USE NATURAL KEYS TO FIND FISHING

In freshwater dates, fishing peaks always vary, but the order in which varied waters peak remains the same. So, if you go back a year or two years and check fishing reports, you can compile a list that tells you that, for example, Buck Lake trout bite the week after Loon Lake's.

This is important for several reasons. First, fishing reports are often a week late. Second, last week's reports are less important than this week's prospects. Finally, if you compile such a list and take it a critical step further you radically improve results.

The next step is natural keys. For example, you can match up insect hatches with flower blooms. Or, as I found in California, know my favorite brook trout lake's action peaked when the fruit on the elderberry bushes along Highway 20 turned grey. Striped bass in the Feather River ran when a special Stirling Silver rose bush let me know with its blooms. Here in Idaho, landlocked salmon in my favorite lake hit about the time our pear tree's fruit ripens. There are, subject to El Ninos and such, the same kind of things in saltwater.

How come this works? It's my opinion that the same factors of climate, rainfall and whatever that effect crops and such work on fish. Keys like these don't take much effort if you simply keep a log - more on that next article - and take the time to observe.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic