Oh
Oh
Whoa
Hey everybody would like to learn how to catch more fish like this
That's the reason you're watching this video
You know over the years in fishermen has developed the system of teaching fishing it works for all
Species of fish in lakes rivers reservoirs spring summer fall or winter. It's guaranteed
The in fisherman system is based on a simple teaching formula
First you have to understand the basic nature of the fish you fish for hey a small mouth bass
Isn't a large mouth bass a northern pike isn't a musky a sauger isn't a walleye every species of fish has an individual
Basic nature it has different needs and different wants in a given environment
The second part of the formula is
understanding the environment you're fishing water clarity weed growth
Structural makeup and a host of other things make fish do certain things we talk about
Classifications of lakes rivers and reservoirs different species of fish are in different
Classifications because they have to be there we talk about calendar periods
These are fish calendar periods not the calendar periods that you and I live by then we talk about
Presentation this is the right lure or bait or combinations of for the fish you're fishing for for the particular body of water
You're on hey does that sound like a lot?
Hey, we got a lot of ground to cover or should I say we got a lot of water to cover in a short period
Of time let's start right now
The in fisherman system is based upon three key elements
one
Understanding the habits and characteristics of the fish species you're trying to catch we call this the F factor
to
Finding a fish species within a given body of water referred to as the L or location factor
Three using the best fish catching method for the situation at hand label this P or
presentation factor
The challenge is to place the correct value on each of these three elements at the right time
Master this and you'll take a huge step toward catching fish consistently
understanding F the fish leads to L location the P
Presentation leads to success catching fish
Each fish species responds differently to its environment. This is nature's way of filling each available niche
responses are based on the senses of sight hearing taste smell and
sometimes feel
Through these senses fish respond to stimuli and arrange their basic lifestyle
This is somewhat predetermined by genetic heritage as to which particular senses play the dominant role in interpreting their environment
Some fish such as pike muskies and barracuda have sharp distinct teeth
Enabling them to seize large prey others such as bass and panfish have sandpaper lips and large
Expandable mouths which enable them to completely engulf their prey and to successfully attack from a stationary position
Still others have rubbery lips with no teeth at all and are built for vacuuming tiny organisms from the bottom
Body shape also plays a role
Salmon and billfish are long oval shaped fish tapered at either end and possessing large
Powerful tails which are driven by lots of red mussels
They are perfectly designed for long-distance swimming and running down prey in open water
Bass in contrast have shorter more compact bodies which are best suited for fast maneuvers and quick changes of direction in heavy cover
Muskies and pike have an intermediate shape that allows them to effectively ambush and stalk prey in edge habitat
Their large rearwardly located dorsal and anal fins allow short bursts of extreme speed
Which gives them a predatory advantage on the edges of heavy cover?
The construction and position of their eyes also affects fishes feeding behavior
Bluegill have a well-developed retractor lentice or eye muscle
Which enables them to shift the lens of the eye and thus greatly increase their field of vision without moving their bodies
the eye of the walleye includes a tapetum lucidum a
Special reflective structure which increases their ability to see during low light conditions
This gives the walleye an advantage over prey plus a feeding advantage over other predators during low light situations
Bass have a very large number of cones in their eyes
Which enable them to see a broad range of colors in bright light situations as opposed to the eel pout?
