How many elements do you consider?

[CJ]

This is a subject I feel can be critical as a bass angler. Some of my best days on the water were dictated because I already had a pretty good idea where and what was going to get big fish in the boat. But when I have traveled to other waters away from my home lake, I've found that there are always different elements that will cause big bass to be where they are and strike what they strike on any given day.

So the question is: In the area you fish the most, what are all the things you research before you go? We will exclude season because it's the obvious that everybody deals with and list them in order of what you feel is most important. I'm not asking if you would go fishing or not. Let's say, "you are going", what homework do you do and/or what elements, condition, etc. do you look for?

Here's what I look at:

1. lake elevation - my lakes will fluctuate around 5-6 ft with the season, sometimes more but I always check through out the year every time I go. Just a few inches of up or down can cause fish to move. I also always check the trend (water going up or down). This gives me an idea which way the fish may be going especially in the Spring.

2. current - another thing I have to know. Current effects the fish's location and their feeding mood. +current=feeding fish usually shallower

3. water temp - pretty obvious one that kind of goes along with season but I look at the trend just as much. I would rather fish 45 degree water that is going up over 50 that is going down as an example.

4. water color- now I'm starting to look at factors that help dictate "what" I'm gonna throw but it still can dictate location especially in cold water. Won't get into that. Way too much info and it's been covered.

5. wind - on my lake it may dictate where I get to fish but again it has more to do with lure choice for me. Except for the rare time I fish near the bank in the prespawn then I prefer wind blown banks or water with some chop.

6. the sky - cloudy or clear, I know we all deal with it. Probably should be up on my list.

I could probably come up with more but these are my most common. All of these taken into account usually can be put into a formula that can make a fishing day a better fishing day that can be done before you make your first cast. I left out weather trend because we all deal with it. I'm really wanting hear from anglers from all over to see if there are some more things, some that may be unique, that help you plan your trip and help you have a good all around understanding for your outcomes.

 

[Catt]

How many elements do you consider?

One!

If mama gives me a kitchen pass!

Some of my best trips  & double digit bass come on spur of the moment days!

[Dwight Hottle]

Good list for your waters Chris. 

My list for lake Erie.

1. Wind direction & speed. If the wind is blowing from the east, north or west at more than 10-15 mph I'm probably not going. An offshore wind will allow me to go until it gets over 20-25 mph. 

2. Water turbidity. If the water is dirty from recent storms & high winds I'm probably not going. I feel I need at least a foot or two of visibility to have a chance for a good day on the water. 

3. Water temp. I prefer fishing prespawn for the big girls so I'm looking for water temps from 40-60 degrees in the spring & 65 degrees or lower in the fall which will bring the smallies more shallow than mid summer haunts in deep water. 

4. General weather forecast. If thunder storms are in the forecast I'll either go or not depending on how much time might be available to fish before the storm.

These are the only elements I consider because the rest can be dealt with as part of normal fishing conditions.   

[buzzed bait]

like catt, rule #1 is a permission slip from the boss.  Then, in order:

wind

water clarity

water temp

[ww2farmer]

For me...............if the water is wet (IE not frozen) and I don't have to work, or have other family commitments I go. 

Things that keep me off the water:

#1 Extreme wind chill.............I'll fish in the wind, but if it's already frigid, I am not going to torture myself.

#2 Insane holiday boat traffic.......I try to avoid fishing in the middle of the day on the "big 3" summer holidays of Fathers day, the 4th of July, and labor day. I'll go early or go late on those days. Most of the rest of the summer, even on weekends it's not that bad in general...there is always that idiot or two, but I have learned to deal with it.

#3 Lightning.........not worth it.

I never get an idea in  my head based on current conditions that the fishing is going to be bad, or great on any particular day. Some of my best days have been when they shouldn't have been biting by the "book", and I have had off days when the "book" says they should be biting. I go when I can, adapt to the moment, and usually do alright.

[tholmes]

21 minutes ago, ww2farmer said:

For me...............if the water is wet (IE not frozen) and I don't have to work, or have other family commitments I go. 

Things that keep me off the water:

#1 Extreme wind chill.............I'll fish in the wind, but if it's already frigid, I am not going to torture myself.

#2 Insane holiday boat traffic.......I try to avoid fishing in the middle of the day on the "big 3" summer holidays of Fathers day, the 4th of July, and labor day. I'll go early or go late on those days. Most of the rest of the summer, even on weekends it's not that bad in general...there is always that idiot or two, but I have learned to deal with it.

#3 Lightning.........not worth it.

I never get an idea in  my head based on current conditions that the fishing is going to be bad, or great on any particular day. Some of my best days have been when they shouldn't have been biting by the "book", and I have had off days when the "book" says they should be biting. I go when I can, adapt to the moment, and usually do alright.

