Handy Excuses for a Skunking

[OldTimer]

A month’s worth of handy excuses when you get skunked:

1. Too hot.
2. Too cold.
3. Too muddy.
4. Too clear.
5. Wrong bait.
6. Too early.
7. Too late.
8. Too big.
9. Too small.
10. Too sunny.
11. Too dark.
12. Too shiny.
13. Not shiny enough.
14. Too deep.
15. Too shallow.
16. Too weedy.
17. Not weedy enough.
18. Line too heavy.
19. Line too light.
20. Too big a hook.
21. Too small a hook.
22. Wrong kind of hook.
23. Wrong colour.
24. Too fast
25. Too slow.
26. Too much.
27. Too little.
28. Too many.
29. Too few.
30. Too loud.
31. Too quiet.

By using four or five of the above short phrases in varying combinations one can patch together an infinite variety of unique excuses suitable for all occasions and conversations concerning a poor catch performance.

...........smile.

Cheers,

OldTimer

[zippyFX]

how about....

- bait is not lively enough
- the fish are off and just sunning themselves.
- My shampoo/deodorant/soap got over everything
- Wrong colour lures/tubes/jigs
- too weedy
- not weedy enough
- not enough structure
- not enough bait fish in the area
- too much pressure

[Eli]

fished out...a reason rather than an excuse...

[instapump416]

haha...I make these excuses all the time

[MuskieBait]

I don't see them as excuses...I see them as a review, an analysis, of the failure

First, we found out the 60lb mono leader and the 40lb mono topshot were too light and we were playing with fire against these sharks. We increased the wire to 80lb but even the 60lb mono topshot, at only 4 feet long, was too short such that the shark likely tail-kicked 40lb mono main line and snapped it off. Perhaps the drag was set too tight as we engaged the reel and there was no give to cushion the tail kicks. Once we beefed up the tackle, we did not get a single bite on the heavy gear. Perhaps the 180lb uncoated wire and the 10/0 circle hook gave off too much electric signals. Or perhaps the water was too clear and the sharks could see the 100lb mono topshot. These sharks were simply too wary. Despite a steady of fresh bait for the next 12 hours fishing in the dark, we did not get another shark bite. The grunts we used perhaps were not oily enough to attract the sharks even if they were fresh and bloody enough. The current was also too strong and our 6z egg sinker was too light to hold on the bottom. Perhaps the egg sinker was the wrong style and it rolled too much on bottom. Last but not least, there were too much seagrass drifting in the strong current that fouls up our lines too quickly. Bunches of seagrass built up enough to pull our rigs along bottom too often and set off the clicker constantly.

Analysis...not excuses at all...all steps to solving the puzzle

We'll see if those were really the reasons.

There are no bad fisherman...there are only those who are in the know, and those who are clueless. Right now, we're still clueless...but we're working to be in the know.

[OldTimer]

Wow........... half a months worth in one paragraph................

[MuskieBait]

(11-18-2013 12:07 PM)OldTimer Wrote:  Wow........... half a months worth in one paragraph................

Makes up for not being able to fish for the past month...and it will be 2 months in total until I can make up all that lost fishing time...by fishing almost 2 weeks straight.

[shawarma]

love the "drag was set too tight!" excuse

[MuskieBait]

(11-18-2013 03:39 PM)shawarma Wrote:  love the "drag was set too tight!" excuse

Well considering we had a 5-6' shark on the line, probably in the 100lb range, ripping line off the free spool...force = mass x acceleration...

We go from free spool to engage the reel, at which point the drag stack engages...the rod loads up quickly and we further put more pressure to et the hook...

That's a lot of sudden pressure that 1) the 40lb mono was too light to deal with that big animal and 2) the drag stack go from zero to full in a fraction of a second and surge of pressure, even with a smooth drag and only set to 10lb of drag pressure, it was too much inertia to deal with.

Ka-pow!

As soon as we engaged the reel, the fish snapped off...first 40lb mono, then 60lb mono...

Like I said, should not be an excuse...rookie mistake, yes...review point, yes...excuse...no...we were just clueless...

Only way we'll learn is to recognize and accept mistake and find ways not to make it again...

So now we're upping to 100lb mono topshot and reducing the drag...hook them, let them take the first run, and increase the drag slowly as needed...

Hopefully we can find some willing participants...

[shawarma]

Wait, MB, that was a real story? I thought you just made one up!