Seeking advice

[baynovice]

Hi Folks - I launched yesterday around noon from Beverly Triton. I was immediately worried as there weren't many cars in the lot and didn't see any other kayakers out on the water. I was trolling several different types of paddle tails and a X-Rap for 3 hours straight in 15 - 20 ft depths and not even a single nibble. I wasn't marking many fish but even when I did see one on the fish finder, no bites. The water was pretty choppy for the first 2 hours and then became very calm over the 3rd hour. I'm all for perseverance but clearly I must be doing something wrong. I'm guessing that there was good reason for no one else being out - I'm open to any and all advice.

Thanks,
Sang

[YakCapn]

Hey, its fishing. Sometimes it just doesn't happen. I've trolled for hours too and not gotten any hits and then sometimes I'll get several bunched together. A couple of items I might offer. Once you do get hits mark them on your fish finder. The fish were there and feeding for a reason and will likely be back. Over time you learn the areas that have more fish and you go there first. That's a lot of the reason why some of these guys on here are so good and so consistent at getting fish. They've marked their spots and know the places to go. Second, I like to troll the edges/ridges where depths change. Third, try the edges of the mouths of rivers. I get more hits in the mornings and more hits right at dusk than the middle of the day...but tides matter too. All stuff I've learned over the last year or so.

[EMSer]

Yakcapn offers good advice. We have all had 3 hour stretches with no hits.....

The bite seems to be moving deeper. Most of the fish I've seen in the last 2 weeks have been closer to 30'. The one thing I might add is that when seeking a deep bite, I have found the need to slow down considerably when fishing paddle tails to allow them to stay in the strike zone. It is just the opposite when you have an x-rap on the line - faster speeds drive them to their depth limit and give the best action. I would chose one and go fast with the stick bait or slow with the paddle tails.

It is always a good plan to start any trip by looking at charts to see what prime structure can be targeted. Once identified, head that way and look for fish. Mark them when you find them to establish patterns over time.

Persistence is the key. Good luck!

[PigPen]

I do my best fishing there in the morning. My afternoon fishing attemts there have been brutal.

[baynovice]

Thanks YakCapn for the advice. I saw that many of the successful posts have been during morning outings. My problem, like many, is that my schedule is not my own. I have to go out when I have a block of time available and hope for good wind conditions. I'll definitely try your suggestions, especially about checking out the edges of the mouths of rivers that feed into the Bay. Hopefully I'll be able to report at least 1 keeper before the end of the season.

[baynovice]

Thanks Bruce. You are right about fish going deeper. I saw nothing on my fish finder until I hit at least 15'. I'll try your advice about slowing down with the paddle tails. I was under the wrong assumption that faster would create more action with the paddle tails but I hadn't considered that the lure might not be at the right depth.

[baynovice]

I do my best fishing there in the morning. My afternoon fishing attemts there have been brutal.

Thanks PigPen for confirming my guess about the morning vs. afternoon. The lack of cars there and not seeing anyone else out on the water was screaming the obvious, but I had to take advantage of my block of free time. I hope to get out there in the morning this week and will hope for better luck.

[YakCapn]

Don't short change the experienced you just gained by going out even if you didn't land anything. You get more efficient with loading/unloading the kayak, learning the water depths and contours where you were fishing, and gear positioning on the yak...all of which will make you get on the fish faster later. I fished several times last fall, my first year, and didn't get my keeper in the first year. I got two in my first trip out this fall....and it was after about 3 hours of getting no hits...then I got 2 keepers within a half hour. All the fishing I did last fall and this spring I guarantee made a difference though and got me those keepers. Just keep at it.

[ronaultmtd]

This time of year is my favorite- I find the fish are, on average, much bigger fish and they fight really good, too...it is feast or famine with empty trips mixed in the epic trips...barometric pressure, tides, wind, current, baitfish, the phase of the moon...as well as water temps all play into the variables...I tend to fish bigger baits in the early spring and late fall- my go to crankbait is a Stretch 30 on a Revo Winch NaCl 50 with 30# braid on a St. Croix 6'6' heavy action rod for one trolling outfit and the other (same rod/reel combo) with a 1 oz jighead with a 6 inch white money minnow on a number 2 trolling planer...