Why was the fishing tough

[ronk]

I've tried many of the things you've posted Norm- though not as much as you for sure . Cranks work great in spring and decent with stained water. Other than that, for me other lures are more productive. Have to check it in person some time.

 

This is where anecdotes don't really help, sure everyone has had good days with plenty of sun. In the winter, and early spring, it's mostly beneficial. In clear, low water, it can often be a turn off, but that even can turn if consecutive days of sun pile up, I mean they have to eat.

 

All we can do is keep an accurate log- from some real data. The human recollection can fool the mathematics of any situation. Even then I suspect there are a lot of other factors...

Brendan,

I fished Sugar Creek last year several times over Labor day weekend.As you'll recall the river was extremely low and clear.Bluebird skies.Nevertheless, the bass were very active herding minnows on the shallow gravel bars etc.thruout the day.The bass were clearly visible in the gin clear water. I got many hits fishing bassbugs from bass to 16.5" with the average about 15".I think weather stability was the key.With last year's drought conditions there were few frontal passages.The In Fisermen writers have always held that stable weather meant good fishing.

[Steve S.]

Tim N. and I had a discussion the other day about an outing we had last summer on the Dupe. Don R. was with us as well. The day started off with heavy rain looming and fairly consistent action. As the heavy rain started, the fishing picked up for a stretch, even during the heaviest rainfall of the storm. We worried that we might not be able to wade back across due to the rising levels. As soon as the rain stopped, the action also stopped almost as abruptly. Was it a quick drop of water temps? I think Jim J. was out the same day at another location and did even better than us; I don't recall the post.

 

Anyway, lots of interesting points. I usually prefer to fish higher water over low water, but I won't stop fishing both. Fish when you can and when you feel like it, that's what I say.

[BrianA]

Gents,

 

Love all of this discusssion and many great points have been made. No shortage of words from this yap of mine so spell me a

minute or two.

 

I am not a barometer watcher for stream/riverine bass. L-M, SMB, Rockies, seem to be willing whether its bluebird skies,

oppressively hot, or overcast. I have experienced great topwater all day long in early summer w/ my brother and our new

junky from Marinette,WI where the sun was hot, the sky was high, we were soaked w/ sweat and the fish would not lay off

the topwater lures. The bronzed warriors couldn't get enough Chug Bugs, Pop-R's, and other topwaters. Color, type, retrieve

never seemed to matter. We were rewarded for our time put in. My cousin and I on the same flow a few Labor Day weekends'

ago experienced the same at the front end of a storm front - temps dropped from the 90's earlier in the week to 80 that Friday

morning w/ a pitter-pat drizzle. The water was a relief, the mild rain felt good, and all species of fish came to play that day.

 

This past spring, we had a half dozen fish in off colored, cold water post storms with large wobble/rattle cranks running shallow

being our hero baits. Had a few fish swipe and miss but chalk it up to the water color and fish that hadn't adapted to it. They

were still feeding and some found our offers using their other senses.

 

I like the point about confidence levels attributing to angler success in relation to water color, conditions, and weather. I agree

that I'm a sharper fisherman in clear water, watching that bait, or my line for the jig to do something different. In off colored

water, I'm more of a lure chunker. Throw it out, search for them but don't get your hopes to high. I also skylark around the

water surroundings more. I hooked one of those spring smallies while watching an otter do his thing cross-stream. Next thing I

know, I'm wrestling a foot long bass w/ a mouth full of treble hook. In those situations on our creek, spinnerbaits don't seem to

produce although I've heard the Dupe sure does. Rattling wake baits, Mann's Minus 1's are a good go-to. I will certainly continue

to pursue fish in different circumstances and conditions like on the Dupe. It's not far from home either.

 

After all, that's what makes us better anglers and smallie hunters. It's like being a Marine fishermen - improvise, adapt, overcome.

Semper Fi!!

[Norm M]

Brendan,

 

I know what you mean about downsizing, with the basic load I carry that ain't much to downsize with.

 

I try to carry some stuff in the car but most of the time I'll change up location/type of water first.

 

By virtue of fishing bigger water I generally can fisd some fish somewhere willing to cooperate. On the smaller flows it does seem that it is more of a problem.

 

I've never been skunked but have run out of time a lot.

[Guest Don R]

I've never been skunked but have run out of time a lot.

 

T-shirt worthy!

 

 

[kend]

Personally, I don't find fishing "tough".

 

Infact, catching fish is easy---

it's finding them and getting them to bite,

than can be the tough part.

[Scott Ferguson]

Uh...Ken, finding them and getting them to bite, that's what we call fishing.

[Norm M]

T-shirt worthy!

May soon be availible on a tee shirt at The Trading Post in Altorf.

[Norm M]

Bump this blast from the past .

 

Anyone with any more thoughts or ideas after 7 years have passed .

[Norm M]

Seven years later for high, muddy water, cold or warm , I believe even more in lures that thump, vibrate and push water . Over sized lures be they cranks, bladed baits, plastics , minnow baits etc all push a lot of water and get the fishes attention. Obviously you need to use lures suitable to the current and cover . In regular sized lures , I prefer plastics with action tails of some sort although in colder water cigar types and erie darters have done me well. Tubes are always a good choice even though I don't use them any more. I tend to go a bit more oversize with hard baits but with regular sized ones lures like wiggle warts or square bill cranks get the call more often. Chatterbaits have come back into the rotation , especially tipped with a thumper tail. . Replacing skirts or tipping spinnerbaits with 5 or 6 inch twisters or thumper tails[aka swimbaits] is another thing I like. In shoreline related slack areas pounding the bottom with heavier jig/pigs has worked at times.

 

In low, clear water, clear or translucent lures are a good choice . After experiencing a few drought years , I like areas with faster and more oxygenated flows even more .

 

On the cricks I fish in low, clear water, I have gone back to smaller lures like wee rebel craws , size zero/ one spinners, crappie sized spinnerbaits and one to two inch plastics or small Charlie brewer slider stuff . I have come to the conclusion that at least on my local cricks that there just were not enough really large fish to warrant bigger lures. Well outside of the spawn and I don't fish the cricks for smallmouth then, any way .

That and generally for me crick fishing is just about solitude and feeling a tug on the line , be it chub, sunfish, crappie, rock bass or smallmouth any more .

 

As far as the bluebird day stuff, I still think the main effect is to bring shade or faster, choppier water into the mix more. At least I have more confidence going that route . Bridges can be a real blessing . Fishing the shady side of cover can be just as important as over head shade .