Here is part of an article by Mr. Pearson on the ERC site which seems on-point, or at least related:
"3. Areas and Style: When things are slow or inconsistent should one travel, or stay put? Run and gun, or slow down and pick structure apart? Do a little of all of the above?
Tough questions and who really knows, because if it lands right and flashes right the musky gods can make you happy no matter where or how you fish, but here’s a broad stroke picture of where I’m at on these questions after the past few months’ experience.
First of all I believe the grass can in fact be greener in different areas. I’ve known for years some areas of a massive body of water such as Lake of the Woods can at times be better than others—likely for good environmental reasons. However, I’m not talking a change of a few miles. I mean really different sections of the lake. No doubt in my mind that for a while other sections were better than, say, the Northwest Angle area, and vice versa. So do you travel and see? Sure—if your boat, knowledge of the lake and wallet permits. Why not try? On the other hand, if you have limited time, I suspect it may not be worthwhile.
OK, if I don’t travel, do I go slow and pick apart an area? Or do I run and gun and cover lots of water? There are good arguments both ways, but to me it depends on what I’m after. I’ll go faster to just find fish but there’s no doubt in my mind that slowing down and picking apart structure is the better way to catch ‘good’ fish.
“OK” you say, “but what area? Anywhere?” For me it’s a matter of sticking to known good or big fish areas, then picking them apart and being patient.
Let me give a few examples. This past month we spent 9 days filming for a video. Moving fast, we covered water and got a decent number of fish on film. However, the two biggest fish came on spots that hold few fish but were spots I had confidence in for big fish based on past experience. These were spots that I slowly—very slowly—picked apart despite nagging fears of wasting valuable (and expensive) camera time. How slowly? How patiently? How thoroughly? Rarely are we ever fishing spots too slowly, patiently or thoroughly I’m afraid.
One that got away gives us all a clue perhaps. We arrived at a small rock saddle—say, 40 yards wide and 50 yards long. I fished it thoroughly—or so I thought. When done, we decided the camera man should get out on a rock and we’d film a segment of how I would normally fish such a spot. Being a type A, I can’t just stand there while he gets his gear ready to get out, so I fire a jerk bait down an edge that the same jerk bait had visited at least twice just minutes before. Nothing. He’s still messing with his gear so I fire the same bait to the same spot. Two jerks, and the sea parts, a black hole opens up and a huge, slowly thrashing head emerges chewing on my bait, which ultimately is sent back to me via air mail. On film, even the loss would have been priceless, but all we end up with is dismay and the sickening acknowledgment that we often really are casting to she beasts, but most times they don’t move with just a cast or two in their general area.
A few days later I was telling my friend and retired DNR biologist Bob Strand about the incident, and he related the view of an old time Eagle Lake guide on this issue. This guide, with many huge fish to his credit, advocated that when on a known big fish spot, a minimum of 20 casts or so to each part of the spot should be made. Wow. Afraid I can’t go that far, but as time goes by, and such experiences accumulate, I’m beginning to wonder. Food for thought I think."
Dave,
A couple things about what you quoted stick out and the first one resonates louder now than years ago when I wrote it.Should you move?
"Sure—if your boat, knowledge of the lake and wallet permits. Why not try? On the other hand, if you have limited time, I suspect it may not be worthwhile."
While boats and Navchip changes have altered this statement some,the 'wallet permitting' part likely hasn't with todays gas prices.Likely to be less 'worthwhile'.
Secondly,guess who the camera man in the incident described was?Maybe I shouldn't say.
Dave,
Thanks for reminding me of the ERC site.Since we sold I had forgotten about a few of the articles still located there and one in particular is a good thought provoker at the beginning of any season.It never has been well received or discussed much but IMO merits reading for anyone.I'll take the liberty of referencing it.
Tim,
Long SoDak winters?Not really,sure it seems to never end,sure we get a tad of snow(the last drift on my place departed late last week)but you mean there really are places where it doesn't snow 8 months,then turn 105 degrees for 4 months?Actually,upon reflection,I spend so much time shoveling/plowing I have no time to write.
Furthermore writing a book presumes a few things.First one should have something new or profound to say.Second,one should have the ability to write so it can be said in an understandable fashion.Finally self publishing takes $$ no matter what one hears nowadays.I fail all three presumptions.
