What do I do When the Fish Aren’t Biting?

• Change your fishing technique. Experimenting with different baits, lures and fishing methods might change your luck in a hurry, and it’s fun to try different things. If you’re not catching anything by fishing on the bottom, snap a bobber onto your line a few feet above the hook and try fishing nearer the surface. Or, if you’re not having any luck trolling, stop and still-fish with bait for a while.
  
  
• Simply changing one lure color to another is sometimes all it takes to get the fish biting.
  
  
• Move to another spot. Changing scenery now and then makes any fishing trip more fun. More importantly, many fish species feed in particular places under certain conditions or travel in schools, and you may have to move around to find them.
  
  
• Watch other anglers. If someone else is catching fish and you’re not, learn from their success. Maybe they’re fishing deeper, trolling slower, using different bait or fishing a spot that’s more productive. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and try to do what they’re doing.
  
  
• Fish for another species. If you start out fishing for trout and decide they aren’t biting, try for perch or crappies. All fish are fun to catch, but you may have to change your technique or move to a different fishing spot to catch what’s biting that day. (See “What Can I Catch?” in this pamphlet for more information on catching Washington’s various fish species).
  
  
• Take a break. Get out of the boat and stretch your legs for a while; raid the cooler for lunches or snacks; put your rods and reels in the car and go for a hike around the lake; break out the cards or coloring books; take a few pictures of fish you caught earlier or the of scenery around you; clean your fish; initiate some kind of game involving all your fishing partners. Taking your mind off fishing for a while is often all it takes to get the fish biting again!