Which has 238 times more rods than cones
The eye construction of the eel pout is specially suited for feeding in their daily dimly lit deep water environment
Eye position gives a clue as to how the fish feed
The eye of the crappie is located high on the head and quite far forward
This suggests the crappie feeds most effectively by coming up underneath its prey
The sunfish's eyes are lower and more rearwardly oriented which enables it to feed
omnidirectionally
The sense of hearing also plays an important role in a fish's awareness of his surroundings
Fish are equipped with both an inner ear and a lateral line which allow them to sense sound waves underwater
The lateral line picks up low frequency sounds and the inner ear detects high frequency noises
Sense of smell or olfaction is important to many species of fish
For example species of puffers which are highly visual oriented reef fish living in clear water have no olfactory sacks
Rainbow trout which rely both upon vision and olfaction have an oblong olfactory sack with about 18 folds
Channel catfish which have a highly developed sense of smell have an elongated olfactory sack with about 142 folds
Because the number of lamellae or folds in the olfactory sacks of some fish increase with growth
It has been suggested but not proven that as fish become older their sense of smell may become more acute
By using a complete combination of all their senses
Fish are made aware of their environment. There is a zone of awareness surrounding each fish
That is the space within which it can detect the presence of an object like a lure a boat or another fish
The visual zone of awareness may shrink or increase in size depending on water clarity
The amount of cover present or the depth at which the fish is located
The auditory zone of awareness is much less important than the sense of smell
The auditory zone of awareness is much larger than the visual zone and depends upon the amplitude of the particular sound
And also the amount of other sounds present
The olfactory zone of awareness in most species is comparatively enormous
For example certain species of shark can detect scent that exists in less than one part per billion
But as we will soon discuss when we enter into the presentation side of the equation
Just because a lure falls into a fish's zone of awareness
Doesn't mean it will be eaten
Reproduction comfort and food also play a role in determining a fish's place in its environment and add to the understanding of the F factor
Various fish species respond differently to satisfy these needs each species has a slightly different ideal water temperature and bottom condition to spawn
They sometimes use the same general areas, but at different times of the year
Each species has preferred water temperatures light levels water clarity and habitat
Season water temperatures weather conditions and other circumstances prompt feeding
Food preferences and the balance between predator and prey are also important in understanding the F factor
A walleye may prefer perches forage if perch are not available walleyes will move to find a different prey
Each species feeds differently is found on a different level of the food chain and often feeds in an entirely different area
Because each species is different to catch fish consistently you must fish for each species differently
Understanding how fish respond to seasonal changes is the key to consistently catching fish all year long
The in-fisherman calendar divides the fishing year into 10 periods of fishing response
Here are those 10 in-fisherman calendar periods
To begin with this chart shows the periods being equal however that's never the case
Actually the approximate length of the 10 periods depends upon latitude and species
Winter period is the coldest water of the year frozen water is common in northern regions
Fishing can be quite good for anglers willing to brave the elements
Prespawn is the term for the period when fish are on the way to or in the vicinity of their spawning areas prior to spawning
During this stage there can be feeding activity and heavy grouping fishing is usually good
Spawn is a brief variable period linked to the range of preferred spawning temperatures for each species
Feeding activity is minimal
The length of the post spawn period varies depending upon water conditions, species of fish and the sex of the fish
Males are much more responsive to feeding during this period
Pre-summer this is a transition period during which fish begin to disperse from their spawning areas into the areas where they'll spend the summer
As a rule these fish are fairly active
Summer peak a short period when most fish of a given species establish strong patterns
The summer peak often begins after several days and nights of hot weather
Competition for abundant food spurs fish activity and good fishing
Summer period finds fish sticking to location patterns established during the summer peak
Algae blooms, cold fronts, abundant forage and other factors make fishing difficult
Fish activity patterns and fish location are now quite predictable
Post summer period occurs at the end of summer when days and nights bring consistently cooler weather
Fishing during post summer is often very good
Fall turnover is a short period when the lake is in turmoil from the mixing of cold surface water and the warmer water below
Turnover homogenizes lakes that have thermoclined in summer and as in any period of instability fishing is very poor
The cold water period often occurs twice, once in early spring, again during late fall
Fish establish specific patterns and fishing can be very good
The ten in fisherman calendar periods are devised to aid in identifying yearly periods of fish activity and seasonal location
Now here's how they work
This chart shows the ten periods for pike in a natural lake in central Michigan
Compare that to this chart which represents northern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan's cold climate extends the cold water period and packs the other nine calendar periods into a shorter time span
