Patterns

[Catt]

I'm of a mind that "patterns" exist only between the ears, and much like "techniques" go a long way to limiting thinking and hindering success.

Talk about limited thinking & hindering success!

Pattern exist even if you're to narrow minded to see em!

[Catt]

That right there is the pattern within the pattern. There are many variables; location, depth, speed, angle, size, color, noise/vibration, cadence, etc. Even line size and type can sometimes matter. Generally by the time I figure these things out the pattern has changed...

Every thing is a pattern within a pattern, within a pattern, within a patten, within a pattern...y'all get that!

[Canyon explorer]

I have seen patterns that persisted most all summer and some that did not last through the day. There is no way I know to tell how long a pattern will last, although changing weather and water conditions will usually alter a pattern.

+1 for a very good answer.

[Canyon explorer]

When I catch 3 largemouth bass from the same lake....I figure that's a pattern 

It is;        Of a sort. :-)

[Paul Roberts]

I'm of a mind that "patterns" exist only between the ears, and much like "techniques" go a long way to limiting thinking and hindering success.

Agree with the first part of that statement. A pattern is indeed a mental construct alright; what Patrick McManus called "noticin' stuff", meaning, it's connected in some way to what's going on below. How accurately varies with the noticer, and the complexity of the components. Much of it is educated guesswork. Regardless, if you are catching fish hand over fist with certain presentation, conditions, and locational elements being important factors, you are onto a pattern in the chaos. Ride it as long as it holds. Seems the simpler ones hold the longest, which may not say much about the noticing part but sure are fun.

[scaleface]

I've been fishing the same patterns for decades . Those are seasonal patterns. Some patterns I only get on one time and can never repeat it. 

[MFBAB]

I think a lot of he confusion about patterns is just from the fact that the word means different things to different people.

To me, a pattern is based on breaking down every variable you can think of, weather, water color, season, time of day, type of lake, wind, and more.......and then, you start thinking about what bait matches the given conditions.

It sounds complex but it becomes automatic once you get used to thinking that way.

For most people, pattern means:

They were hitting a squarebill pretty good today, but nothing else produced. In other words, most people will go out and start working through the tackle box with different baits until they either find one that's working or run out of time, and then they call that a pattern.

They will say they junk fished

The difference bw the two methods is that the first one is far more repeatable because you broke down the conditions and made a logical decision based on that, and worked from there. In other words, you have a reason for why the fish were where they were.

In the second one, you put the cart before the horse and if you got lucky, you might have backed your way into a decent bite, but you probably don't know why that bite was happening so you're not likely to repeat except maybe by chance on another day.

IMO, fishing logs make the process of learning repeatable patterns far easier too.

[RoLo]

                                                       

                                                Does anyone see a pattern here?   

[Deleted account]

Every thing is a pattern within a pattern, within a pattern, within a patten, within a pattern...y'all get that!

 

You're making my point. If everything is a pattern, then nothing is a pattern. Its a continium.

You know humans are hard-wired to see patterns where none exist, right?

[RoLo]

You're making my point. If everything is a pattern, then nothing is a pattern. Its a continium.

You know humans are hard-wired to see patterns where none exist, right?

 

You might be overthinking the pattern thingy (which good ole Roland introduced about 50 years ago).

With the bass's help, the angler soon learns to distinguish a valid pattern from an illusory pattern.

 

Roger

[einscodek]

really depends on what you say a pattern is

cause at any time in a lake lotsa of fish arent all doing the same thing

little fish are doing something and not all schools doing the same something

big fish doing a bunch of things or just nothing

perferences for certain presentations and colors can come and go

the surest times for us are during the spawn periods

[Catt]

Some patterns are generalized information while some are detailed.

Seasonal patterns are examples of generalized information and really don't tell you much.

Using the example of laydowns, let's say I catch 3 or 4 bass that were located on the larger branches near the main trunk of the tree and none on the smaller outer branches. When I approach the next laydown my first cast/flip/pitch will be to the larger branches. Let's take it even farther and say those first bass came off of hardwood laydowns, I'm not going to waste cast to pine laydowns.

But Catt not all bass are doing the same thing at the same time!

I aint said the bass were doing anything!

The bass showed me what prime cover in an area they are holding in. I aint saying all the bass in a lake are holding in laydowns but the ones that are at this given time are located near the larger limbs of hardwood laydowns.

[Paul Roberts]

...

I aint said the bass were doing anything!

...

Exactly.

