How do you prepare?

[AustonW]

I want to pick y’all’s brains again if I may. How do you guys prepare for a day of fishing? Do you do a lot of homework the week before or just wing it once you get to the lake? Im trying to get better at this aspect of the game and it’s proving to be hard. I have limited time to fish as it is and it doesn’t help that I’m the most unprepared guy on the water. I used to make fun of my dad for being unprepared as he would just hook up to the boat and go, stop and get bait, and go fishing, but come back with an empty cooler as well. I am definitely his child as I find myself doing the same thing. Thanks again guys 

[Jar11591]

If it’s a new body of water or one I’m still learning, I’ll study the contour map the night before, as well as check Google earth to see what I can see. I also check the weather, wind speed and direction and the radar. I’ll rig up what I think will be a good start, but that may change when I get on the water. 
 

With bodies of water I’m familiar with, I just check the wind speed and direction and rig up what usually works at that location the night before. 

 

Making sure the battery is fully charged and the boat is loaded up the night before is a must. 

[GRiver]

I’m not a crazy man about it, I do prep some. I’ll pre-rig some poles for the morning. I’ll have an idea of where I’m going and how I’m going to start the morning, topwater usually. I fuel up before hand.

I don’t use live bait…. Got nothing against it, just lazy. Don’t want the pain of getting and keeping it alive, so I check that off my morning list.

I make coffee and my egg and cheese biscuit and I’m off. Like to be at my first stop just before sunrise. I get fishing reports from my friends that live or fish around here, so I know what, if any, they caught fish on, June bug , or what ever. So I feel pretty prepared that way. 
That’s about all I do for preparing. I enjoy just about everything about fishing. The prepping, planning, the boat ride getting there, and trying to catch fish almost as much as catching fish. 
 

 

[Skunkmaster-k]

1 hour ago, AustonW said:

he would just hook up to the boat and go, stop and get bait, and go fishing

I’m that way too. I usually don’t know I’m going fishing until five minutes beforehand. I try to keep my gear organized and ready to go all the time .

[A-Jay]

I'm a fairly detail oriented and driven dude.

So my 'preparation' is pretty extensive when compare to an angler who mostly does none.

I'll put it to you this way, if I can prepare it, I do.

That includes Truck, Boat, Motor & Trailer. 

As a retired guy, I've got that kind of time.

May not mean it all happens before every trip, but there's quite a bit that does.

I follow the "Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail" mantra. 

Finally, The Prep is fun for me and one of my favorite aspects of the sport.

A-Jay

[Bankbeater]

I start checking the weather a couple of days before the trip.  I have a checklist put together to make sure that I haven't forgotten anything, and I'll go over that the night before.

[AustonW]

I mean I always make sure batteries are charged and everything is gassed up. And I call myself checking the weather. And I’ll tell myself that I’m gonna fish docks or whatever. But I always doubt myself and end up driving around lost and fishing something completely different. I guess it’s just lack of confidence and experience 

[king fisher]

   On my way home from my last trip, I am preparing for my next trip.  Going over mistakes I made, and planning every detail for my next day on the water.  I look at charts, get local advice, look at weather moon cycles, research articles, video's, and this forum.  I go over all of my gear, and purchase new baits, line, or other gear I may need.  I try to be informed and prepare for every scenario.  I pack a lunch and water, fill the car with gas, and leave the house an hour before I need to get to the lake on time.  When I get to the lake I check the water temp. clarity, wind direction, and walk the bank looking for life.  Once on the water I look for the thermocline and bait.  If all is what I expected, I will try and stick with my plan.  If conditions are not what I planned on, I may make some adjustments before I even start fishing.  I try and be prepared for everything, but am prepared to throw the whole game plan out and start from scratch.  When the day is over I start analyzing my mistakes, and start planning for the next trip.  The short answer is I am obsessed with being prepared.

