So here's what I suggest. In addition to whichever game fish you're trying for, rig a pole for carp. Granted, they're not exactly beautiful. In my opinion, they're not the best to eat. All of that said, pound for pound, nothing fights like a carp. They get big too!
I was trying for bass yesterday evening and decided to set up a carp rig as insurance, in case the bass weren't feeling the red crank bait I had to offer.
Guess what? The bass weren't feeling it, but this 5 lbs carp was!
In fact, the fish nearly got away with my pole before I could grab it! All you need is a little size 6 bait holder hook and some whole kernel sweet corn. It may not be a bass, but it's a lot better than catching nothing!
There's always a chance that even the carp aren't biting, but they're the closest thing you can get to a guarantee! Make sure corn's legal in your area. The fish was released unharmed.
Tight lines!