10-20-2012, 03:08 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Fishing is always about food...what the fish are eating, when and how. If they have plenty of natural food there is little incentive to chase down a WalMart special crankbait zipping by at warp speed. And the when and how are important too. When there are huge schools of available baitfish the predators save time and energy by going on a single feeding binge for a short time and stuffing their gut. Then they spend the next hours or days simply digesting and not hunting. They are sometimes susceptible to anglers if they are just coming off a digestive period...or if their last feeding foray was not a major success.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So, it boils down to being in the right place at the right time with the right bait or lure. And that timing might be only for a few minutes at a time. After that you are just "washing lures". The exception...as you suggested...is when you use some kind of colorful or noisy lure that wakes them up and stimulates an involuntary "reaction bite". Kinda like teasing a cat with a string. You're the kitty expert so you should know.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You've been around a few years and you have doubtless observed different peaks and valleys of fishing...for various species. There is one thing that few knowledgeable anglers will ever dispute: That is that fish feed when they are hungry. Another is that being in a school of feeding fish will cause them to hit almost anything just to keep the other fish from getting it first.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sadly, some of the most memorable fishing in Utah waters has often been during periods when low water and dwindling food supplies have forced the fish to become less cautious and more aggressive in their feeding. The flip side is that when water levels are up, the water is clear enough for sight feeding and there is plenty of natural food...well, it is just tougher for anglers to compete and score.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Making shad a legal bait? That would work best if we could net them and use them live. Many other states allow use of live shad and I can testify that it can REALLY make a difference...as in the difference between a major harvest and zippo when they are really being selective. Not sure how well they would work in Willard but I am guessing they would get a few fishy votes. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I use carp or chub minnows in Willard it is not to try to substitute for shad. In case you hadn't noticed, there is a pretty good population of carp in Willard...and their young-of-the-year are a main menu item for all predators each year until they get too large to swallow. They do grow fast but before the shad get big enough to chase the baby carp are prime fodder for wipers, walleyes and catfish. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Carp and chubs are both members of the minnow family and are both of the cyprinus genus. Their basic scent is similar so I doubt that opportunistic predators take the time to do a CSI or DNA test to see whether they should eat or not. Actually, there is no species in Willard that does not contribute young fry to the food chain. You will find the remnants of even small catfish in the innards of the occasional wiper or walleye. Ditto for smallies, perch, bluegill, etc. They all live on each other. One big happy family. Burp.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]So, it boils down to being in the right place at the right time with the right bait or lure. And that timing might be only for a few minutes at a time. After that you are just "washing lures". The exception...as you suggested...is when you use some kind of colorful or noisy lure that wakes them up and stimulates an involuntary "reaction bite". Kinda like teasing a cat with a string. You're the kitty expert so you should know.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]You've been around a few years and you have doubtless observed different peaks and valleys of fishing...for various species. There is one thing that few knowledgeable anglers will ever dispute: That is that fish feed when they are hungry. Another is that being in a school of feeding fish will cause them to hit almost anything just to keep the other fish from getting it first.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Sadly, some of the most memorable fishing in Utah waters has often been during periods when low water and dwindling food supplies have forced the fish to become less cautious and more aggressive in their feeding. The flip side is that when water levels are up, the water is clear enough for sight feeding and there is plenty of natural food...well, it is just tougher for anglers to compete and score.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Making shad a legal bait? That would work best if we could net them and use them live. Many other states allow use of live shad and I can testify that it can REALLY make a difference...as in the difference between a major harvest and zippo when they are really being selective. Not sure how well they would work in Willard but I am guessing they would get a few fishy votes. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When I use carp or chub minnows in Willard it is not to try to substitute for shad. In case you hadn't noticed, there is a pretty good population of carp in Willard...and their young-of-the-year are a main menu item for all predators each year until they get too large to swallow. They do grow fast but before the shad get big enough to chase the baby carp are prime fodder for wipers, walleyes and catfish. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Carp and chubs are both members of the minnow family and are both of the cyprinus genus. Their basic scent is similar so I doubt that opportunistic predators take the time to do a CSI or DNA test to see whether they should eat or not. Actually, there is no species in Willard that does not contribute young fry to the food chain. You will find the remnants of even small catfish in the innards of the occasional wiper or walleye. Ditto for smallies, perch, bluegill, etc. They all live on each other. One big happy family. Burp.[/#0000ff]
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