08-24-2019, 05:06 PM
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Do you just have a sense of where they'll be from past experience and then find them with your electronics? I'm not looking for any spots -- but I'd be grateful to take general advice about the strategy, if you feel inclined to share any!
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I am willing to share what I do; however, not sure you will like my answers.
Every year is a little different. I am not certain, but I believe it changes because the water depths vary every year. I have a few fellow fishing buddies who share where they recently have and haven't had success. This information is extremely helpful. We have noted that when we find where they are in good numbers that they typically stay in those same areas until the season changes a little. For example, if we locate them in July they will likely be there until at least the end of August. After the season changes and the water cools some then we have to locate them again, because they rarely are still where we have found them recently.
When searching for them I typically try the areas that have treated me well in prior years, during the same time of year. In general, just like many of the birds, I migrate south as the water cools. Unfortunately, I rarely locate fish by seeing them on my fish finder. Although I have a high-end fish finder, it has been my experience that rarely do I see any fish on the very bottom (my preferred place to fish) until I drop some jigs down and fish for awhile. If they are in the area then I will see some chasing my jig up and down. I have had cameras on the bottom and it is amazing how many fish are down there that do not show up on the fish finder, because they are hugging tightly to the bottom. The cone of the fish finder only goes as deep as the shallowest point where the cone touches the bottom. It is not uncommon to have 2' to 3' (or much more if I am fishing in an area with a steep bank) below the cone that doesn't show on the fish finder screen. If I do see fish, on the bottom, before starting fishing, I am confident that we are going to have a great day. I have side imaging but I have never had much confidence in using it to locate trout (more confidence in using it in locating sturgeon).
I often move from previous productive spots to previous productive spots attempting to locate the fish (if I don't have a current report of where they are located). If this doesn't work I will occasionally slow troll while dragging tube jigs in an attempt to locate active fish. Once we get some serious action, slow trolling, we immediately anchor up and go back to vertically jigging. On occasion, this has been extremely productive.
Another thing is that while vertically jigging from my boat I like to fish right on the bottom. For example, I find it more productive to catch fish that are holding at 42' to fish in 42' of water, rather than fishing in 60' of water and trying to catch the fish that are at 42'. I also, often drop one rod straight down and cast and bounce the other rod back to the boat. The vertical rod is typically less that a foot off of the bottom and I never like to leave it sitting on the bottom. I will; however, regularly bounce it off of the bottom and then hold it just off the bottom. When I reel up, from the bottom, I will pause several times, because fish will occasionally follow the jig to the surface. This is particularly true from September on.
Most often, I am able to locate active fish and a typical day is >30 fish per fisherman. However, as some of the members of this forum have had the unfortunate opportunity to experience, there have been some days when nothing seems to work and we catch only a few fish. When the sun, the moon and the stars all line up, we have caught over 300 fish between three anglers.
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Do you just have a sense of where they'll be from past experience and then find them with your electronics? I'm not looking for any spots -- but I'd be grateful to take general advice about the strategy, if you feel inclined to share any!
[/quote]
I am willing to share what I do; however, not sure you will like my answers.
Every year is a little different. I am not certain, but I believe it changes because the water depths vary every year. I have a few fellow fishing buddies who share where they recently have and haven't had success. This information is extremely helpful. We have noted that when we find where they are in good numbers that they typically stay in those same areas until the season changes a little. For example, if we locate them in July they will likely be there until at least the end of August. After the season changes and the water cools some then we have to locate them again, because they rarely are still where we have found them recently.
When searching for them I typically try the areas that have treated me well in prior years, during the same time of year. In general, just like many of the birds, I migrate south as the water cools. Unfortunately, I rarely locate fish by seeing them on my fish finder. Although I have a high-end fish finder, it has been my experience that rarely do I see any fish on the very bottom (my preferred place to fish) until I drop some jigs down and fish for awhile. If they are in the area then I will see some chasing my jig up and down. I have had cameras on the bottom and it is amazing how many fish are down there that do not show up on the fish finder, because they are hugging tightly to the bottom. The cone of the fish finder only goes as deep as the shallowest point where the cone touches the bottom. It is not uncommon to have 2' to 3' (or much more if I am fishing in an area with a steep bank) below the cone that doesn't show on the fish finder screen. If I do see fish, on the bottom, before starting fishing, I am confident that we are going to have a great day. I have side imaging but I have never had much confidence in using it to locate trout (more confidence in using it in locating sturgeon).
I often move from previous productive spots to previous productive spots attempting to locate the fish (if I don't have a current report of where they are located). If this doesn't work I will occasionally slow troll while dragging tube jigs in an attempt to locate active fish. Once we get some serious action, slow trolling, we immediately anchor up and go back to vertically jigging. On occasion, this has been extremely productive.
Another thing is that while vertically jigging from my boat I like to fish right on the bottom. For example, I find it more productive to catch fish that are holding at 42' to fish in 42' of water, rather than fishing in 60' of water and trying to catch the fish that are at 42'. I also, often drop one rod straight down and cast and bounce the other rod back to the boat. The vertical rod is typically less that a foot off of the bottom and I never like to leave it sitting on the bottom. I will; however, regularly bounce it off of the bottom and then hold it just off the bottom. When I reel up, from the bottom, I will pause several times, because fish will occasionally follow the jig to the surface. This is particularly true from September on.
Most often, I am able to locate active fish and a typical day is >30 fish per fisherman. However, as some of the members of this forum have had the unfortunate opportunity to experience, there have been some days when nothing seems to work and we catch only a few fish. When the sun, the moon and the stars all line up, we have caught over 300 fish between three anglers.
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