When is a Skunk Really a Skunk?
 

My bud and I disagreed on the definition of a fishing skunk. We looked for a day and a half without seeing any evidence of fish. I swear I smelled a foul odor on the boat. We did see porpoise and whales but no bait or stripers. On the third day we found the mother lode.

I say we suffered a nasty skunk--actually two. Mike said it was not a skunk because we did not wet a line. I cannot remember my last skunk but am quite sure it was in the Susky Flats either last year or the year before. The flats is famous for having skunks take over your boat if you fish only lures and flies and the water is cold and dirty. A skunk now and then makes the experience of a great day all the sweeter and lets you know you still have plenty to learn.

For me, if any fishing activity was performed it counts as a trip, and if no fish were caught it counts as a skunk. Exception - a brief amount of fishing activity was performed but halted due to natural conditions (i.e. wind), it is not a trip and no skunk. In other words, if 2 dumbasses go out in 20knot winds in an 18ft aluminum boat, get half way out there and decide it would be better not to do this, it's not a trip.

I'm probably more liberal than your friend (WTF, did I just call myself liberal:D). Anyway, If you're not seeing signs of fish (no bait, no birds, nobody else catching around you), I say it's not a skunk.
We were out Tuesday with a small six rod spread for a shakedown cruise and didn't mark much on the finder. I don't count this as a skunk.
HOWEVER; Greg (bfaithfull) was out trolling beside us with 13 rods and plannerboards. Now he got skunked:eek:.
Just kidding Greg, I still want a ride on that "plastic" Judge:rolleyes:.
5th (Marty)

p.s. always saw the competition between Grady's and Parkers, now it looks like Maycraft vs Judge is in vogue.

If you went out looking for a fish and didnt find any, that is a skunk.

Questions I have are:

• is it a skunk if you dont catch the fish you are targeting but catch another kind. (ie. catch a croaker when you were black drum fishing, sea robins while fishing for flounder, bluefish while fishing for stripers)?
• Is it a skunk if you only catch trash fish like rays, spiney dogfish, sea robins, toadfish?
• is it a skunk if you dont catch a keeper-sized fish even if you dont keep them? (do undersize fish count)

I was skunked Tuesday on the bay at BPL as we didnt even get a knockdown. Didnt want to take the time or fuel to visit a wwd and wanted to put out a trolling spread to see if a few early birds were around. It was still a great day on the water! I tend to get skunked when my father drives down from NJ to fish with me. That is my guaranteed omin for a tough day of fishing.

I am getting a whiff of skunk here. If you are looking for fish, in my book you are fishing. Now if you were just out burning gas because you enjoy a long, long boat ride, then I might be a little less inclined to call it a woods *****. Let your conscience be your guide.

I'm not sure I would call a trip a skunk if you don't get your lines wet. (harsh weather excluded of course)

However, fishing dead water is like watching paint dry to me.

It's a skunk. If you choose to go through the trouble of launching, getting gear ready, and looking for fish, then you went fishing--even if you never wet a line. Part of the practice of fishing is gathering intelligence and making an informed decision to go out, followed by dozens of other decisions/practices that will increase your chances of landing fish. If you chose to go out during a time of year (or day) when the waters are barren or you simply can't find the fish, then your plan was flawed and the fish won that day. At least you tried.

If there are no fish being caught - dock up and grab a beer and a burger at a waterside venue.

Trade that skunk for a boat ride and lunch.

I mostly agree with what you wrote Rex. If you live by your above statement, however, then every time you go out you catch fish, every time. You certainly would not go out with a flawed plan.

In my book if you go fishing and do not catch fish, it is a skunk for that day. It does not matter that you did not wet a line.

I have a different take on skunks. My definition is if you go out and don't catch your targeted species, it's a skunk. If I head out to the bay in August targeting Rocks, and all I got to show for it is Blues, then I had a skunk. With that said, not catching ANYTHING is a skunk on a higher plain.

In my opinion, it is perfectly reasonable to jig up a white perch from 60ft of water to avoid a skunk on a cold November day. :D

Look at all the days there as one trip - then it is not a skunk :)

If you do a one day trip and come back empty - it's a skunk.
Go on a 2-4 day trip - as long as you catch on one of the days - it was worth it.

I agree with that. We went on Sunday which was a transition day after a big blow. We had no good info because no one fished on Sat. One of the top OI captains who helps us out was not out and he got skunked on Sunday also. Having an off the charts day to wind up the trip made it a great overall experience.

If you are not willing to go when all things are not perfect, you are going to miss some great fishing. There are just too many variables.

Not having any experience with such things, I feel woefully inadequate to comment on the definition of a skunk.

I will however welcome you in to the upper 1/3 of all internet fishermen who distinguish themselves by spelling LODE properly.

: )

;);););););)

It depends primarily where you are. If you are offshore for tuna and don't catch tuna, that is a skunk no matter what you catch. On the Bay, it is not as strict, so a spot or croaker could save your day potentially....unless you have a tendency to post about catching 8-10 fish over 40" each trip....then a skunk is a skunk.:D

If you did not put a line in the water then you did not fish says DNR. so in light of that no SKUNK.
just blowing gas. I would have put in the lines, risked the skunk and caught the only fish the FF did not show up

TED

It's only a skunk if you were actually trying to catch fish.....since you didn't put any lines in the water then it's not a skunk......just a boat ride.

Unless you were hoping they'd just JUMP in the boat.....then it's a skunk.

Do we have any psychologists on board?

Maybe they could explain why a silly thread about a skunk or not a skunk gets more views and replies than a legitimate fishing report, at a time when fishing reports are scarce. :confused:

I have noticed a similar thing on another board when a member posts about how "whipped" he is, large numbers of guys want to read and comment on it.

Not a psychologist (did stay at a holiday inn express last night though)...I think it's like discussing shanks in golf....deep down it is our deepest and most primal fear; threatens our manhood and in the case of guys like B'Faithful, the very essence of our being;); and that perhaps by discussing it we hope it won't happen this year......um...not that it ever happened to me last year you understand..

Bahh, Steve. according to some a skunk is the essence of my being :p

Bill, you got yerself a debate here over the definition of a skunk. Your fishing report is something everyone agrees upon and is envious of. You had a day we are all hoping and waiting for!

A fishing report is just that--a report. People view them and move on. The question is the true motiviation behind the fishing report. If grown men are recounting their day and posting pictures to then get a thousand "attaboys", then they're the ones that need a psychologist--or a good ass kickin'.

This thread posed a question, which leads to discussion.

The skunk thread was just a BS topic with no real significance--something to fill the time.

If fishing reports are read carefully, pics examined and the right questions asked, the discerning fishermen can learn plenty. I want to have discussions with the guys actually catching the fish. Keyboard experts may or may not actually know anything about catching fish.

Rex, Ah been lurkin for a wile an aint seen u post no reports. DUH.

This is the time of year on the Chesapeake when Bill's question is most pertinent. In another week or two some of us will be running and gunning looking for fish beneath gannets in the Bay. If I go out and run 75 miles (not unusual) and never drop a line, it only counts as a boat ride. Okay, maybe I'll call it a recon trip. But if I went to, say a WWD and fished for say four hours without a fish, that's a skunk. The skunk hurts a lot worse because then I think I had a chance and failed. If I don't see the birds, I don't think I had a shot.

If you go fishing and don't catch a fish, that is a skunk. Doesn't matter if you don't get a line wet or not. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a skunk once in a while.At least you tried............Gary