Small Changes

I had recently watched a video of an angler describing how his water was beat to death with other anglers one day, and he adjusted to the situation to see what he or they may be doing different to catch fish. My trophy red ear lake is getting beat to death on the weekends, and probably more popular even during weekdays than years past. Still, I chose to arrive toward the end of a storm on a weekend-strategy being the storm should clear 'em out. It did. But as quickly as the skies became calm, so did the return of-I counted about a dozen fishermen.

Storms can make even the most experienced fishermen's intuition a wild card. This day though, the fish decided to "hang in there". Because they had a bigger problem coming in the next 12 hours-a 35 degree drop in temperature and a substantial rise in barometric pressure. "Hang in there" today, meant hanging in the shoreline weeds and brush where they were partying, sunning and more importantly, picking off a smorgasbord of food before the storm. Still, the other anglers were casting straight ahead and as far out as they could. You know, the old mistaken belief that, "The farther you cast into the deepest water will catch the most and biggest fish".

There's a reason my waterproof footwear is more than just waterproof-it must be at least 18 inches high on my legs-that reason being for me to step into the water and position myself for the best angles to keep a lure in front of the most fish and for the longest amount of time. And I'm standing in the water 90% of time, four seasons of the year. Particularly important this day because the most desirable angle was to stand at the front of the weed and brush patches, turn, and cast parallel to them. Still, even fishing this shallow post storm every fish that took my jig had to run toward the lake, away from the bank, to catch up to my jig. What does that tell you? According to the anglers that stopped to check my count, or had already seen the water in a constant froth at my feet and were researching what I was doing, as well as my watching others now and then, no one else was catching anything. Me-46 Them-0. Here's the amusing aspect of revealing almost everything I was doing. I was pretty forthcoming with my line size, type of jig...but never pointed out that I had waded out and was paralleling the weeds and brush. That should be obvious, shouldn't it? It wasn't. It seldom is. I watch others go into convulsions trying to mimic everything I'm doing-except getting in the water. Sure, many aren't prepared to dip the feet. But even those who are...won't.

Fast forward to the next day. Yep, a workday for many but a day I can still expect to see a half a dozen at least, anglers come (and probably go-that's another problem affecting your success). Brutal frankly a windy, cold winter Ozarks day and I anticipated that subsurface teeny tiny flies drifting or sinking slow may be a better bet, today. I still make mistakes, and today my mistake was sticking to those grass and brush lines too long. Of course a few smaller fish due to their size, were quickly up and in yesterday's party weeds to warm quickly with the sun's radiation penetrating the clouds. But it wasn't until I retired the fly rod and retraced my steps with the spinning rod, that I found the bigger fish had gone "typical cold front" on me. They either dropped to the bottom at the first sharp drop from the bank, or they were way out there. Yeh, where yesterday's fishermen would likely have caught a few of them. But preconceived ideas, "fair weather fishing only", or whatever reasons were being used kept everyone away from the lake. Except me.

I did check the shoreline structure now and then. Even came better prepared for it today. Brought a 5 1/2 foot rod instead of a 6 foot rod. The shorter rod making more accurate casts in the weeds and brush, and easier to cast when weeds were above my knees or tree limbs surrounding me. My 4 1/2 foot rod is a fishing wizard in weeds and brush situations, making casts accurate enough to trim the mustache on a frog. The problem with the super short rod though, is catching fish in the brush and losing about half of them because that rod offers little leverage. I've found the 5 1/2 foot or even the 5 foot rod, to be a great compromise. One may think an extra six inches from 5 1/2 feet to 6 feet isn't a big deal, but oh yes it is when it comes to casting accuracy especially in tight water.

Fishing was till tough this post front day, and I remembered a technique I did last year with a simple micro jig. Fishing it like a jerk bait. And so I began a rule of fives trial with that technique (five casts jerk bait style, five casts conventional slow rolling the jig.) I didn't even make it to the third jerk bait cast and retrieve when this best red ear of the day made a wrist jolting stop of "my jerk". Way out there.