[DitchPanda]

Depends where I'm going. If its a new body of water or one I don't fish often ill really sit down and think out spots, baits, water temps etc. If its my local lake that I've fished 50-100 times a year for 20 years ...the baits just kinda tie themselves on at this point.

[volzfan59]

I'm a shallow water junk fisherman. Make sure the batteries are charged, boat is fueled, drinks, etc and go. I keep baits tied on my rods. I store the rods with the drags loosened, so I have to remember to adjust that.

[Chris Catignani]

I love the prep...but sometimes I decide which lake to go to pulling out of the driveway.

[TnRiver46]

6 minutes ago, Chris Catignani said:

I love the prep...but sometimes I decide which lake to go to pulling out of the driveway.

Out of curiosity, Which lake is closest to your driveway ? 

[Chris Catignani]

19 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Out of curiosity, Which lake is closest to your driveway ? 

I can be at Old Hickory, Percy Priest, Cheatham and Cumberland River all in about thirty minutes or less. The Cumberland River is technically Cheatham, but the upper part that runs through Nashville is like a totally different fishery. I can be at Kentucky Lake, Barkley Lake, Center Hill, Tims Ford, Woods, Normandy and Cordell Hull in 60 - 90 minutes.

[WRB]

When I had a boat that is where I started, prepping the the boat, trailer tires, batteries, checking everything including TM and sonar units.

Next take the rods out of the locker and check the rods, guides, reels and line. I never keep anything tied on.

Deciding what to get ready regarding tackle requires some sole searching, contacting friends who have been on the water planned to fish, ask about the water level, check weather, moon phase, wind velocity and direction, air temps, etc.

I think about the outing as to what should work and pre rig the night before any Texas, Drop Shot or Slip Shot rigs, always tie on a jig, a snap in the crank bait rod while making sure the line is in good condition.

Depending on my perceived seasonal period put out lures, soft plastics etc where they easily found.

I am ready at this point, but my final decisions come when launching the boat and getting in touch with everything, water temps, bait fish depth, activity in and around the marina determines where to start and what I feel will work at that moment. I listen to myself!

Tom

 

[AustonW]

Do you guys plan out the structures you’re going to fish or just wait till you get on the water to decide? Of course you’re going to take seasons, water temps, etc. into play. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

18 minutes ago, AustonW said:

Do you guys plan out the structures you’re going to fish or just wait till you get on the water to decide? Of course you’re going to take seasons, water temps, etc. into play. 

Just in a month of having side sonar, and high quality sonar of the current generation in general changed the way I prep to fish.     

 

Half the time these days I'm able to catch fish because of what I'm learning on the sonar, and being able to lockdown on specific structures or features of the lake.     

 

Before I'd just say I'm gonna fish that section of the lake, or I'm gonna focus on CBs on main lake channel points, etc.   I'm finding it much easier to just go out there, hook up the sonar, cruise around for about 10 minutes to find the thermocline to establish a depth and eliminate any dead water below it, and see what all the baitfish are doing.  Then do a little more cruising to areas that have held fish in the past and see what's going on.......process all that I gleaned in that 20 minutes or so and start fishing based off of that information.      Spend an hour or two trying out that new process.....not working, switch back to established patterns and methods.     

 

I've found more places that hold fish in a month on my home lake, than I did in the previous 25yrs I grew up fishing it.      Sonar, and really the new detailed side vu sonar stuff is incredibly helpful.   Takes a lot of guesswork out of it in terms of planning where fish will be. 

 

That said, for night fishing, I have a very specific plan with a planned route, and planned spots to fish.   I'm fishing for pigs then, so sonar isn't nearly as important at least right now to me at night. 

[WRB]

So what seasonal period do you think the bass are on your lake? You can’t know without being on the water because of all the transitional changes and active life zone that takes time on the water to determine.

Being prepared is being ready to accept changes and fish the moment.

Having fished the same lakes for decades the structure elements are well known. Where the bass are located isn’t.

