how do i get the fish to bite?

I was out fishing my favorite lake today. I marked fish all day long. I could get them to come up and act interested, then go back down. I was even able to pull them 4 and 5 feet up sometimes. I tried waxworms, spikes, crappie minnows, shiners, minnow heads. I tried them all on rippin raps, tingler spoons, tear drops, ratfinkees, Swedish pimples. They all had the same effect. The fish would be curios and follow then just move on. I started in 20 f.o.w. That’s where I caught my only fish of the day. On a ratfinkee. Marked lots, guessing small perch. Had a few nibbles. I then moved to 26 f.o.w. I marked a couple fish right away, then nothing. Put a rippin rap on one line and that would call the fish in. I’m guessing walleye as the marks were quite large. Again, they would chase and watch, then go back down. I would jig the rippin rap and they would come back. Then, I’d jig my other rod and I could get them to chase that lure. No bites. I did this till almost dark. I wanted to ice a walleye pretty bad. oh well, the way she goes.

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I’m sure there will be better responses, but these are the times I appreciate a camera.

I had one down for a little while. No fish came near. Took it out and never put it back down.

Did you have a set line down?

Wait until late ice and try again. I hate this time of year! And yeah, those cameras absolutely spook fish, especially the ones that are the size of your fist.

I have a few suggestion in this article I wrote that may apply. Sometimes, just the simple change of how your dressing a plastic on can be all the difference. AND sometimes the fish are just negative and your not6 going to change their attitude

run and gun tactics

It’s a tough time of year. Yes, sometimes you can have good days, and yes sometimes you can figure out a jogging cadence or presentation that they like. For the most part though, the fish are just not biting that consistently (except pike, pike always bite haha). Give it 2-3 weeks and they will start to turn to their late ice patterns and all will be well. Sounds like you did just about everything you could do.

Downsizing typically helps me when I’m getting lookers that won’t bite.