Catch Fish
Why is it that some people have absolutely no problem catching fish? If you’ve
been around anglers long enough you know who I’m talking about. It makes do
difference if it’s soft water or hard water angling, these people seem to “catch
fish” anywhere, any place, at any time. And they seem to do it with little or no
effort. What do these fishing machines know that others don’t?
Well one way to get some insight into the question is to ask some anglers who do
catch fish. So I contacted some of the fishing guides, tournament pros and avid
anglers that I know.
Lets start with the fishing guides. Drake Herd is a fishing guide in the
Alexandria, Minnesota area and owner of H & H Fishing Guide Service (www.hhfishingguides.com).
I asked Drake to name three things that make catching fish easier for you.
First I pay attention to details. As an example, if I catch a fish, or get a
bite, the first thing I do is look at the depth finder and note the depth. Then
I will check the water temperature, wind direction and type of structure or
cover. Was the bottom steep or flat; hard or soft? Was there any vegetation or
any other unique features to take into consideration? This way, when I get back
to fishing I know exactly what I am looking for and can usually find similar
spots on the lake where I can replicate this action.
Second, I pay close attention to my speed. This is one of those very important
points that too many anglers seem to ignore. Whether you are fishing for bass,
walleyes or crappies, if the fish don’t like the speed you’re fishing at they
aren't going to bite. My best tip: when you think you’re fishing slow, slow down
even more. Most of the time you can never move slow enough. I’m often asked when
guiding " have we moved for the last 15 minutes?" My answer is usually no! If
the fish are down there and I’m marking them, I am going to follow them and if
they stay put, well it’s simple, we’re not moving. On the other hand, when you
find aggressive fish, get up and move, fish faster and take advantage of an
aggressive bite. I have caught walleyes going close to 3.5 MPH. Sometimes even
if the fish are in a neutral or negative mood a fast moving bait can trigger a
reaction bite, as they have less time to think and just react to the bait.
Third, be patient. Power fishing isn’t always the answer. Don’t get me wrong,
there is a time to run and gun, but overall if you are patient and relaxed, I
feel you will catch more fish. If you’re trying to learn a new body of water, be
patient. It might not be the first, second or even third time out, but
eventually you will learn the lake and what triggers bites. Then you may lay
into a toad.
Our next fishing guide is Bob Bott, owner of TGIF Outfitters (www.tgifoutfitters.com).
Bob and his guides are true “river rat’s” fishing out of Onalaska, Wisconsin. My
question to Bob was: What three things can weekend anglers do to catch more
fish?
On the river you can eliminate dead water by just fishing areas where the
current meets the shore. Focus on these areas, as they will usually hold fish.
Current drives debris, food and prey into the shoreline where predators can lay
in wait to ambush their targets.
When fishing lakes or other bodies of water where there is not a significant
amount of current, fish where the wind is hitting the shore. Wind or even a
slight breeze can move the top layer of the water column, this in turn will move
microorganisms and other food towards the shoreline, just like current. And
baitfish will follow this food source, causing the predatory fish to follow the
baitfish. Find a combination of wind and current hitting the shoreline in the
same area and you may have found a honey hole.
Fish areas where the sun or shade meets the shore. Early in the year look for
areas where the sun is hitting the shore, as it warms the surrounding water
enough to draw in baitfish and game fish. As the year progresses, look for those
areas where the shade meets the shore, this area can have water that is slightly
cooler and again draws in game fish. With these tips any angler can focus on
catching and not just fishing!
Andy Loos was raised on the Mississippi River, fishing pools 4 & 5. He is an
avid tournament angler and owner of Media Works Productions. Andy is also the
host for HotSpot Outdoors TV. Andy’s question was: What are three common things
you see weekend river anglers struggle with?
Anglers new to fishing on the river usually struggle the first couple of times
out. To me the three things new anglers/boaters have the most problems with are
understanding current, boat placement and being careful or patient when boating
off the main channel. Rivers are far less forgiving than lakes.
On the river you are always dealing with some type of current and casual river
anglers need to pay close attention to that current. Paying attention to what
the current is doing will help you find some great fishing spots. Sometimes you
can actually see current breaks or the river flow pushing up against a bank,
which will make a nice under cut bank, usually a great spot on any river to
check out. On the main channel watching how the water flows over a wing dam can
tell you if a wing dam has potential or not.
Boat placement is important on the river. When dealing with wing dams and
current placement is crucial, as the spot-on-the-spot on wing dams is usually
quite small and the current will push you off that spot if you’re not paying
attention. I have fished any number of wing dams and not caught a fish or even
gotten a bite, and then just by moving a few yards one way or the other was able
to catch a limit of walleyes. Just pay close attention to the current, don’t let
it push you off your spot or just as bad push your boat right into your hotspot.
Take your time. Be careful. The river is a great place to take out your lower
unit; you cannot just go anywhere like you can on most lakes. If you are going
to venture off the main channel take your time, trim up your motor and start
idling, be patient. Patiently idling around off the beaten path is one of the
best ways to notice little things in the water, from a downed tree to a rock
pile. I have won many tournaments from areas or spots I found while idling
around off the beaten path.
Andy Young (www.flipnfool.com.) is a well
known Pro-angler in the Upper Midwest region and a fishing guide on Minnesota’s,
Lake Minnetonka. Andy’s question was: What are three common mistakes you see new
or novice anglers make?
I’ve shared my boat with amateur anglers in Pro Am Bass Tournaments for 10 years
and have been a fishing guide on Lake Minnetonka for 12 years. So I’m
comfortable fishing with or teaching new techniques to novice or new anglers.
Getting a good hook set is a common problem for most new anglers. I can’t count
the number of times that I’ve seen people, including myself; lose a big fish
just because they didn’t set the hook hard enough. There is no perfect hook set
for every situation. However, in most cases if you just point the rod toward the
fish when you get bit, then reel up the slack until you feel the weight of the
fish and give a long, hard, sweeping hook set, you’re going to put more fish in
the boat!
Another mistake I’ve noticed many new anglers make is in casting. Most new
anglers struggle to make accurate casts and usually can’t cast far enough. Some
of the things that will help you improve your accuracy and distance are: Use the
best equipment that you can afford (I use G-Loomis rods and Shimano reels). A
high quality rod and reel is always going to boost your accuracy and distance.
Make sure your reels are filled to capacity with quality line (I recommend
P-Line Fluorocarbon as this will definitely increase your distance). Finally,
practice, practice, practice and then practice some more! The more you cast, the
better you’ll be. Practice tip: Be patient, go for accuracy over distance.
Practice even while you are on the water; use a white ¼ ounce OutKast swim jig
and cast it all day long at various targets. Doing this will not only improve
your accuracy and casting distance, but you’re going to be surprised at the
number of fish you’ll catch.
“Focus Dude…you got a bite! “ New anglers just seem to lose focus. It takes a
lot of concentration to make an accurate cast, then feel the bite and finally
set yourself up to make the right hook set. It’s really pretty simple, the more
focused you are, the more fish you will catch.
First, l need to thank all four Pro-anglers for sharing their time and
knowledge. Second, as always, stay safe and we hope to see you on the water.
Wayne Ek is a guide, tournament angler and writer living in Alexandria, MN. And
is a on the regional pro-staff
for Ardent Reels, Strike King Lure Company and Ludwikowski & Associates, Inc.
Wayne Ek,
Agape Fishing Guides
classicbass.com Field Staff
