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Posts: 115
Location: Birch Run | When you see another boat drive over top of a weed bed, because they didn't know it was there, would you hesitate to fish it right away? I have been out quite a bit this year and I have reluctant to fish spots that are good because a panfisherman or pleasure boater just drove over a good spot. I might be overthinking here, but I know how fish react to a snowmobile on the ice and I can't think that fish like it when a boat drives on top of the weeds. On high pressure lakes I know the fish are used to it, and waiting to fish another angler might move in, what do you do? |
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| I have caught fish when boats have flown by me and I have casted in the wake of the waves. I have found that fish that are used to this kind of boat traffic actually sometimes get more aggressive when this happens. Call me crazy if you want, but I have caught nice fish on topwater only 20-30 seconds after a boat flew thru an area. I just think it depends on how much boat traffic is on a particular lake whether or not it scares fish. Like you said, high pressured lakes the fish are used to it. Also, think about some of those neckdown areas of busy lakes. Neckdown areas are some of my favorite places to fish on a lake, think about how many boats drive thru those areas on a given day, but they still produce.
Edited by Baby Mallard 5/30/2009 1:50 PM
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Although I haven't done so myself, several others have told me they catch fish right in the propwash while trolling. When I used to cast for muskies, I have on a number of occasions caught fish (or seen them follow) from right where a boat just passed over. So I don't think it affects them nearly as much as we think...depending upon the depth, of course. I think that if the water is deeper and the fish have a vertical "safety zone," then they don't seem to move as far horizontally--at least from what I've seen.
Also, Don Schwartz has recorded some fantastic footage of muskies following an outboard engine propeller, with their snouts about a foot (or less) of the back of the blades. You can see this for yourself on the In-Fisherman DVD that he provided some footage for. The point is that the fish don't seem to be nearly as sensitive to a boat as we think they are. Now I bet that things will be different if there's constant traffic (like pleasure-boats, jet-skies, waterskiers, etc.) over the area--in those conditions it seems that the fish actually might move off the spots or become inactive.
I wouldn't hesitate to fish the area you mentioned.
TB
Edited by tcbetka 5/30/2009 2:22 PM
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Posts: 537
Location: Gilberts IL/Rhinelander WI | Although not as drastic as the above mentioned, last weekend in Oneida co. ,on the opener, I caught a fat 47" On a spot that we had driven over not two minutes before. Not purposely ,but the wind had changed as we were cruising and when we got to the spot it turned us going directly over where we had just came from. We saw some nice weeds so decided not to fight the wind and just ride it. It worked out though. Just as planned lol.... |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Heck the trollers in Madison place lures in the prop wash and more of them rods go off there than the long lines. Boat might disorient bait and muskies seek an easy meal. |
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Posts: 531
Location: Hugo, MN | I had a buddy catch a 50.5 just a minute after a jet ski buzzed through the weedbed. Might be the only good thing I have ever had to say about jet skis. |
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Posts: 1887
Location: syracuse indiana | yes i would.. its easy meals for a musky.. well at least it looks like that to them until they feel steel....bill |
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Posts: 115
Location: Birch Run | Ok maybe I was overthinking, I seen the footage on the aqua view of the rigger with the muskies coming right underneath the boat. I also read in Infisherman on the noise levels of a outboard and electric motor, the outboard is actually quieter(if its at a constant speed) compared to a electric. I guess alot of depends how much the fish wants to eat. Speaking of a neckdown I lost a fish yesterday on a weagle about a hour before dark where boats had been driving through all day, then moments later a tool in a pontoon drove between the point and us, nice. |
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Posts: 264
| ya the disturbance of the propwash can sometimes trigger a strike if your bait is in their after the boat goes by. |
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| I take a boat going though or over a weed bed as a oppertunity. I always cast where a boat just drove though. I also know a guide that makes his first cast after stoping behind the boat. I feel that the fish are used to the trafic and feed on the displaced or disorintated bait fish.
And YES I have caught many fish doing so. |
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Posts: 169
Location: Houlton, WI | wait like 20 minutes and fish next to it so another boat wont come |
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Posts: 33
Location: NE Ohio | Prop wash trolling is a great method for lots of guys in Ohio! |
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Posts: 284
Location: Fishing the weeds | Had a 5 fish afternoon (including a fat 51 incher) fishing in a narrow channel with boats flying by on both sides last year. I would definately check it out. |
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Posts: 149
| Yes, I would fish it. I've caught fish within seconds to a minute or two after a boat goes over an area. I don't think that makes one bit of difference. If a fish wants to eat, it will. |
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Posts: 115
Location: Birch Run | I had plenty of chances to fish spots that boats just drove over lol. I see it doesn't matter on these high pressure bodies of water, but man its still annoying when a idiot in a pontoon drives between you and the weed edge, when there is plenty of room to go around. Then they wonder why I never waive, idiots. |
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| A guy I know of runs over lillypads to stir up da fishies. Might give it a trie on a slow day........lol  |
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