Alright, I have been fishing for a little under a week... Six trips and I have caught zero keepers. Just there tiny bluegills,under two inches. I'm fishing from shore using a hook, worm and bobber. I'm not fishing for anything in particular, just trying to catch dinner.

What am I doing wrong? I had ways thought fish liked worms, but I am having zero luck.

What is a good setup to just cast a line and catch fish?

Again, not aiming for one fish, so I know your help might be vague. I'm just needing some pointers so I can stop getting skunked, and frustrated. If you need, more info about my setup or locations, just ask.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mojo

Try minnows next trip.

Learn how to use a slip bobber.

It all depends on where you are fishing, what you are fishing for. It all varies depending on species of fish. You size hook even the size of your line can deter fish from biting.

I'm using Aberdeen 6 hooks, I believe. I'll have to double check. So far, I've fished in Lake Pat Cleburne, a man made reservoir south of ft worth. It's incredibly low at the moment.

I've also tried Hamm Creek State Park on the Brazos River. Always with worms. I'd like to find a good place to get sunfish and blue gills, because they have no size or bag limit.

In order to get enough meat off any sunfish, you're going to need about 50 of them.

I've had luck catching catfish, bass and all kinda of perch (Sunfish & Blue Gill) using live worms. If you are wanting to go after some of the bigger ones though, you have to get past the smaller ones. Try fishing deeper water for starters. I've even gone so far as to remove the bobber completely and let the bait sit on the bottom. Hope this helps.

So you have started in the right place and the rig you described is going to catch blue gill more often than not. For now, I recommend you buy fish from the store and just enjoy catching some gil. Nothing can clear the mind better.

Alternative, you need to get your bait down deeper so lose the bobber. You could also get a bigger hook 2/0 or 3/0. Yes you can catch big fish on small hooks but you have to get past the small fish.

Watch some You Tube Videos.

For bass, search Texas Rig and use a 1/16 bullet sinker with a watermelon green w/red flaks 6in plastic worm. And jig that close to the bottom. 1/8 rooster tail is good too.

Catfish can be fun, but its more of a sit and wait, but I don't have much experience. You need to be able to get it off the hook without getting spiked too. So you may wait for that one.

Just remember as you go for bigger fish the catching starts to become less so be patient. And go back to gil fishing for awhile if you get frustrated.

Thanks for the helpful reply! I really appreciate it. I wish I could see fishing as relaxing, but when you're not catching ANYTHING the fun kinda disappears. I read and hear about people catching bluegills by the dozen on worms, and I haven't caught a single keeper. Hard to stay relaxed when every trip ends with me coming home empty handed.

Based on your reply, I'm guessing sunfish and blue gills are supposed to be the easiest fish to catch. I've tried fishing from about 1-3 feet, from the shore. Is that too shallow for gills?

Not at all but you need to pick a good spot. Find an area with a low hanging tree or brush or rocks. Some kind of cover and there's plenty in Byron Stewart park. I've caught sandies,cats,bluegill,bass you name it up there in some point of my life. I camped there as a kid we would fish all night. I set my kid up with a to y size 4 snell hook attached to a clip swivel and a slip bobber from bober to hook is maybe 2'. Pinch a night crawler and put it on the hook. It shouldn't be a problem to her a perch in less than 5minutes.

Have you tried Byron Stewart lately? Like I said, I've sat there for hours now, moving up and down the park. Nothing.

The reason I said a slip bobber is because you can cast it to the spot you want to fish real easy and you can use all kinds of different baits, live and artificial. It's real easy to set the depth so you can put the bait where you want it.

Minnows is what 90% of the fish eat, so it's only natural that you could use them to catch fish.

JMO.

USE MINNOWS. YOU WILL HAVE MORE LUCK THAN WORMS. ALSO, LIKE SOMEONE SAID, LOSE THE BOBBER. HTH

Probably should add. You are heading right into a great fishing month. The cooler temps are going to bring the fish closer to shore. Still look for shady areas as suggested. And if you see anyone else fishing go talk to them, they will be more than happy to share ideas.

Gil's are in all depths but the deeper you go the bigger they are. You are going to start having other fish come up shallow this month too.

I haven't caught a "keeper" gil in Dallas area. I don't stress about bringing it home, just like feeling the wriggle at the end of my line.

No I only bass fish, but all the fish didn't leave the lake lol. I'd be willing to out $100.00 that I can go down there right now and catch 20-30 blue gill if not more in a few hours. Worm and bobber is full proof. That's why my 5year old uses it. Most of the time I can't even fish because I'm busy taking his fish off and re baiting his hook.

I've been having great luck using bluegill as bait for catfish. I use a carolina rig with 14 inch leader and a three way rig with the hooks leader shorter than the weights. Both rigs are successful, I just like to have variety in my rigs.
The bluegill are usually palm sized and are hooked behind the anal fin.
I use 5/0 circle hooks and I catch catfish of all sizes.
I fish at nightime or early morning. (basically when the sun comes up and when the sun goes down) never during midday because fish go to deep water in midday.

Shoot me a pm if you have questions about location.

he can't catch bluegill and fish do not necessarily go deep midday that's crazy. I've caught fish in 100* weather in under 2' of water.