I enjoy fishing but I’d really like to catch something

Keep at it, and try focusing on one rig/technique. Its easy to get discouraged and keep changing lures and rigs when you aren't getting bites, but your better off keeping at it until you start to figure out one.

If your getting bites but no fish on bottom or under a cork, get smaller hooks.

If saltwater and on bottom, those aren’t bites, they’re crabs.

Try the ol’ night crawler and bobber. Bait your hook and stick a bobber a good foot-foot and a half up. Then just reel it in a foot or two every 20 seconds or so.

There's a lot of questions to be asked and answered before you can get any real advice. Are you fishing salt water or fresh water? What species are you targeting? What type of lures are you using? With very limited information and several assumptions, the only advice I can give is to slow down your retrieve with moving baits and be more patient with bottom baits.

Hey! I’m a newbie myself and after fishing several times a week (I live right next to a river) for about a month, I’ve just reached the point where I’m catching something regularly. Here are some tips!

1) PATIENCE: you can do everything right, but still not catch anything sometimes. A couple years ago, I went on a 3 day guided fishing trip with a group of skilled fishermen and we caught a single bass between the 5 of us! It happens!

2) WEATHER: I live in a little valley bordered by huge mountains so we are prone to flash flooding due to all the runoff. Fishing is a no go for up to 48 hours following a heavy rain. Sometimes longer because the river can take awhile to settle. Before a storm on the other hand is a GREAT time to go! They hit everything it seems in the hours preceding a rainstorm.

3) TIMING: Dawn and dusk are the “best times”, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. I go fish between 6-9 most evenings after work and do notice a slight uptake around the 8PM mark. Plan fishing during a window around dawn or dusk and see if you notice any changes.

4) RIGS/LURES: play around—don’t just try one thing. When I first started, the first few days I threw spoons, rooster tails, poppers, chatter bait, soft bait, etc. I could try 10 different set ups in one night just because lol don’t bog yourself down with details. Just practice using each rig or lure as intended. Mess around and observe how different set ups feel when you cast, reel in, twitch the rod, let it sink, etc. Timing and finesse make all the difference in your success.

5) MOVE AROUND: do NOT stay in one spot for hours. Be ready to move around!

6) PRACTICE CASTING: I am still working on this. Being able to cast far is okay, but most fresh water fish are around the shore, fallen trees, debris, etc. My uncle gave me a bucket and some fishing plugs of varying weight and made me cast them into the bucket he’d move around 😂 it was awesome! I now use those same plugs to practice casting around debris and banks when I’m struggling.

If you're fishing freshwater, bobber and worm. You'll catch something. Most likely bluegill but they're good eating.

Have you considered making sure there are fish? Can you see any fish when looking in the water?

Perhaps it's time to get a new spot.

Get a bobber and a small hook and throw worms on it. You’re gonna catch something trust me, even a bluegill will eat it and at least you’ll have caught something. I haven’t caught a bass in years but I catch sunfish and bluegill literally everytime I go fish in different lakes

If you aren’t having luck in that spot try switching it up and going somewhere new. I tend to have luck exploring new bodies of water if my usual spots aren’t biting

I started fishing at the end of April. The first 3 days I got skunked and was feeling like it was a waste of time.

I finally caught something and then they just started coming in!

Fast forward to this week, I got skunked for another 3 days. Same technique, same spot, different spots, went early, then late and everything in between.

It happens to everybody and I think it depends on what the fish are doing. I'm catching zero walleyes now because they've moved away based on the water conditions/spawning. Now it's a transition period for Bass to spawn so that's why I'm probably catching nothing. Could be the same reason why you're not catching.

When you start hooking fish it'll all be worth it. Just keep doing research, improving your technique and enjoy the weather while you're out there. The fish is a bonus :)

Try to get some small lures. A lake I thought was empty suddenly became fish central after I switched to 2'' minnow! I'm ordering 2'' soft lures as well.

Try panfish out. When I’m feeling defeated and want to build some confidence I go panfishing. I recently invested in a Daiwa Shock ultra light rod and reel combo. $30 setup. I chose it because I can really get a nice cast on those smaller lures. There’s a whole lot more panfish in any body of water and often they’re more likely to bite. I usually stop at the lake on my way home from work and catch several crappie. It’s also nice to catch a variation in species that you often don’t get when fishing bass. Also, try ponds. I’ve had so much easy success in ponds. Toss a wacky rig catch bass all day. It’s also a decent way to learn a little about how the fish are acting. If the panfish are biting on a slow retrieval, I’ve found the bass are too. I’ve also caught several bass when targeting panfish

Ultralight fishing is how I broke my streak. 2.5" minnow on a Texas rig. Sure, my first panfish was a tiny little thing, but that little bit of momentum now makes me fish all the time. I know I can catch something on the UL, so I use that to put myself on the board and then switch to the medium to try to get bigger fish.

