Getting Gills to Bite...

[VanderLaan]

The other evening (3-5:30 pm) I had gills rising to the bait and simply staring at it.  I love the X67C, but it was so frustrating knowing that there were fish down there that would not take the bait.  I tried bigger and smaller lures, switching colors, subtle shakes and taps, deadsticking, lifting it away from them and dropping it in on them from on high.  I even brought out a new bucket for them to sit in.  Nothing worked.  After about 90 minutes of no success, I conceded the battle and went in the house.

I realize that sometimes fish will not bite no matter what you do.  However, it is starting to get personal.  Any tips or suggestions on how you coax stubborn fish to take the bait?

[Swift]

Define smaller. Often if you put an overall bait combo that's over 1/2" (prefer much smaller myself) in their face, forget it. Just like we are, sometimes your not hungry for a meal but wave some Cashews or the like under your nose and someone may need to count their fingers. They'll munch/mouth/taste things nearly all the time, popping a sinker isn't uncommon. #18 or #20 horizontal tungsten jigs on very light line/tippet is a solid approach, with plastic and usually dark in color

[Yopy]

try doubling up on the waxies

[icebucketjohn]

You won half the battle.. finding fish.... You  simply didn't try ALL your options.. whether bigger, smaller, color, deeper, shallower, more bait, less bait, different bait.

Your techniques obviously didn't change the fish from being non-aggressive to aggressive.  Keep working on it.

[captain54]

 Had a day like that last week went to a no.16 Maroska (spelling)and banged 18 bulls 8 1/2 -9 3/4 inches but still had tons of fish that would chase a couple of feet ,then sink back down. Tough fishing but still fun,getting them to bite is the challenge that keeps me doing it.

[oldbuck]

When that happens to me I start tying on everything I can think of, small, big, different colors, plastics, small jigging raps with 3 spikes, whatever. You will know right away if they like it because you will see them on the screen come after it aggressively. I will catch 2 or three on something and then they wont want that, and then I change to something else. I know its a pain in the ass tying on different jigs all day but sometimes thats what it takes.

[VanderLaan]

Thanks for the advice guys.  Went out for an hour last night and found fish in about 10 FOW - but they were still in a negative mood.  I started switching jigs and after about the fifth one, a size 12 neon green and yellow gill pill rip-off, they would meet the jig a the 7' mark and suck it up.  Ended up icing about ten gills during the last ten minutes of daylight.  Best part was they were all about 9-10" long.  

  

[JADYNWIZ]

FLUROCARBON will get them finicky ones on top.    Fished a local farm pond this past sat with good results on the gills.       

My buddy the STUBBORN ONE was using MONO and caught 6 while I was using FLURO and caught 30 to 50.    I offered to rig him up with some Fluro and lighter stuff but he would rather sit there and watch me get bite after bite.

GO LITE AND GO RITE.   2LB THAT IS.   

[Townie]

Ended up icing about ten gills during the last ten minutes of daylight.  Best part was they were all about 9-10" long.   

Mission accomplished! Gotta fine tune for the bulls--any pics of the catch? 9's & 10's OH MY 

[VanderLaan]

Mission accomplished! Gotta fine tune for the bulls--any pics of the catch? 9's & 10's OH MY 

I am pretty lucky in that the farm pond in my backyard is full of 9-10" gills.  DNR came out and shocked the pond and there are too many bass, so the little 1-2" gills get sucked down pretty quick.  Previous owner was an overly-zealous C&R bass fisherman.  My buddy wants me to thin out the bass so they will get bigger, but I am pretty content catching big gills and five pound channel cats.  I told him that as soon as I catch a one pound/12" gill, I will start managing the pond for bass.  He actually believes me.   

I have a pic on the tourny entry board of a 10" gill (tape is not on his nose).  In the spring I can catch a bucket of 'em with a cane pole and some crickets.   


 

[Fatfish]

That is why they call it fishing and not catching. I know that it is frustrating,but that is the name of the game.   Jerry

[Martian]

 you must be using a flasher of some sort ,to even know how the fish are reacting, one other thing you may try,is when you are jigging up, if you get a rise, continue to "run"  away from it, sometimes if the fish are not feeding, you can entice a strike. sometimes. typical predator, prey mentallity ,chace it if it runs ,bite it if it stopes. Sometimes. Also very good advice by everyone else

[littlehead]

i found if you keep the bait moving they will hit it it can make your eyes bug out stairing at the line as soon as it looks different that is your strike i do very well with this method

[evaxx]

we normally jig up and once theyre on it, jig back down, do that like twice, if they really really want it, theyll grow aggressive and go for it.

[fenwick2010]

In some bodies of water ,  Fish will only feed at dusk and daybreak. Sometimes they will feed all day. It all deepends on the body of water. Seems that you popped a few right at dusk . If you try and consistantly catch them at that , It might just be their ACTIVE time to feed. Hope this helps !

 Ended up icing about ten gills during the last ten minutes of daylight.  Best part was they were all about 9-10" long.