Thoughts on covering "new water"

[JeffD]

This year I'd like to cover more distinct miles of rivers, creeks, and ditches than ever. Using Google maps it's fairly easy to approximate the length of each trip, and I'd like to push roughly 50 miles. Of course, some stretches of river will be fished multiple times, so I think about 50 distinct miles of water and maybe 150 total miles of water paddled and waded would be a reasonable goal. Covering more water, and different streams, gives new and interesting looks, and the chance to see if patterns discovered in one area can be generalized, or see if they are just imagined by capitalizing on chance. There is certainly a tendency to do that. It's common to catch a couple of fish, and then decide precisely what the fish were thinking and how they were reacting to the decisions and actions the fisherman made. Covering new water allows for cross validation of theories, and satisfies a basic smallie fisherman need, which is to see what's around the next bend. I hope 2011 holds time and opportunities for exploration of maybe 8-10 streams in Illinois and Indiana.

[Paul F]

I spent nearly all of my 2010 fishing season taking the time wading and fishing about 20 miles of river near my home. Using printed images from google earth, I would explore a new section of it each time out. I now know all my hot spots and good access points, It was actually extremely enjoyable and I plan on doing the same thing this season.

[Bterrill]

Jeff- Sounds like a good,sound plan.

 

You might try floating longer stretches to identify the warm spots, then wade shorter areas to discover if they are in fact hot spots. Even better if you have clearer water to see bottom and find holes for later.

 

For several years, I did just this covering each stretch on a stream for 30-50 miles on foot. Now I have a dozen rivers I know huge stretches on. Then you can pick your fishing poison dependant on your fishing mood.

[Bterrill]

Jeff- Sounds like a good,sound plan.

 

You might try floating longer stretches to identify the warm spots, then wade shorter areas to discover if they are in fact hot spots. Even better if you have clearer water to see bottom and find holes for later.

 

For several years, I did just this covering each stretch on a stream for 30-50 miles on foot. Now I have a dozen rivers I know huge stretches on. Then you can pick your fishing poison dependant on your fishing mood.

 

Forgot to add, don't make any negative assumptions until you have fished warm season when spawn is over.

[JeffD]

Forgot to add, don't make any negative assumptions until you have fished warm season when spawn is over.

 

I agree with that. A good example is a particular segment of river that Phil claims is terrific, even though I haven't gotten a single bite there in 2 trips and about 7 hours of fishing. However, those two trips were in January and February, and I know from summer and fall trips just upstream and for a couple of miles downstream, it can be phenomenal. I think there are spatial effects that can give you confidence in a place. If I know I have a segment of river bounded above and below by good fishing, it must be good there, if there is good depth, structure and cover, which are all true of this place.

[John Gillio]

I have fished at least 22 Illinois streams for smallies. There are still quite a few within 45-60 min drive that I have not touched. Last year,as in many of the past few years, I have focused on two of the closer streams because of time limitations. I am truely hoping to hit new waters this year. They may be new streams, new areas of old ones,or past favorites revisited after many years. Access is more of a problem these days, and many of my old spots are closed off, but this just gives more reason to explore if time permits.