While calendar periods for any given species always occur in order, their length varies according to such things as geography and body of water type
Now the periods are not the same for each species
Largemouth bass for example are often in the spawn period when pike are in the pre-summer or summer peak period
As a final example, let's follow the calendar period for walleyes in a central Minnesota lake
January, February and March are winter
The fish are for the most part slow to medium in terms of their activity level
This period is determined by water temperature
April brings ice out and introduces the cold water and pre-spawn periods
The fish become active
May brings the spawn and the post-spawn period
Males are active, females slow
We determine these periods by water temperature and by observing the activity levels of the fish
Pre-summer, summer peak and summer periods usually occur from June to the end of August
Fish activity level peaks out, then slowly declines
These periods are bordered by the summer solstice and autumnal equinox and are largely determined by the ecological conditions of the lake
Active post-summer period usually begins in September and is followed by turnover and a brief time of tough fishing
After turnover has occurred and the lake has stabilized, the walleyes once again return to the cold water period and become more active
This and the following winter period are primarily dictated by water temperature
Of course, cold water species also have a calendar, one that is in fact radically different from that of their distant warm water cousins
For instance, certain strains of rainbow trout may have two spawning periods in a year, spring and fall
On the other hand, the mature Chinook salmon makes its spawning run in fall
And incidentally, post-spawn for this species can be real slow, as post-spawn for the Chinook equals death
But the important concept here is that every species, warm or cold water, fresh or salt water, behaves according to recognizable fish behavior patterns that can be defined and charted
Calendar periods are important because they help pinpoint where fish are located and how active they are
Learn to read the signs and you'll be able to identify one period from another and to determine when various species are in different calendar periods
Recognizing seasonal movements and fish response patterns is important to fishing success
Another overlooked but nonetheless very important element of the F factor is the effect of the moon on fishing
Over the years, it has been discovered that the moon does indeed have a profound effect on fish activity, both on a daily and a monthly basis
Perhaps the most striking indication of this effect is the International Game and Fish Association Record Book for the 1970s
Which states that 73% of the world record fish caught in the 70s were caught within the three days either side of the dark and full moons plus the day of the half moon
That's 73% of the world records caught within 54% of the month
Even more dramatically, the IGFA Book lists the 24% of the month around the full moon as responsible for 41% of the world record fish caught
In addition, it has been discovered that of the world record fish caught outside the decade of the 70s, the white and black crappie, channel catfish, chain pickerel, brown trout, musky, smallmouth, and largemouth bass records were all caught within three days either side of the full or dark moon
Clearly, these periods are significant for catching trophy fish
The L factor, location
Location in in-fisherman terminology refers to the process of finding fish within a specific body of water
It is a logical progression in thought from the F, or fish's nature, and so becomes the second element in the FLP formula
Essential to being able to grasp the location factor is a basic understanding of the different fish-holding water types
In fishermen groups, fishable water under four broad categories, natural lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and salt water
No two lakes are exactly alike. The lakes' predator-prey relationships, amounts and types of aquatic vegetation, and numerous other structural considerations determine its classification
Broadly, lakes are classified into three geological age groups, oligotrophic, young, mesotrophic, middle-aged, and eutrophic, old
No matter where your favorite lake is located, it's changing. In some waters, a visible change might take a century or more. In other waters, change might occur in a few years
This is the natural aging process, eutrophication, that lakes pass through. A lake is getting older not so much in time as in condition
The initial states of change may take thousands of years, but the final ones may happen quickly, especially with the addition of man-made causes
Throughout this process, the total environment of a lake, its structural condition, food chains, vegetation levels, and dominant fish species changes
Man-caused eutrophication, aging, is due to expanding human population and, consequently, waste disposal
Man may accomplish in a generation what might occur naturally in a hundred years
As lakes age, their character changes. Geologically young lakes are deep and clear. Older lakes, shallow and murky
On one end of the aging scale are young lakes, oxygen-rich, deep water, which can support lake trout and whitefish
At the other end are old lakes, weed-choked, oxygen-poor water, which can support carp and bullheads
Between these two extremes fall most lakes, each more or less hospitable to certain fish species
We categorize natural lakes in the following phases
The youngest, most infertile lakes, oligotrophic, typically have rock basins and are found almost exclusively in the upper portions of North America
They usually have steep, sharp drop-offs, few weeds, and pine-studded shorelines
The nutrient level of the water is usually low, and oxygen is available in deep water
Normally these lakes support low gamefish populations. A few pounds of gamefish per acre is common
In mesotrophic lakes, the shorelines are less gorge-like, and the drop-offs less abrupt and steep
