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| Doug,
I have been reading Pete Maina’s new book “Muskies Maina Style” (Which is an awesome book by the way) and he makes frequent reference to you and your style of fishing. Now I have been around the internet boards since the beginning and I have read as much of what you have written as I could get my hands on, so I feel I have a good handle on your “find out where the fish live, put something that looks like food there and when they’re hungry – they bite” theory.
However, I have a question that came up when reading Pete’s stuff. When do YOU go back on a big fish? What triggers you into thinking that it’s the right time to go back on that hawg, raised earlier in the day? Is there a right time, or is it if you are passing through the area you stop and fish that spot again?
Also I remember a story of you and I believe Jack Burns casting to a spot until a big fish that was spotted earlier hit. It was well over 25 cast if I remember right. Do you do that often or was that just a one time deal?
I really like your self-satisfying theory also. If I read it correctly, you where saying, if you only fish your best spots during prime times, of course prime times will produce more fish.
Thanks Doug and thanks for all the info over the years.
Nail A Pig!
Mike
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| Mike:
Well believe it or not I really don't spend much time trying to catch a fish I've seen, even 50"ers. If we get a nice fish up, and the fish looks like it's wanting to bite, but for some unknown reason it didn't quite get the lure in it's mouth, I'll usually fish another spot close by and give the fish 25-30 minutes to get over the problem it just had. I'll then go back and usually have someone throwing the same lure we had the fish up with before, and then whatever everyone else thinks is going to be the one she wants. For the most part this works about as well as anything, but our overall success ratio for going back for a fish are not very high. If the fish is a real big one, (52"+) I'll spend more time trying to catch this fish, including a trip back at prime time (the last hour before dark), but again it's rare that I catch the fish, and most times I won't even see the fish again. It's far from automatic!
One of the biggest problems I see with people who fish a lake like LOTWs or any other lake that has a large number of large fish is to spend way too much time trying to catch the first large fish they see. I find that I'm much better off looking for another large fish that I haven't moved before. Given that there are many-many places on the LOTWs that I've caught or seen large fish I just move on, and try for another fish, as they are usually much easier to catch. I realize that this may be something that most folks will have a hard time with, but believe me this seems to work the best.
I've found that this is much more productive than trying to catch a fish I've all ready seen. I don't want to locate fish, I want to catch them.
Also Anonymous is right that the story about Jack making 25 casts in a spot before the fish struck is a Pearson story, (Jack has a slightly different version) but I've also seen this a good number of times. If the water is dark, and you are fishing heavy cover (read a big thick weed bed), but even rocks at times you will see this quite often. Here's what I think is going on. I'm pretty sure that the fish isn't sitting there waiting for the right lure or the right color, or the right presentation, before it desides to strike (this doesn't make any sense from a biological standpoint), but is moving from somewhere else in response to the noise or vibrations that the lure is putting out, and finely see the lure. It's also possible that the fish is out hunting (fishing) and has just moved into the area, and now finely sees a lure (not a special lure, but a lure, that looks like food) and says that's lunch and strikes.
No doubt there's also some sort of triggering effect involved, but not to the extent of 25 casts in the same spot. I find that a walk the dog motion is very effective, and I like most of my jeck bait to do something like that (my best suicks will walk the dog). I also find that speed will at times be very effective, and usually run bucktails very fast. There are many other persentations that work in different situations. You need to be able to combine location (most important) with presentation (which gets down to confidense and skill with a rod and reel and the lure of your choice), all of which you learn by fishing.
There are no complete and always correct answers.
Doug Johnson | |
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| Thanks for reply Doug. Sorry I screwed up the Burns story. I agree with your assessment of that story. Most likely the fish moved in to the spot during the barrage. I doubt it was getting bopped on the head with each cast.
It must be an amazing experience to live and fish the water you do all season long. It makes sense fishing LOTW that you can treat big fish the way you do. And my limited experience there follows with what you said in your post.
My experience here in Wisconsin, when a big fish is sited, is very similar. We keep going back on it, at every moon set, weather change, or other opportune time, but 90% of the time it doesn’t work like some say is should. If you don’t get it on the first shot the odds go down considerably. But we can afford to go back on fish here as it usually is a short trip. Getting that 10% is worth while.
Thanks Doug.
Nail A Pig
Mike
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