I want watermelon

I live in the perfect place to grow watermelon, yet I have had very limited success. I used to grow it up a trellis and would get a small ok melon or two. I just stopped, thinking it wasn't worth the effort.  A few years ago my daughter said she really wished I would grow watermelon. It was late in the season I think July. I bought a watermelon seedling, a Charleston gray. I didn't know this melon, but it was all I could find at this late date.  I planted it in the ground watered it and ended up with 4 of the biggest sweetest watermelon. The next year gophers were eating everything, and I had to stop planting in the ground. Each year I have tried and failed to grow watermelon. One year they grew ok, but never set fruit. Last year I got lots of fruit, that the critters enjoyed. I didn't get one.
This year I'm determined to grow and enjoy a watermelon. I have planted 4 different kinds. There's some kind of watermelon in every bed. I have also made watermelon beds. Small 17"X17"X5  1/2" maybe a little more. 2 have hardware cloth on the bottom and one has a chicken wire cage attached to the bottom. Under the little bed I dug a hole about 2' deep and filled it hugel style. One I filled with just native soil after all those Charleston gray grew great. The other two have purchased soil in the above ground part.  Two have a soaker hose running under the bed, the bask will have to be watered by hand. We have barn cats that have helped a lot with the small critters, but lately we've been plagued by raccoon . If I'm lucky enough to get fruit, I'm going to cage it, and put the cage on a tile, or bricks, something to get it off the ground.
This is the plan. Hopefully something will work. It will be interesting to see which method of growing works the best. So far the raised bed, and the little bed with potting soil are the best looking plants.
I would love to know if you have any tips or tricks to growing watermelon.

No advice. For years I grew good watermelons, until I didn't. Have not been able to grow them for maybe 5 years now. No idea why not.
Bought seeds and trying again this year.