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Posts: 723
| We have been fishing a clear water lake now for about 3-4 years, it has a tapering weed line that goes from 3 to 15 feet, some eurasion milfoil and that thin leaf tall cabbage lookin stuff. We constantly see fish laying in, or suspended above these weeds anywhere from shallow to deep, but they are almost always neutral, granted weve had some hot days, but, for the most part, you cant get them to follow all the way to the boat, they usually turn off 10-20ft from the boat, or they dont respond at all. lots of northern pike in the area, some nice ones and quite a few walleyes of substantial size too.
We have hit this lake on as many different types of conditions possible, but never really hit the jackpot, one fish, here or there, some norts. thats about it. There is a fair amount of boat traffic too.
My question is, do you think, with the water being super clear, that these fish are primarilly night feeders? or, that there is so much food of good size that they eat one nice meal and thats it for the day? It never seems these fish are super aggressive, no suicidal tankers, some missed opportunities over the years, but how would you guys go about fishing for very negative fish? screw'em go to a different lake? or since you know where they are, just pound the water to a froth? we have tried just about every technique as far as slow finesse, ripping weeds, fast, erratic, pauses, topwater, blah blah blah,
is there any hope for catching these fish? we have put a lot of time in on this water with minimal catch success, but have lots of visual confirmations of some really nice fish.
How would you go about cracking this code? And NO Im not telling you were this grail is.
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Posts: 222
Location: Hartland, WI | It sounds like you are pretty stuck on weeds. I would think night fishing your weed pattern would be a good bet if you can make time for it.
Otherwise...if you are a day guy, I would fish SUSPENDOS. I have some pretty good experience fishing these gin waters in Northern WI, and they can be a tough nut to crack especially if you are set on fishing weeds. Bulldawgs and Big Joes would be my go to baits in the basins.
If I were you I would fish the basins and get in tune with my electronics. I would bet your numbers go up...and you might just contact a big girl.
Just my .02.
Johannes | |
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Posts: 723
| But the problem is, we see all the fish in the weeds, there are rocks in close proximity to the area, and a decent basin of 18 feet nearby, but never see any fish out there, or on the rocks. the #*^@ things hang in the weeds all fricken day, either sinking down into them, or, suspending above the deeper weeds.
thanks for the 2 cents, but it seems like I need a $1.50 right now. or a spear.  | |
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Posts: 222
Location: Hartland, WI | dogboy,
I have a hard time believing that these fish are ONLY in the weeds. How deep is this lake? How many acres?
Johannes | |
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Posts: 723
| Id say its about 2000acres and its basin is 20ft. it seems thats where all the food hangs out is right in the weeds, and theyre right there with them, are you thinkin that they are just up there digesting and the "active" fish are suspended outside the weedline? We have casted the deeper water with minimal success also, usually only a couple lazy follows, the fish we have caught have been up in the weeds though. Have been there under prime conditions, prefrontal and during pressure changes and it seems like nothing turns a feeding frenzy on like on other lakes I fish. they are by far the toughest fish I have encountered.
thanks for the input. I appreciate it.
Edited by dogboy 6/2/2006 12:26 PM
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Posts: 273
| If you are seeing these fish so are others. Show the fish something different. Hit them at night. I wish I had a few clear lakes close to me so I could do more night fishing.
Jeff | |
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Posts: 158
Location: Eagan, MN | In my opinion there should be a great night bite. I mean just prime, all the right ingredients are there. There is a lake like this that I night fish... during the day you can watch walleyes swim right in front of lounging muskies, at night... watchout! | |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | My two cents would be to fish a crank bait, Joe or Bull Dawg along the weed lines while your partner casts a bucktail, twitch bait or glider over the weeds during the day.
I would also fish top water over the weeds early and late in the day.
Most definitly fish it at night. I would bet my boat that when the water temps get into the stable 70's you could score at night. The 4 hours after dark rock in clear lakes. Most follows will become strikes after dark.
If you have trouble with knowing when to start your figure 8 just use a slip bobber knot on your line 1ft from your leader. When you feel the knot hit the top of you rod just go into your figure 8. Hang on, the night time hits get wild at the boat.
I hope this helps, it works great for me. | |
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Posts: 723
| we haven't tried the real late night fishing yet, as far as midnight or 2-3 in the morning. fished a couple times past dark in the past, but to no avail, I guess we keep pounding and eventually we'll hit a window.
I am wondering about throwing larger baits in the 12-16 inch range, due to the amount of larger walleyes and norts that we see all chewed up. maybe 10inch suicks and jakes are too small for these fish. Or just overthinking the whole situation. stupid fish. | |
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Posts: 2068
Location: Appleton,WI | how about live bait??? | |
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Posts: 793
Location: Ames, Iowa | Topwaters at night- 9-1am. Go sleep/time off. Jigs or small bulldawgs jigged during the late day. Dinner. Start over. Sounds like a lake I've been on- in July it is like looking into an aquarium. A guide I know says you have to fish it at night. And like Jim Murphy says, fish have to eat when the temp goes up. Good Luck!
Don | |
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Posts: 58
| In the past several years I have had some good days on clear water with very similar weed conditions. I like to position the boat deeper and make a long cast to the shallow end of the weeds. The best way I have found to get results is to use a bucktail with a willow blade and an average size single treble body. I slow down my reel speed just enough to get the blade to tick the tops of the weeds. As you make contact with the weeds point your rod tip directly at the spot you are fishing and speed it up just enough to blow off anything clinging to the blade. When it clears slow it down to your original speed and be ready!!! This is one of my favorite presentations, and it has put some nice fish in my boat. If you can get out when there is a little chop on the water that's the best time. I like to use the same method in low light conditions, but I usually go to a blade that gives a little more thump. I feel that it helps the fish locate your bait a little easier. If you get one to follow stay with it for a while in the 8. I've had a lot of fish camp out under my boat waiting for that perfect opportunity. Sometimes ten or more full figure 8's with the rod sunk almost to the reel at boatside. Good luck, and remember there is no such thing as a bad day on the water if your fishing. Some days are just a little better than others.
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Posts: 32949
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Sounds like a classic setup for deep weedline Creature presentations. | |
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Posts: 56
| The night thing sounds like a good idea. Short of that, fishing real early, at sundown & pre-frontal/overcast conditions--but you guys probably know all that.
Try some different stuff. A few things I've used with some success in Canada on fish in weeds & sight fishing big pike.
1. Go small: # 14 Husky Jerk. Change out the hooks to 2 #2. You'll probably nail the pike, too. Use a heavy bass rod. Twitch them and let them sit.
2. 1/2 oz. Cobra jig & Odyssey Dragon Lizard. Hang it up in the weeds, the shake & rip them loose. Have caught lots of fish in Canada like that. They get fired up when it comes through the weeds. Doesn't seem like it should work, but it does. I use heavy spinning stuff.
3. Ever fly fish? You can literally sight fish and hang one in front of their noses.
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how would you?