Big boulders give way to small rock, and more sand and gravel is apparent. Weed growth abounds
The surrounding terrain is different, so the water quality takes on a new character, more nutrients
The lake is moderately fertile, and is capable of producing many pounds of gamefish per acre
Eutrophic lakes are old and usually shallow. Sand gives way to muck or clay, and shoreline tapers are gradual
Secondary drop-offs often don't exist. Martiary is usually dotted adjacent sections
Hardwood trees and flat shorelines rather than steep cliffs or high hills rim the lake shore
The lake has changed from a cool to a warm water environment, and shallow weed growth may be thick as long as the water remains somewhat clear
Such lakes are often called dishpan lakes due to their overall depth and shape
Typically these old lakes are very fertile and have large fish populations
As the lake ages, the distribution of fish species also changes. Oligotrophic lakes chiefly support cold water fish species like trout and whitefish
Mesotrophic lakes support cool water species. Walleyes often become the dominant species, and crappies and bass establish populations too
The combination of abundant weed growth, prey species, and structural elements mean a variety of cool and warm water fish
In eutrophic very fertile lakes, shallow rooted plant life may provide food and cover for fish
Walleyes, crappies, bluegills, and bass thrive at first, and then gradually disappear
Eventually the water may become so dark the weeds can't grow. The only fish present may be bullheads
Rivers come in many sizes and provide a habitat for numerous fish species
There are clear mountain streams, silt-laden farm country rivers, brackish tidal rivers, stained swamp rivers, and many more
They are different in character and therefore provide varying aquatic environments
Different stretches of the same river can have contrasting personalities and different fish species
For example, a young clear cold water river plunges downhill, flowing over and cutting through solid rock
Here, trout and grayling could thrive. As a river matures, it becomes increasingly fertile, flows more slowly, and begins to meander
This cool water environment favors species like walleyes and smallmouth bass
Finally, in old age, a river winds through a floodplain. The warm water environment supports largemouth bass, catfish, and carp
Each aging stage favors species of cold, cool, or warm water fish
Middle-aged and old rivers are slow-moving shallow rivers with broad floodplains
These wide floodplains can create huge, complex backwater areas with abundant habitat
Flooded backwaters, oxbow lakes, and connecting lakes can be excellent areas where the flooded brush, stumps, and timber are common fish attractors
A maze of channels often provides a connection to other prime spots. Since backwaters can be a mile or more from the main channel, they don't function as a river
Current flow is usually negligible, and flooding is often controlled by a dam. These backwaters function more as a reservoir than a river
In fisherman classifies rivers in the following geologic age groups. Very young, young, adult, mature, middle-aged, old, very old, and tidal
View a stream by stretches. A particular stretch can be young, old, or somewhere in between
For instance, a stream might be quite shallow, have a slow taper for several miles, and possess a number of backwater areas with soft bottom and aquatic weed growth
Crappies and largemouth bass find adequate habitat here. Suddenly, this same stream might break through a rocky, cliff-like area, creating a rapids and finally pouring into a boulder-based pool
This stretch could hold smallmouth bass. Different stretches of the same stream can have different personalities and different fish species
Rarely is a stream the same from beginning to end, because few regions are geographically consistent
Because of these limitless variations, we devise the following method of classifying streams
With these categories, you can identify and recognize most river stretches in North America. Of course, there are exceptions
Parts in transition are like a natural lake that has eutrophic bays, while the main body of the lake is mesotrophic
This chart shows the species present in each river category
Notice how a fish's numbers peak and then gradually decrease as the river evolves
Each aging stage favors certain varieties of cold, cool, or warm water species
Young, picturesque mountain trout streams may be unpolluted and unaffected by man
These streams are infertile since they run over rock beds and gain few nutrients from the land
Very young and young streams cannot support large fish populations
Cold water species disappear in the adult stage
In sections with less gradient, the water flows slower and warms to a temperature that trout cannot survive
This environment favors cool water fish like smallmouth bass
In the mature stage, cool water fish like walleyes, saugers, pike, and muskies enter the picture
Then, as a river gets older, the cool water species begin to fade
Warm water fish like largemouth bass and catfish become dominant, and fish like carp become common
Reservoirs
A reservoir is an impounded body of water held back by a dam
When a river is impounded, water floods the natural landscape
Forests, marshes, ponds, and small lakes, plains, hills, mountains, plateaus, and canyons, roads, fields, and even small towns may become part of the newly formed body of water
The geographic area of a reservoir has a bearing on the resulting fishery
Taking a cross section of the geography of North America, one finds large areas that are low and swampy, marshy or flat, and old floodplain region
In other places, the terrain is hilly. Still others have mountains and highland ridges that form foothills
Reservoirs lying within each of these landforms have the same basic configuration
They have a similar cross section and shape
The In-Fisherman Impoundment Classification System identifies six broad categories
Canyon, Highland, Plateau, Hill Land, Flatland, and Lowland Wetland
