There may have been a day when dad took you to “the spot”. The spot he’s fished so many times before, the spot where his dad took him, and the spot that the walleye on wall came from. Not only was “the spot” deemed a “sure thing” but also historically successful. And if it wasn’t, dad made it clear “the spot” fell victim to the passing cold front. So many times, an angler’s confidence is fueled through their past success. After all, it worked before; why wouldn’t it work now? Whether it be location, technique, or even time of year; anglers find themselves in a repetitious cycle of what was.
However, how can an anglers attempt to go back and recreate a successful outing from the past be criticized? Every other creature on the planet thrives upon cyclical occurrences. Why shouldn’t humans? The answer is simple yet not well defined. We’re smarter. We have an upper hand advantage in that adaptation comes more easily and naturally. Why not use this upper hand advantage for something fun? Like say,…..Fishing!
For an average angler, an outing or time on the ice is either a gift from God or the significant other. In other words, time is precious. Unfortunately, having this view of fishing is what creates bad habits. It creates a tendency to do one of two things. Fish with the pack or go where it was good last time. At this point in the “plan of attack”, the odds of acquiring a good day on the water are at a steady decline.
There exists one trait that divides the good angler from the excellent angler. That trait is his or her ability to adapt and process a changed environment. Doing so involves analyzing transition periods and changes in ecosystem. What if fishing “the spot” is not going well and dad’s cold front theory does not apply? What acceptable excuse is then applicable? You’re using the same bait in the same spot at the same time,…..? El nino?,….Nope. Its you.
In the above scenario you’ve committed nothing incorrectly except for the fact that you’re still fishing there. It is the worst habit of fisherman to rely on what was. Instead, in the same scenario use your knowledge that the fish aren’t there (or the fish that are, are not biting) to your advantage. Never be afraid to try something everyone else isn’t.
For instance, we’ve now started a new ice season in which a full fledged transition period encompasses all fish. Big walleye in particular are maintaining their feeding patterns held in late fall. This means female walleye metabolism is near its peak. It is now up to you to decide technique since the time aspect is already chosen. Have these fish began to develop their small roaming schools or are they still in fall ambush mode? Two options come to mind: assume late fall transition and fish shallow weed or attempt shoreline pathway breaks leading roaming fish. Neither choice is correct, however your effort to seek the correct option is always right.
A body of water’s ecosystem is constantly changing. Each individual aspect of the lake is different. The variables include vegetitation, insect colonies, temperature, bait fish populations, water clarity, water chemical composition and a few others. None of these variables are more noteworthy than the other. It is a combination of all that determines the fishery. Acknowledging these variables empowers the angler to adjust his or her applied angling method. There exists no computation of these variables for determining what is right or wrong, but simply knowing that they are variables is half the battle.
In restricting one’s self to previously successful locations and techniques, confidence is somehow still maintained whether the current outing is successful or not. Why is that? Because it worked before it will work again eventually right? Maybe. This is the mindset of the average angler. He or she takes comfort in their own confidence. I would like to propose it more appealing to obtain or possess confidence in being able to change the approach in targeting fish. It is of utmost importance to be confident in whatever method you choose.
In order to be confident in your angling approach, most need to see and feel that it (your method) works. This is the largest hurdle to overcome in order to be comfortable out of “the spot”. In finding yourself in this situation, intuition is your best friend. You’ve done your homework. You know what you need to do. Now go do it. Those who do are rewarded with the confidence to overcome any scenario a body of water may throw at them.
Man is to fish as fish is to environment. Just as fish adapt to their body of water, fisherman needs to adapt to this change. Consistent harvesting year-to-year is only found where change in environment is minimal to non existent. These areas do exist but are typically structural and do not pertain to forage. An obvious example is fish relating to deep water in correlation to the water body’s oxygen level. The same aspect applies to summer time when oxygen levels are low due to warm shallow water. Again, water temperature is an excellent example of ecosystem change and is one of the biggest factors in fish location. Another obvious example which is a direct effect of temperature is forage. The lake or river you fish has a constantly changing bait fish population. Bait fish populations are effected by water temperature and available vegetation and many other factors. Recognizing that these variables are constantly in effect will contribute to your understanding of why your experience on the water was successful or not.
“The spot” may be known to many and is then titled “community hole”. This group fishing is sometimes successful. However, when its not successful, an angler will take comfort and confidence in the fact that he or she was not the only one to “get skunked” that particular day. In order to be more successful on the water I constantly remind myself that someone on the lake is taking a limit of fish home to the frying pan. Keeping that state of mind is motivation. With that in mind, my only barrier is then physical performance. Those who have accompanied myself on water note that I rarely stop moving until I’m content with the area. 50 to 100 holes is not a waste by any means. I have not failed, but found 50 to 100 holes that did not produce.
Successful fishing is work. If limited time an issue, then its even more work. Avoiding old areas that once produced can be considered an effort towards your new area. By studying maps and eliminating dead water you will be pleasantly surprised at how simple your new discovery may be.
A very wise man once said “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” The man that stays in the same area year after year and fishes the community hole may have been given a fish in a sense.