Reading Natures Signs To Catch More Fish
Each lake is unique; the outcome of a large number of long term environmental factors that shape its development and eventually its fish population. A common rule of thumb for anglers is that on any lake 90% of the fish are found on ten percent of the water. As the seasons change , fish react due to the natural changes in their environment in particular the level of oxygen and water temperature. When a fisherman investigates an unfamiliar expanse of water, he sees only a featureless surface. So choosing a fishing location can be tricky because each lake is unique but nature reveals some clues to the observant angler that will improve the likelihood of selecting a time and a area when the fish will be present and biting.
Experienced fishermen diligently watch what is going on around them looking for these clues to help understand the mysteries of fish behavior. The seasonal activities of fish frequently correspond to the flowering of certain plants, bird migrations and other events. As an example, white bass typically initiate spawning activities at the time when the dogwood trees start blooming. But this spectacular event may vary as much as 3 weeks from one year to the subsequent year based primarily on the timing of Spring and the expected change in temperature. So planning a fishing expedition strictly by the calendar won’t always find white bass on their spawning grounds but waiting for the dogwoods to bloom improves the chances of being there at the right time. With that in mind many anglers keep a logbook of their findings to help them on future outings.
Another example is too find hints of the autumn turnover in a lake by watching a sudden decrease in water clarity. Turnover is the natural way of re-oxygenating the water but it also stirs up the bottom of the lake creating floating debris and significantly adding turgidity. Oxygen levels will decrease for a brief period and the fish usually turn off from feeding and scatter across the lake from surface to bottom. This situation customarily lasts from 1-2 weeks, but when the turn is done, oxygen levels rise quickly and the now hungry fish start to feed again heralding in some of the finest fishing of the year.
Experienced anglers are always alert for the indicators of fish activity and keep a lookout for crappies building their nests, mature bass or pike feeding in the shallows or bait fish dimpling the calm surface of a quiet bay. Polarized glasses help catch more fish because of their the ability to eliminate glare so that the angler can see under the outer surface of the water and find it easier to identify these activities.
Whether fishing from a boat, or from the shore or exploring the water with chest waders, there are many natural clues which can frequently be useful to all fishermen. The power to identify and act on these natural events is what distinguishes the great angler from the average one and almost always results in catching more fish.
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