A combination of natural and manmade characteristics place an impoundment into one class or another
Let's look at the physical features of each of the impoundment types
Canyon Impoundment
This type may be 500 to 600 feet deep downstream above the dam, and a few feet to 40 feet at the inlet
The shape of a canyon impoundment becomes less distinct downstream, but is a very distinct or dish-shaped gorge upstream
Feeder creeks and small rivers can be 40 to 60 miles long and are shaped like a main channel
The canyon impoundment is very distinct along the sheer walls of the main reservoir and downstream portions of the cove
The bottom of these canyons are mainly rock with some sand and some gravel in the backs of coves
You'll find some sagebrush or scrub vegetation occasionally, along with cottonwood trees and highland cedar at the extreme backs of coves
Typically, the food shelf along the perimeter of a canyon reservoir is very narrow
A highland impoundment can be anywhere from 60 to 200 feet or more in depth
The main channel of the river often runs near or against the shorelines
These impoundments have many junctions or creeks and river channels that are usually too deep for bass use
They are deep but not wide and can be very, very long
Shorelines vary from heavily timbered, moderate slopes to cliffs
Brush and timber are common and vary from hardwoods or pines to cedar
While mostly rocky, the bottoms usually have some sand, clay, rock, shale or limestone
Plateau impoundments have a depth of 50 to 200 feet deep, depending on the location
The main river channel usually runs through the center of the reservoir and it's usually not deep, quite straight and flat
The banks are generally clean, but some brush may be found
Feeders usually consist of little gullies or washouts from flash floods
Main feeders have high walls, are usually most prevalent on the lower third of the stream and are short and wide at the mouth
Steep bluffs can be found downstream with a gradual slope upstream
Region also influences whether it has a rocky or sandy bottom, but plateau impoundments are usually clean
Brush is quite limited, but some can be found in backs of coves while vegetation can be found in the upper one-third of the stream
The depth of a hill land impoundment ranges from 45 to 175 feet
In its natural state, the main river channel is quite straight and the shape of the riverbed is usually rounded
Most feeders have a distinct channel with sloping banks
Coves are deep downstream and may have large timber stands, upstream coves are often shallow and timbered
Sand, clay, loam, some mud flats and extensive small humps can be found on the bottom here
Hill land has the most weed growth of any reservoir type
You will find brush and timber in coves and aquatic vegetation on shallow flats in the main lakes
Flatland impoundments, usually 20 to 40 feet deep at the dam and 6 to 12 feet deep upstream
The river channel of the flatland impoundment is often greatly altered and straightened with levees and dikes off the shoreline
Standing timber is common in the main lake
Mill foil is the main vegetation here
Feeder creeks or ditches usually less than 20 feet wide and 1 to 6 feet deep in a V-shaped bed serve as feeders
Points are broad and round and taper off slowly
Some points have brush, but most usually lack timber
Black soil, mud flats and some hard clay make up the bottoms
Lowland wetland impoundments are at least 50% surrounded by marsh and bogs
They are broad and diverse, usually containing a number of islands
The main creek channel, though occasionally difficult to distinguish, seldom passes near shore
The bays are shallow and the points are broad and rounded
Flats are large and may have timber or stumps
Weeds and grass can be extensive
Bottom and channels are fairly well silted in and average maximum depth is around 35 feet
Saltwater
In fishermen divide saltwater into four categories
Estuaries or brackish water
Flats
Reefs and wrecks
And blue water
Estuaries are the equivalent of a freshwater back bay and provide the habitat for many species of both fresh and saltwater fish
Water in estuaries is brackish or mixed fresh and saltwater
These tidally influenced waters support everything from sheep heads and ladyfish, snooks, carp and barracuda
Brackish waters can be thought of as the back sloped bays of saltwater
The flats are large fish pastures where various species roam and feed
They are very much like extended flats in a freshwater natural lake
Tidal influence controls the heartbeat of all life in these near coastal regions
The phytoplankton feeds the smaller fish that provide forage for the big boys, including sharks, tarpon, permit and bonefish
Reefs create the structure needed for numerous species of saltwater fish to thrive
Structure can play just as important a part in saltwater location as in freshwater and this is especially true on reefs
Reefs, both natural and manmade, provide the environment for a complex, interdependent aquatic subculture
Although some species like snappers, groupers and the like are more or less permanent residents, reefs may also be visited by any number of other species
Blue water off the continental shelf is the home for pelagic free-roaming big game species like marlin, swordfish, sailfish, dolphin, tuna and so on
These nomads of the open sea relate to schools of baitfish and ocean currents
Saltwater pelagics are among the most mysterious of the fish world
Like their freshwater counterparts such as salmon, location can be a challenge
Much research is still being done into the nature of these saline giants
Now that we've identified the basic water types, let's turn to the three main factors that affect fish location
They are, one, the structural options within a given body of water
Two, the interaction between the various fish species within that body of water
Three, reaction to outside stimuli such as weather, boat traffic, fishing pressure and so on
Structure includes the elements, bottom configuration, bottom content, water characteristics and cover
Bottom configuration, how is the body of water shaped? Is it deep? Is it shallow?