One thing I learned a few years ago is finding the right hook size! Smaller hooks can help but they may get gutted by bigger fish (unless I’m doing something wrong). Also bait wise I highly recommend chicken liver. It’s very messy and can be hard to set on a hook but once you figure out how to set the bait it’s not bad! It’s become my favorite bait for freshwater and it catches me plenty of catfish and blue Gil.

Lot's of good advice in here, I'd also like to add that using smaller lures will get you more fish, and it doesn't mean you won't catch big fish. I just caught a big (by my standards) smallmouth with a small lure meant for panfish last week

Fishing, for the most part, is learning where fish are and what they want to eat. Live bait and a bobber is a method that has worked for thousands of years. My daughter just caught a large mouth bass on a night crawler. Bass pretty much want to eat something that is alive. Usually smaller fish so if you want to learn how to fish a lure then use one that looks like a small fish, so a crank bait around some cover usually works. I usually have most of my success towards sunset but that is me and where I fish. But don't over whelm yourself with all of the information that is out there, it does take a little practice. Pick a lure or 2 and learn how to fish them, nearly every lure has about 4 different techniques. If you're out fishing and there are other people catching fish go ask them what they're using. I have never had someone not tell me what they were using. Pick a spot, pick a lure or 2, and practice. You'll catch something and you'll learn how, when, and where... then you'll catch more things.

Use an earthworm

Get a 3-4" top water crank bait and a mepps white tail spinner. Those 2 lures will catch something. And just learn how to to work them.

Keep at! Just keep researching and trying different things. Getting off the bank in a kayak or something helps a lot. Also using chatgpt for research has been insanely helpful lol. I started fishing last fall and got skunked literally 9 out of 10 times I went for a while. Now I catch fish 9 out of 10 times. Just put time into it

Don't be afraid to use live worms. I know it's not as cool, but you will get bites. Also, I find when they bite, but I never can set the hook.. the hook might be a little big, so I swap to something smaller.

Find a small pond. Use a Carolina rig to sink earthworms to the bottom. I guarantee you will hook a bullhead catfish in no time.

We got to get you on a fish! You said your fishing from a pier. Is it salt water or fresh? Or brackish? What kind of fish are you targeting? It is called fishing and not catching so hang in there.

I've been fishing salt most of my life. When I switched to fresh in college I was really struggling to catch anything. I ended up having luck with tiny kastmasters for trout in the river (just typical cast and retrieve) and neko rigged senko with rubber o ring and weed less hook and a nail weight for bass in lakes. Definitely had to size wayyyy down on the line. And go realllllyyyy slow with the neko and really tame down by pops along the bottom to get bites even after finding structure. We had good luck catch strippers too with a bobber set up and cut bait in the river.

I was recently skunked for about 8 different trips up to the sierras for trout fishing, in lakes and small rivers. Went with a few buddies for the 7th trip a few weekends ago, my two friends got 6 trout each over a 3 day weekend. I got 0. I was starting to get very upset about never catching anything despite doing everything ive seen on youtube or read on this sub. Finally for my 8th trip just last weekend I went for camping on the eel river in california, its pretty shallow and we didnt really see any fish, but i tried power bait - nothing. Then i tied a lure because the river was flowing pretty good, third cast i fucking got a bite, 5th cast i got a fish. it was something id never seen before. (Pikeminnow?) we threw it back because no one knew what it was (that was stupid as they eat salmon and trout babies). It can get disheartening not catching anything, but just keep it up and stick with the techniques you learned. You will eventually get one! I have faith in you!

Keep at it, Try using live bait like worms with a simple bobber rig. If you’re not getting bites, switch spots and be patient with your reeling. Good luck, and can’t wait to see your first catch.

You’ve got this!

I caught my first fish 7 months in lmao, It’s tough out here in Toronto

smaller hooks and just some good bait! shrimp or something!

Try using a drop shot. We mostly use a 3/16 drop shot weight with 6lb line. Can use soft plastic worms. Real worms. Or even use minnows. Works great. If you need help with setup/ knots, or technique go on YouTube. My 10 year old uses it as well and have had a lot of great success.