Having said this,I can be totally shameless if a buck($$ not deer)is involved so the threat is always there and something for the muskie public to be apprehensive about.I do have a few chapters done,I do have a pile of notes and thoughts about 6 inches deep,and the Boss has okayed the 'investment' so why not?Simple-I have writers block which translated means I'm lazy and too busy being 'retired'.Yet...,one never knows I guess.I did go so far as to successfully approach a young muskie 'guru' about contributing a few sections on 'new technology'(to me thats anything beyond a rock n rope)and how to use it but then let him down with my laziness.This guy is smart and even catches fish so that part of a book might actually be meaningful.
Who knows,as stated,the threat still exists I guess.
Seems to me a book in your case would almost write itself.
Come up with a catchy phrase or two, (I dunno, something like "Let the wind do the work." or "A lure is a tool."), throw in a colorful Oak Island neighbor and presto! Best seller!!
You know,a book totally about the colorful neighbor might just work!Might have to be a series though-its ongoing and has a life totally of its own.A work of Frankness,not art.
Since I no longer 'talk' or 'write',I rarely give the musky gurus,pundits and assorted experts opportunities to laugh at my weirdness but here's another opp for them.
'Flotsam'.Yes,you're reading it right,'flotsam'.If you're into 'water movement'(if you're not,you should be)as key to location,flotsam is an easy read this time of year with dead/decaying weeds and other debris being carried by that movement.Find it and you're close to the 'X'.
Enough weirdness for one day.Attaching one of my typical lousy pics-one of two big 'flotsam' fish from this morning.Naptime.Good flotting!
Ryan,
No,we never did it.If memory serves(not often anymore),Pete's 'people' didn't see it selling.Like a new book,I've toyed with still doing it but....
Off to clinically measure/dissect water movement.
"SIDEBAR
Folks years ago I created a ‘Think Card’ that I still carry in my wallet to help when my confidence level sags.Its merely a checklist of many of the things mentioned above(including a long list of possible structures to consider trying)but it sure helps me in tough times.I believe such checklists are great.
Pete Maina and I are in the process of creating a number of ‘checklists’(including a revised ‘Think Card’) that will be laminated and easy to access.These will be available soon,cover key topics in muskie fishing,and I believe helpful to all."
Dick
Dick, did you and Pete ever make these cards, and if so, are they available for hacks like me to purchase? Some guys are lucky and some are just good, and while I'm neither, it doesn't take more than reading a few lines of articles like this (or put some time in the back of his boat) to know which dp is. It's so easy to get bogged down in that which is muskie fishing, and getting yourself unbogged is as important, or likely more so, than any of the baits or gear you use.
Mike,
Didn't get time to reply and leaving again tomorrow for a few days.Your answers are sort of in the 'out there' blip though.
Here's my final for awhile.Soul fishing!!!
The older I get,the more relevant the following has become.Guess I really am a social recluse.
FISHING ALONE
Hi Folks.Years ago I used to fish alone a lot.I still do occasionally but actually wish I could do more of it-and hopefully will be able to.Back in the day it often was because I was obsessed with exploring new waters on the Canadian Shield and few were willing to fish as long or hard as I did then-or,to be honest,they insisted on acting responsibly toward their jobs and families.But really,its always been more than that,I truly enjoy fishing alone.
Why?A myriad of reasons really but what follows are the main ones plus a discussion of what I believe are some issues to consider when doing so.
First and foremost I suspect I love fishing alone because I really am sort of what a friend calls a ‘soul fishermen’.Not necessarily religious,not one to try save souls,not that meaning at all.Rather someone that loves the outdoors,appreciates nature and fishes for a lot more than fish.Outdoors I find what I need to survive and maintain some sort of balance.Part is the solitude and serenity but its much more and very hard to describe.I’m retired now but back in the day I had a very stressful job.When at work,I worked long,hard and intensely.With my emotional set up,I believe it was crucial for me to get away,alone,to clear my mind of problems and stress- get restored if you will.Being alone doesn’t make that automatically happen by any means but being alone and aware of and appreciating your surroundings sure works for me.
Most of my friends are soul fishermen and share my feelings and views but we all agree it’s a process and a part of the overall fishing experience that all can appreciate if they want.In my Spring 2006 column I suggested we all ask ourselves why we fish,and specifically why we fish muskies.I suggested answering those questions honestly would help us focus more on our fishing experience and lead to more enjoyment.Now let me challenge you a bit more.Test yourself as to how aware you are of your surroundings while fishing.What are you seeing?What are you hearing?.Its a magnificent world we are in if we are really aware of our surroundings.In a day of fishing how many different birds or animals are you seeing?How many natural sounds are you hearing?How many different types of trees,clouds or colors are you seeing?.Awareness,to me,is a large part of fishing.