Does it have sharp drop-offs or does it have slow tapering breaks? Does it have an inlet, outlet or both?
Is the lake or pond round or long or thin? Are there points and bends?
Bottom content, is there large rock, small rock, gravel, silt or muck?
Water characteristics, oxygen level bears on fish location
Decaying matter reduces oxygen content and forces fish to seek shallower water
Water clarity and water color have several major effects on fish location and behavior
Stained water fish rely on a mixture of sight and hearing to locate prey
While clear water fish may be more sight oriented
Dark water fish may be more vibration conscious
As we'll soon discuss, vision and sound play a major role in lure selection
Vegetation is an important structural element
What types of weeds are there? Coontail, cabbage, hydrilla, hyacinth, lily pads?
Different fish relate to specific weed types in different ways
The points, pockets and holes in a weed bed will at times affect location
Also, the density or sparseness of a weed bed plays an important role
Underwater objects such as submerged trees, fallen logs, limbs or brush piles will, in combination with other factors, provide key fish magnets
Above water, shade producers will create zones of relative safety for prey and attack zones for predators
Some such objects include trees, shoreline brush or high banks
Current is another water characteristic that is important to locating fish
Water coming into or leaving a body of water affects fish location, especially if the flow is fast, as in many rivers and impoundments
In lakes, the effects are more subtle
In the ocean, the water movement created by tides is a critical part of the life cycle of most fish
Recently, the concept of the pH climb has become a factor in fish location
The pH, or acidity versus alkalinity of the water, affects microscopic plant and animal life
And in turn draws bait fish which will eventually attract game fish
The various junctions in the pH strata can define areas of fish movement and feeding
Many lakes develop layers of warm and cool water during the season
The junction between these layers of water is called the thermocline
Technically, the thermocline is an area where the water temperature drops a degree and a half per foot or more
Water above and below will be much more gradual
Cold water species may stay in the cooler strata, while warm water species will of course stay in the water best suited to their genetic makeup
The thermocline can be essential to locating fish on some bodies of water
Species interaction
Species interaction involves spawning cycles, density of population, availability of food, competitive species, and how these interrelate
Spawning
As we touched on earlier in the F section, spawning and the movements to and from the spawning grounds are very important elements to fish location
Not only important to the species that are spawning, but also to the predators of that species
Interrelationships among fish also affect location
Perhaps the most important factor in determining location is where preferred prey is located
Great abundance of prey can override a species preference for a specific type of habitat
Predators stay near their seasonal prey
Available food determines growth and ultimately the health of a fish population
Certain species are compatible, others are not
Competition of food and spawning habitat affects fish location
Reaction to outside stimuli
This category can be divided into the elements seasonal temperature, daily weather, and man
Seasonal temperatures affect fish location in any body of water
Dark water absorbs sunlight faster and warms earlier than clear water
Thus major fish movements may occur earlier in dark water
Recent weather affects day to day locational patterns
Cold or warm fronts may produce different results
A cold front's effect on an ultra clear, cool lake is more pronounced than on a darker, warmer lake
Local weather also triggers or restrains the insect hatches which play a major role in determining location of certain fish
Dams, boats, skiers, fishermen, swimmers, pollution, habitat alterations such as clearing weeds and brush, draining sloughs, or adding brush piles
Cribs, docks, and artificial reefs, and offshore wrecks all affect fishing
The P-Factor
Proper presentation is a combination of using the right bait the right way in the right place at the right time
A fish's vulnerability to various presentations often changes as the season progresses
The presentation that works best at one time might be the worst approach a month, week, day, or hour later
To be consistently successful you must adapt your presentation to the immediate conditions
We divide presentation into two categories, position and technique
Position is further broken into two basic modes
We refer to them as stationary or mobile
Stationary position means working from any fixed position
This includes anchoring, fishing from shore, or most waiting techniques, and ice fishing
Mobile refers to any position other than stationary, such as forward trolling, back trolling, or controlled drifting and slipping currents
