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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Since I fish near a dam with constant current in the WI River I am wondering on ideas about where fish are located in the current. More specificly the location of the size of fish in the current. In my observations the past few days, mainly smaller fish have been up towards the head of the current more, and the larger fish that were being caught were all being taken from the tail end of the current. Is there any rhyme or reason to this observation or is it just random that the fish that I have been getting towards the head of the flow have all been smaller? I have thought about perhaps moving down river a few yards in hopes for a bigger fish. Any ideas out there?
Mike |
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Posts: 2361
| Pointerpride102 - 10/3/2006 10:39 AM
Since I fish near a dam with constant current in the WI River I am wondering on ideas about where fish are located in the current. More specificly the location of the size of fish in the current. In my observations the past few days, mainly smaller fish have been up towards the head of the current more, and the larger fish that were being caught were all being taken from the tail end of the current. Is there any rhyme or reason to this observation or is it just random that the fish that I have been getting towards the head of the flow have all been smaller? I have thought about perhaps moving down river a few yards in hopes for a bigger fish. Any ideas out there?
Mike
Muskies rarely if ever actually locate IN a current. They will be behind a rock, in front of a rock, lying in a depression, lying on the back side of a sand bar or the front side of the same. They will not be in a current. They may be under a current, or beside a current, but it doesn't suite their needs to be IN a current. Make sure you factor that. As to where they locate in a pool, it probably depends on 3 things, cover, how well the current is broken for them, and foraging areas and travel patterns for the fish the musky will eat. I doubt that any place, front or back, is a dependable spot for the largest and smallest fish, unless it meets all needs. Flow rates tend to change fish position really quickly by changing the way the the lie sets up.
All things being equal, musky in a stream will also relate to the stream bottom as structure, imo, and the more active they are the higher(shallower) they will be located. ie, I wouldn't be searching for the biggest fish catchable at the bottom of the deepest slowest hole in the river except maybe when it is icy cold, I would be looking at medium to shallow lies. Shallow water restricts the escape routes of forage, narrows restrict the escape routes of forage, heavy currents with seams of slower current or eddies, tends to direct the path of forage and the heavy currents, again, can somewhat restrict their path, objects such as rocks and trees direct the path and actions of forage. Musky want to be anywhere they feel secure and where they can control access, and they will be very strategic in their choice of locations considering they are comfortable and have some kind of security cover to hug. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | Mike, awesome points above, listen to them. The fish in the WI will be right in the white stuff there at timesa, and I mean right in the froth chasing suckers. Suckers love it right in the current this time of year, fighting it and the muskies not far behind. Not alot of huge ones in that stretch though and lots of fishing pressure will have them moved off till we get more flow. Once it cools and we get a good rain, the same areas you are moving the smaller ones, will hold whatever is up and chasing around. Cast out in that white stuff though. With the faster current always being near surface due to bottom friction slowing it down, make sure your line isn't dragging on top, affecting the action of your lure. They like it going at the same rate as the current most often.
That said, take what I say with a grain of salt. Just spent 7 hours plying some of my favorite spots with nary a follow.
Edited by Reef Hawg 10/9/2006 5:07 PM
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Cool stuff! Thanks for all the info Firstsixfeet! I would have thought they would sit right in the stuff but all of what you said makes a lot of sense! Thanks for the tips and I'll see what my new plan will be next time out....that is if they ever stop giving me tests at this dang school!
Mike |
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Posts: 317
| I used to think that too, but all of the Muskies I have seen in current were right in the fastest water! Below Shelbyville dam they stage right in the current shutes, and at the headwaters of the WI river at Lac Viex desert, I have seen large muskies holding in the swift current right under the dam, while the slack pools off to the side were empty. |
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Posts: 1168
| Mike-
Once the season opens up next spring take some time and hit some smaller trout streams in the area. There's an absolute goldmine of knowledge in those streams in learning how fish of all kinds will act in current. Stuff you can apply to lakes as well. Current is a neat thing. Didn't get a chance to really look at it this past weekend but trust me, it's not something to overlook at all. If we would have really struggled I think there was enough of a current going on to apply some of that trout stream/river knowledge to a lake and on some days it truly does become the holy grail.
-Bob |
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Posts: 2091
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I agree with all that has been said. I definatley approach the river like I'm fishing for trout, though I have been suprised many times by the fish in the really fast water where I don't see any cover or current break. In the really narrow sections of the river I fish the shallow stuff first and then simply turn around on the way back and fish the middle. It can be a tough nut to crack in the summer sometimes, but spring and fall really shine around here usually. |
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| Yep, I too have caught musky in the current. On the Chip, Eau Claire and Wisconsin - right in the violent whitewater at times.
But, I have caught my biggest fish, in the summer and in the flowage basins trolling the main river channel edges. Fewer fish than up stream, but definetely bigger. Spring and fall - follow the baitfish. |
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Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | FYI-> http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=15...
Even if the system isn't in total chaos, I've contacted muskies in the main current area's, especially the main discharge area's of the dam and the shallow end of the main wash hole. Keep in mind these area's are primary forage buffett's for the predator's, i.e., walleye's, catfish and muskies. The dam turbine inlet's do have screens but a lot of bait passes through the turbines and also the bypass gates. These injured or disoriented bait are the primary forage. Then there are also the schools of juvenile white bass & adult white bass that move up in these area's too. Some of my best fishing has been in the main current boils.
Have fun!
Al |
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Posts: 2361
| Yes they get in whitewater often, but the fact that it is whitewater tells any angler that the area is full of current breaks(that is after all what causes all the froth). When fish locate in those areas between dawn and dusk, they are not in random positions and they aren't up swimming against that current beating on your knees. Look for the best breaks, best security objects in the best "controlling" position, and you will find the most likely fish holds. It is much more random at dusk and after dark.
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | One thing to also note are seams. Fishing seams can be very important for trout and other species(moreso for steelhead and browns than other tout, but they all use it). The seam is where the faster current meets the slower current. This is not where surrent meets no current, but just reduced stuff. They are easy to see this time of year because there will be more leaves right along the seam and usually a line of bubbles too. Working a lure with the current just out of the seem in the faster stuff, or just out in the slower stuff can be good. Working further down the seam, the current will break off to the outside bend with the seam flow coming back around to form the eddy. The specific spot that the water begins its travel back upstream is also a good hold. Easiest to fish trout, smallies, walleyes, and muskies tight to the bank to hit these types of spots right. These seams are typically a good distance down from the dams where the river begins to 'find itself' and is gathered. One tip my uncle taught me when quite young is bringing a lure against the current to gain depth, then slowing down with it to present when it gets real cold.
Edited by Reef Hawg 10/10/2006 9:02 AM
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Posts: 724
Location: Southern W.Va. | In rivers and streams, which is what I fish the most, I've found that you should treat 'em like trout.
Look for muskies to be tucked behind a rock, stump , log , or some other type of current break. Even in open water , it seems that muskies like to rub up next to something, just like a trout would.
Bucktails and gliders are my hands down , best lures in moving water.
Just my $.02 worth
mauser |
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