That pretty much sums it up for me also.

 

Tom

["hamma"]

i consider everything,,.. everytime i go fish,.. no matter what body of water i decide to fish at. but,.. i dont pick a lure or area until i get on the water and see what the water temp, color and claruty are, and whether fish are suspending or relating to the bottom etc. Wind direction, air temp, clouds, and season are all considered at home

 this serves me well and has actually forced me to fish areas i would never had if i "pre-determined" a gameplan

Of course there are some lakes that i know well and i will tie on the lures that i know work there and fish the way i figured on and not have to change a lure all day, or have to find the fish  to be successful. As we all know this doesnt happen everytime we go fish. So i adapt to the situation when i finally sit down, fire up the motor, and turn on the lcr, when leaving the ramp in the am. I check the waters color, clarity,temp, and determine wind direction, etc. sometimes on huge bodies of water i may actually turn around, trailer the boat and go to a different ramp.

I take a different course when im fishing a tournament, Everything is decided during pre-fishing,  I stick to my gameplan unless im getting skunked, and  I dont let the pre-takeoff dock talk flush my attack plan. Like, you hear some guys talking about how they did well against the shore with plastics, Or, "the leader is getting all his fish off topwaters above deep structure", Have confidence in your hard work and talents. Its so easy in this sport to get thrown off your plans by stuff you hear,  ,..hearsay is just that . Although, change is important in this sport,.. let it be "your" change and decision  forced by conditions, rather than changed due to suspect of greener pastures

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, CJ said:

So the question is: In the area you fish the most, what are all the things you research before you go? We will exclude season because it's the obvious that everybody deals with and list them in order of what you feel is most important.

How many elements do you consider?

Just one - I try and figure out where the best structure situations are in any given lake before I get there. Beyond that, it then becomes a process of elimination by having to fish all of them to truly figure out which ones are the most productive. On any given day, there are likely hundreds of variables affecting the fish, and they will be constantly changing from day to day, or even hour to hour. As such, I don't worry too much about any one variable being overly dominating, except perhaps in the random "blow out" of a lake due to some crazy weather extreme. I simply try and adjust to whatever the lake or weather gives me once I'm there. 

-T9

[A-Jay]

First,  know that Rain, Lightning, Crazy Recreational Boating & Jet ski action are all deal breakers; individually and definitely in any combination.  So that's always a no go for me. 

Other than that, my Elements Checklist is pretty simple; Wind less than 15 kts , I'm fishing  Wind over 15 kts ~ I'm knocking as much off the Honey Do list as possible.

A-Jay

 

 

[Catt]

Once I get the kitchen pass from mama I'm good to go!

I deal with the conditions when I get there, other than lighting it's on!

I've won to many tournaments & caught to many Hawgs in less than ideal conditions.

What we consider ideal conditions aint ideal for the bass!

[lo n slo]

thunder and lightning are deal breakers for me, although we have been caught by surprise, especially the storms that arrive in the AM, and before the days of the iphone. i did get caught in a storm that developed right on top of  us, this past summer. never saw it on the radar til it was too late and had already bombed us. 

i've always maintained that a good fisherman should also be a good weatherman.

[Paul Roberts]

Great thread.

I'll list what I consider as I fish. Not sure I can list them in order of importance as that can vary. However I tend to look at similar stuff on any given trip. I look at things many anglers don’t (or as closely) in part bc I fish small shallow (<18ft) waters now, ones I know pretty well, and such water can be greatly affected by conditions and circumstances. And bc I’m interested in how conditions and circumstances affect fish and fishing; That's pretty much what motivates me in my fishing.

I generally choose a water body for a day’s fishing, or avoid certain ones, by season or current conditions, or simply on whim: Do I want to catch a lot, go for bigger ones, use certain lure/technique types, or chase or avoid certain conditions. Sometimes I purposely fish difficult circumstances just to try and understand them better. Other times I just want to whack some fish.

I try to get a bead on things before I go by looking at weather trends (paying particular attention to heat, light, and wind) and by checking my journals for previous visits for that date. Lately, due to the catastrophic flooding my area received, I’m checking satellite images, and researching access and fishery reports -almost like I'd do in scoping out brand new waters. Some of my favorite waters were wiped out, some closed for reconstruction –all were impacted and are different waters limnologically/ecologically from what they were.

Some things I consider:

First, I refer to my journals for that particular water and date. Too often I’ve arrived at a particular water only to find I’ve brought the wrong tackle (UL to H). Although every year is different, I want to at least be in the ballpark and checking against previous years can be a help. On my smallest waters in particular I’ll track populations, paying attention to winterkills and tracking year classes and growth. Some waters are more worth my time than others and this can change fast.