I know,I know,some of you are saying,’hey this is a fishing magazine,what does all this awareness crap have to do with fishing?’I believe a lot.With awareness and appreciation of the outdoors comes knowledge.Knowledge of how things work-including fish.Awareness puts you in touch with weather and wildlife-above and below the water.Awareness allows you to see how this all works,how it all fits together and be a better angler because of it.Knowledge really is power.I tried to suggest the importance of awareness in my book and DVD,’Muskies On The Shield’, so if you have read or seen those hopefully this will be easier to understand.
Okay enough soul stuff.Another reason I like to fish alone is it allows me to test things.For instance ideas and theories.Many of my views on wind,current,walls,deep structure and so on were formed while fishing alone.When alone there are few distractions or restraints.Nothing is stupid and anything goes when it comes to experimentation.Think it- try it.Sometimes it works-and gives great satisfaction.
The same is true with lures and techniques.When with others its often hard to devote realistic amounts of time to experimentation.Want to speed troll with jigs and plastics?Want to find out how fast you can troll a Jake or a 5 oz Grinder behind cowbells,or park your boat and get out and wade a sand beach to more effectively work a matted shoreline cabbage bed?Its very hard to devote significant time to trying these type things,or really anything new or experimental,unless you’re alone.
Fishing alone also allows me to test the theories and ideas of others as well.For instance,the time tested In Fishermen formula of F+L+P=S was something I tested and tried to tweak for years.(to no avail for the most part)Their system is still the best and most logical way to approach fishing in my view but in the process of fishing alone and testing it,I learned a lot and developed my own way of applying the formula that usually allows me to make fish contact easier when exploring new waters
Finally,fishing alone lets me test myself a bit-in many ways.Can I ‘think’ and then catch fish alone on a new lake-whether a small lake a few miles down the road or a massive river system or lake in the wilds of Canada?Do I have what it takes to be alone in certain places and the will and knowledge to do it safely?(see sidebar on common sense safety issues)In my view testing oneself is a crucial part of discovering what fishing and life in general is all about.
Well I’ll conclude this rambling but I urge you to give fishing alone a try.Treat yourself,learn a bit about yourself,you deserve it.I’ll bet fishing alone once in awhile will not only make you a better angler and more appreciative of the total experience,but a more aware and happier person in general.
Good fishing!
Remember:thinking is just being thoughtful.
See you next issue.
Dick
SIDEBAR
What follows is not an attempt to be politically correct and protect you from yourself,but rather a few safety and other considerations when fishing alone.The list is largely common sense or,as to a couple,things I’ve run afoul of over the years.
1.If going to a wild rather unpopulated lake or river system,leave word with someone as to your plans and proposed fishing area.
2.Be conscious of weather and act accordingly.I like to fish during storms but in most cases I know it’s foolish.At least have an intelligent awareness of the risks.
3.Consider wearing a PFD all the time but certainly do so if alone when fishing in wind or bad weather or when traveling.As a few friends know,my failure to do so a couple years ago nearly cost me my life.In wind and big rollers,if you go in,the odds of catching up to your boat and getting back in are 50-50 at best in my view.(if you go in and manage to catch back up to your drifting boat,you will likely be very weak and have trouble getting back into the boat.Trust me on this.If you have power trim and tilt,take the elevator by standing on the trim tab and pushing the trim button on the side of the motor.)
4.If trying to explore and cover lots of water,consider using “crescent wrench”baits,like say a spinner bait,that works in nearly any kind of structure or situation you encounter.(shallow,deep,rocks,weeds,etc.)As to baits,when alone,be aware of the risks and dangers inherent in getting ‘hooked’to a fish.A serious danger and one to be prepared for.Have the necessary tools and first aid kit.Consider going barbless.
5.Along those lines,you must plan for the ‘release’.If you have little experience releasing fish you may not want to fish alone-for your safety and/or the safety of the fish.This subject could constitute an entire article but think through and prepare for the ramifications of releasing a big muskie while alone.Again,consider going barbless.Maybe single hook barbless in rough weather,the dark,etc.
6.Plan for emergencies.First aid,extra clothes,shelter,food and water.If you have my mechanical skills,take an extra of all the above-all the time.Good fishing!
