Weather, moon, rising, falling, clarity, current, barometer

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Randall J DeFreese on February 14, 2014 at 3:19pm

The only thing I can say for a sure is my Baits need to be wet to catch fish........everything else is a mystery.  ;)

Permalink Reply by Don Hogue on February 14, 2014 at 5:26pm

Mike Wolsky said:

Cast toward shore.

If that does not work, turn around and cast toward the middle.

It's worked for me thus far.

MW

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on February 14, 2014 at 6:53pm

You never parallel the bank? 
 
Mike Wolsky said:

Cast toward shore.

If that does not work, turn around and cast toward the middle.

It's worked for me thus far.

MW

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on February 14, 2014 at 7:55pm

That's suppose to be secret! I like to confuse guys with a bunch of nonsense that sounds like I know what I am talking about!


Mike Wolsky said:

Cast toward shore.

If that does not work, turn around and cast toward the middle.

It's worked for me thus far.

MW

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on February 14, 2014 at 8:06pm

WTF is barometer...... give an F you are there you are going to fish go from there.....

Something my parents always told me "when you're not practicing somebody else is"

This topic kind of what I am talking about, we are over thinking stupid fish. They are animals and have basic survival instincts.... they eat, breath, swim and breed....so they are where they can do that the easiest. Think you need to start at the beginning before you can venture into your other questions. I have too many questions about food to go on.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on February 15, 2014 at 10:16am

Lets look at zach's example Ronnie.

A few variations of theories on why a wind blown point often produces. But its a simple concept that has resulted in some great days for me personally. Doesnt always produce, but many times it does. Its a stupid obvious deal, yet gets missed by many.

Alot of guys fish the leeward side because boat control is easy. Because zach threw out that scenario, maybe a newbie or two will fish the windward side and a bulb will go off. Theres a ton of lesser known scenarios that might give someone something to try if they see it.

Im not looking for deep dark secrets here. Just general fish behavior.

I use wolsky's method. It's all i know. But I know its not a technique ill be using for a little while yet, so whats the harm in a little wives tale swapping. Quit tryin to be the cool guy with the letterman jacket on high fiving Zach Morris and AC Slater.

Permalink Reply by Don Hogue on February 15, 2014 at 1:17pm

Here you go...some observations.  It would take a book to really do this topic justice (you thought the "knot tying" posts gave you a headache), but here's a few off the top of my head.

I've tried tracking barometer, and moon phases.  I just never observed any real correlations.  I will say I've never experienced a great bite on a full moon.

Drastic, sudden changes in water level, current, or water clarity will make fishing difficult.  In addition to knowing what the situation is the day you are fishing, know what it has been, and what is "normal".  

My best smallmouth days tend to be hot, sunny, windless days...mid-day 'till 2 or 3pm.  Even on days that are post-frontal, "blue-bird" days.

Bass seem to have a negative reaction to certain wind directions on certain sections of a lake or river.  In other words a north wind on this section is bad, but on another is good.  I noticed that mostly with north and east winds.  I helps to know what a prevailing wind is during that season on that part of the water.

Bass spawn over many months.  During most of the fishing season you may be fishing for pre-spawn, spawning or post-spawn fish without realizing it.  On the Columbia for example, I have observed fish that are spawning somewhere on the river from March thru August.  Potholes from April thru July. 

Some bass go through a "false spawn" in the fall

Pre-spawn bass are often shallower than you think.

Spawning bass are often deeper than you think.

Bass will adapt to different environments and water columns depending on the prey they are targeting. Being in a couple of feet of water that is 50+ feet deep is no big deal...same with being in 1' of water when it's cold or hot.

 

Permalink Reply by Colby Pearson on February 15, 2014 at 2:10pm

I really like this insight, especially in regards to good smallmouth conditions, and agree. I fished with a guy from Havasu last Spring, and he told me almost exactly the same thing, and gave me the generalized hours of 10am-2pm, as productive smallmouth windows. He was originally from Washington, and did a lot of warm-water studies back in the 50's. Everything he told me, regardless of how outlandish I thought it was, has held true over the course of a year, and I have caught more big smallmouth the last year than the others combined. He opened my eyes, and I started paying attention.

