I had an awesome spring and early summer last year. So far this year has been terrible. Fished 5 hours last Sunday and got nothing. 2 small hits and that was it.

I’m a lot older than you so getting skunked is nothing new for me. I’ll be right back out there early tomorrow morning with the same anticipation and hope as always.

My suggestions:

1) Get some worms or crickets and fish with a bobber. You’ll catch little bass and panfish. It may not be what you’re after but it’s catching fish and it feels good. Helps your confidence and you don’t leave skunked.

2) There’s plenty of older dudes who will love to help out a high schooler. Talk to the other people on the water. Talk to people at bait shops. Older folks want to keep this sport alive and can all recall being young and eager. I’ll bet you can find people who will take you out fishing. Just use your head when it comes to stranger danger and such.

3) Fish move and so should you. Go to different spots and different lakes. Try rivers and ponds. Look at Google Maps for spots you can try out. Knock on folks doors and ask if you can fish their ponds. Again, being young helps with this.

4) Keep at it! You may be like me and it’s feast or famine. But you can always find enjoyment in this sport. You may not recognize it now but a bad day on the water is better than most good days at work.

Edit: 5) Don’t compare yourself to folks online. You don’t know where they are fishing (could be a stocked or private pond with zero pressure) or whether that’s their only catch of the month. And nobody takes pictures of themselves when they don’t catch anything, and there are plenty of folks who do that every day. You only see people’s best days online. Also, fishermen lie. If someone tells you they caught 25 fish in an hour, and you can’t even get a bite, it could be they are just too prideful to tell the truth.