Fish can't eat what they can't see. Make sure you use baits/lures in colors, shapes and sizes that ATTRACT the species your targeting.
Step 2: Allay
Fish are not going to eat something that they fear. It's up to you, the fishermen, to ALLAY those fears by keeping hook visibility to a minimum or by downsizing your bait or hook size to match the size of the bait that the fish normally eat so that it is less intimidating.
Step 3: Allow
Fishing requires patience. Know when and how to move your bait/lure through the water as well as when to keep it still. Both methods can initiate a strike. Try both to ALLOW for a strike.
Step 4: Adjust
When all else fails and your confident the fish are present, you must ADJUST. In fishing everything changes by the year, season, month, day, tide & minute. The only way to find and follow the bite is if you are willing to adjust. Every rig and lure will have a day where it will out perform all others. You just have to try everything to see what's working. So do be afraid to adjust location, color, size, weight & action. You have nothing to lose if the fish aren't biting. Try It!