Top 3 Reasons You’re Getting SKUNKED (Hint: It’s Not Your Bait)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Weekly Newsletter: 9-29-19
I know many people who keep getting skunked trip after trip after trip…
But I also know people who can’t remember the last time they got skunked.
If you’re in that first group, can you imagine catching fish nearly every time you go out?
Can you imagine having pictures of redfish, snook and trout on your phone…instead of pictures of sunsets?
Well, here’s the deal…
We’ve found that if you’re getting skunked too much, it’s probably because of one (or more) of these three reasons.
Watch the video below to see what those reasons are, and what to do about them.
Top 3 Reasons You’re Getting Skunked [VIDEO]
Are you making one, two or all three of those mistakes?
Most people are!
Here’s what you can do about it:
Reason #1: You’re Switching Lures Too Often
Switching lures too often wastes time and takes your focus away from what’s really important: finding feeding fish.
You could be throwing the best lure or the liveliest, smelliest bait, but if there’s no fish around, you won’t catch anything.
On the flip side, if there are feeding fish in the area, chances are they’ll take a variety of lures or baits.
The best strategy is to master one lure that’s proven to catch fish.
We recommend something like a jerk shad rigged on a weedless hook, or a paddletail rigged on a weedless hook or jig head.
Once you are confident you can catch fish with those proven lures, you can focus on finding fish.
Resources:
- The Best Lures For Redfish [Answer With Video Proof]
- How To Catch More Redfish, Snook, & Grouper With Just ONE Lure
- How To Consistently Catch Redfish, Snook, & Seatrout [Inshore Manifesto]
If you want to learn how to catch more fish in less time, and how to find the best fishing spots, click here to join us in the Insider Club.
Reason #2: You’re Fishing The Same Spot
Let’s say you had your best day ever at this one spot.
You might be tempted to go back there again and again and again, but that’s not always the best choice.
Fish are always on the move due to ever-changing tides, weather, seasons, bait, water temperature and other factors.
If you want to catch fish, you need to know the current trends, and then choose a few spots to fish based on those trends.
For example, in the fall you can find big redfish in the inlets and passes as they prepare to spawn.
But in the winter they’re likely to have gone into the backwater creeks or residential canals.
If you fish the same spot every time, you won’t be as consistent as if you followed the fish.
Resources:
- Smart Fishing Spots: A Shortcut To Finding New Inshore Honey Holes
- How To Consistently Catch Redfish, Snook, & Seatrout [FREE PDF Guide]
- Brand New Fishing Technology (New Spots Fast)!!!
If you want to stay up to date on what and where the fish are feeding right now in your area, click here to join the Insider Club.
Reason #3: You Aren’t Planning Your Fishing Trips
They say if you fail to plan then plan to fail, and when it comes to fishing trips, that’s so true!
Going to back to reason #2, fish are always on the move.
Before you go fishing, see what the fish are doing and what they’re feeding on, see how the weather and tides are, find some fishy looking spots on the map, and ask people who’ve been out recently what they’re doing to catch fish.
On our podcast, we always ask professional anglers what makes them so successful, and two key things that nearly always come up are:
- Be diligent when you plan your fishing trip
- Have a fishing network to learn the most up-to-date trends
An awesome tool to help you plan when to go fishing is our Strike Score.
Resources:
- The BEST DAY For You To Go Fishing (New Tool)
- How To Consistently Catch Redfish, Snook, & Seatrout [FREE PDF Guide]
- The Ultimate Wade Fishing Pre-Trip Planning Guide
If you want a network of over 8,000 anglers, access to the Strike Score, and thousands of proven spots, click here to join us in the Insider Club.
Conclusion
Here’s my challenge to you:
Next time you go fishing, pick one, two, or all three of these factors to focus on getting right.
Doing this has helped thousands of anglers nearly quit getting skunked, and it can help you, too.
Remember, the three reasons most people get skunked is because:
- They switch lures too often (and lose focus of the most important thing: finding fish)
- They fish the same spot
- They don’t plan their trips well
If you need help conquering these skunk factors, join us in the Insider Club.
Here’s what you get:
- Thousands of the best local fishing spots (and when they’re good)
- Access to our weekly reports and spot dissections where we show you how to find your own honey holes
- A network of over 8,000 fishermen in there sharing what and where the fish are biting right now.
Click here to join us in the Insider Club.
Do You Want To Quickly Find New Fishing Spots In Your Area?
Then you’ve got to see this private fishing club!
Here’s what you’ll receive today:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing where the inshore fish are feeding all year long
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in certain areas
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Click here to join today.
Related articles:
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
I haven’t tried to use lures. I normally use live bait, cut bait, and fish bites. I don’t have a boat or access to one ,so I fish from shore on (and under) bridges or from a pier. I live in north west Florida (Pensacola, Navare, and Milton). Last time out, I caught 8 croakers, 2 specks , and 1 red. All of which were too small. This was an old spot that I hadn’t tried in years . It was fun no doubt, but wanted some keepers.
I will try some lures and maybe things will get better.
When I fish with cut bait I always have another rod rigged up with artificial so I can work that while waiting for a bite on the cut bait. Helps increase the chances of hooking into something and covering water.
The only people I know who never got skunked are those who don’t fish !!
Haha very true! We all get skunked!
Good stuff Tony.
Thanks Brian!
Great info tony. I’ve learned to do most of these and I usually don’t get skunked. Honestly I get skunked more often when I use live bait now that you have to me the right ways to use artificial. My issue is, I have a 15 year old paddle kayak and I’m scared to take it too far so that limits how much I can bounce around from spot to spot.
Thank you for the great feedback Thomas! I also have days where I don’t want to go too far, even with a pedal kayak. It can be too windy, or I could be having some back issues (which Ive been dealing with lately). Whats nice about kayaks is we can load up and jump to another spot if needed. I always have a couple launch areas planned out if one turns out to be a complete bust.
Ha! And I thought I was just being stubborn when I wouldn’t change lures!
Haha. I had a great example of this over this past weekend while fishing with a buddy of mine. We were using different lures and he kept catching fish left and right. I switched to what he was using and still couldn’t get a bite. Switched back to my trusty jerk shad and hooked up on the 2nd cast. Was a great test of the theory on changing lures.
I always said I was “stubborn” (or lazy) as I pretty much refuse to tie on another lure. I take 2 rods on my kayak, always one with a jighead for some sort of soft plastic and flexible with the other but often a Topwater. Glad to hear i’ve Been fishing smart!
Now I’m one of the guys who can’t remember the last time I got skunked. Gotten skunked a bunch of times but just don’t remember the last time I have.
Don’t jinx it! I made a friendly challenge with someone last year to see who would get skunked first, and of course it was mean my very next trip out lol. I should have included it in this video: “Never say you haven’t been skunked” haha
Yea tony your the right man for the job you are so true i used to change lures alot more then now now i usually know how the fish are acting better dufing a particular part of the day so i know when to change not only lures but tactics as well being a bit older then you young bucks working at saltstrong(if you call fishing for a living work that is but i know its more then that)i used to be more stubborn in my old ways and not really listen to advice about fishing from anyone especially from the younger generation I thought I knew as much as could be known that is until I joined saltstrong I’m certainly glad I changed my ways and joined thank you for being an honest good business man as well as a great guy and angler at that????
Yep if you are in the right spot and they are feeding, you should be able to catch them. Lure presentation is also important more so than the lure itself. Thank you for the kind words!