How to Find Fish and Catch Them

[Garry2rs]

With all the cool wet weather

 

[ec1]

sounds interesting. really makes me wish i had a boat to go fishing

 

[slimy]

If I go fishing and don't really know the lake, I look for weededges in about 5-9 ft of water and pitch spinnerbaits or in line spinners... sometimes I get fish, most of the time I don't... lol.

I've tried fishing with cranks but I hate having to pick the weeds off them all the time.

jig and pig or plastic worms... I've never really used them at all.,

Thanks, I'll try some of your advice nest time I go out. whanever that will be... just too busy.

 

[Snypa]

If I go fishing and don't really know the lake, I look for weededges in about 5-9 ft of water and pitch spinnerbaits or in line spinners... sometimes I get fish, most of the time I don't... lol.

I pretty much do the samething, but I'll use the gulp worms wacky-rigged & use the spinnerbaits to complement the worms, try that next time, and you're catch rate will probably increase for sure. That's my main fishing strategy, it works %100 of the time for me, especially if you're already used to quickly taking weeds off of hooks after every cast on extreme weedy lakes or ponds. Although I used to hate having to do that, I've learned its better to get used to fishing in VERY VERY weedy conditions, as there can always be that lunker hiding in that massive patch of weeds in 1-2 ft. of water.

 

[idesign]

With all the cool wet weather we have been having, it seems some folks are getting a little discouraged about there prospects on the water. It's true that this summer, I haven't always found the fish where I thought they would be at this time of year, but I have found them...Here is my formula for finding fish.
First off, let's get one thing straight...Regardless of the weather there are always some active fish.
You just have to find them and what bait they will respond to.
Let's start by dividing the water into three areas.
1. Shallows cover and structure...weeds, docks and rocks
2. Mid-depth cover and structure...weed flats, points
3. Deep structure...Shoals, humps and rock-piles.
Use the smaller sizes of these six baits to fish these areas.
1. Jig and pig
2. Texas rigged tube or worm.
3. Jig head and worm or grub
4. Spinner Bait
5. Short Fat Crank bait
6. Small Husky Jerk
The first three are baits that you fish Vertically, the last three are for Horizontal presentations.
Spend an hour in each of the three areas and fish your six baits...A pattern will emerge.
In three hours or less you will know what type of bait to use and what cover, depths and structure to fish.
Garry2R's

Thank you very much Garry for your grt suggestions.We hope with pro angler like your we will learn lots and catch more fish.Keep ur idea coming.thx

 

[toronto_angler]

Great Info guys!

 

[YAWN]

How to find fish:

Species, Location, time of year, structure, water temp and food supply.

Put an answer to all those and u should be able to locate the fish!

The most tried tested and most effective way to find fish "Talk to people".

 

[Snypa]

Also touching up on what Garry2rs said about figuring out the feeding patterns from area to area, one of the best modo's I've ever heard from a fisherman, specifically a Steelheader fishing buddy, since steelhead are quite picky sometimes about what comes there way. He mentioned it to me once, and it always stuck with me ever since, "Let the fish decide what they want to eat today, rather than trying to dicate what they should bite, by bringing a few hot lures." That particular time, I brought just pink worms & roe, thinking I was going to do well, but as it turned out, having a variety of lures that the fish hadn't see before seemed to be the trick of the day. And it was true, he just kept switchin up till the fish started biting whatever he was giving them. Sometimes you have to take the time to figure the fish out, and you should have a easier time out there. So always bring a variety of baits in different shapes, colors and sizes.

Here's another tip to add to what Garry2rs advised, is STRUCTURE , if you don't know what too look for, you may be missing out on fish bigtime, this especially holds true to big lakes you've never fished before. Always be on the look-out for weedbeds, weedbed edges, very rocky shoals, sandy to rock shoals, lily pads & sunker timber, docks, you name it, and also signs of life like swarms of minnows and frogs too. I went to a bass pond once, noticed a few frogs here & there, said to myself "I should try the skipper pop", what do ya know, I caught plenty of bass that day on that "Leopard frog" patterned topwater bait. TRY MATCHING THE HATCH, or even do the opposite and throw them something that they have NEVER seen before.

Lastly, 95% of the time, most importantly, PRESENTATION, I don't care if you have a $1000 lure on hand, if you don't know how to use it, its completely USELESS. You really have to think in terms of how the fish feed and what they might be after that day. During sunny conditions, and even worse, with sunny & clear water conditions, the fish will tend to be a lot more picky, thats where "presentation" really comes into play, if you can imitate what they're going after to the dot, you'll probably be putting on a clinic that trip !

 

[disspatcher]

Some VERY valuble info there guys!! Thanks for the input!

I always try and "Match the Hatch"
If say trout are not biting on worms, or roe, try and use a fly which represents one that may be in the water at that specific time of year..OR for walleye,bass ect ect... use the size right of minnow , early in the spring small minnows, later in the year, larger "older" minnows...match the hatch!