Another trip another skunk

[Hookmanski]

Can’t seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong lately. Spent 4 hours on the Delaware/raritan canal in south bound brook/new Brunswick area with nothing to show for it. Again I through the kitchen sink, tiny jigs, spinners, slightly larger jigs, spinnerbaits, plugs, soft plastics, basically you name it I threw it today. Tried all different speeds, all different presentations, NADA!!! Saw some other guys fishing who also had no luck.

Getting frustrated lately, haven’t even landed my first fish of 2019 and I’ve been out probably 12 times already. Really wish the fishing gods would give me a break!!!

[Capt. Lou]

Give the NED RIG a try ! Tough conditions it's worked for me on Wallys , Bass etc. I only fish them a couple times a year so im no expert but in cold water that may work . ZMan TRD plastics on back,of mine .
Very light UL Rod 7' 4# line how I fished them last fall !

[thmyorke1]

Last time I hit it for a short time I was able to pull up a nice yellow perch, was right at the end of a lock spillway. I havent been really successful there outside of sessions during spring. Water is really cold still.

[Hookmanski]

Give the NED RIG a try ! Tough conditions it's worked for me on Wallys , Bass etc. I only fish them a couple times a year so im no expert but in cold water that may work . ZMan TRD plastics on back,of mine .
Very light UL Rod 7' 4# line how I fished them last fall !

Believe it or not I spent the last hour throwing a ned rig before losing it to a snag! Nothing was biting today, but i’ll get em next time. Gonna do the “please let me catch a fish dance” everyday til my next outing

[Mark B.]

Been very slow for me this winter wading RVR's eastern shore.

I got skunked 5 times.

Then, finally, the last 2 times: I landed a 16" brown, & had another similar

sized trout on that jumped, throwing the Yo Zuri.

[icebadger]

yea man this has been a weird season. sorry to hear that you got the skunk. maybe the fish gods are mad at you because you were not on the hardwater:rolleyes: did you try stuff like meal worms on a small jig head or drifting small minnows sometimes you have to cheat and go to the meat(live bait).

[Hookmanski]

Definitely a tough season, but at least I was on the water. Excited that it’s March, spring is right around the corner! Tighter lines are ahead!!

[JDTuna]

No worries, dude! Happens to everyone. Been tough lately. You'll get a monster next trip!

[AndyS]

Wow you right by my house but I was at werk !! With today's flows you shoulda hit up the big water of the Raritan below Queens Bridge for a bit.
March is a cruel month !!

[monsterfish]

I normally wait a solid week or two after rainfall. If the water's too murky, they generally don't bite. Not unless you're going bait for bottom fishing, then it's a different story.

[AndyS]

A week or two after rainfall ???? We had 80 inches of rain in New Jersey last year, I guess you never went fishing in 2018 ???

[monsterfish]

I guess I had better luck in lakes and ponds a couple days after rain, but in rivers and canals, I caught nada. I switched to bottom fishing like I said, that was a different story, targeted cats and carp with bait.

[thmyorke1]

I normally wait a solid week or two after rainfall. If the water's too murky, they generally don't bite. Not unless you're going bait for bottom fishing, then it's a different story.

My biggest bass and river stripers of last year were within 24 hours of heavy rains :p

Had a great day for trout on the black river when visibility was about a foot due to rain

This was all during warm weather however, can't apply it to cold, but fish are chewing after rainfall.