Concentrate your efforts

[Geezle]

As the open water season is slowly coming to an end, I was doing some thinking about my fishing on the river this year. The one thing that really stuck out in my mind is how over time I have figured out a few spots on the river and greatly increased my catch rates.

On one hand it's great to get out there exploring and find new spots that hold fish. On the other hand, if you do too much exploring you may go right past fish and completely miss them.

This year, since I moved and had access to a different stretch of the river I did a fair bit of exploring early in the season, but as time went on I kind of ended up settling on a few spots, and fishing them regularly, during different times of day and using different methods.

After spending some time on these spots I was able to figure out some of the patterns going on, like what fish were in the area, and what types of lures/bait they were likely to hit on during certain times of day. The more I fished these spots, the more I figured out, and the better my success rates were.

So I guess the moral to the story is, it's good to explore new fishing opportunities, but don't spread yourself too thin or you may end up missing out!

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/GeezleHerps/Phone%20pics/102810_193200.jpg

[mooseknuckle]

Well said my friend, I find the same. Sometimes I over think it and rather then trying different lures/techniques I'll just move!! (in the boat anyways) I too have learned this isn't always the best way to improve on a slow day of fishing.

Sometimes it's a fine line between simple and over thinking it. Probably why I can't bring myself to get a fish finder I think I would just fiddle with the thing all day.

[Geezle]

Well said my friend, I find the same. Sometimes I over think it and rather then trying different lures/techniques I'll just move!! (in the boat anyways) I too have learned this isn't always the best way to improve on a slow day of fishing.

Sometimes it's a fine line between simple and over thinking it. Probably why I can't bring myself to get a fish finder I think I would just fiddle with the thing all day.

Now hurry up with your work so you can come down to the river! I'll be there shortly before noon :fishing:

[Rick.]

Really good observations. I get laughed at by my friend and myself. I will try many different fly patterns until I get one that is producing regular hook ups. Then I share the info./flies with my fishing partners and the next thing I know I'm trying different patterns again while they are catching fish. I can't seem to stop but it's all in good fun. Rick.

[WayneChristie]

Same "problem" around here. Just too many choices of fish species and locations, some days I have trouble deciding what to fish for and where. The wind and weather is usually the deciding factor, which is why I love the ice season so much, I can always put in a couple more anchors no matter how much its snowing and blizzarding. Maybe thats why I concentrate more on pike, they are present in pretty much every body of water around here , except unfortunately, Enchant. would be a ball watching a big pike chasing all those little perch around. (and the swimmers) :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[Geezle]

The weather/wind is often a big deciding factor for me as well. If it's really bad out I've got one spot I can (bait) fish while still sitting in the Jeep out of the wind/rain :lol: It's not always the most productive spot, but it's reasonably consistent, and poor fishing is better than no fishing when the weather is bad and a guy's just gotta get out :fishing: