Have you ever heard, or experienced this ???

[Fish Chris]

Okay so, I had posted about that really good trip I had on Monday....

Apparently, that was pre-frontal, and starting on Tuesday, we have been having this really weird, whacky weather thing going on... Tons of Thunderstorms (not directly over me... more in the mountains) but cloudy, a few small showers, etc. In a nutshell, completely out of the norm, and > low barometric pressure.

So I go back to the same lake yesterday, and it was a WAAY tougher bite. Of course I wasn't too surprised.

But the interesting thing was, the fish on the open lake seemed to be completely turned off, and pushed out away from the shallows....... while the fish in the river arm (its a huge river arm, that covers probably 25% of the acreage, of the whole lake) were still stacked up in all the same places ???

Granted, I had probably stuck and landed most of the fish in one of my hotspots Monday, and stuck and lost most of the fish in my other hotspot...... So that would explain why I only caught 4 fish Weds, from 4 to 6 lbs.

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But here's the thing... I was talking to a biologist buddy of mine last night (he might reply to this thread) and I told him, they were shut down, and moved out on the main lake, but there were still up in the river arm... To which he replies, "Well yea'..... that sounds text book.... haven't you ever heard that fish in the rivers are less affected" ??? To which I was like..... "Uhhhhh.... not that I can remember". I must have been cutting class the day they taught that, so I could go fishing instead ;-)

You guys ever hear of, or experience this ?

Just curious,

Fish

[RoLo]

I believe he's alluding to the fact that rivers are not subject to the same conditional extremes as lakes.

Even during cold fronts and warm fronts, the behavior of stream-oriented fish tends to pivot on "water current".

Roger

[ring fry]

The only thing I have experienced is that fish in river systems seem less affected by fronts, etc.  But with a river that is not 'flowing' into an impoundment fish activity always seems to act like the rest of the lake.   Just my experience, not any scientific facts.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Chris, that biologist wouldnt be Steve P would it?

That guy really seems to know his stuff.

I have never heard of a difference between lake and river fish either. Interesting...

[Uncle Leo]

I believe he's alluding to the fact that rivers are not subject to the same conditional extremes as lakes.

Even during cold fronts and warm fronts, the behavior of stream-oriented fish tends to pivot on "water current".

Roger

X2 I have found this to be the case also. At one point I lived 10 minutes from a river and never hesitated to fish it during frontal conditions when I knew that lake fish might be shut down. These fish seem to be more effected by rise in river levels which we experience in great amounts in the Mid-West. A rise would muddy the water but if the banks overflowed you could fish the swallows, new habitate. Fronatl cinditions had less effect.

[Fish Chris]

Okay, so let me explain this other thing now.... Yes, the fish were still up shallow in the river arm.... But I'm not talking about a "noticeably flowing". Oh sure, if you were to go WAAAY up in the river, to where it was eventually 50 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, sure. However, I'm talking about areas that might be 1000 feet wide, and up to 100 feet deep. So, it seems like completely still, main lake water. Hmmm....

So yea', I can't say "why" the fish in the river arm were acting differently, than the main lake fish... but they definately were !

Hey Speedbead, Yes, Steve P. And the thing about Steve is that he is a REALLY hard sell. He won't ever take anything as "the truth" just because somebody said so. He's constantly digging for the facts of the matter.

Peace,

Fish

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Hey Speedbead, Yes, Steve P. And the thing about Steve is that he is a REALLY hard sell. He won't ever take anything as "the truth" just because somebody said so. He's constantly digging for the facts of the matter.

I read his Wake Bait article and I like that he gives information from first hand experience.  Seen the fish he has caught, too.  

[Dad_Golf_Fish]

... we have been having this really weird, whacky weather thing going on... Tons of Thunderstorms (not directly over me... more in the mountains) but cloudy, a few small showers, etc.

Those storms hit me head on last night! Lots of thunder/lightning and over two inches of rain. T-storms this time of year are usually dry- hence the annual fire danger. I was thinking the post-front muddied water was really going to mess my fishing up this weekend, but now I see the storms are likely to stick around through the weekend. I guess I have another week to figure out what to do...

[senile1]

I believe he's alluding to the fact that rivers are not subject to the same conditional extremes as lakes.

Even during cold fronts and warm fronts, the behavior of stream-oriented fish tends to pivot on "water current".

Roger

Roger hit the nail on the head.  I believe this information is in every In-Fisherman book I've read concerning location.

[Branuss04]

Hey Speedbead, Yes, Steve P. And the thing about Steve is that he is a REALLY hard sell. He won't ever take anything as "the truth" just because somebody said so. He's constantly digging for the facts of the matter.

I read his Wake Bait article and I like that he gives information from first hand experience. Seen the fish he has caught, too.

Steve is a class act guy... I've had the pleasure of hanging out with him a few times.  (First time I ever ran into him I launched a 10" wakebait at his boat from shore   : He was getting to close to my area).  But most recently I got to spend a day with him on the boat during a tourney.  I didn't fish but gained a huge amount of knowledge just chatting with him for 8 hours.  Definately one of the most knowledgable anglers I've ever talked to.  Not only in the fishing tackle, equipment, catching aspect, but the forage, water, seasonal characteristics aspect as well.

Chris - To your original post: that lake is different than any other lake i've been to.  Like I wrote you in the PM awhile back, it always seems like your fishing two different lakes at times.

I do find that especially during storms, going into the river arm always helps my "Catching" ability.  That and the fact that during a storm the main body can get pretty wild   .

[Paul Roberts]

I've heard it and experienced it. Hit by bluebird weather and I'd head to the creeks for trout or smallies. I always assumed it had to do with the simple fact that current allows me to cast a lure without scaring the hell out of the fish.

Can't see how that fits into your scenario though.

[Bassn Blvd]

We're experiencing the same weather conditions down here in S.Florida.  

I went out and fished from shore during the evenin g last week.  It was drizzling but had been raining pretty good on and off for the past 3-4 hours.  5-8 mph wind.  Thunder and lightning every 5 minutes or so.

IMO, perfect conditions, except the lightning.  

I caught 9 bass on a Mattlures baby bass swimbait.  These fish came from two opposite ends of a rather large lake so I knew the fish were active all over as apposed to just one spot.

Simular conditions for the next 3 days but couldn't buy a hit.  fuished the same lake but the fishing totally shut down.

[Sam]

Current and water temperature in rivers usually control the feeding habits of river fish.

Lakes and ponds, without moving water in sections, are more influenced by the weather.  

And don't forget the moon phases, too.      

[WRB]

Chris, think of the current being very slight in the creek arm, maybe 1/4 mph. This slight current keeps the bait active and positions the bass to take advantage of it, no reason to leave. Wind, low light conditions and cold rain water run off affects the bass a lot more than low barometric pressure, which should have been a positive impact to the fishing.

Out in the main lake the bass holding around 35' or just above the thermocline should remain somewhat active for short time periods.

Thunderstorms tend to shut down the bite and keeps me off the water.

WRB