From
time to time we all can use a little help. These changes in thinking or
additions to your fishing arsenal will improve your success. The speed
of your bait whether it is a spoon, jig, or crankbait is important. The
right lure at the wrong speed will be less productive. The correct
speed is dictated by many variables. Always consider the mood of fish
and the environment they are in. This will help you find the best
speed. Mood is defined by weather and the time of year. High and low
barometric pressure are a part of the weather question. They both have
a significant impact on the mood of all fish. Activity level in fish
will change with the movement or lack of barometer movement. You must
know what the weather has been preceding your fishing trip. This
information will set the stage giving you the information you can use
to your advantage. A clear blue high sky after a low pressure front is
every anglers nightmare. Fish get spooky, neutral or negative in these
conditions. A slow spot on the spot presentation is key. Inactivity is
normal, pick your favorite locations on any body of water and look for
your target species in the next break to deeper water. Work smaller
spoons, lures or baits in a slow presentation. If motor trolling is
your method of fishing use small spoons. Present them at slow speeds
and fish them near the bottom. On the other hand steady barometric
pressure for an extended period of time with overcast sky conditions is
time to grab your pole and to head for the water. Don't miss these
ideal days. The fish will be up on the shallow flats, near shore and
active. Pound these fish with big baits and fast erratic actions. Work
hard, work fast and cover a lot of water. This sets up a great
opportunity for trolling big water. The correct lure color for overcast
will put more fish in the boat. Silver or gold has long been the
standard until resent years. Cutting edge anglers are now going to glow
in the dark lures. The visibility of glow spoons far exceeds the old
standards. Badger Tackle has great line up of glow spoons. For the
anglers that run a boat speed from 2.0 to 3.5 MPH I would recommend the
Vulcan magnum. This is a tough heavy weight spoon with a slim profile
that fits well with most freshwater and saltwater forage base sizes.
The other one I like is the Reaper. Run the regular size on clear calm
days and magnum at first light, overcast or whenever you are down deep
or in a low light presentation. The Reaper is a wide spoon with a
crippled baitfish action for trolling at speeds of 1.0 to 2.5. The
Striper and Salmon fishermen say it is a perfect match to the Shad and
Alewife forage. Both are exclusively sold at
http://www.badgertackle.com/ you won't be disappointed.
Time
of year is also to be considered when trying to catch moody fish. As
the seasons change so do the temperatures of the water. Fish are cold
blooded and their metabolism changes as their body temp changes. Most
anglers know there are cold and warm water species of fish. Which means
all fish if given a choice will find their preferred temperature range.
In fact too high or too low beyond their limits will cause stress and
eventual death. In large fresh water lakes, the time of day isn't
nearly as critical as locating the depth of the preferred temperature
level for the fish species you're seeking. Lakes layer into three
separate layers of water in the spring and stay that way until cold
weather. The middle layer, where there is a larger concentration of
dissolved oxygen, baitfish and therefore predator fish, is called the
thermocline. It can usually be found any where from ten feet to the
bottom. This is a temperature layer as well as an oxygen-saturated
layer and fish will relate to it as both a comfort zone and one where
their body metabolism functions the most efficiently. These fish will
be suspended and feeding on alewives, smelt or other forage fish.
The
peak feeding and optimum temperature for coho and Chinook is 52 with an
active range from 44 to 58. For lake trout, the peak feeding and
optimum temperature is 51 with activity from 43 to 53. Fish will rarely
venture out of these zones, once stratification has taken place, except
to catch a meal and then will quickly return to it. One thing to
remember when fishing the thermocline is that its depth can change from
day to day because of wind and wave action. It may be several feet
deeper or shallower from one day to the next so you'll have to relocate
it each time you go out. Having said all that, when fishing in water
temperatures near the bottom of your target species preferred temp,
adjust to small spoons in a slow presentation. At their optimum temp go
aggressive with large baits in quick presentations. Most anglers under
estimate the speed of their quarry. Good Luck let's go fishing! Jim
charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be
reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at
http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.
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