another.

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by HughJ_Richard

FS Digest

One way to insure a successful outing is to plan around a significant spawn or run. Eerie in the spring you can't go wrong. Walleye and white bass should be hitting hard in just a month or two.

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by musicofsound

FS Digest

Find a river and put a worm on a #4 hook, add enough weight 12” from the hook to keep the line on the bottom. Toss the rig into an eddy. Expect to loose a few rigs. You should catch some fish. Don’t worry if they are not prime game species, enjoy yourself.

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by -lotalota

lenny336 Loc: North Carolina

Two ways I look at fishing. Best thing in the world to be fishing and catch something; second best thing in the world is to be fishing.. Very rare I go home with nothing fresh water or ocean. Just enjoy yourself been doing just that for 60 years.

almoy

All of the above are great advice. Talk to fishermen. Go to bait shops and ask for tips. Try something new and different each time you go fishing. Read fishing magazines. I don't think I have ever come home without fish. I have targeted trevally/pompano for the last 3 years and have become quite good at it. I now make my own lures and know which colors are effective at which spots. I come home with 1-3 dozen, 10-18" in length, each time out. I familiarize myself with the tides and weather conditions, and this makes a big difference. Fish the falling or rising tide(are there tides in lakes). Keep track of which weather conditions produce the most bites. Find the HOT spots and note them down. Tight lines bro.

almoy

One more thing, not sure if you use it, but spend the money and buy fluorocarbon leader material. This WILL increase your catch.

tevogel46

You live in Marion? My late wife was from there.
Try fishing Delaware Lake. Try to find a hydrographic map online (map showing depths). Fish the shore close to deep water as much as possible. I assume you're fishing from shore. Be sure to use no more than 6# mono line and no larger than a #6 aberdeen hook. Use a split shot about 6" up and put a worm on the hook. Use a float for a depth of about 2 feet. Cast it out and retrieve it slowly - keep it moving! You'll get some small "gills" but also some decent ones. Because I've been catching a lot of fish the last few years, I've started using a #4 long shank hook to get fewer "swallows".

Good luck!

Dr. Ben Slack

just call it "messing around" like I do! I go several times a week. just enjoy my boat, my gear, my 3 lakes I go to and all the scenery and yes an occasional decent fish. you can not have a bad or slow day when you call fishing just messen' around!

allenjackson96

You are lucky... When we were young fishermen had character. Now who you see on our waters are a bunch of dick heads... There are still great sportsman out there but it only take one to sway an opinion. My opinion: to many people who just don't get it...

sorry to offend anyone but take a look around

tevogel46

"dick heads"are nothing new. "Good times and riches and son of a bitches I've seen more than I can recall"