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John N. Felsher's Fishing Adventures
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Sometimes, the old familiar bass
tactics work best on new waters
tactics work best on new waters
Kevin VanDam, a multiple year Bassmaster Classic champion from
Kalamazoo, Mich., shows off a bass that he caught on a spinnerbait
while fishing at Lake Amistad near Del Rio, Texas. Bass pros must
learn to fish all kinds of new lakes, rivers, types of cover and
conditions in many diverse water bodies anywhere in the country.
Kalamazoo, Mich., shows off a bass that he caught on a spinnerbait
while fishing at Lake Amistad near Del Rio, Texas. Bass pros must
learn to fish all kinds of new lakes, rivers, types of cover and
conditions in many diverse water bodies anywhere in the country.
Although old familiar waters run deep with memories, many anglers
love to fish new lakes and rivers, if for nothing else than a change of
scenery.
In the spring, many sportsmen fantasize about the trips they plan to
take. Driving to a new lake turns into “adventure” fishing, but huge lakes or
vast river systems can intimidate even the most dedicated angler. How
does one decide where to fish in a strange lake if one patch of water looks
very similar to every other patch? Fishing new lakes all over the country,
professional anglers face this challenge as a part of life.
For starters, the pros study their chosen destination before leaving on
the trip. More time spent studying the lake equals less unproductive time
on the water burning daylight and expensive gasoline. Develop a game
plan before ever hitching the trailer.
Part of developing a game plan includes research. Talk to anglers
who fish the area regularly. Talk to sporting goods store or bait shop
owners. Some may refer a visitor to the local fishing club president, guide
or other knowledgeable person. Talk to the state biologist over that area.
Read the outdoors pages in newspapers or destination pieces in popular
magazines.
“I try to gather enough information from local sources to know what the
fishing is like,” explained Ken Cook, a former Bassmaster Classic
champion. “At this point, I’m not interested in where to fish. I just want to
know what the fishery is like. I want to know what to expect.”
The Internet provides a cheap, handy, almost inexhaustible source of
information. Many chambers of commerce, conventions and visitors
bureaus and even many fishing guides, sporting goods stores or other
businesses post local information on their web pages. Newspapers and
magazines post articles on company web sites. To update an old
telephone book slogan, “Let your mouse do the crawling.”
Next, acquire a good topographical map, probably the key ingredient
to fishing unfamiliar waters. Many chambers of commerce, lake
associations or real estate firms give away free maps. Sporting goods
stories and bait shops often sell detailed maps. Sometimes, people can
download maps off the Internet.
Topographical maps can’t pinpoint fish, but they can indicate creek
channels, humps, flats, tributaries and other places that attract fish. More
importantly, maps serve as starting points by narrowing down choices and
eliminating unproductive water. Even with a great topo map mated to a
Global Positioning System, anglers cannot possibly learn everything they
need to know about an entire lake. Pick a likely area and learn as much
about it as possible. Remain in that one area all day. Resist the temptation
to run all over the lake. Don’t try to learn the entire lake in one day.
On the first day of fishing new waters, start with proven techniques
and then experiment from that base level. The same species of fish
generally respond to the same stimuli regardless of where they swim. Slight
geographic or seasonal differences might prevail, but fish still need food,
oxygen and cover in every water body.
“Before I ever launch the boat, the time of year determines where I’m
going to fish,” said George Cochran, a two-time Bassmaster Classic
champion from Hot Springs, Ark. “Years of experience tell me that in the
spring, the middle of the lake on the north side is the best. I fish the lower
end of the lake, where the water is the deepest and clearest, in late spring
or early summer.”
If old familiar methods fail, experiment with something new. If everyone
on a lake throws a particular kind or color of lure, throw something exactly
opposite. Often, fish respond just because they’ve never seen that lure or
technique before.
Lures should try to mimic the size or color of dominant natural forage
found in a given lake at a particular time of year. For instance, bass gulp
many fry and fingerlings, especially of other bass, in late spring. Lures that
resemble tiny bass fingerlings might entice lunkers. A little experimentation
could narrow down the selection.