Tom

[AustonW]

Right now it’s still hot during the day but we’ve had a cold front come through and cool it down a few degrees. I would guess the majority of the fish are still offshore with some moving back into the creeks. 
 

Even though I’ve grew up bream fishing on Eufaula, I never paid attention to contours or anything. It was always just ride by a spot that looked good, stop and throw a worm over the side of the boat. I’m just now trying to figure out what holds fish where now that I’ve got a little sense of how everything works. So with that being said, Eufaula is still a new lake for me. 

[Mobasser]

If I'm going somewhere new, I'll try to learn as much as I can about the lake. Fishing my regular lake I just go. But I always check my tackle and make sure I have what I want to use, and that my rods and reels are working asthey should be.

[scaleface]

Make sure I dont forget anything . 

 

Battery

seat

elec motor

depth finder

rods

tackle

leatherman

rag

sunscreen

cooler

koozie

throw cushion

camera

scale

 

 

I went one time this year and forgot my worm rod .

[Darth-Baiter]

i'm a kayaker.  i watch weather like i am preparing for a shuttle launch.  i just dont like wind.  well, hard wind.

 

if it is a new place, i google-earth it, and maybe see if somebody posted some information about it on the net.  you'll be surpised how talkative people get when they think they have something to say.

[gim]

On 9/14/2022 at 7:47 PM, GRiver said:

I’m not a crazy man about it, I do prep some. I’ll pre-rig some poles for the morning. I’ll have an idea of where I’m going and how I’m going to start the morning, topwater usually. I fuel up before hand.

I don’t use live bait…. Got nothing against it, just lazy. Don’t want the pain of getting and keeping it alive, so I check that off my morning list.

I make coffee and my egg and cheese biscuit and I’m off. Like to be at my first stop just before sunrise. I get fishing reports from my friends that live or fish around here, so I know what, if any, they caught fish on, June bug , or what ever. So I feel pretty prepared that way. 
That’s about all I do for preparing. I enjoy just about everything about fishing. The prepping, planning, the boat ride getting there, and trying to catch fish almost as much as catching fish. 
 

 

 

This is pretty much me too.  I definitely check my line and re-tie new knots/leaders the day before if necessary.  I keep an eye on the weather in advance too, especially the wind direction/speed and whether or not there is rain/clouds in the forecast because that tends to dictate how I'm going to fish.

 

Any variable I have control over, I control it.  Weather is something I don't have any control over but my gear, tackle, and boat/motor/trailer/truck operation is something I can ensure is working properly in advance so I am going to do that every single time.

[Junk Fisherman]

On 9/14/2022 at 6:39 PM, AustonW said:

 How do you guys prepare for a day of fishing? Do you do a lot of homework the week before or just wing it once you get to the lake?

I know most of the places I fish fairly well so my preparation comes down to having all my rigs and the boat ready.  I try to do this during the week so when Friday night comes I don't have a lot of work to do and can just focus on tying up some loose ends.  I also spend time during the week thinking about what areas and how I want to fish, what kind of changes I might make while on the water, and what new water and new presentations I want to spend some time with.  I'll make sure to have enough Ned rigs and swimbaits rigged up (superglued to the head) and I'll a fresh dropshot leader tied so it will speed up the process of tying a whole new leader if needed.  During the week and on my drive to the lake I will come up with a gameplan that will be adjusted based on the results of the day.  

 

If I am fishing new water, I will spend a lot of time on the Navionics Web app and Google Earth looking at the lake.  Then, I will mark waypoints on my unit that I want to fish.   I rarely just wing it.  I am thinking about how and where I'll be fishing as soon as I decide to go.    

 

[throttleplate]

The most important item to pack is my headlamp, without it i am just walking in pitch black on rocks and cant even find my tackle box. Bring extra batteries also.

[AustonW]

My biggest issue is trying to decide which baits to tie on. I’m still not sure what baits works best where other than the obvious.