Why is everyone talking about using lures all the time? As beginners you should go back to the basic and just use bait depending on the type of fish you are trying to catch… that is my 2 cents.

forget the pier for now, go to every dirty retention pond around you and throw a senko

The secret to catching is to keep fishing. It will happen, on the fish’s time.

Fish at tide shifts and get some live bait. This will nearly guarantee you get some action.

Fish at night. That’s when most of the serious pier fishermen fish this time of year. Be polite and ask questions if you see someone catching fish. Most people want to see new fishermen succeed and will share some tips / rigs / bait with you. Just don’t take their spot while they’re fishing it. That will earn you a well deserved cussin’

1. every fish likes worms
2. a small fish can take a small hook but sometimes not a big hook, a big fish can take both
3. a little goes a long way with worms, try sock hooking them
4. try different spots

There's a lot of tackle, technique and lake information at Omnia Fishing. That's a good place to start

I’d been fishing for 25 years but.. same bro lol..

Sometimes I catch a stick and that’s better than nothing at all.

Fish in the morning and evening.

The best way to learn is from someone who skeezy had the skill. Watch the other people who fish your area. See what they use and what they do, how they rig up.

Try some tiny hooks with a worm and bobber. Also try a mepps black fury #1. It’s like cheating almost.

Where are you located and what are you fishing for? Salt or freshwater? Are other people fishing the same spot and catch? Ask them what they're fishing, most fisherman are happy to help.

Are you in salt or fresh water?

Try fresh bait like 🍤.

Grab a second pole, ounce or two a bout 4 inches up. Standard hook and throw on some cat bait. Blood or chicken work great. Throw it in and let it sit while you use the other one. You'll get a catfish and it'll be a hell of a time getting it in.

I use F5 rapalas in various colors, I twitch them a little so they sink, then let them float back up and wait a few seconds before doing it again

you can use the best lures, equipment, technique etc. but you’ll never catch a thing if the fish ain’t there. Sounds painfully obvious but beginners struggle with this the most I think. Try a new creek, pond, or whatever. If the fish are there, they’ll usually cooperate.

I fish in middle TN and bass just aren’t biting if you’re bank fishing with artificial baits. Panfish and some worms until later in the month.

Try hot dog sliced into chunks, red Kool aid and moonshine. Let em soak a week. You're welcome

You dont suck at fishing.. the fish suck at eating your bait…

I'm a newbie myself. Try using worms on a jig or hook. You'll be guaranteed bites if there are fish, and your chances of catching a small fish like bluegill or sunfish will be high. As for lures I stick to jig heads and small plastics because they're cheap and I don't have to worry about losing a $6 lure in one cast. If there are other fishermen around ask them what they've caught and how.

Have you tried live bait?

Do you see others at this spot catching fish? If not, maybe find another spot; if you do, talk to them to see what they are doing differently. You mentioned a pier, so I'm guessing this might be saltwater, which can be tough to fish for a beginner. If it is saltwater, maybe try freelining a live shrimp on a 2/0 - 4/0 circle hook; when you get a bite, just wait until you feel the weight of the fish, then simply lift your rod tip a bit and reel in.

Edit: I see you mentioned this is freshwater in another reply, so disregard the saltwater advice.

Where and what are you fishing for ?

Set your drag and use it

I go to my local lake and bank fish around the area. Now I know where structures are at where crappie would be by. It’s even better during the spawn when they come right up to the banks, spawn just happened couple weeks ago. I just use a plastic action tail 1inch black and blue chartuese color on a small jig hook! Cast out and slow retrieve and till I get a hit. When they are there they pop em. No bite then migrate.

I’m going to set you up how my grandpa did when I was kid that has ALWAYS caught SOMETHING. Grab a wooden bobber, the long slender kind they are pretty sensitive and you can tell small “playing with it” bites Vs a fish actually taking it. Grab a pack of #4 Tru-Turn hooks this is CRITICAL. That size will let you catch smaller bluegill and also land mid or even some large bass and catfish depending on how it got hooked. The tru-turn is an amazing book and sets on even small nibbles. Use just enough lead weighs to get the bobber sitting at the paint line where it changes color to the neon orange/yellow and upright. Look up a Palomar knot and tie your hook using that. After that set your bobber about a foot and a half deep. Grab nightcrawlers! They are tried and true and damn near anything will bite on it. Don’t put the entire worm on the hook though, pinch the worm in half and pass it through the hook several times, almost like “stacking” it on the hook. You want them to get hook when they bite, not just bite off pieces of worm that dangle.

