|
|
| Many midwest river rats and giant eastern river trollers have learned to use current to consistently locate and catch giant muskies. Lake fisherman have learned to relate to stratification and the influence of the thermocline. But... little is known about the influence of current in systems that typically do not have moving water. Yes, the influence of wind has been explored but do we really understand what is going on under the water surface?
Can the lake fisherman learn something from the river fisherman on how to take advantage of temporary current?? What does it do to the baitfish? How does it affect temperature? What affect on lake stratification does it have? How do we tie all this together and master the art of current fishing?
Not exactly a straight forward question, but let's start some dialogue to see if we can make some sense of this common phenomena in the musky's environment. | |
| | |
| Anyone crazy enough to buy this software and make models of our favorite lakes under various wind directions and speed? Bet some interesting currents would be found on places like LOTW. But, the point I'm trying to make is that we should be thinking about this stuff (our minds should function like this software) to identify potential current opportunities when looking for those "hidden" hotspots. Places we may just drive right past because there is no obvious "structure" may actually have some of the best structure in the system..... current.
http://www.scisoftware.com/products/aquadyn_details/aquadyn_details...
Time for bed, I'm beginning to scare myself....
| |
| | |
| That software is some very interesting stuff. I bet we would find current areas where you would never expect them. Is there any way to find current except for seeing objects flowing through? Also what about underwater current. There doesn't have to be movement of water on the surface to be deeper water movement does their. What I'm saying is can the water be still on the surface while being current deeper down. | |
| | |
| Man I wasn't gonna go deep into this research thing but here I am again and I read everything...everyday. Here is my question or thoughts about current in lakes. I'm sure alot of us have either experienced an undertow if you have ever visited the ocean... How much undertow is caused on a smaller lake with 1 ft waves? Does this create current? Also what if the waves increase in size...does the current then increase or change. To add to that though how about how the floor of the lake is as the wave comes up...or if it crashes into a rock wall like on many shield lakes? Now I'm thinking of how the moon could also affect this. I'm not positive but doesn't the moon affect a lake just as it does the ocean except on a much smaller scale?
I really got to sleep....
I'm glad your here Mr. Long | |
| | |
| Steve,
I have been researching this subject for awhile. After listening to Dick Pearson's seminars in New London last weekend and talking to him about this off to the side.... my interest has been accelerated. Keep an eye on ERC to post some great links to some interesting stuff that may help answer your questions. The seiche effect is amazing and has a huge influence on water flow, mixing, etc. in a lake. Just for fun, here is a link to a calculator that can factor in wind speed, wave height, etc. to determine how dramatic of a "seiche effect" the lake will experience.
http://www.coastal.udel.edu/faculty/rad/seiche.html
Wind, barmoter fluctuations, localized precipitation, pull of the moon, temperature/density, and the coriolis effect all contribute to the seiche effect. This is definitely one of the "new frontiers" that Dick Pearson identifies. Those of us that are looking for a way to get an "edge" in regard to increased angling pressure should be studying this stuff. I know I am!!!!! | |
| | |
| There is no doubt that current moves fish. When I first came to Warroad
many-many moons ago I worked with commercial fishermen for two years. If
there is anyone who knows how fish react to current more than a guy who is
trying to feed his family by catching fish then I don't know who it would
be. I spent two solid years (almost every day from June to freeze up) on a
trawler moving around the lake mostly in purist of tullibees. This was in
the days before any sort of depth finders were out, and we were using just
what the fishermen had in their heads to find the fish. I also picked many a
gill net during those times and they are quite revealing.
The old time commercial fishermen on the big part of the LOTWs would always
say that the tullibees would move into the wind, and the walleyes would go
with the wind. At first I thought this was silly but after picking lots of
gill nets we would find that the tullibees would mostly be stuck in the net
from one side, and most of the walleyes would be stuck in the net from the
other side, meaning that the tullibees were going one way, and the walleyes
were going the other. After I thought about this some it started to make a
little more sense. First any plankton feeding fish would benefit from
heading into the wind (current), as this would bring food to them. Then a
predator fish would benefit by going the opposite way as this would also
bring the food to them. I would think that it would be easier for predator
fish to meet up with prey if the fish were coming to them, rather than
trying to follow and catch up with them.
It was common to trawl and be successful on a lift, and then loose the
school, John Pick (an old time gill netter, and a very good one) would
look at the lake, curse a little, an point the boat into the wind and take
off, we would travel a short while, and John would say, I'll bet the SOB's
are about here now, and quite often they were.
One of my Brother-in-laws was also a commercial fisherman (with his dad and
two other brothers), they had the grounds near Stony Point (the south end of
the NW Angle), and a very well known walleye hot spot for angling. They
would do well at times, but when the lake would calm they would have trouble
catching fish in their nets even though you could angle right next to them
and catch many walleyes. They always said that if the wind didn't blow the
fish didn't move enough so they could catch them in a net, as it took a
current to move the fish fast enough so they would gill. Even though the
fish were still there, and very catchable with a hook and line, so current
isn't the only thing that makes them bite, but it surely makes them move.
From a muskie fishing standpoint on the LOTWs, I generally find this. Some
current is a good thing, there are almost always areas that have some
current (natural south to north flow, due to water coming in and water going
out. Were ever a large body of water necks down and has to pass through a
small opening there will be a natural current. Areas around these are
usually a pretty good spot, and are quite predictable. However, if the
current becomes very heavy (lots of water coming in and going out), I find
that these heavy current areas aren't very good. Big Narrows is a classic
example, there are many current areas in this area, but if I go there and
the buoys are sitting at a 45 degree angle, and there are little eddies
swirling about I don't catch much. Last year with the high water there was
lots of current at times, and I didn't do as well in some of my current
areas. The other current areas are wind current areas, and these can be good
at times, but are much harder to predict, as the current starts and stops,
and changes direction.
I'm not totally sold that the winds piles up plankton on a windy shore, at
least on the islands of the LOTWs. First Zooplankton is phototropic and
mobile (able to swim), thus they move up and down in the water column, and
during the day they can be quite deep. Then if you watch where algae builds
up when the wind blows a little you will find that it swirls around to the
ends of the islands, and is usually concentrated in the eddies on the ends
of the inland, and many times on the back side of the island completely out
of the wind. All this stuff moves around a lot, and is hard to predict,
about the only thing you can really do on the wind current areas is to go
and look.
I think current definably causes fish to move, and a change in direction
will no doubt do something to the food chain, but I'm not really sure what
at times.
How scientific is this to quote from old dead gill netters. And also from
old, not quite dead muskie fishermen.
Doug Johnson
| |
| | |
| "Old" Muskie Professor Johnson speaks volumes again! Great stuff Doug. Your comment about the "small stuff" being behind islands and out of the wind at times may help explain how you and I do well in the "quiet water" on those windy days when the "Wind Maniac" Pearson and others are "out in it" using half of their strength just trying to stay in the durn boat!
As for current in lakes, I have found the bigger the lake the more current is present and ususally very noticable. On the Moon River, the river often, in the lower reaches, runs backwards due to the large volumes of water coming off Georgian Bay. After several days of heavy sw winds on the big lake, it can affect the river for days afterwards.
Muskie regards,
Larry Ramsell
www.larryramsell.com | |
| |
|
Lake Current