Dick...curse you, you've sent me spinning and thinking. fun winter digestion stuff!
i've pulled out my Esox Angler mags to glean through your columns again. man i miss that magazine...
one of my goals is to try and work on having more confidence in trying "outside the box" approaches, which can be hard for me to do when on limited vacation time.
Started to get ready for my Chicago talk.Likely total confusion to try make 'Muskies and Water Movement' a beneficial talk unless people have a background of some of the issues discussed in this longggg thread.
We'll see.
By the way,likely good Metallica didn't show up.Would have been hard on the store cabin.
Thought I'd responded earlier today but...????
Anyway,I hesitate to respond cause Oh boy do I love this stuff.I'm sure not short of theories and opinions here.A few facts even but hell,who needs facts?
I'm in the hunting mode for a couple days but here's another 'oldie' to ponder Mike-at least til I can respond further.
" FISHING ‘OUT THERE’
Hi Folks.Sure hope your season has gone well so far-complete with big fish and smiles.
What I want to talk about in this column is fishing ‘out there’,you know,the ‘open water’thing.Some of you have been doing it since opening day,some are thinking its time to try it out there,and some I suspect have never tried it,or have,but without success and have no intention of seriously trying it again.Regardless of what category you’re in,I suspect all of you at times have concerns about how random it seems when fishing out there.How much water there is,how little ‘structure’there appears to be,in reality how futile it seems..Well,lets take a closer look at that and see if we can’t crank(no pun intended)your confidence level up a notch or two.
First a few threshold concepts:
1.Clear your mind a little with regard to what structure is-or isn’t.Don’t get hung up in meaningless terminology-ie,whether structure is just traditional hard things like points,reefs,weeds,breaklines,etc;or non-traditional like current,weather,moon phase or bait;or whether’edges’are structure;or are comfort zones structure;and on and on.Forget it.As I’ve said before,if fish relate to it or are affected by it,consider it structure and move on.
2.Remember,species don’t survive by random movement.Fish are related to structure out there,its just that we have trouble finding much of it.Understand we are conditioned to throw at or troll around structure and the sense of futility is fed by our difficulty in locating what structure exists out there.
3.There are two keys to finding fish out there.One is eliminating as much sterile water as possible(shrinking the box).The second is combining as much structure as we can identify while out there and focusing on those ‘busy’areas.
First lets focus on eliminating some water.Every body of water will have certain key areas’out there’that are consistently good.For years I’ve called them golden triangles just because my best area in one of my favorite open water lakes was roughly a half mile square area between 3 pieces of traditional structure that formed a triangle.Whatever you call these consistent hot spots,all lakes have them but how do we find them short of fishing everything out there?What follows are my ideas on how to eliminate water and find these spots.
1.Consider what I just said regarding my favorite spot.A logical area to consider is between and/or adjacent to good traditional structure.If you have a great point or weedbed and a quarter or half mile out in the lake you have a favorite reef,isn’t it likely the open water between should be fished?The same can be true with respect to deeper traditional structure such as isolated humps IF they appear to have the consistent bait I’ll discuss next.
2.Pay attention to your electronics and the birds to monitor‘bait’whenever you are on the water.You will eventually find areas that consistently hold the heaviest bait concentrations and these almost undoubtedly will be some of the key open water areas on that lake.Thats nearly guaranteed if there happens to be fairly consistent current(natual or wind induced)in the area as well.(ie,the open water areas on each side of good saddles or above or below neck down areas on larger bodies of water.)
3.Speaking of current,I believe it plays a huge role here.It affects bait distribution,temperature and oxygen distribution,and lord knows what else but the open water areas adjacent to my favorite current areas are solid winners.A separate article in itself but see and reread the two part article on current in Esox Angler last year by Pete Maina and I if you’re unsure of what areas I’m talking about.
4.So far we’ve looked at the body of water in a horizontal fashion.Where should we travel to and focus our attention while on this lake?However,equally important,we should consider the body of water in a vertical sense if our goal is to eliminate sterile water.If the lake is 100 or more feet deep and you have to be concerned with only the top 10,20 or 30 feet did you eliminate some water?Lots!Likely the bulk of it.