Technique is the term we use to describe the actual working method and lure selection
Lure or bait selection is determined by several factors
One, the species you're trying to catch
Two, specific location, deep water, shallow water, weeds, brush, current, and so on
Three, local conditions, things like weather, water clarity, water temperature, amount of light, and fishing pressure
And four, the resulting attitude of the fish
We break attitudes into three categories
Positive, meaning they're aggressively feeding
Neutral, which is what fish are most of the time and means that they're not actively feeding
But may be triggered with a selective approach
Negative, which is when they can't be made to bite
They're spooky and difficult or impossible to catch
It's important to note that the attitude of positive fish can be made neutral or negative by a sloppy presentation
Such as an angler making too much noise, being seen by the fish, or in some cases by presenting too large or aggressive a lure
This is especially true of fish in clear shallow water or water with little cover
It can be argued that truly negative fish cannot be made to bite
An angler must wait for these fish to settle into at least a neutral mood before they can be triggered
Or find other fish within that body of water that are feeding
Understanding what we call triggers and how they relate to the mood of the fish are one of the main keys to successful presentation
Triggering factors include speed, action, color, size, shape, scent, sound, vibration, and texture
These are all functions of the particular lure you choose
Which is most important depends upon the individual circumstance and the attitude of the fish
Recall the zone of awareness, that area surrounding a fish within which the fish can detect the presence of an object
Within the zone of awareness exists another zone, which we refer to as the strike zone
In a nutshell, the strike zone is the critical area you need to put a lure into to trigger a fish into striking
Imagine a fish in your mind, holding tight to cover
If the fish is in a neutral mood, the lure may have to pass within 12 inches or less of its face in order to trigger a strike
The fish sees lures outside this strike zone but just lets them pass by
If the fish were in a positive mood, the strike zone might be expanded five times or more from what it would be in a neutral situation
The strike zone varies in size depending upon the attitude of the fish
Which is in turn influenced by water clarity, light conditions, water temperature, weather, and fishing pressure
Because sight is the number one sense that influences most predators to strike
Water clarity is the most important factor
Making a mental note about water clarity should become as automatic as turning on your sonar
Because they can see farther in clear water, fish in this situation tend to have a larger strike zone
However, positive fish in dark water may have a larger strike zone than neutral fish in clear water
Sunlight plays a dual effect. It affects both the fish's ability to see and the temperature
During the cool water periods of spring and fall, fish may actually seek direct sunlight
They do this in an effort to increase their body temperature
In this case, bright sun can actually increase the strike zone
This is one reason why during cool water periods the activity levels of the fish are best during the afternoon when the sun is high
During the warm summer months, fish usually react opposite
They most often tend to shy away from bright light and are much more positive when in shade
Or during the low light periods of dawn, twilight, or even the dead of night
Cold or dropping temperatures also tend to shrink strike zones
We're speaking in relative terms here, so cold means colder than normal for a particular species at a particular time of year
Weather is the key factor in influencing the attitude of the fish and thus has a profound effect upon strike zones
Warm, stable weather tends to make fish positive, thus increasing the size of the strike zones
Just before a weather front hits, fish tend to be very active
During these conditions, strike zones are often at their largest
Passage of a cold front tends to send fish into tight cover and put them in a neutral or negative mood, which shrinks strike zones
Like cold weather, heavy pressure causes strike zones to shrink
The harder a school of fish has been pounded, the smaller the strike zone will become
And the more refined or offbeat the presentation must be in order to provoke a strike
As you can now surmise, the strike zone and attitude of the fish dictate your presentation
When strike zones are small, you must be extremely thorough in your presentation
You need to virtually strain the water, placing casts in very close proximity and making multiple casts into key areas
In conditions where strike zones are large, the best approach is to fish fast in search of active schools of fish
And your casts may fall 15 feet apart rather than 3 feet apart