Micro-season -meaning just where exactly in a particular seasonal period a water body is can be important. Fish moods change within seasonal periods and things change fast in small waters. And I can’t just go run up or down-lake, or deeper or shallower, to adjust for seasonal timing, although I can jump in the car and find a different small water. I don’t always know just where things are though until I’m there and can see the signs.

Vertical water temperature profile: I look for a thermocline and/or other water to write off or investigate.

Lighting conditions –water clarity, surface conditions, sky conditions: These inform me as to tackle and presentation that would be best bets. I’d like to think they inform me about bass activity level but I’m too cautious for that, and sometimes we can adjust regardless of our notions or the apparent facts in front of us.

Wind, which affects lighting, temperature, current, and some key presentation elements.

Mood: I try to be aware of fish “mood” –whether they are spooky, aggressive, need speed, or something else. I’ve often found that when little bass are chasing up my baits at the end of a cast that a pick-up in speed interests larger bass too -at times it's just plain required.

Circumstances: I’m always looking for “carnage zones” and other “in’s”. These have included: insect emergences, prey activity, rain, wind, current, other anglers, boats, even… carp, and cows. Pays to be wide awake and looking for opportunities.

[CJ]

Nice Paul. I have to run but I wanted to get the topic back on track.

I'm not asking what dictates whether you go or not. Let's say, "you're going fishing". What homework do you do before you go or to expand, what helps you dictate the decisions you might make on the fly?

[EricTheAngler]

The only element I consider is time.  

[Catt]

Well alrighty then!

I'm going Saturday to fish a tidal marsh.

First condition is tidal movement; it will be an outgoing tide

Second is we're in early pre-spawn

Third the weather has been stable with a minor front late Saturday night

Those 3 along with my experience on that water puts me tight to cover with jigs, t-rigs, spinnerbaits & square bills. 

[papajoe222]

Along with sky and water clarity, I'll check the weather pattern for a few days prior. That factor is kind of a given if fishing the local lake, but because one of my favorite lakes is a two hour drive.  Water temp. Is something I take into consideration once I get on the water, same with the wind. 

[Dave Jakes]

I fish from a kayak on the large desert reservoirs around Phoenix, AZ.  On these big lakes, you just don't have the option of looking all over the place for fish, I don't have an outboard that I can power up and be up the channel 5 to 10 miles in 10 minutes.   Because of this "internet pre fishing" as I call it is key.  Our tournaments are won the days before sitting on the couch doing our homework.

1. As you said, season is the number one thing as it will generally tell you what obvious areas the fish will be (main lake deep, main lake points, creek channels, flats, ect.)

2. From there I check out contour maps.  If I don't have a relatively recent paper map, I'll jump on the Navionics web app, or Go Free Insight Genesis (one of the slickest new websites out there).  When I'm looking through maps, I'm not necessarily looking for the very best obvious places, but I'm looking for a larger area that has a lot of separate good areas.  Since I can't power around the whole lake, I need to give myself plenty of options to find fish.  I generally don't go to the one huge main lake point where all the guides stop by daily, because it's isolated with not much else near by, if I go there and there's no fish, or they're inactive then I'm s*** out of luck.

3.  Once I figure out which area I'm going to, I jump on Google Earth and look for the nearest place to launch.  Typically around here, all the ramps are in one area of the main lake.  I use Google Earth instead of a Google Maps because the picture is more clear and I can spot back roads and washes to find launch areas in other parts of the lake that most people don't know of.

like others, once I'm at the lake and see the conditions in person I really start dissecting my lure choices and rigging options.  The key to kayak fishing is to figure out how to find the fish before you even get to the lake, then figure out how you will get there.

[scaleface]

My local lake is a flood control lake . They hold water back to keep it from entering the Mississippi . Lake level is something I always check . The river it flows into the same thing . All other area lakes I just go .

[WRB]

Seasonal periods are not as obvious as one would think and are extremely important to determine big bass location and prey preference. Where I fish pre spawners are on deep structure where there is a abundance of prey available, rarely are the up on the banks. When you have big bass near the banks cruising, pre spawn is transitioning to the spawn.

Every element is important to take note of, factor all of it in to your day or night.

I will fish in nearly any weather except a storm with lightning, heavy rain and high wind because it's not safe. Normal rain and wind under 20 mph, good to go and prefer it as I usually have the lake to myself.

I make up my mind after launching the boat, checking water temps, baitfish activity and depth, water clarity, weed growth, wind direction and get a general "feel" of the lake activity. Most important factors for me to know is where are the bass are located and what depth are they feeding on what type of prey.

