Studying Fish Habits.

[coots]

Before we started tournament fishing, we would just to spots we knew where fish were 'usually' at. So my question is how do or did you guys start learning the fish habits? I know about things like pre-spawn, spawn, post-spawn etc etc.

 

I'm talking about more detailed stuff and things like, well, it's after the spawn... early June... water temps are around 80 degrees. What will they be starting to do now... and where should I 'look' for fish.

 

I know there is a zillion scenarios like that. We fish on Lake Guntersville, actually just above it in the Goosepond area and even further up. Most of what we havce here is lots of grass, millfoil type stuff.... lots of creeks etc that have some deeper water in it. Dad dove the river for shells when he was younger so he knows a good bit about creeks and that type stuff in our area. 

 

Anyway, I was wondering if there was any good study materials to try and figure out some patterns and some habits that they take at certain times of the year.

[Nave]

I would recommend reading; 

"Knowing Bass: The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish""

[Ken Browning]

You better find it at your local library. $144.89 at Amazon

[Chuck D]

Here on this site in the "Fishing Articles" there are some great things to read about re: fish movement, migration, patterns, conditions, seasonal effects on fish, forage, etc.   

 

Consider becoming a part of a bass club and make some new friends too.  Much fishing knowledge is considered "tribal" in that it's passed down and is in relatively closely guarded communities which hurts new anglers but it's the way that it is.   

 

You fish one of the top lakes in the world for bass, there is a TON of information written about lake G online too.  Poke around online for fishing reports on your local lakes and start putting the puzzle together by what is being caught, weights, quantities, types of patterns emerging, etc.

 

You'll quickly see what's going on if you spend a little time reading and listening to what's happening in your area.

[Backwoodsbasser]

Amen to Chuck up this way we don't have have te info and maps you guys have of nationally known lakes that's are fished on by the pros I've seen that lake in y bassmaster 1000 times

[slonezp]

Go out and fish. Keep a journal. Go out and fish some more. As previously said, there is a ton of stuff written about G'ville. Study archived and recent fishing reports from the fishing guides. Try and go out fishing with another BR member who knows the lake, there are a few guys here who may be willing to teach you some stuff for the price of some gas money and a sandwich. If I lived on or near such a fishery, and had the time and means, I'd pick apart that lake on a daily basis, learning new areas to fish while practicing what I've already learned and trying new tactics. There is an old saying "90% of the fish live in 10% of the water" The 10% changes seasonally and thru weather fronts but the ratio remains the same. Nothing beats time on the water.   

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Start your own library and get some bass books about bass behavior. Start here tho read the articles there tons of great info

[BigMoneyGrip]

You better find it at your local library. $144.89 at Amazon

Wow!!! Glad I got mine for the regular price last year! Barnes & Nobel shows a used one at $218, Amazon has a new one at $900. Recon whats up with that?

 

Coots, another good book is "In Pursuit of Giant Bass". This one has lots of good info as well.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Wow!!! Glad I got mine for the regular price last year! Barnes & Nobel shows a used one at $218, Amazon has a new one at $900. Recon whats up with that?

 

Coots, another good book is "In Pursuit of Giant Bass". This one has lots of good info as well.

$900!!!! Wow.. bill Murphys book is great.. also bill siementals.. the big bass zone good read

[WRB]

Before we started tournament fishing, we would just to spots we knew where fish were 'usually' at. So my question is how do or did you guys start learning the fish habits? I know about things like pre-spawn, spawn, post-spawn etc etc.

I'm talking about more detailed stuff and things like, well, it's after the spawn... early June... water temps are around 80 degrees. What will they be starting to do now... and where should I 'look' for fish.

I know there is a zillion scenarios like that. We fish on Lake Guntersville, actually just above it in the Goosepond area and even further up. Most of what we havce here is lots of grass, millfoil type stuff.... lots of creeks etc that have some deeper water in it. Dad dove the river for shells when he was younger so he knows a good bit about creeks and that type stuff in our area.

Anyway, I was wondering if there was any good study materials to try and figure out some patterns and some habits that they take at certain times of the year.

The reason the bass calendar is made up in seasonal periods in lieu of months is because they are stages in the life cycle. It's these stages that makeup the basses habits, what drives the fish to do what they do or locate where they can thrive, not just servive.

Pre spawn is a transitional period to the spawn, it follows the cold water winter period and what identifies this period, besides staging near spawning areas, is the movement upward or vertical from deeper cold water towards warmer shallower water.

The spawn is obvious, you can see bass spawning.

Post spawn is another transitional period that is different from the pre spawn. It is obviously a resting period and what is not so obvious is the bass are moving agian, this time more horizontal, not vertical into deep water. Instead the movement is towards their summer period areas.

Summer follows post spawn, the bass have scattered into several lake zones depending on where the prey is located and where the bass can set up a home zone.. Movement during the summer period tends to be mostly horizontal, bass in deep structured may move more vertical depending on the thermocline depth or if the water is subjected to current. The surface water is too hot in most lakes during the summer, so the bass tend to locate where the water is cooler and prey close by.

Fall is another transitional period, the summer locations are experiencing a water temperature drop, the prey is moving so the bass follow and start to move horizontal as summer transitions to fall, then deeper as fall transitions to winter the cold water period.

During the spawn prey isn't the driving force, however prey is the primary reason bass locate where they do during every other seasonal period.

To fully understand bass habits where you fish, you must learn about the preys habits....bass are never far form their food source.

Bass seek a comfort zone near prey. The water temperature LMB prefer is 65-75 degrees, this is why they will go into deeper water looking for cooler water during the summer and warmer water during the winter.

Good luck.

Tom

[WRB]

Preferred prey types during each seasonal period.

Deep structured lakes with both dermasil and pelagic baitfish;

Winter-pre spawn- fall

Shad and herring family of pelagic baitfish, crayfish, trout, suckers, sculpin, crappie, green sunfish, bluegill, young carp and catfish, variety of minnows, leeches and worms.

Summer

Add terrestrial insects, larve, frogs, salamanders, lizards, small snakes, small birds, mice, small turtles.

Bass prefer what is abundant and provides high protein for the effort of spent finding and eating the prey.

Instead of launching the boat and pounding the shoreline with your favorite lure and location, take some time out and determine what the bass are actually feeding on and where they are located during the time period you are fishing.

As you can see the summer period offers the bass a wide variety of options for prey types, both dermesal (shoreline prey) and pelagic (off shore prey). Shad are pelagic baitfish that hide near shore during low light periods (night), then move off shore with the sunlight. Most pelagic baitfish spawn near shore, so the shoreline becomes a feeding zone during low light and during prey spawning cycles.

Prey that school are preferred by bass because of the high quantity offers easy food source. Prey that doesn't school become targets of opportunity.

Bass have good vision in low light, so those periods offer the bass an opportunity to feed on prey that can't see the bass easily.

Good luck.

Tom

[coots]

Wow Tom.

 

Thank you for some excellent post there....