Here are some presentation guidelines
In dirty, turbid water, you should start with high contrast, high visibility lures
Fluorescent colors are excellent. Go big and bold. You want a lure that is as visible as it can be
Because fish can't see your lure well, do more contact fishing like banging crankbaits off timber, ripping spinnerbaits through bushes, or thumping the bottom with a jig and eel
Fish in this kind of water are not going to run down a free-running lure. They will react to the sound of a nearby lure
Your lure should be noisy and work well at slow speeds
A slow-fished lure stays in the zone of awareness longer and gives fish time to find and react
In clear water, the opposite may be true
Favor quieter lures that are subtly colored. Appeal to the sense of sight with natural finish lures that are low contrast
In solid colors, try white, yellow, or black. Translucent pale finishes can be good
You will actually do better with smaller lures in clear water than the big eye-grabbing lures you use in the dirty water
Live bait, light line, and small hooks come into play during tough conditions
Adjust lure speed to suit the size of the strike zone at a given time on a given day
Faster presentation works well in clear water or at times when strike zones are bigger
The fish can and will chase, so you want to take advantage of that fact by covering more water
When a combination of factors causes strike zones to be small, slow down
Small strike zones call for careful vertical presentations like working a jig and minnow right under the boat
Bouncing a plastic worm in openings in a cabbage bed or flipping a soft plastic bait tight against timber
When things get tough and you know the strike zone is small, fish vertically and slowly
When the strike zone is big, however, the slow presentation will take fish, but it's wasting time
Use a fast horizontal presentation when factors indicate big strike zones. Cover water
If you're fishing bass, race a crankbait through the shallows or buzz a tandem spin
Knowledge of these triggers, however, is useless without the proper equipment and the physical skill to use it properly
Your local sporting goods dealer will help to rig you up right
And you're going to have to spend time on the water or even in the backyard to develop your mechanical skills with your equipment
What you've just viewed for the last 45 minutes or so is a basic outline of the In Fisherman FLP system
Designed to give you an understanding of how all the major elements fit together
According to Al Lindner, who along with his brother Ron originated the In Fisherman, people fish for four main reasons
Food, companionship, escape and challenge
In all likelihood, you fall into one or more of these categories
Whatever the reason you fish, applying systematic thought to your sport will ultimately make it more fulfilling
And that is why In Fisherman is in business
Good job, good job, put her there
I bet you didn't think there was that much to catching fish consistently
Well, the fact is folks, it is a science, fishing is a science
And once you learn how to apply the principles we covered in this video, you won't have to rely on luck again
The purpose of this video was to teach you the principles of the In Fisherman system and give you a reference for all the other In Fisherman videos
This system is what all of them are based on, it works for all species of fish, anywhere in the country, all year long
Learn how to use it, apply it and I guarantee you, you are going to catch a lot more fish
Music
Other titles that exist in the In Fisherman video treasury of angling wisdom are
In Fisherman Classics
You know for years you've been hounding us to make our award winning television shows available in home video form
Well we're doing that and a whole lot more
The In Fisherman Classics takes you back to the beginning of In Fisherman television and guides you right up to the present
It's a chronicle of events that shape the course of modern angling
The Tactics and Strategy series consists of the same kind of hard hitting action and entertainment provided by the award winning television specials
While delivering the most in depth educational how to fishing ever laid down on video
These tapes are guaranteed to set the standard by which all others are judged
The Discovery Year series takes a documentary approach, species specific, providing you with an expanded view of the foundations of modern freshwater fishing
Electronics, fish behavior, structure, precision boat control, a comprehensive look at the factors responsible for bringing lures and rigging design into the modern age of angling
Our Travel and Adventure series brings you the whens, where's and how's concerning the In Fisherman's most exciting field trip
It provides you with material both to fuel your wildest dreams and to more confidently plan your trip of a lifetime
For more information write In Fisherman video
Post Office Box 2676 Brainerd, Minnesota 56401 or call the In Fisherman video hotline 1-800-283-2009
In Fisherman