why am i not catching fish

Why ain’t I catching no fish, huh? You go out there, sun beatin’ down, sittin’ and sittin’, nothin’! Makes a person wonder what in tarnation’s goin’ on. You throw that line, got your fancy hooks and bait, thinkin’ this is the day, but nope. Zilch.

Maybe it’s the spot. Yeah, could be the spot. You think, “Oh, this looks fishy,” but them fish, they smart. They ain’t where you think they are. You fish and fish, hour after hour, and come up empty. They’re off hiddin’ somewheres else. Gotta find their hidey-holes.

Maybe under them rocks?
Maybe by them trees fallin’ in the water?
Or maybe they’re deep, deep down where you can’t reach ’em.

Then there’s the time of day. You go out when you feel like it, but maybe the fish, they got their own schedule. Maybe they eat early mornin’, or when the sun’s goin’ down. Not when you decide to show up with your bucket and pole. They’re not waitin’ on you, you know.

And what about them fancy gears? All them different hooks and lines and sinkers. You go to the store, they got a whole wall of stuff. You pick what looks good, but do the fish care? Do they go, “Oh, that’s a nice shiny hook, lemme bite that!” Nah, they probably laughin’ at ya.

Could be the bait too. Worms, little fish, that dough stuff. You try it all, but they ain’t bitin’. Maybe they want somethin’ different, somethin’ fancy. Or maybe they just ain’t hungry. You ever think about that? Fish get full too, just like us.

Sometimes, you just gotta sit and wait. Be patient. Don’t be fidgetin’ and movin’ around all the time. Fish get spooked easy. You gotta be sneaky, quiet. Let ’em think you’re just another log or somethin’. They’ll come out when they ready.

And don’t give up too soon. You gotta stick with it. Just ’cause you ain’t caught nothin’ in the first hour don’t mean they ain’t there. They playin’ hard to get, that’s all. Keep tryin’, keep changin’ things up. Move around, try different bait, different times.

Maybe you wearin’ bright colors? Fish see that, they know you ain’t no tree or rock. Gotta blend in, wear somethin’ drab. Be part of the scenery. Don’t let ’em see ya comin’. Sneak up on ’em.

Or maybe, just maybe, there ain’t no fish. Ever think of that? They all swam off somewheres else. Left you standin’ there with your empty bucket. Happens, you know. Fish move around.

Don’t get all frustrated. It’s just fishin’. Sometimes you catch ’em, sometimes you don’t. That’s the way it goes. Enjoy the peace and quiet, the sun on your face. Don’t worry so much about catchin’ somethin’. Just relax.

Next time you go out, remember all this. Think like a fish. Where would you hide? What would you eat? When would you come out? Maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe you’ll catch the biggest one yet. Or maybe you’ll go home empty-handed again. Either way, it’s all right.

Fishin’ ain’t just about catchin’ fish. It’s about the whole thing. The waitin’, the watchin’, the hopin’. It’s a good way to spend a day. So don’t get all worked up if you ain’t catchin’ nothin’. There’s always tomorrow.