THINK and err SHALLOW out there.I gave a series of seminars on this subject this past winter and hopefully some day I’ll finish the book I’m working on where this will be covered in detail but my theory after all these years is that 99% of the muskies are shallow 99% of the time.By ‘shallow’ I mean they rarely if ever are below what I’ll call the photo zone,the zone or depth wherein there is sufficient light penetration to allow photosynthesis to take place.Briefly,and somewhat oversimplied,that’s a depth approximately twice the secchi disc reading on a given body of water.Light penetrates further but in an amount insufficient for the creation of life.This zone therefore is easily ascertainable.Maps,the internet or your DNR can give you this secchi depth or determine it close enough on your own by dropping a white object(I use a white anchor)down until it disappears.Measure that distance,double it,(add a few feet if you’re skeptical)and then don’t fish below it.Ever.If its 10 feet,double it to twenty,and ignore totally the 60,80 or 100 feet below that.Because of the location of a muskies eyes, feeding habits,and some points that follow I’d urge you to err shallow if anything.
Support for my theory?Lots beyond my personal experiences accumulated over the years which I’ll not discuss here because of space constraints.
First consider that this zone is where the meaningful food chain lives most of the time.From photoplankton to zooplankton to ciscoes or whatever,that’s where its at.As Dan Cravens article in the last issue and the installment in this issue points out,even ciscoes are shallower than we thought and even if they go deeper,almost all sub species rise to this zone to feed.Necessarily.Guess who’s waiting for them to come to dinner?Perhaps waiting in that ‘twi light’zone of murky,light deprived water which Gord Pyzer has written about that really is the bottom of the photo zone.(studies suggest big pike utilize this zone to ambush prey silhouetted above-think muskies do?I do and my trolling records confirm it.
Next consider a muskies ‘comfort zone’.We can quibble whether its 68 degrees or 72 degrees but regardless,their comfort zone in terms of temperature,unlike big pike or trout ,is clearly within this photo zone.If you wish,ignore telemetry studies that show they are never below this zone pre turnover,dismiss the phenomenom of muskie porpoising on the surface regularly,forget the big ‘swim bys’we all see while fishing away but get real,why in the world would the king(queen)of freshwater fish leave their comfort zone when their food is there as well.Stay shallow-eliminate sterile water.
Okay lets talk briefly about the second key to finding fish out there-combining structure.
Actually we really can’t ‘combine’it,that is create it or move it around but we can all develop a thought process of trying to recognize and be aware of as much ‘structure’as possible being present at a given time and place.The more present,the better our odds of fish contact.’Busy’places are fish places.By way of anology consider a traditional point in your favorite lake.Points are often great fish spots but a plain old barren point is not very exciting-particularly on say a cool,sunny,calm day.Now though add a weed bed and a little wind.Better?Add a few boulders,some baitfish and dusk coming-or thunder rumbling in the distance.Now better?For sure.In the open water context we may not have hard traditional structure to focus on but we can still try to recognize and’combine’as much structure as possible.Look for open water‘complexes’if you will.
Well can we really do this out there?Sure,to an extent.Key structure out there like current,water temperature,oxygen levels that fish are relating to may be difficult or nearly impossible to ascertain meaningfully with existing technology but you can try.For sure you can find and focus on bait-or consistent bait areas-that likely are telling you a lot about temp,oxygen and current anyway.Bait,as structure,is as good as it gets out there absent actual muskie sightings or contact.But there’s a lot more.Wind(often chaos and turmoil exists out there as well),solar/lunar phases,weather(anticipate and use it),dawn and dusk(light changes),in short lots of things that affect fish,and which to me is therefore structure,are recognizable and combinable with some thought.
Finally you have two critical structures out there nearly as important in my view as bait.The surface(busiest place there is for big muskies-where extremes of noise,temp,wind and water movement,light,oxygen etc are at their greatest)and the bottom.Not the sterile actual bottom,but the bottom of the photo zone,that murky light deprived twi lite zone where muskies can quite easily ambush prey above or prey coming through to get to the meaningful food zone.
Weather, light conditions,bait depth and other ‘structure’present,often will suggest whether to focus on the surface or just above that bottom,but its hard to argue with keeping it simple and focusing on one or the other.If two or more are in the boat,try both.
Well folks,hopefully this has made some sense and you’ll agree its not futile out there,that there really is less area and water than you thought to concentrate on,and that with some thought on your part there can be method to the madness of going ‘out there’.
Catch-and release-the fish of your dreams this fall!
Remember:thinking is just being thoughtful.
See you next issue.
Dick
That is very interesting. I was very misunderstood on how long the rusty have been in the Ontario section. Perhaps another factor or element contributing to our recent weed loss???
Nope Ryan your right top water has gone way down in the last 10 years I bet in the last 5 years caught 3 fish on top water?? And it's thrown a lot Carol loves the Top Raider !
Darren
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