Preparing for the PreSpawn High Water Period

I posted this idea last year but I thought this might be a good time to share the idea again. The trouble we have during high water is getting a good picture in our mind of what the catfish holding structure looks like in any given spot. Most of our good spots are drowned out and there seems to be too much current streaming through our best spots. What I have found is the fish are still there but they are relating to structure we probably have not given much thought to before. I’ve tried to photo catalog my catfish spots during low water so that when I have high to moderate water during the prespawn period I have a good idea of what the structure looks like when it is covered by high, dirty water. I got the idea after watching golf one weekend on TV. I was watching Tiger Woods prepare for a difficult shot from out of the rough and his caddy pulls this small book out of his back pocket and it is a diagram of the hole with distances to the green and specific obstacles to avoid. I thought to myself that would be a good technique for my catfish spots. During the low water period last summer I went out scouting with my digital camera and took digital photos of my preferred high water spots paying attention to well anchored logjams and root wads that were high and dry at that time but should be covered during high water. Now when I approach those spots I pull out my cat fishing spot photo album and think through how I want to fish that spot. I try to think like a hungry prespawn catfish and picture in my mind how he would set up on that spot. Right now the St Croix River is at 675.6′ which is normal elevation and perfect for low water scouting. I am hoping that we get enough low water time after ice out to allow me to complete cataloging of my fishing spots. I’ve made a good photo album on the St Croix but I haven’t gotten to Pool 3. You would be amazed at how much this helps you read the water during high to moderate water elevation. To give you an idea attached is a picture of one spot – picture this under 6′ of water.

Very good idea Steve! Helps a person recall were those snags are when they’re underwater.

I can’t speak much about the Croix, but P3 is ever changing. Many areas took on a whole differant flow from the prior year, making some very good spots dead, but creating dead spots that were outstanding.

I marked hazzards on my GPS that disappeared over the winter…of course new ones appeard (bump!).

Either way, having a “photo diary” is much better than leaving areas to my “aging memory”!

I cant think of a better way to keep track of structure than with a photo.. maybe assisted by a GPS. Its a great idea. I have one stretch of river here I wish I would have gotten some photos of last year… no worries, I’ll forget to get some photos this year too.

Most of the areas I have in my back yard(inner metro).. photo’s wont do any good. The culverts and bridges dont move much. Once in a while a log settles in from upstream, but its soon to be swept out by a barge.

Very interesting and good idea Steve. Ups your odds in catching fish. I took some pics of a small river not far from my house last fall for the same purpose. Even though I haven’t fished this area before it will give me an idea of what the structure is and where the holes and logs are. Don’t know yet just what I’ll find this spring in this area but it will be fun finding out.
Thanks, Bill