So let's wrap it up with a bullet list what I covered here, with some reading between the lines thrown in. Important-when I critique the anglers that have a lot wrong, it's only the anglers that complain they can't catch a fish, or that the fishing is bad today, or always bad on "these waters". Example: Angler 1 walks to the water with haste, casts hastily, moves around with haste, and leaves with a smile and comment, "I didn't catch any fish." Angler 2 could practically be the identical twin of Angler 1 but moans and complains on the walk by, about the fishing. Well, angler 1 just wanted or maybe only had the time, to fish a short period. He's happy! Probably understood that with his "outing" catching a fish would just be a bonus. Mission accomplished! Angler 2 did almost everything to insure failure.

• Get closer to if not in, the water. "Become the fish." In an over simplified explanation of fish positioning, regardless where fish are positioned it's usually in a line perpendicular to your vision. A lot of this has to do with depth contours of waters, that also run perpendicular to your vision especially if fishing from the bank. So your best bet is to get as parallel to that line as is possible, and make your casts thus keeping your lure in the zone longer than bringing it in a zone about the width and length of the fish for just a few seconds.

• The most successful technique of my fishing all my life has been "the fish at my feet". In the trout parks, my waiting for every angler to "heave ho" a cast to the other side of the stream and then flipping a jig a few feet from me and at their feet-and catching trout-could arguably be called "barely fishing". But they think I'm a fish whisperer.

• "Become the fish" also includes getting into the brush with them. Which requires a shorter rod. Note-when teaching kids to fish the shorter rod is often better matched to their size. Even my 4 1/2 foot mustache trimmer is good for a kid. Do the height, length and angles calculations.

• If you've some experience fishing and you aren't catching fish, try something else that you've tried before and it worked. Even if it's winter now, and what worked before was in the summer. Can it catch any less than the 0 fish you've caught, so far?

• If you've no experience fishing and you aren't catching fish, try anything different. Even if it's more suited for a comedy show about fishing. Can it catch any less fish than the 0 you've caught so far?

• Commit some time and physical effort. Frankly, casting while standing in brush requires more physical effort than you may believe. Change your location. An oversimplified rule I use is to change my location by 50 feet. No-don't change your location to home!

• Should you be so lucky to fish for the southern red ear-which has been stocked in many Missouri lakes and ponds-when you catch an adult (6+ inches) from a weed patch or brush pile, don't waste your time going back to the same weed patch or brush pile for another adult. They're as unsociable as I am, as well as mirror their distant relative the adult bass, with this behavior. On the other hand, if you're impressed with my experience, go ahead and make that second cast to the same structure. It's hard to resist. And my excuse is always, "Today...I prove that general rule wrong!"

• Dress for success. Clothes that don't mind wrestling with thorns and brush, and that you don't mind baring the scars. Long sleeves year round-since you may mind your arms baring the scars when your clothes could have taken the bullet. Waterproof shoes. Boots are better. Waders at least to your waist are best. But even I, growing up and standing in streams most of my life, hate to wear waders. Just a personal thing. Go for it without preconceived ideas (from me).

• Fish aren't smart. But God has given them as He has all wildlife, the instincts to "wise up" really fast. If there's a lot of foot traffic where you're fishing, those fish are educated with a degree between Bachelors and Doctorate about humanology. Put those clothes and boots to work. I'm not that good a fisherman. I just put lot of physical effort into finding the fish I can blindside with something they've never seen before-fake food.

What's missing here? Specific equipment needs. (But rods almost require a "have to have" discussion. Almost.) Gotta use this or that lure or bait. Have to be out there early. Late. Noon. Sun, Rain. Really, all you need, is approach, be comfortable (in thorns, rain, the water, etc.), and confidence along with the willingness to make it work-even when it isn't working.

Sidebar: As I was about to publish this blog, a Facebook memory popped up that pretty much covers most of this blog. A blog of several years ago-so this wasn't just a strong coffee spew of wishful thinking: "52 of these from about 5 to 7:15 PM. One...from about 1:45 to 4:45 PM. “Take a hike.” Then add some more old school strategies = keys to success."

Fish on...