How to shake a slump

Sometimes, it takes some persistence — or golf

I’ve had a few trips here lately that have me thinking about selling all my stuff. Then, I think about golf, and I head right back to the lake. That’ll do it every time — unless there is a pond at the golf course that I can fish. Sorry to you golfers. LOL.

Anyway, the purpose here is to help myself and possibly help you get out of a rut that has affected my fishing and might affect yours. Mine at the moment is stubbornness, which at times can be a great asset — but not to the point where you go for days with just a few fish to show. I even got skunked the other day on Falls of the Neuse Lake, the lake I grew up fishing. So what am I going to do? I’ve already established that I’m not taking up golf, maybe a break? I don’t know. I’m a so-called professional, right?

What I have come up with is it mostly bad timing. We’ve all heard the “You should of been here yesterday” crowd, but it really does happen. If you are a victim of bad timing there is nothing you can do about it. Yes, it’s that victim mentality I’m going with — that is my problem!

So I’ve made myself this promise: If I hear of anyone catching a fish anywhere or a 28-pound bag at Falls, I’m going somewhere else. Wait a minute, I have been doing that all year — uh oh.

You guys want to buy any tackle?

In all seriousness, not withstanding the above nonsense, we all go through bouts of bad fishing or timing. Think about this. You have found a pattern; fish are on flat points in 10 feet of water near the sharpest break. “Oh yeah,” you say, “I’ve got them pegged.” The next day, you run down the lake, fishing every point that meets that description. What you don’t see is a mile ahead of you sits “Old Vacuum Cleaner”, and he is running the same pattern as you. You never get a bite. Now that is bad timing.

The only thing I’ve come up with is to just keep going, sort of like a baseball player who has to keep stepping up to the plate the eventually get out of a slump. If you have chronically not caught any fish for months or even years, then it’s time to evaluate your technique, presentation and fish-finding skills — or take up golf, unless you enjoy casting.

There are a million things we can all try, from different baits, line, depths, colors, lakes, whatever.  Keep trying until you figure out that magical combination. Trying stuff that other people tell you rarely works; you have to get them to bite your line. I should have written this yesterday, since I caught three that weighed a total of three pounds today.  If I go much longer, I’ll see you on the golf course.