Having realistic expectations...

[BlakeMolone]

I usually go fishing because I like to catch fish but the other day I went after work because I had a hard day. I didn’t focus too much on catching and was basically just casting and reeling a spinnerbait, venting to myself, and listening to music. Didn’t catch anything but I enjoyed myself more than I have in awhile, sometimes I take it too seriously but it’s hard not too when you are so obsessed ?

[Bass Rutten]

“Expectation is the thief of joy” a wise guy once said. 

[LrgmouthShad]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Last year ?

 

This northern shore thing has been pushed for years with no regard to the body of water. It's kinda like the whole idea that all bass move shallow to spawn, it's absolutely false.

 

Just like water temperatures I caught my PB of 12.5# in the coldest water around. 

 

All bass don't pack up & leave town to find 2-3 degrees warmer water. Now those bass in the immediate area will move within reason. 

May or may not have learned some of this stuff the hard way this past winter. 

[DitchPanda]

Obviously everybody has had different experiences. I'd bet most of you don't experience the water temps I do up here. Maybe that's why my bass respond differently...in the ponds I fish the north shore thing happens.

[LrgmouthShad]

2 hours ago, the reel ess said:

The north shore thing doesn't seem to have any effect on my lake. Believe me, I try it. Most of the deeper structure is on the south side. And fish seem reluctant to stray from that area until they know spring is imminent.

As some examples, on a small two acre pond with not much deep water to speak of, north end dominated this past winter and fall for me. Often in the summer the bass are found on the south end.

 

On a bigger lake, I went to northern shores of east-west running coves, and didn't find any sort of pattern doing that. The best location was in some of the coldest water on the coldest day, but the location had stair-stepping super steep banks on the side of a point with rocks and good amounts of baitfish present. 

 

Another good location was rock pilings on the side of a bridge that was soaking up persistent south winds for a few days and could also soak up good amount of sunshine. My last day I went

over there and found a school of bass busting on shad but couldnt make em bite ?

 

There was one particularly shallow place I caught em too. 

 

My biggest takeaway: baitfish matter the most for the period of time I was fishing 

[islandbass]

4 hours ago, fin said:

 

You ever hear the saying, "Hope for the best, expect the worst?"

Indeed. Even more so from the bank where winter is a factor. There have been times in the dead of winter if I went bass fishing freezing my rear and fingers off and teeth chattering despite being dressed appropriately, and not getting so much as a hit, I say, “I left a warm bed for this $*&^?!” Lol 

[WRB]

I lived on a lake that froze over in SoCal believe or not at Big Bear lake in the San Bernardino mountains 7,200 ft.

At that time we had opening days, May 1st for trout and June 1st for bass, both closed Nov 1st. 

What is being over looked at ice out periods is the turnover that occurs. The water colder then 38 degrees to 32 degree ice is lighter density, that is why ice floats. As the lighter surface water warms above 39.4 degrees then surface water sinks turning over the lake and shutting down the fish activity until the lakes settles down, about 2 weeks depending on weather.

 Trying to catch inactive bass is frustrating, going fishing may satisfy your urge to cast lures, otherwise your deceiving yourself.

Those of us who live where lakes don’t freeze over can bass fish year around if we choose to,  depending on weather conditions.

Tom

[gim]

1 hour ago, DitchPanda said:

Obviously everybody has had different experiences. I'd bet most of you don't experience the water temps I do up here. Maybe that's why my bass respond differently...in the ponds I fish the north shore thing happens.

It’s definitely a thing here too. I’m just to the northeast of you in Minnesota.

 

We have people all over the country on this forum so one pattern may not be in line with another. What occurs in the north on an annual basis probably does not occur at a similar time (if at all) in the south. Doesn’t do me any good to argue with someone from Texas or Florida or Georgia on this subject.

[RDB]

On 1/15/2022 at 12:12 PM, DitchPanda said:

Where I think its very important is when it pertains to new anglers in particular.

I think this is a key point and really applies to this forum (sorry, this has become my new pet peeve).

 

One part of setting expectations is setting up a new angler to have some success.  Where many on these boards may get little excitement from catching dinks, early success with new anglers can often influence whether they stick with it or not.  I have 5 boys who are quite proficient anglers.  Thank God they enjoyed it enough in their early years to stick with it.