 

I'd love to know just what the bass are doing and thinking, where ever I set anchor. But we're rarely privy to such perspective; thus, our mental representations of that world below -and the world around and above too. Glad we came from this planet 'cause it sure would be a rough go if we'd been flown in from some other galaxy. And it's mighty helpful that we have the neural plasticity to learn like no other critter.

 

If you're catching fish it's a good idea to start consciously noticin', and it certainly does help to have knowledge and experience at your end of the line. The fish are busy at their end too. I guess it's all about noticin'.

[Catt]

What! Where's the pattern gurus now?

[scaleface]

When  I have fished for hours and have eliminated a lot of water and lures and am catching fish in 6 foot of water at the back of creeks , I have figured out a pattern .

[Catt]

When I have fished for hours and have eliminated a lot of water and lures and am catching fish in 6 foot of water at the back of creeks , I have figured out a pattern .

That's a general pattern, not much info in that!

What cover, structure, ect are you catching em on or in?

[scaleface]

That's a general pattern, not much info in that!

What cover, structure, ect are you catching em on or in?

The south side of oak  trees with red head woodpecker nest in them .

[Canyon explorer]

I find basic patterns don’t change very much and are often predictable. Examples of some of these basic patterns would be:
1.Pre spawn migration from large rock to chunk rock to transition rock to pea gravel in the spring\
2. Post spawn migration to secondary points near deeper water
3. Summer  bass move into deeper structure such as hardwood brushpiles  isolated humps and main lake ledges near shad.
4.  In the fall bass follow shad into backs of secondary creeks chasing jerk baits and spinnerbaits off docks.

What changes often is the subtle changes bass make on a continuing regular basis, such as reaction to weather, reaction to water rising or falling. Whether they are aggressive or sedentary. The color they want, they size lure want or wont touch. Willow or Colorado blades; the windy or shady side of docks, eddies and current positioning. These changes go on constantly. They are the keys to success. These are the subtle keys to success the pros thrive on.
These small keys are our holy grail.

[A-Jay]

 I'm usually fishing smaller bodies water often from a small craft without a ton of mobility.  So there's no Running & Gunning all over the place "putting a pattern together".  

 

 The days I manage a solid bag are not contributed so much to a "Pattern" in my mind.  I look at it like I found active bass and presented a bait they felt like eating.  Whatever the situation, I must "Fish" the water I choose as effectively as I can. 

 

"Patterning" bass has always been a challenge for me.  Some trips I'm on fish & think I'm onto something and others I can't seem to get anything going while getting blanked.  

 

I believe there is value in understanding seasonal bass movements, how & why the local bait locates itself where & when, as well as how the local bass population reacts to current weather conditions and any fishing / boating pressure.  So I guess that's kind of like patterning.

 

To me Patters are like opinions ~ We all have them and think our's is the best.

Sometimes there are and sometimes not so much.

 

 

A-Jay

[Paul Roberts]

AJ brings up an interesting point. I'm a smaller water fisher too, and repeatable "patterns" are not what I'm after (beyond general seasonal "patterns" as Canyon explorer listed). In my waters the fish are more or less right in front of me. I'm not "looking for fish" or "patterns" I can duplicate by running to an identical spot elsewhere. Instead I'm getting a bead on activity levels and hoping for an active feeding/aggression scenario -essentially identifying and following the food chain.

 

I'm doing what the bass are doing -hunting. They are looking for a concentration of prey -best if the prey too are feeding and therefore distracted. Weather and water conditions and certain events and circumstances may point the way. Other times things are "darn quiet" and I have to just probe away with appropriate presentations hoping to stumble on something. My journals consist of stories of what I think was going on. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes I can even see the predator-prey interactions. Other times, it's a one fish here and one fish there sort of thing. On the tougher days I don't believe is always bc I "didn't find a pattern" as much as the tempo of the day. Circumstances have to come together to make a great feeding situation for the bluegills, the bass, and following, for me. It's always enlightening to look at tournament results in which almost always someone finds a scenario ripe for a big catch. This is more likely on waters offering more real estate to ploy. On my small waters, I'll jump from water to water (on the hoof or in the car) bc the more real estate (habitat options) I have available to me, the more opportunities for catches there are -provided I have the versatility in tackle and presentations to recognize and cover them.

[A-Jay]

AJ brings up an interesting point. I'm a smaller water fisher too, and repeatable "patterns" are not what I'm after (beyond general seasonal "patterns" as Canyon explorer listed). In my waters the fish are more or less right in front of me. I'm not "looking for fish" or "patterns" I can duplicate by running to an identical spot elsewhere. Instead I'm getting a bead on activity levels and hoping for an active feeding/aggression scenario -essentially identifying and following the food chain.