Look for structure, find a tree laying over in the water and throw near it. Not on top but within a couple feet of it. If you have a dock or other floating platform fish just off of it too.

If you have patience and use this method exactly how I wrote it I absolutely promise you will catch something soon.

I switched to only fishing rivers with flies about 5 years ago. I've had 5 fish that weren't juveniles since then. I'd say it's a steep learning curve, but I think poor conditions, bad assumptions and lack of mentorship have all had an effect.

Good.luck.

Live bait and are you setting the hook??

You mentioned bass. Once I got good with a Ned rig, I haven’t had any issues with bass fishing.

If you aren’t catching anything in freshwater you have to do the ole reliable confidence booster. Some bread on a bobber, small hooks, catch some bluegill. If it’s legal in your state live line the blue gil hook it through the dorsal fin on a 3/0 circle hook. Cast around structure, and just let the bluegill swim around. It’s a waiting game but big bass love them.

Add a “Beatle Spin” to your baits list like that Texas rig worm or plastic lizard easy slow retrieve. You can now catch bass, crappie or brim.

Frustrated in only a week ? Bud I have only caught one fish in last six months

Sounds like you're on a lake. How deep is it? Try shallow, mid and bottom fishing. Cast and retrieve? If so, try reeling at different speeds. In my experience, 2 1/2 inch green pumpkin tubes are quite effective just about anywhere.

Many beginners think deeper water will hold more fish. In my experience most fish are between 3-7 feet of water. You might be fishing too deep. Just a thought.

You should learn the areas species and what they like, start there. If you run into any other guys fishing in that area odds are they’d be cool with sharing tips especially when you tell them you’re a beginner, and if they don’t theyre pretty lame.

YouTube is an awesome resource too for anything you need to learn as well.

A slip style Night Bobby bobber and a x8 or so hook will generally get you some easy bites.. if you have panfish of any kind in your local waterways I’ve found that they like to school up against mounds of rock/rubble

-I don’t consider myself anything but an amateur, but I’m been feeding my self and co-worker and his wife a couple times a week with this haha… Also just bought a whopper plopper top water Jig to try for some invasive northern snakehead personally. From bay I have been told they’re supposed to be great for muskie, pike, and snakeheads.

Texas rig a chartreuse and pumpkin seed with a little split shot on the front. Start by just casting and reeling in. If nothing, let it sink a little then reel. If nothing, let it hit bottom and reel slowly, stopping every five seconds or so. In this time of the year, I rarely cast more than ten feet from the waters edge.

Big rod big weight big bait and wait .. use squid

Pier fishing is generally garbage. That's your first problem...

Where do you live? Is it fresh water, or saltwater, what general area are you fishing, there's so much more involved than just throwing your bait into the water.

Post some more details and I'll happily respond with a more detailed description of what you should be doing.

Hey - I read most of the comments and I didn’t see one important question.

Where are you fishing? Creeks, Rivers, Lakes?

For bass, crappie and sunnies, I scale down in all 3 scenarios. Weightless night crawler or small soft plastics around the banks will work almost anywhere.

Don’t be stagnant, keep walking. A few casts, not a bite, move 20 feet down. Repeat..

Try a socked stream if they do that where you live.

Try catfish - find a river and get some cut bait. These were some super fun memories catching 50 smallish catfish in a day on lite tackle.

Just trying to get on some fish ? Cork, split shot #6 hook and a bucket of crickets. Go catch a mess of bluegill and regroup later on something else.

Bonus tip. Save a few bluegill and use them for catfish bait. the fresher, the better.

honestly man everybody pretty much starts on a bobber and a nightcrawler so as childish as it may seem just like anything you gotta learn the basics and work your way up

To start a good idea is to get some live shad or minnows. Use a bobber and a 2/0 bait hook.  Hook the bait 2 to 2.5 feet from the hook.  Hook the bait just behind the dorsal fin.  Cast out and keep most of the slack out of the line.  When the bobber goes down swt the Hook and start reeling.  You can move up to lures. later.  Keep it simple to start.

Another thing to do is get a small bobber and small hooks.  Get some worms.  Go to a pond and fish for bluegill and sun fish.

What are you fishing for? From shore?

You may have a smell on your hands thats been transferred to the lurer

WTF is a fishing app? You need Mr. Miroyan to teach you how to fish. Dude tought me how to fish.

Just to add in here I'm in a simular situation. Just started. I caught a pickerel and a bass by just using a plain white plastic grub on a hook. Simplified I guess.