In any season, in any lake, the main goal of fishing remains having
fun. Most people can catch fish fairly regularly around their homes in the
old proven waters each weekend. Maybe they won’t catch as many fish in a
new lake hundreds of miles away, but just maybe they’ll catch that lunker of
a lifetime. Either way, people fish for fun and it’s fun to try something
different for a change.
love to fish new lakes and rivers, if for nothing else than a change of
scenery.
In the spring, many sportsmen fantasize about the trips they plan to
take. Driving to a new lake turns into “adventure” fishing, but huge lakes or
vast river systems can intimidate even the most dedicated angler. How
does one decide where to fish in a strange lake if one patch of water looks
very similar to every other patch? Fishing new lakes all over the country,
professional anglers face this challenge as a part of life.
For starters, the pros study their chosen destination before leaving on
the trip. More time spent studying the lake equals less unproductive time
on the water burning daylight and expensive gasoline. Develop a game
plan before ever hitching the trailer.
Part of developing a game plan includes research. Talk to anglers
who fish the area regularly. Talk to sporting goods store or bait shop
owners. Some may refer a visitor to the local fishing club president, guide
or other knowledgeable person. Talk to the state biologist over that area.
Read the outdoors pages in newspapers or destination pieces in popular
magazines.
“I try to gather enough information from local sources to know what the
fishing is like,” explained Ken Cook, a former Bassmaster Classic
champion. “At this point, I’m not interested in where to fish. I just want to
know what the fishery is like. I want to know what to expect.”
The Internet provides a cheap, handy, almost inexhaustible source of
information. Many chambers of commerce, conventions and visitors
bureaus and even many fishing guides, sporting goods stores or other
businesses post local information on their web pages. Newspapers and
magazines post articles on company web sites. To update an old
telephone book slogan, “Let your mouse do the crawling.”
Next, acquire a good topographical map, probably the key ingredient
to fishing unfamiliar waters. Many chambers of commerce, lake
associations or real estate firms give away free maps. Sporting goods
stories and bait shops often sell detailed maps. Sometimes, people can
download maps off the Internet.
Topographical maps can’t pinpoint fish, but they can indicate creek
channels, humps, flats, tributaries and other places that attract fish. More
importantly, maps serve as starting points by narrowing down choices and
eliminating unproductive water. Even with a great topo map mated to a
Global Positioning System, anglers cannot possibly learn everything they
need to know about an entire lake. Pick a likely area and learn as much
about it as possible. Remain in that one area all day. Resist the temptation
to run all over the lake. Don’t try to learn the entire lake in one day.
On the first day of fishing new waters, start with proven techniques
and then experiment from that base level. The same species of fish
generally respond to the same stimuli regardless of where they swim. Slight
geographic or seasonal differences might prevail, but fish still need food,
oxygen and cover in every water body.
“Before I ever launch the boat, the time of year determines where I’m
going to fish,” said George Cochran, a two-time Bassmaster Classic
champion from Hot Springs, Ark. “Years of experience tell me that in the
spring, the middle of the lake on the north side is the best. I fish the lower
end of the lake, where the water is the deepest and clearest, in late spring
or early summer.”
If old familiar methods fail, experiment with something new. If everyone
on a lake throws a particular kind or color of lure, throw something exactly
opposite. Often, fish respond just because they’ve never seen that lure or
technique before.
Lures should try to mimic the size or color of dominant natural forage
found in a given lake at a particular time of year. For instance, bass gulp
many fry and fingerlings, especially of other bass, in late spring. Lures that
resemble tiny bass fingerlings might entice lunkers. A little experimentation
could narrow down the selection.
In any season, in any lake, the main goal of fishing remains having
fun. Most people can catch fish fairly regularly around their homes in the
old proven waters each weekend. Maybe they won’t catch as many fish in a
new lake hundreds of miles away, but just maybe they’ll catch that lunker of
a lifetime. Either way, people fish for fun and it’s fun to try something
different for a change.
