Rookie Question

allhunter- work on your breathhold- dive to the bottom and try not to stir up the bottom- and sit there- they will come back to you if you're not stirring things up- that also means when you leave the bottom- don't "kick" off the bottom - use your hands to get back to the surface and then when your several feet off the bottom- then you can lightly kick- not stirring up the bottom is HUGE! If you stir it up- the fish will be scared and skittish. I should post some video of us diving and sitting on the bottom for 30 sec - a min and you can see all the Bluegills coming back in to check us out.

Hunter that sounds alot like my problem, and the conditions are like the same to, only the bass are EVERYWHERE like now in the river around here its INSANE, but anyways i find that its best to move slow and like wopper said...DONT KICK UP THE BOTTOM, thats my biggest problem and ive been doing alot better with it.

But I dont know let me know how it goes for you!

Thanks

allhunter.......... yes, VERY normal. Practice breathholds like whopper says.... practice... patience.... there is a learning curve. Suddenly it'll "click" and seem much easier.

Allow for slow... natural movements...... don't suddenly point the gun at the fish... gently allow the gun to "drift" onto the target.... I found it helped at first to think of myself as a sunken log....... floating... drifting with the water............. BANG!

yea and if you get any shallower make sure you dont use your handss, just small kicks. because i have seen from waldo that using your hands in shallow water will easily scare the fish and it stirs up the bottom.rofl

fleshy told me at the start to not use yours hands at all, breathe quite, and dont go out to kill the fish, just act like your swimming around and check out the scenery. i dont know how many times i have seen a big fish without my gun because im not out to kill them, just checking things out.

Yeah thats alot what I notice to. When I dont have the gun, and just swim really slow I see alot more fish! That's a good idea Winks. Thats my other problem I get WAY to excited!

and whopper, ive never tried to sit at the bottom and try out the breathe hold. for one my breathe hold used to be 10 seconds so it was pointless and 2 i didnt have enough weight and would just float up slowly. but i tried it and was only down for about 20 seconds and the fish really do come back to check u out. and especially bass. they are so friendly

What whopperhead suggested WILL work, and it works well. Fish are un-used to searching for threats from below, so they will swim right over the top of you. In my old camo beuchat, I would lie face down in the milfoil and completely blend in. then Slowly turn up, pick a fish and shoot. Problem is, especially in deeper waters, like where us central guys have to hunt for bluegills, you have to be a good diver to go down to depth and do that. I dont know your diving skill, but its hard for me! Like winks said, my biggest rule is that you are NOT a hunter. Thats the mentality you have to have. You are just going for a dive, exploring, just become another fish. Soon enough the fish will swim right along side you, unconcerned. Slowly "glide" your gun as I think might have been mentioned before, and pull the trigger. Ive gotten to the point where I feel like my gun is almost an extension of my body. I dont have to aim or anything, if the shot isnt there, I wont take it. Most of my shots (85% are straight through the gills) its just something that comes with time. The knowledge of the guns abilities, the way the fish is swimming, and how you are reacting to it, will all work in your mind, as one, and youll be a sharpshooter. Good luck. Just remember passiveness and time spent in the water will equate out to lots of fish.