Ever had : "Never had a bite"

[tie one on]

How often during your outings to any of your favorite rivers do you not have any action ? No bites good enough to get a hook set ?

I experienced that yesterday during the late afternoon & into early evening on a favorite trout river just north of my home in Michigan. No TAKERS !! The river was down due to low rainfall, but I've never had this happen. I'm not totally discouraged, because it was a beautiful time on the water.

How about you ?

Tie one on

 

[troutbum]

Ahhh,the old "full frontal skunking"...I know nothing about the failure of wich you speak.
Just kidding,In a weird way I kinda enjoy the occasional blank day.Kinda let's me know that all the times i have had great day's where only on loan and not a gift that I owe nothing for.
My train of thought is this,If I am aboslutly blanked on a stream,river lake pond,ect. but see fish showing themselves then it is some way my fault for not hooking into any,or atleast getting a couple of lookers.
If I head out to a favorite haunt and see no fish activity and get skunked then my head really start's skipping around.Low water while fishing for many species of trout can be fantastic with fish eagerly compeating with eachother for any available drifting peice of protein.The hit's are hard ,fast and with a hint of showmanship.Now In my experience,when the water is very low and warm or just mildly low for a extendid period of time(2-3weeks) the trout seem to stack up in heads or tail out's of deeper holes or pools,and fall back to the depths for a little break.I have (on more occasions than I care to admit)
seen these fish in a mode that I can only describe as a "starvation survival mode".Seems their only function is to find deep,cool,oxaganated water,and feeding/predatory action is a distant thought for them.
This is only my half baked ideas on this topic although I have heard other with simular thought's.Many fishless hours on the water can cause one to come up with halfbaked Ideas that should be fully baked givin the time and effort one puts into creating them.
Tight Lines
Aaron

 

[BigCliff]

I bet I could try for days on our local rivers now and have the same result, but we've got the opposite situation of

The river was down due to low rainfall,

T.O.O., it sounds like the heat of the day may be the reason the action is sluggish. The fish might be hanging out only in the shade, under overhangs or in the deep holes to stay cool and oxygenated.

 

[makubwa]

It does happen, frustrating but part of the cycle so is the day you catch hand over fist... all just one big cycle..

 

[tbrillinger223]

Its kinda dumbfounding when this cituation presents its self.

I guess it really dosn't matter if you fish a mountain stream, lake, or flats when the fish have "lock jaw" you're not getting a bite.

There have been times that I have polled up on a flat, around a dock or bridge and seen fish, threw everything including the kitchen sink at them and couldnt buy a bite.

There have also been times that the fishing is like that little cartoon penguin "chilly willy" catchin fish left, right, and center with a bare hook.

 

[truckyfriend]

How often during your outings to any of your favorite rivers do you not have any action ? No bites good enough to get a hook set ?

How about you ?

Tie one on

Its been bad here for that up until three days ago...and the clouds opened up and its been raining for three days... I would expect now though the rivers are full and they are begining to move...

I'm planning to get myself out and about soon...

...good luck on your next outing

 

[shocktrooper32]

Ahhh, Been there! I compare this to eating ice cream, I love ice cream. I eat it too fast and it gives me a headache......and I eat more ice cream!

 

[pierce652]

This is one of the wonderful things about this passtime, at least for me. Even when I get skunked Im still thinking about what I can be doing different, tweaking...etc. I try not to get upset. Ive fished rivers without a strike during some weeks and have come back others and have had the time of my life. You just have to keep it in perspective.