I won't ever forget as we were driving to my favorite smallmouth lake during a storm, thunder (which was the factor in his opinion that was going to turn the bite south), etc... He told me on the way to the lake, the smallmouth wont be biting very good today..... I looked at him in disbelief because I had just caught a 22lb limit of smallmouth days before... Sure enough we show up to the lake and proceed to absolutely wreck the largemouth all day long, the ratio for me is typically 3-4 smallies per 1 largemouth, and we were catching 10:1 largies to small that day. After that, I started taking note of everything he told me.

I fish probably 200 or so days a year most years, usually consecutive days in the warmer months sleeping on my boat, which I prefer because I try to pay attention for any subtle changes in the environment that take place, possibly a drop in temperature one night, some clouds rolling in, a light rain that passes etc, just making myself aware of them, and usually adjusting accordingly... Trying to piece together how the fish react to given scenarios. I grew up fishing small pressured lakes and ponds, that were usually the first and most dramatically effected by weather patterns, moon phases, water fluctuation etc... They are like scale models of big lakes with lots of key structure elements like humps, ledges, open water (suspending fish) and so forth, and I wouldn't want to learn the basics any other way. Reminds me of the condensed study of tsunami's and waves in the small tanks, it all relates atleast partially, just to scale.

Like it was stated earlier in the thread, now two conditions are going to setup exactly the same two times, but being able to determine where to start & how to adjust separate's the best from the rest of us! 

Don Hogue said:

Here you go...some observations.  It would take a book to really do this topic justice (you thought the "knot tying" posts gave you a headache), but here's a few off the top of my head.

I've tried tracking barometer, and moon phases.  I just never observed any real correlations.  I will say I've never experienced a great bite on a full moon.

Drastic, sudden changes in water level, current, or water clarity will make fishing difficult.  In addition to knowing what the situation is the day you are fishing, know what it has been, and what is "normal".  

My best smallmouth days tend to be hot, sunny, windless days...mid-day 'till 2 or 3pm.  Even on days that are post-frontal, "blue-bird" days.

Bass seem to have a negative reaction to certain wind directions on certain sections of a lake or river.  In other words a north wind on this section is bad, but on another is good.  I noticed that mostly with north and east winds.  I helps to know what a prevailing wind is during that season on that part of the water.

Bass spawn over many months.  During most of the fishing season you may be fishing for pre-spawn, spawning or post-spawn fish without realizing it.  On the Columbia for example, I have observed fish that are spawning somewhere on the river from March thru August.  Potholes from April thru July. 

Some bass go through a "false spawn" in the fall

Pre-spawn bass are often shallower than you think.

Spawning bass are often deeper than you think.

Bass will adapt to different environments and water columns depending on the prey they are targeting. Being in a couple of feet of water that is 50+ feet deep is no big deal...same with being in 1' of water when it's cold or hot.

 

Permalink Reply by Abbottola on February 17, 2014 at 10:15pm

Beer works every time when you can't solve the puzzle

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on February 18, 2014 at 3:53pm

I honestly don't know any wise tells other than big female bass come up to spawn on the full and new moon phases... It seems my best largemouth days are the nastiest weather or approaching thunder storms, my best smallmouth days I have no idea. Seems to me wind is always good.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on February 18, 2014 at 5:50pm

I've seen where a beer, can loosen up some thinking that was too uptight to notice some pretty simple things.  I don't usually drink when I fish, but honestly, stopping to crack a beer and think, has led to some big fish pictures....

I'm not a big Ted Nugent fan, but I happened to tune into his show a few minutes ago, and he said "anyone who claims they know what wild animals are going to do, is full of garbage."   Obviously he was talking about deer but the point remains the same...

Obviously some wives tales are more repeatable and reliable than others.  Even if only 30% of the time you find that fish do x when y happens....I still think that is better to go off of than scratching your head after scratching your ass.

February talk I guess...

Permalink Reply by Joel Alinen on February 18, 2014 at 8:38pm

Some great stuff here...

Don

"I don't think bass do random things, but I also don't think they all do the same things at the same times under the same conditions. There's a big difference in those two trains of thought."

 

Snake

"I understand what you are saying Don.  Adjustments on the water in conjunction with an open mind rule the day.

Don

Your last post was very informative and came from years of time on the water. ..Thank you!

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