Finding them
You can't catch'em if you can't find'em!! Every fisherman that ever chased ole Esox knows that only too well. Many fisherman believe that if they buy the appropriate electronics that it is a simple process to put fish into the boat. Everybody has heard the term "Fish Finder", and there is a lot of people that believe that is all there is to it. Electronics are tools that are no different than a hammer or a saw. The mere possession of a hammer doesn't make you a successful carpenter!
The reality of finding fish starts way in advance to going to the lake. The first step in a successful trip is to pick the proper lake, at the proper time. To start with, you want to pick a lake that contains the fish, and the quality of fish, that you are seeking. Some lakes are capable of producing record class fish, some are not. If you are seeking a record class fish, you want to eliminate the lakes that are not capable of producing them. A good source of this information can come from the record books. Look at the record books and see what lakes appear often, and how many years ago that they were producing those fish. The time of your trip is of equally important. If you are looking at a spring fishing trip, you might want to go to a smaller lake as it warms quicker. This can spell the difference in determining if the fish are in a pre-spawn, spawn, or post spawn cycle.
Now that you have determined the time of year and the lake, it is time to get some good quality map of the lake. The map should be detailed featuring depth contour lines, humps, reefs, etc. The studying the map, given the time you are going to fish, gives you some basic ideas as to where to start. Here again, the time element is critical. Example, if you are going to fish the end of July for trophy pike, and the lake map shows that the whole south end of the lake is a shallow (3' to 5') weed flat. As a general statement, large pike like cooler water, a shallow weed flat could be way to warm for larger pike. You might almost immediately not consider this section of the lake as a starting point for your fishing. If there are rivers or streams coming into these areas, the entry points may still be worth checking. Does this area contain pike/musky? The answer is probably, but usually those in the area are usually the smaller of the species. Yes, it is possible to get a good one, but it isn't a high percentage area for bigger fish. Both musky and pike inhabit shallow bays in early spring to spawn, and as the water warms both species move out to progressively deeper and cooler water. This movement is known as the transition. Depending on the time you are going to the lake, you need to concentrate on the map for those areas offering the best chances for success for the situation.
The time has come and you have arrived at the lake, the research isn't done yet. Talk to guides, your resort owner, bait shop owner, and other fisherman asking questions regarding fishing for the species of interest. You might ask if they are relating to rock, wood or weeds? Are fish coming on smaller or larger baits, and what type. Get some ideas of where they are hitting, i.e. top water, spinner baits, jerk baits, etc. You can also ask what color is producing. It would be great if they would tell you exactly where and how, but don't expect it. Keep the questions general and you normally will get good general answers.
Now you are actually checking out the lake. Is the water high or low? If the water is low, as happened to me this last fall, some of your promising spots could be out of the water? Also, what has the weather done to your plans? If spring came late, it could throw everything off by a month or more! After taking the latest facts into consideration, check your maps again to firm up the spots you want to hit.
Now is the time where electronics can aid in the search. I you are fishing in shallow water, you will gain more knowledge with your eyes than you will with electronics. Fish Finders, a.k.a. locators, can give you an idea as to the bottom (mud, rock, weedy, etc.) and differences in depth, but don't expect to see fish or marks on the locator. Fish, especially larger fish, are very spooky in shallower water. They will undoubtedly move off before you could get your boat into a position to use electronics.
Locators and the new underwater cameras can be much more beneficial as water goes below 10 - 12 feet depth. Again, locators will give you the depth, contour, and bottom features but they may also start showing bait fish, and at times larger fish. I have really never been present when I have spotted a big musky or pike on the locator and after catching one, was able to identify that fish as the one I saw. The new underwater cameras do provide information, but remember they are optical. That means that they need light and clarity for you to be able to see much of anything. In lakes that are very deep, have a lot of weeds or the clarity of the water is poor, the cameras don't work as well as you would like. The presence of fish, especially bait fish, is key to a good spot. The other key things that these electronics can do is show you reefs, humps, holes, etc. that are not on the map. Take a hi-lighter with you in the boat and update the map with this information. This can be critical if you are fishing a pressured lake, as other fisherman buy those maps as well. A fewer number probably don't know that new spot you found. The most important piece of equipment in your boat, is your brain.
If you have limited time and don't want to put in the effort yourself, you may want to consider hiring a guide. The guide makes his living doing this analysis on a daily basis. His livelihood depends on putting his clients on fish. It should be also noted that you should check out your guide! As with all things, there are good ones and poor ones. If you are planning on using a guide, contact him as early as possible. You would do this for multiple reasons: Good guides have a tendency to be booked up, and you should ask for some client references. Good guides are more than willing to provide you with multiple references.
I use to get mad at paying for magazines or watching television or videos where the author would tell you something, and then go on to contradict what he said or mitigate it. As I have been writing articles for the website, I have come to realize that there are no absolutes. The author always puts the important points (percentages) as the first points, but there are always exceptions. If what you planned isn't working, try something different. Don't be dogmatic in your approach, think and be flexible. ABOVE ALL - have fun.
Click the mailbox to e-mail. Last updated on ... January 20, 2004