 

I'm doing what the bass are doing -hunting. They are looking for a concentration of prey -best if the prey too are feeding and therefore distracted. Weather and water conditions and certain events and circumstances may point the way. Other times things are "darn quiet" and I have to just probe away with appropriate presentations hoping to stumble on something. My journals consist of stories of what I think was going on. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes I can even see the predator-prey interactions. Other times, it's a one fish here and one fish there sort of thing. On the tougher days I don't believe is always bc I "didn't find a pattern" as much as the tempo of the day. Circumstances have to come together to make a great feeding situation for the bluegills, the bass, and following, for me. It's always enlightening to look at tournament results in which almost always someone finds a scenario ripe for a big catch. This is more likely on waters offering more real estate to ploy. On my small waters, I'll jump from water to water (on the hoof or in the car) bc the more real estate (habitat options) I have available to me, the more opportunities for catches there are -provided I have the versatility in tackle and presentations to recognize and cover them.

 

Perfectly said Paul.

 

That is a very succinct description of what the majority of my "Bass Fishing" is all about as well.

 

A-Jay

[Catt]

Just about the time we think we have the bass figured out the bass prove to us we don't!

So Paul & A-Jay do y'all just wonder around aimlessly making random cast in hopes of connecting with a bass?

[A-Jay]

Just about the time we think we have the bass figured out the bass prove to us we don't!

So Paul & A-Jay do y'all just wonder around aimlessly making random cast in hopes of connecting with a bass?

 

Sometimes it feels like I am Catt ~ 

 

But no, there's always a plan in advance.  And I guess you could call the plan a Pattern - it's what I'd expect to find once on the water.  But as you've noted, the plan or pattern Is Always subject to change.

In fact we all know that it can & does change week to week, day to day and even hour to hour.  

 

Depending on the lake and the time of year, I could start out a morning on a shallow crank or topwater bite and by 11 am I'm getting bass on a drop shot in 25 feet.  But Even that's a pattern right ?

 

A-Jay

[WRB]

The lakes I fish are small between 1,000 to 3,000 acres or in length of miles between 1 1/2 to 4, by classification they are highland reservoirs, the primary function being water storage and flood control.

These lakes are all deep structured with sparse cover and vary greatly in depth and pool size during each year.

Each lake is subjected to weekly bass tournaments, there are lots bass boats fishing everyday, year around, so they are highly pressured by knowledgable anglers.

Just wanted to clarify where I fish maybe different than fishing larger impoundments with vast amount of different terrain and cover.

Daily bass patterns regarding prey type, location change from seasonal time periods, weather, boat traffic, time of day or night. Having fished these lakes for decades it's easy to think you can pre determine what the bass will be doing at any given time, big mistake. My routine when launching my boat is checking the marina for indications that might prevail during my outing to locate the bass and determine what they are doing. First you need to catch a few bass to develop a daily pattern, not always easy. For me my sonar unit is a valuable tool helping to see what is going on under the water, how deep the baitfish are and if any bass have passed under the boat, don't have side scanning sonar.

If I catch a bass, that 1 bass tells me what it wanted and where, catch another it helps to fill in the puzzle, that puzzle is a pattern that I keep repeating if successful, if not it's not a pattern that is working for me.

For example Thursday the bass were feeding on shad located in isolated weed patches on flats near rocks in 5' to 8' of water until about 10A, hitting small crankbaits and chatter baits, then quit. I didn't meter the bass on the flats, a splash alerted me to go check it out. The bass moved out to the deep ledge breaks in 20' with large boulders, hitting drop shot soft plastic worms.

Monday, no bass active on the flats in the weed patches, no bass metered or caught on or near the ledge breaks.

The bass had moved to the points and waited for Shad schools to come by, when a school was near, the bite was on from 20' to 30' drop shot Shad type soft plastics and structure spoons until I went home at noon.

These are daily patterns that I was able to put together, other anglers may have found something different.

This is typical, constant changes depending on bait and bass location.

The OP was stating his pattern was lasting weeks or months, that is why I asked the question, what is your pattern? Bass are not stationary fish, they move to stay close to the food source, except during the spawn when food isn't a priority.

Tom

[Catt]

Sorry y'all but I'm still coaching PE & school starts monday, be back ASAP!