If I go to a lake not familiar with or haven't fished for awhile, then I get out a map, call the lake to determine water pool elevation and pick out a few starting areas based on seasonal period, which is determined after launching the boat and going through my routine.

Since big bass is what I target, that what I am fishing for.

Tom

[CJ]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Seasonal periods are not as obvious as one would think .

Not that the time period for a season or the understanding of a season term is obvious but it's obvious all of us deal with it.

1 hour ago, WRB said:

I make up my mind after launching the boat, checking water temps, baitfish activity and depth, water clarity, weed growth, wind direction and get a general "feel" of the lake activity. Most important factors for me to know is where are the bass are located and what depth are they feeding on what type of prey.

This is what I am asking. Not picking at you Tom. I'm glad to hear from the West Coast. I like that you mention observation.

[WRB]

Winter seasonal period verses pre spawn, what do you believe is the difference?

Hint; very similar to the transition from fall to winter, just the opposite.

Winter period bass stay at nearly the same depth all during that seasonal period, migrating or moving horizontally. When you meter bass moving deeper in the fall or moving up in late winter, they are migrating or moving vertically. It's the direction of the movement that signals a change in seasonal periods, not the calendar. Summer is like winter, the bass migrate or move horizontally, just shallower, both winter and summer seasonal periods are easy to determine, cold verses warm water and weather. The spawn is easy, bass on beds.

That is what I mean about some seasonal periods like pre spawn are not so obvious.

Tom

[Bankbeater]

This time of year it's temperature, wind, and water clarity.

[CJ]

On 2/12/2016 at 2:58 PM, WRB said:

Winter seasonal period verses pre spawn, what do you believe is the difference?

Hint; very similar to the transition from fall to winter, just the opposite.

Winter period bass stay at nearly the same depth all during that seasonal period, migrating or moving horizontally. When you meter bass moving deeper in the fall or moving up in late winter, they are migrating or moving vertically. It's the direction of the movement that signals a change in seasonal periods, not the calendar. Summer is like winter, the bass migrate or move horizontally, just shallower, both winter and summer seasonal periods are easy to determine, cold verses warm water and weather. The spawn is easy, bass on beds.

That is what I mean about some seasonal periods like pre spawn are not so obvious.

Tom

Ok your post isn't as off topic as I first thought though it's still redirecting from the original question. It does relate. I'm guessing that the waters you fish just don't have as many elements or conditions as what some deal with on river resevoirs for instance. On KY Lake we deal with vertical and horizontal migration all through out the year. Not only that, we have different groups so to say(river fish and reservoir fish).  The river fish will live on structure near the channel almost all year. They migrate much more often. The reservoir fish make more seasonal migrations and even some don't know there is a river channel there, living in bays or creek arms year around. I've caught big fish at 20 ft. of water on the same day I caught big fish in 6 ft. of water. With some waters bass will all be close to the same type locations and depth while others are not only in a different location and depth but completely in a different seasonal phase. This is what this thread is about. When someone post a question on the board about location, seasonal patterns, structure, lures, just about anything, the first thing that has to be taken into account is the elements and conditions they deal with. In other words, what may work best for some, just won't for others. It has a lot to do with the fact that  bass as a predator are very good at acclimating to there environment.

On another note, I'm surprised you didn't mention solunar tables as something you take into consideration WRB. But your post is good info. Thanks

[WRB]

Search this site for "The Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar". I did that for seminars back in the mid 70's and it touches on nearly everything you asking about 40 years ago.

LMB are basically dermasel fish and only go off shore to seek pelagic prey fish, if the lake or river has that type of fish; Shad, smelt, herring, trout and crappie are the most common. What some lakes in the TVA system are experiencing is the introduction of Florida strain LMB, FLMB are a game changer. FLMB prefer larger bait fish than NLMB and grow 2X the size. FLMB were very new to me in the early 70's, however still included their behavior traits into what I presented.

Keep in mind bass are bass wherever they live. Bass have large air bladders and cannot change the pressure without loosing equilibrium, they avoid quick depth changes. Bass can easily swim up 20' or so to attack a prey, then return back down. This doesn't mean a bass living at 35' will move up to the shallow shore to feed for extended periods, they stay at the depth them are acclimated to.

Some biologist believe there are 2 groups of bass, home bodies and school fish and I agree.

Yes I take everything into account during my launch routine.

Tom

[CJ]

FLMB or intergrades  were only recently introduced at the lower end of the TN river chain. I'm aware of their air bladder but within a couple days they will migrate horizontally as much as 10-15 ft. from what I have seen. Gizzard shad are probably the choice prey or at least the most abundant.

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Yes I take everything into account during my launch routine.

Tom

Then did you decide to redirect the thread instead of answering the question to the threaad?