 

We too often give recommendations for techniques that are too difficult for beginners.  The great thing about most beginners is that they get a sense of joy and accomplishment from successes that many here would consider annoying.  IMO, that is something that we all should consider when giving advice.

[Skunkmaster-k]

Remember that skit on SNL ? I think it was called “ Lowered Expectations “. That’s me when it comes to fishing. A natural born pissamist. That way I’m never disappointed, and when I do accidentally catch a fish it’s a nice surprise! 

[DitchPanda]

7 minutes ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

Remember that skit on SNL ? I think it was called “ Lowered Expectations “. That’s me when it comes to fishing. A natural born pissamist. That way I’m never disappointed, and when I do accidentally catch a fish it’s a nice surprise! 

Its about underpromise and over deliver 

[Skunkmaster-k]

When I was taking you tube videos seriously about catching bass in winter and early spring my expectations were way too high. Every time I would come home and assume that I had done something wrong. I see what you are saying and I agree that a realistic expectation is important to beginning bass fishermen. I just try to keep my expectations lower than most . 

[flyfisher]

if you don't think you are going to catch anything then why bother doing it?  Cold weather fishing is another nut to crack and a very rewarding one.  Anyone can catch fish when they are on.  

[TnRiver46]

42 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

Anyone can catch fish when they are on.  

 

as a fly fishing instructor, I can say this is untrue 

[The Bassman]

4 hours ago, Bassjam2000 said:

“Expectation is the thief of joy” a wise guy once said. 

I think you mean a wise man. I'm a wise guy but that doesn't necessarily translate to wisdom.

[T-Billy]

8 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

I think you mean a wise man. I'm a wise guy but that doesn't necessarily translate to wisdom.

[Trox]

I have a buddy that says the same thing about the North shore... I'll have a 20,000 acre lake at my disposal and he will be like "You gotta fish that North side if you wanna do well" like all the fish just swam a 1/2 mile over open water for a couple of degrees. 
IMO fishing pressure/wind/available cover/etc plays more of a role than 2 degrees difference in water temps in a protected cove any day... If everyone and their dog are fishing the North side of the lake, I'll guarantee that you will find me on the South side fishing a healthy north wind like...

[WRB]

8 hours ago, fin said:

 

You ever hear the saying, "Hope for the best, expect the worst?"

Yes, in a court room.

Tom

[DitchPanda]

All you guys saying the north shore thing isn't real are absolutely right. I've seen it played out for 20 years hundreds of different times but its just been a strange "coincidence" every single time and not a pattern.

[cheezyridr]

7 hours ago, Bassjam2000 said:

“Expectation is the thief of joy” a wise guy once said. 

 

for me, i often find it's not so much the having of something where i find the most joy, but rather the pursuit of it.

[DitchPanda]

1 minute ago, cheezyridr said:

 

for me, i often find it's not so much the having of something where i find the most joy, but rather the pursuit of it.

We have a winner

[gim]

2 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

All you guys saying the north shore thing isn't real are absolutely right. I've seen it played out for 20 years hundreds of different times but its just been a strange "coincidence" every single time and not a pattern.

Alright @DitchPanda, here is what I observe when it comes to this subject. My early spring experience is not in the realm of specifically talking about bass fishing. My experience is crappie and walleye fishing early in the spring. The north side of the bays warm up quicker and generate more early weed growth. When the water is that cold, there’s almost no weed growth yet. These areas show earlier weed growth which attracts crappies and subsequently, me.

 

Mille Lacs Lake north side where the popular sand bars are always warm up quicker and attract hordes of walleye anglers. The difference may only be a degree or two, but for a massive lake, that’s an enormous amount. The early spring fishing is very often better there too because of it.

 

I can’t specifically comment about whether there might be more bass in these areas because the season isn’t open here that early. But if it was, I would be looking for the warmest water I could find.

 

To me, it comes down to simple physics. 

The front of my house and yard faces south and therefore receives more sunlight. Sunlight warms things up faster. The snow melts quicker there and the grass grows quicker there in the spring. Areas of a lake or river that receive more sunlight are going to have warmer water and since fish are cold blooded, their activity level is going to increase in warmer water.

 

Is every fish in the lake or river here at the same time? Certainly not. There’s probably lots of other spots where a fish might bite.

 

[flyfisher]

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

 

as a fly fishing instructor, I can say this is untrue 

certain baselines need to be established....I had plenty of people I would guide fly fishing who couldn't catch too but it was because of their lack of casting ability more than anything.